Author: Autumn Reyes

Posted 29 May 2021 | art, classes, classroom, membership, painting, studio 23

The Importance of Summer Art Camp

Whether your child is an artist, athlete, or mathematician, an art camp can help your child balance-out and help further develop their growing brain. A recent Harris Poll revealed that 93 percent of Americans consider the arts to be an important connection to learning and success. Research shows us that arts-based education wires and rewires our brains for creativity in ways we are really only beginning to understand.

When it comes to shaping young minds, summer art camps have become an essential piece of the puzzle. The art camp activities can stimulate young minds with new concepts and skills, as well as lessons about art and art history.

Some children that absolutely love a specific art form find that getting an uninterrupted amount of time at art camp strengthens their skills and nurtures their talents. Many of these students may not even get time to dedicate to art during the school year. So art camp can be even more important to development for these students.

Even if your child is not a budding young artist, summer art camp can be a good option for your child with many benefits. Studies show that children of all ages who participate in the arts perform better on standardized achievement tests than students with low arts involvement.
Art also becomes another way for children to express themselves. By encouraging communication with new friends, summer art camp students can gain a big confidence boost, which can in turn be beneficial in how they communicate at home, school and with other adults.

Students who participate in summer art camps often work collaboratively to create projects, which teaches negotiation skills. They learn to work through creative differences, compromise, and learn that they can collectively create something great.

By interacting and working with a different students, children also learn an appreciation of different perspectives. They observe how other kids create different artwork based on the same instructions- a great way to teach students that just because something is different, doesn’t make it wrong!

Studio 23 is offering four different summer art camps for students aged seven to twelve.

June 21-25

July 12-16

July 26-30

August 2-6

All camps run 8:30-3:30 Monday through Friday and culminate in a student art show at the end of the day on Friday. Cost is $160 for members and $190 for non-members.

We have limited seating in these camps so you’ll want to register your student right away. You can register through our website www.studio23baycity.org or by calling the studio at 989-894-2323.

We hope to see you at art camp this year!

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

Studio 23/The Arts Center

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 24 April 2021 | art, art center, art gallery, classroom, drawing, painting, studio 23, support, watercolor

Art Ed with Autumn: Supporting the Arts

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting the Studio 23 art education blog! 🙂

First, I just want to remind you that we have some really great classes starting in our spring session here at Studio 23. Adult clay, kids clay, drawing, painting, art for kids and teens… we really try to offer a diverse selection of classes. Also, by taking art classes at studio 23 you’re not only learning valuable art skills, you’re also supporting your local art hub AND helping make art accessible to EVERYONE in the Great Lakes Bay region. So what are you waiting for? Check out our selection of classes and register today!

Check here for adult classes!

Check here for child classes!

While on the subject of supporting the arts, I wanted to share this fantastic list compiled by Randy Cohen titled;

10 Reasons to Support the Arts in 2021

Arts unify communities. 72% of Americans believe “the arts unify our communities regardless of age, race, and ethnicity” and 73% agree that the arts “helps me understand other cultures better”—a perspective observed across all demographic and economic categories.
Arts improve individual well-being. 81% of the population says the arts are a “positive experience in a troubled world,” 69% of the population believe the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences,” and 73% feel the arts give them “pure pleasure to experience and participate in.”
Arts strengthen the economy. The nation’s arts and culture sector—nonprofit, commercial, education—is an $919.7 billion industry that supports 5.2 million jobs. That is 4.3% of the nation’s economy—a larger share of GDP than powerhouse sectors such as agriculture, transportation, and construction. The arts have a $33 billion international trade surplus. The arts also accelerate economic recovery: a growth in arts employment has a positive and causal effect on overall employment.
Arts drive tourism and revenue to local businesses. The nonprofit arts industry alone generates $166.3 billion in economic activity annually—spending by organizations and their audiences—which supports 4.6 million jobs and generates $27.5 billion in government revenue. Arts attendees spend $31.47 per person, per event, beyond the cost of admission on items such as meals, parking, and lodging—vital income for local businesses. Arts travelers are ideal tourists, staying longer and spending more to seek out authentic cultural experiences.
Arts improve academic performance. Students engaged in arts learning have higher GPAs, standardized test scores, and college-going rates as well as lower drop-out rates. These academic benefits are reaped by students across all socio-economic strata. Yet, the Department of Education reports that access to arts education for students of color is significantly lower than for their white peers. 91% of Americans believe that arts are part of a well-rounded K-12 education.
Arts spark creativity and innovation. Creativity is among the top five applied skills sought by business leaders—per the Conference Board’s Ready to Innovate report—with 72% saying creativity is of “high importance” when hiring. Research on creativity shows that Nobel laureates in the sciences are 17 times more likely to be actively engaged as an arts maker than other scientists.
Arts have social impact. University of Pennsylvania researchers have demonstrated that a high concentration of the arts in a city leads to higher civic engagement, more social cohesion, higher child welfare, and lower poverty rates.
Arts improve healthcare. Nearly one-half of the nation’s healthcare institutions provide arts programming for patients, families, and even staff. 78% deliver these programs because of their healing benefits to patients—shorter hospital stays, better pain management, and less medication.
Arts for the health and well-being of our military. The arts heal the mental, physical, and moral injuries of war for military servicemembers and Veterans, who rank the creative arts therapies in the top four (out of 40) interventions and treatments. Across the military continuum, the arts promote resilience during pre-deployment, deployment, and the reintegration of military servicemembers, Veterans, their families, and caregivers into communities.
Arts Strengthen Mental Health. The arts are an effective resource in reducing depression and anxiety and increasing life satisfaction. Just 30 minutes of active arts activities daily can combat the ill effects of isolation and loneliness associated with COVID-19.

