Author: Megan Koch

Posted 19 June 2020

The longest day of the year.

In 2012 Studio 23’s board and committee created the Summer Solstice event, the year of the water dragon. A tent was in our north parking lot with beautiful decorations of bonsai trees and colorful fans. Our patrons enjoyed music, performances by a local dance group and the lighting of paper lanterns.

This event celebrated art. On exhibit was, A Women’s Perspective that featured fifty local female artists. With Studio 23 being a nonprofit we rely on these events to raise funds for our programing and operational costs. Luckily, throughout the years we have had wonderful committee and board members that create new and exciting events.

For this years Summer Solstice we decided to bring back the celebration of art on the longest day of the year. With the sun shining we can welcome summer here in Bay City, Michigan. Even though summer this year might look a little different, we believe that we all can enjoy a piece of art during this time. On Saturday, June 20th we will have thirteen artists participating in a critique, plein air and demos from 5pm-8pm on our FaceBook stream.

We are excited to feature:

Amy Gibas & Val Allen as our hosts of the evening.

Armin Mersmann will be creating in our windows. Walk by and say hi!

Our Panelist:

Mike Zureich

Armin Mersmann

Margaret Colarelli

Rebecca Zeiss

Sara Clark

Pam Hart

Our Plein Air Artists:

Ruth Howell

Elli Hennessey

Barbara Plezia

Walda Juhl

Rebecca Longoria

How can you support your local artists? It is easy, make a pledge to our PayPal account! I’m happy to make my pledge of $23 in honor of Studio 23’s first location on US 23. Without that beginning we wouldn’t be where we are today. I hope you will join me by making your pledge below.

Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge.

Have a great Summer Solstice and I hope to see you virtually tomorrow night.

Sincerely,

Tara Welch

Executive Director

Now is your chance to support local businesses and nonprofits through Buy BAY COUNTY!

Purchase a gift card to your favorite Bay County restaurant, retail or service business and receive 25% free! Studio 23 can apply your Studio 23 gift card purchase to artwork and/or classes.

Order your gift cards from this link!

Studio 23 is part of the Amazon Smile gives program for nonprofits. Please consider using this when ordering from at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

by Megan Koch

Posted 6 June 2020

Reopening at Studio 23!

Studio 23 Family,

We are so excited to open our doors to you again.

Throughout the stay-at-home order we have continued to provide content through social media and our website. That is here to stay: We will continue to offer virtual classes, free art projects, artist demos, and tours of artists’ homes and studios. Staying connected to you was so much fun, and we loved seeing your posts of your own creations. Thank you for supporting us through this time.

On Monday the governor announced that children’s day camps and museums can reopen to the public, but with guidelines.

We will open our gallery doors on Tuesday, June 16, at 11am.

Your safety is our priority, so we have some new procedures in place:

– You must wear a mask. If you don’t have one, we will have masks available for $1.

– Please keep social distance from others, remaining six feet apart.

– Our galleries will admit up to ten people at a time.

– Our classrooms will also have limited capacity, based upon space.

– Restrooms will not be available to the public.

– We ask that you do not enter the galleries or classrooms if you are feeling unwell.

– All individuals must enter through our main entrance on Water Street.

– We will have limited hours: 11am-5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

Our staff will be cleaning, organizing, and getting ready to welcome you back. Please be patient as we begin to schedule classes at the studio. Also note that all of our virtual classes are still happening! You can still make art with us in the comfort of your home.

Thank you for understanding the changes we have made. We can’t wait to see you in our space, creating and admiring local art!

Sincerely,

Tara Welch

Executive Director

Support Studio 23 when shopping on Amazon. It is so easy, just start at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

by Megan Koch

Posted 8 May 2020

Have a marvelous May with Studio 23!

Hello Everyone!

Can you believe its May?! Since the #stayhome order it almost felt like time was inching by, but now I sit here and type wondering how it is May already? A lot has changed in our world, but I believe that the importance of art remains relevant. We have seen authors read their famous books, actors perform on zoom and art lessons through video chat. Our art world has adapted to make sure we can still serve our community. To us, we need art just like we need fresh air! I hope that you have had time to enjoy our videos on Facebook. Now all of these videos are available on the home page of our website! No more worrying about not have a social media account, you can enjoy them anytime on our website.

Studio 23 is lucky to have the great staff we do. We knew to adapt quickly and now we are excited to announce virtual classes and a Craft Bar pick up.

