Formerly Take It Easel
Take It Easel is now Nadeau Studios — a continuation of our decades of craftsmanship — now carried forward under our family name.
The easel itself remains grounded in the same design lineage and values. The craftsmanship continues, just as it always has.
A Lineage of Artistry
The story of the Nadeau Easel begins well before our family ever touched one.
Its roots trace back to the Anderson easel, a European design introduced to New England in the early 1900s. That design later became known locally as the Gloucester Easel, made popular by Emile Gruppé, his sons, and the Gloucester School of Painting. It was prized for its exceptional stability — especially in the windy, uneven conditions of the New England coast.
In 1988, our mother, painter Rosalie Nadeau, purchased one of the last original Gloucester easels still in circulation. When other painters began asking where they could get one, it became clear that no one was building them anymore.
Our father, Tom Nadeau, received permission to carry the design forward and began building them by hand in his spare time. His focus was simple: preserve the geometry and stability of the original design, while strengthening materials where possible. He called it Take It Easel.
From Cape Cod to Vermont — And Back Again
As demand grew, the easel became a family endeavor shaped by painting, engineering, and decades of real-world use. Over time, production moved to Vermont, where Tobin Nadeau spent nearly three decades refining the design with an engineer’s eye — improving tolerances, durability, and repeatability while keeping the core structure intact.
Vermont remains a meaningful chapter in the easel’s history — where the design was refined and proven through decades of professional use.
Nadeau Studios has now come home to Cape Cod, where it began.
How The Easels Are Built Today
Today, our easels are built on Cape Cod, where the work began.
We continue to follow the same principles that have guided the design for decades — careful material selection, precision where it matters, and a focus on durability in real-world conditions.
That mindset comes from our family’s roots here on the Outer Cape — including years of commercial fishing in salt and wind — where gear either holds up, or it doesn't.
While the hands have changed over time, the standards have not.
Looking Forward
Nadeau Studios exists to continue this work — honoring what has already been proven, and refining what matters.
We build tools meant to be used for a lifetime.
We build fewer things.
We build them well.
And we expect them to outlast us.