Wasn’t that a great list? It made me feel so empowered to help advocate for the arts! I hope it moved you, too, and I challenge you to share this list with 5 friends or family members!

Until next time… stay safe and keep creating,

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

Studio 23/The Arts Center

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 27 March 2021 | art, artist, classes, classroom, drawing, events, painting

Art Ed with Autumn: Upcoming Workshops

We have some very exciting workshops coming up at Studio 23! First up, we have our children’s spring break art camp. Ms. Sue has a whole itinerary planned and her student artists we make passports to travel the globe learning about art from around the world. This camp starts on Monday however, there are a few seats available and if you’re interested you’ll want to register today!

Next up we have an en plein air workshop with artist Ruth Howell. Ruth has been teaching our acrylic class for a few years now and to know her is to love her. Ruth is a wealth of knowledge and truly enjoys sharing that knowledge with her students. Ruth will guide you through painting outdoor scenes en plein air. The class will cover supplies, equipment and tips to paint outside. Artists are encouraged to work in a painting medium such as watercolor, oil, acrylic or pen and ink. This workshop runs on April 24^th and is filling up fast- seats are limited so you’ll want to sign up soon!

The next workshop we’re offering is mixed media with artist Misty Coss. Misty has been creating in mixed media since she was a child but, really started refining and honing her skills as she worked towards her bachelor’s degree at SVSU. Misty’s workshop will offer a variety of techniques to help springboard your journey in Mixed Media. In this workshop you will work on process-based projects that will allow the students to create their artwork and develop new techniques to incorporate into their skillset. The course will also encourage thoughtful choices of material and enhance the process of using the materials to conceptualize themes. The project is a portrait-themed project. Great to create a photo of yourself or loved one. And while everyone is working on portraits, the sky is really the limit when working in mixed media. This workshop runs Saturday May 22^nd and you can register online or by phone.

We’re also offering a new featured Sip ‘N’ Swirl based on the hit Netflix series, Bridgerton. We’ll be spillin’ the tea and painting the night away. Grab your friends and enjoy a night out while you create with us!

Lastly, I want to mention our summer art camp program. We’re taking registration for all of our summer art camps and let me just say… y’all are going to be so excited! Ms. Sue has been busy planning some fun, educational, and down-right cool projects for these sessions. Our in-studio art camp runs 8:30-3:30pm.You’ll have some fun with Ms. Sue while you learn some great art techniques and history! You’ll use all different art mediums, so be prepared to paint, draw, mold, and everything in between!

I hope you’re as excited as I am about these upcoming workshops and I can’t wait to update you on more summer workshops in my next installment. And if there’s a workshop you’d like us to offer please send me an email- I’d love to hear from you!

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

Studio 23/The Arts Center

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 4 March 2021 | art, art center, artist, classes, classroom, studio 23

Art Ed with Autumn: Youth Art Month

Hello friends!

It’s hard to believe it’s already March, isn’t it? It still feels like January in my mind.

If you’re familiar with Studio 23, you know we offer a large variety of children’s classes. We offer children’s art, teen art, and even clay for kids. Not to mention the various children’s workshops we offer throughout the year. If you’ve seen our social media presence, you know we love to share all of our student’s hard work. But, because March is national youth art month, we have even more reason to share our children’s art and programming with you. So every week we will give you a glimpse into our children’s art classes through social media. We’ll show you what our students are working on and completed projects. This is just another way for us to celebrate our young students who love creating at Studio 23. You may also notice the hashtag #YAM (Short for Youth Art Month) being used this month. This is another way we can showcase all the hard work of our young artists. If you have a young artist at home we encourage to use #YAM, as well. We ALWAYS love to see what our students are working on!