Right before the order was put into effect we opened our Craft Bar. A place that you can pick up an art project and have the steps written out for you. It is the perfect thing to take home! Our directions all have step by step pictures, making your art experience stress free and fun. Visit our link to reserve your art packet from the Craft Bar! We are offering a pickup day and we will bring the items out to your car.

We have two virtual class opportunities that you will enjoy. Our first is an online critique session with artist, Armin Mersmann and our Curator, Valerie Allen.

Join Armin and Valerie for a relaxing conversation about your art.

This virtual conversation and critique on your work of art will be Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. Armin and Valerie will discuss the possibilities and “what if” solutions for each selected piece. At the end of this two-hour program, you will learn about overcoming specific challenges and discover new perspectives on your creative process.

Space is limited for this paid event. Each artist may submit one selection.

$10 per Studio 23 member and $15 for nonmembers.

Paint Your Neighborhood with artist Ruth Howell.

Ruth Howell is known for her plein air paintings and now she is offering a three week session for you! This will be a virtual class, where you will meet online with Ruth to receive the assignment and demo. After each session you will have a week to go out into your neighborhood safely and create your painting.

There will be an information session held for this class on May 14th at 6pm. Information on this will be posted very soon! After the information session the dates will be posted on our website for easy sign up.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported us on Give Local Bay!

We raised $3,014 dollars for our Art Advocate Campaign and operational funding. Didn’t have the chance to donate? Visit our donation tab on our website and make a difference today!

As the new #Stayhome order is until May 28th, we are hopeful we can open for you soon. Plans are being made to open in June and we will keep you updated.

For now, we hope you will join us virtually and please keep creating.

Sincerely,

Tara Welch, Executive Director

Studio23.Executive.Director@gmail.com

by Megan Koch

Posted 4 May 2020

Supporting local artists and art education.

#GiveLocalBay is tomorrow!

Studio 23 has continued to make the arts accessible to all during this #stayhome order. Our members and donors like YOU, help us continue our mission. You can make a difference tomorrow and donate to help us reach our goals. The funds raised will support visual art education, local artists and daily operations.

In 2019 we:
– Offered visual arts education to three elementary schools
– Created with over 2,100 children
– Hosted over 5,900 people in our galleries
– Hosted 50 Artists of the GLBR and awarded over $3,000 in cash prizes

We need your help! Please join our campaign and help us reach our goal of $5,000! We need you to tell your friends and family members about the important work we do and ask them to join us in helping to make a difference. Read below to hear from a local artist!

Get ready to give! On May 5th, starting at 12AM on May 5, visit https://www.givelocalbay.org and make a donation to us and/or to any of the great participating nonprofit organizations in Bay and Arenac counties. You will have 24 hours to make your donation, and all giving will end at 11:59PM on May 5.

Questions? If you have any questions or would like more information, let us know. Thank you in advance for your generosity to our organization!

My name is Katrina Rae, I’m a pastel artist. I reside in Frankenmuth, MI. I’m honored and humbled to have been one of the artist chosen for the 50 Artist of the Great Lakes Bay Region. I’m tremendously honored to have received the Award of Merit Peoples Choice Award, in the company of so many talented and gifted artist, for my piece, Thailand Tree Frog.

What this award has given me is encouragement to continue with my current artistic direction, to evolve and grow. Receiving a peoples choice award is exciting, due to being chosen by the people. The monetary addition to the award is aways a pleasant financial boost. Winning a monetary award helps aid in the purchase of supplies and entry fees needed for the next project or exhibition. The project I was able to fund with my prize money, is a series called Street Stings, this is my entry for ArtPrize 2020, held in Grand Rapids, MI. This was a large piece requiring additional pastels, wood, and insulation board, which is my painting surface. Additionally, I was also able to purchase materials needed to build a crate used for transporting my paintings.

I’m proud to be a member of Studio 23/The Arts Center, with Curator Valerie Allen. Studio 23 gives artists visibility and education, through their various events, classes and exhibitions. I’m also grateful for those who continue to support and sponsor the arts, and local art centers like Studio 23. The arts are such an important and vital part of our community.

Being a part of this exhibition has been a wonderful experience, and I look forward to more events and exhibitions in the future.

– Katrina Rae, Local Artist

by Megan Koch

Posted 30 April 2020

Making art accessible to all!