#YAM

On that note, just a reminder that we are offering our Spring Break Art Camp this year! Camp is ideal for 7-12 year olds and runs March 29th through April 2nd from 8:30-3:30 and cost is only $160 for members $190 for non-members. If you’re student is interested you’ll want to give us a call right away as seating is very limited for this camp.

We also have our Summer Art Camps posted on our website and we’re taking registration. These camps are so fun… your student will spend the week with Ms. Sue immersing themselves in all things art! It’s such a fun week- a great time is had by all!

Summer Art Camp

Oh, and I have one more #YAM related reminder for you. Our Teenworks & Kids Creation virtual exhibit is going on now! Don’t miss the chance to check out some stunning artwork from our Bay City schools!

I hope you and the young artists in your life find some time to create or engage in art!

See you next month,

Autumn Reyes, Education Coordinator

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 30 December 2020 | art, artist, classes, painting

Art Education with Autumn

Starting in 2021 we’re going to feature a Studio 23 artist/student and the work that they’re doing. We’re starting with our artist friend Diane Arendt.

Art Student of the Month: Diane Arendt

I sat down with Diane a few weeks ago to talk art, her art background, and life in general. Diane has been taking art classes at Studio 23 since 2015. Her main concentration being acrylic painting. You’ve probably seen her beautiful art work up on the walls of Studio 23, as she has been in many exhibits over the years.

Diane actually started creating at a young age. She studied art in college and worked a side job like so many students do. Diane’s side job was at a dentist office and one day while assisting the dentist she met a patient named Larry. Little did she know, she had just met her husband. Diane and Larry were married and started a family. Like so many of us, her art was put on the back burner. Diane spent many beautiful years raising her son, volunteering, and overcoming health issues. But, as her son grew older Diane knew she was ready to dive in to her art again. She started taking classes at Studio 23 as refresher courses but, has really stayed for the comradery with like-minded artists. Diane told me she is constantly learning from painting with others because she gets new perspectives all the time- ideas she never would have considered, otherwise.

Interviewing Diane and hearing her fascinating story of life and art, I learned that her major concentration in college was actually multimedia art. She also talked of her love for Norman Rockwell. How she admires his realism. She very much appreciates his ability to “say something” with his art. When we were done talking I really just had one question for her… “What would you say to someone who’s considering taking an art class at studio 23?” Her response was quick and sure, “Do it. Do it!! You’ll be in a great environment, you’ll learn more than you ever knew you could and you’ll make friends along the way.”

If you’re like Diane and you’re ready to dive into art, you can give us a call at Studio 23/The Arts Center or sign up online. www.studio23baycity.org. Winter classes start the first week of February so sign up today!

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 28 November 2020 | art, art center, art gallery, bay city, classes, community, drawing, Healthy, Safety, support, workshops

Art Education with Autumn

As I was sitting at home last night working on homework I was having a terrible time concentrating. It makes sense, right? There’s quite a bit of uncertainty in the world right now and it just has to have an effect on us… it can’t not! I found myself grabbing a sheet of scrap paper and moving between doodling and homework. Next thing I know, I’m getting my work done.

See, as I’ve grown older I’ve realized that doodling/creating/artmaking is not just fun and not just another distraction. It’s a great way to help us relax and refocus.

My homework doodles- clearly I was hungry!

So, how does creating benefit your mental health and how can Studio 23 help?

Well, Malaka Gharib, a journalist for NPR, found that in between daily tasks she was always doodling. To find out why she enjoyed doodling so much and what effects it had upon her brain, Gharib spoke with Girija Kaimal, a professor and researcher in art therapy at Drexel University. Kaimal conducted an experiment where blood flow to the brain of a variety of participants was measured. They found that when subjects created there was an increased amount of blood flow to the reward center of the brain. This would suggests that creating art stimulates the reward center of the brain.

In another experiment, subjects were asked to create art for 45 minutes in a studio with an art therapist. During this time, cortisol levels significantly lowered. Additionally, they found “no differences in health outcomes between people who identify as experienced artists and people who don’t.”

What this information suggests to me is right now, during a pandemic, we need to create more than ever. This is why Studio 23 has been offering art classes and virtual art lessons that you can easily follow. I make it a point to post fun, easy projects that don’t require a bunch of fancy art supplies. Because it doesn’t matter what products you use or what your result is- it’s the act of creating that helps center us.