Studio 23/The Arts Center has been closed since March 16th. Since that time we have been focusing on online content for all of our members and community. Have you seen our live videos on FaceBook and Instagram? Make sure to visit our pages for FREE family art projects, artist tours and demos. A special thank you to all of the artists who are supporting us during this time.
Every Tuesday we release our weekly schedule. Check it out below to follow along with us!

Give Local Bay!

The annual Give Local Bay campaign is May 5th! Just a few days away. We participate with the Bay Area Community Foundation every year to help build our endowment fund. This endowment fund helps ensure the longevity of Studio 23.

Did you know that we celebrated our 60th Anniversary last year? We made a commitment to make it another 60+ years and you can help us do that!

On May 5th you can make a difference and support Studio 23 financially. Why support us on May 5th? With every donation there is a $25,000 matching pool that we have the opportunity to earn from. That means your $100 donation could potentially be a $110 (or more!) donation to Studio 23.

Help us win a contest!
Social Media Mavens: The organization with the most votes by 3 p.m. on Monday, May 4 wins. One vote per person. The poll is live, and you can start sharing the link with your followers, friends, and family: https://form.jotform.com/201123450911036

Calling all coffee lovers!

Populace Coffee is supporting local businesses. Purchase your Studio 23 bag of coffee and a portion of the sale will be donated directly to us! This will help support our mission of making the arts accessible to all.
https://populace.coffee/products/studio23

by Megan Koch

Posted 26 March 2020

A message to our Studio 23 Family…

I hope you are aware that the State of Michigan is under a Stay Safe and Stay Home order. We here at Studio 23 have been taking the mandates very seriously, protecting the health and safety of our patrons.

A normal day at Studio 23 is bustling with chatter in the classrooms, patrons viewing the artwork, meetings with other organizations, and the excitement of new artists coming in. For now, the galleries are quiet and waiting for us to return with excitement.

Your continued support of Studio 23 helps make sure that we can teach youth the visual arts in our public schools, host regular programming for all ages, and expose our entire region to the visual arts, making art accessible to all.

For now, our staff will be working from home until April 14th, when we hope to reopen our doors to the community. We are creating online content for you to view daily on Facebook, Instagram, and our blog, located on our website. If you would like to create art with your family, join Autumn, our education coordinator, and see what you can create together. If you are interested in learning different techniques inspired by our local artists, join Val, our curator. Then if you want to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air, join me, Tara, the director, and learn about Art Around the City.

We all know how important the arts are. Partnering with Midland Center for the Arts, we are all using the hashtag: #MakeArtVirtual. When you search the hashtag you will see all of the projects, lessons, and talks that both of our organizations are posting. #Studio23OnTheGo

I hope that during this time at home you will be safe and take care of your loved ones. Create a new painting, create a new memory, take a walk or a run, and, most importantly, take time to reflect. Art can help you with all of these things and more.

Studio 23 is our family, and we can’t wait to see you on April 14th.

Yours in creativity,

Tara Welch, Executive Director

by Megan Koch

Posted 26 February 2020

Meet our member, Jean & Nancy

Welcome to our next #meetourmember duo.

Jean and Nancy have been friends since they met on the golf course. They both were drawn to pottery when they visited art fairs and first got connected with Space Studios in Midland. Residing in Bay City, they wanted to find a studio close to home and found Studio 23 online. Now they have been creating with us since for ten years!

Inspiration for their functional art is found all around.

First you start with a brick of clay and then create something functional that people can use. This is a reason why they love participating in local art fairs and sharing the story of Studio 23.

Nature in the different seasons, wallpaper, placemats, and craft stores, they can find texture in many places. Just look around and you could find items that they can use for their artwork. Both combine different textures to make their pieces and multiple.

My favorite question is, What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involved with art?

Jean says “Go for it!”. You do not need experience to start a class, just experience the process and learn. She says it is very relaxing and you meet so many people from all walks of life.

Nancy spoke about how eager everyone is to share. Classmates share different techniques and glaze combinations and help inspire you to keep creating. “There is so much talent here”, Nancy says, even after ten years she is still learning.

We have great instructors here at Studio 23 that are happy to help you create.

I added an extra question about what their favorite thing is to make?

Nancy has recently started making succulent planters. They make really great gifts and she states that succulents are kinda hard to kill. I had to disagree and tell her about my bad luck with plants… Although I agree that succulents are wonderful to have in your home! I just need to work on my green thumb.

Jean enjoys making bowls and vases. She does love trying new things with glazing and textures. Her preference is hand building. Jean is always coming up with a new glaze to try and it is so fun to see her new pieces!

There are so many opportunities to create here at Studio 23. If you are interested in joining Jean & Nancy, the next clay session begins in a few weeks. Check out our education tab on our website for all of our offerings.

by Megan Koch

Posted 18 February 2020

Meet our member, Leeds & Margaret Bird

Our newest addition of #meetourmembers of Studio 23.

Leeds & Margaret Bird have been a part of Studio 23 since the Little Red Schoolhouse. It all started with a lighting suggestion and then Leeds involved Margaret with the Studio with an exhibit opportunity.

I always have great conversations with both of them and enjoy their company when they attend receptions or events here at the Studio. The first question I asked was about their favorite exhibits that we have hosted throughout the years. One of Margaret’s favorites was when we hosted buddhist monks for a few days at the Studio. She said it “felt like you were in a sacred space while you watched them do their sand art.” It was a great interactive exhibit that you could watch for a few days that changed and evolved. Leeds mentioned our Dali exhibit that we hosted and how people were traveling from all over to see it at Studio 23. They both agreed that they enjoy our photography exhibits and how the community members show their personal artwork at Studio 23.

Close to 52 years of marriage, they have purchased many pieces at Studio 23. The first piece they purchased was before they got married at the Little Red Schoolhouse location. It only cost them $20 and it is a ceramic bowl that they still use today. It is really special that they have created years of memories with their collection of art from Studio 23.

One of Margaret’s favorite aspects of Studio 23 is the focus to collaborate with local art organizations. The more recent collaboration has been with Bay City Players. Both organizations have shown a couple art films to show how fine art and acting connect. During the Vincent film, we set up a photo booth that looked like Van Gogh’s bedroom. Attendees enjoyed being inside a scene from Vincent’s painting. For The Woman in Gold, Margaret hosted a book talk combing literature with art. Attendees were able to discuss the book and the journey of the art piece before they viewed the film at Bay City Players.

(Pictured two film attendees)

Leeds brought up the collaboration with Bay City Players and Studio 23’s art students. Our students helped design and paint the backdrops for the Jungle Book performance. Young students got to experience art with theatre design and see their pieces during the performance. A memorable experience for all.

Their advice for people wanting to getting involve with art organizations?

Just walk through the door. Ask if there is anything to do? Does it cost money?

It turns our that there is always something to do and it doesn’t cost a lot of money!

Bay City is full of arts and events. We, here at Studio 23, collaborate with all of the art nonprofits to create a community calendar that shows you the full calendar of events. Copies are available in the gallery for you to pick up today! To sign up to become a member, visit our membership dues on our website or give us a call at 989-894-2323.

by Megan Koch

Posted 11 February 2020

Meet our member, Alan Maciag

Our newest “meet our member” features Alan Maciag, an artist who has been involved with Studio 23 since he was 19 years old. I’m really enjoying these opportunities to get to know our members better and to show the community how you can be involved with your local arts organizations.

We started our chat by asking how his education career related to his art career. Al taught for the Frankenmuth school district, teaching art. During his education he learned many mediums to teach the kids, but as he was teaching he was also getting ideas for his own techniques. As a teacher it was his job to give his students the basics so they could have the skills to succeed.

Reminiscing on how Alan got involved with Studio 23 we ventured down memory lane. The Little Red School house was a memorable experience for Alan. He met local artists that he bonded with and learned from. Artists like, Dr Culver Jones and Don Coates, two original founders of Studio 23. Alan has great memories of working with them and attending receptions with them. The place to be was Studio 23 on a Friday night to celebrate the newest exhibit!

Alan is well known in our region for his style of plein air painting. He originally started painting houses in Frankenmuth, Petoskey and Charlevoix. He started selling prints to get his name out there. He knew that if people saw his name, they would remember it because it is unique. Now he is well known for his farm scenes and animals. Although he said he doesn’t paint horses, we know him for his cows and pigs! Currently Alan has over 300 paintings in different galleries around the state.

Networking with communities and galleries has really helped Alan’s art career. Social media is one of the most important ways for him to network. Check out his friends list, over 4,000! Social media is a great way to share the newest pieces you are working on and to celebrate when a piece sells. I know many of us love watching Alan’s newsfeed to see what he is working on next.

The advice Alan will give to artists is to find what you want to do. Think about what you know and maybe that will be what you create. For example, Alan started painting the farm scenes with memories of being at his grandparents home in the thumb. Artists should also start looking for groups that do the same medium. A lot of these groups, like us at Studio 23 have collectives and exhibit opportunities that you can be connected with.

When asked about his exhibit that he had at Studio 23 back in the early 2000s he has a very fond memory of shoes. Alan had his first solo show with us and wanted to pay homage to the people that influenced his life. For this series he asked each of those people to send him their shoes and he painted each pair. I wish I had a picture to show you, but I can imagine this scene in my mind. What a powerful statement to see their shoes and know that they made an influence on someone that was memorable. He spoke about how the families still own the paintings that he did, and one family even passes it around the siblings so they all can share the sentimental piece.

#meetourmember sessions are so fun to me. I love learning about why they feel Studio 23 is an important place to be. I encourage you to go out and create! Come to us when you are ready to find your tribe of artists and be a member of our great space.

by Megan Koch

Posted 6 February 2020

February Fun at Studio 23!

Can you believe it is February?!

This week we officially kicked off our winter programing and our first exhibit of the year. Join us Thursday, February 6th from 4pm-7pm as we celebrate Teenworks & Kids’ Kreations sponsored by Wildfire Credit Union. This exhibit is one of our annual shows that we’ve been doing for years. The smiles on children’s faces, along with the proud parents and families make this one so much fun. During our reception we serve cookies and punch and even have some fun activities this year.

2020 is the year of engagement for Studio 23. We want to engage with our community and show you that art is for everyone. During each exhibit this year there will be an interactive part. For Teenworks & Kids’ Kreations there is a fun scavenger hunt that will lead you around the gallery looking for clues inside the artwork. Once you complete the challenge, we have an exhibition sticker, sponsored by Wildfire Credit Union that you can collect. If you come to each exhibit this year and collect all the stickers, there is a prize waiting for you in December!

As you may know, Studio 23 is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization providing the Great Lakes Bay Region with a vibrant arts center dedicated to making the visual arts relevant and accessible to all. We are currently in a membership campaign, encouraging you to join our art center! On our blog we are featuring members that support us and share how they take advantage of their membership. Check out Joanne’s and Amy’s posts and keep an eye out for more members each week.

For the rest of February we have workshops like LOVE by Robert Indiana, events like Expand Your Palette (Sip N’ Swirl 2.0) and Indulge open house with Downtown Bay City. Stop in and see us at Studio 23 for a fun scavenger hunt during our open hours and our exciting programing.

Please stop in and see us!

Yours in creativity,

Tara Welch

Executive Director

UPCOMING ACTIVITES

February 6, 2020, 4pm-7pm

Please join us for the opening reception of this popular exhibition that spotlights the young talent in the Bay County art departments. Family, friends and public are invited to this celebration for the students. Cookies and punch will be served. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Wildfire Credit Union.

February 9, 2020, 12pm-4pm

Please join us for this “Sweet” Sunday Open House for the student artists in our current exhibit, Teenworks and Kids’ Kreations 2020! The young artists in the exhibit will receive a special Indulge candy treat while supplies last. Please come celebrate their imaginative and creative talents with us.

February 13, 2020, 6pm – 9pm

Join our instructor, as she helps you recreate a gorgeous painting by one of the greatest modern painters of our time, Robert Indiana.

Just like love comes in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Your “love” painting will be able to be any colors you choose.

The cost is $45 per person and that includes all supplies, instruction, and a pizza, breadstick, and salad dinner from BJay’s Pizza.

Give us a call at 989-894-2323 to sign up today!

February 15, 2020 12pm Adults, 2:30pm Childrens

Join artist, Misty Coss, for a mixed media jewelry making workshop. You will learn how to use different types of materials as well as dimensional magic to create 2 unique and wearable pieces of art.

$25 members
$35 non-members

February 20, 2020, 6pm-8pm

Expand Your Palette is a way to get out of your comfort zone with your friends. This event has been created to help you try some art and try some wine.

Four art stations will be placed around the gallery where you will experiment with printmaking, painting, collage and more. Think of this as an upgraded Sip N’ Swirl painting! You will leave with a piece of art that you can display in your home.

Art is not the only thing you get to expand: you will be expanding your wine palette as well. Tables will be set around the gallery with popular choices of wine, like merlot or chardonnay. When you visit the tables you will also see samples of wine that are not those options, opening your palette to other
flavors that are similar. This is a perfect way to expand your palette!

Light hors d’oeuvres will be supplied by Artigiano.