I hope this inspires you to keep healthy and create something today!

Autumn Reyes, Education Coordinator

If you’d like to read more on that study, here’s the link!

Posted in my office space to inspire me! 🙂

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 28 October 2020 | art, art center, classes, classroom, clay, drawing, watercolor

Art Education Updates with Autumn

Hello everyone! As this year flies by, I hope you’re all happy, healthy, and finding time for your art! Here’s a bit of what we have going on in art education at Studio 23/The Arts Center…

Fall classes are moving right along! Speaking of fall classes we have our next set of colored pencil drawing, watercolor painting, and adult clay starting next week. Take a peek below for more class info and as ALWAYS you can email or call Studio 23 with any questions you may have.

Julie Tyslicky’s drawing in color is a great way to learn to draw. Julie teaches beginners all the way up through advanced student. Her lessons will help you learn to draw what you see and become a better artist. Click the link below for a full class description.

Check out Julie’s colored pencil class here!

For this session of watercolor painting we have artist Ruth Howell filling in. Ruth is an amazing instructor with years of experience and you may even recognize her as our advanced painting instructor?! Click the link below for a full class description.

Check out Ruth’s watercolor class here!

Looking to try something new? Why not try your hand at oil painting with artist Jim Perkins?! Jim is an amazing artist that teaches in a traditional atilier style where you will focus on painting in real time. So you’ll do a lot of still life and plein air painting.

Check out Jim’s oil painting class here!

Adult clay is one of the most popular classes at Studio 23/The Arts Center! Clay is such a fun and enjoyable medium and we have some amazing instructors that will take their time with you to make sure you’re getting good results! Even better we offer day and evening classes, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!

Check out adult clay classes here!

Speaking of clay classes we have a new Wednesday night clay instructor! Our Studio 23 family would like to welcome ceramic artist Mike Zureich! Mike comes to Studio 23 from Midland with many years of clay under his belt and vast teaching knowledge! Mike has been featured in our Art Around the City and has exhibited in many shows both juried and non-juried. Mike is very excited to share his knowledge and love for clay with the students of Studio 23/The Arts Center! So if you’re interested in signing up, give us a call today!

Ceramic sculpture rust — Artist Mike Zureich
Survivor
Stoneware High Fire Reduction

I’m so excited that we’re back in the studio and that our classes are up and running! I hope you are, too!

As always, if you ever have any questions or comments please feel free to reach out to me- I am but an email or call away!

Until next time,

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 26 September 2020 | art, art center, classes, community, painter, workshops

Art Education Updates with Autumn

Art is important. Interacting with art is important. Creating art is important. From the day we’re able to move our hands as babies, we’re communicating on an artistic level. Art challenges us. It challenges us to see things from someone else’s perspective. It teaches us to empathize and consider how we treat one another. What’s great is there is a large amount of evidence being published that supports these claims. A recent study from Brookings showed that art participation in adults contributes to a healthy society. It increase civil engagement, social tolerance, and reduces the opposite behaviors.

The last few decades has seen a huge reduction in the amount of art education our children are experiencing at school. This makes the role of our institution that much more important.

As our fall classes are starting back up, I implore you to invest in yourself or your child and take an art class or workshop at Studio 23. Because you’re not just investing in yourself… you’re investing in our community… you’re investing in our future!

Making art accessible is important to us here at Studio 23. Come join our art community as we endeavor to make the world a little better and a little brighter every day.

I hope to see you in class!

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 29 August 2020 | classes, studio 23

Education Blog with Autumn Reyes

Hello Studio 23 family!

I hope this post finds you all healthy and well.

In today’s educational blog post I’d like to reach out specifically to our students for a moment… First of all, let me say “Thank you!” from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for trusting our instructors with your art education. I appreciate each and every one of you.

I would like to take this time today to appeal to Studio 23 students and ask you to use your voice to advocate for us. If you’ve taken a class with us I ask you to share it on social media. Share a picture of yourself working at the studio or even just the art you’ve created and tag us in your post. By simply sharing on social media and checking in at Studio 23 or tagging us, you’re using your voice to advocate for our Studio 23 classes… more than that, you’re advocating for our Studio 23 family!

Social media is always changing its algorithms and that makes it harder for non-profits like Studio 23 to be seen. With help from you we can continue to make art accessible even through these uncertain times.

If you’re unsure on how to get started here is a great example from Cindy Bancroft who shared her experience with the Smartphone group class taught by Armin Mersmann…

“This is my latest creation in Armin Mersmann’s iPhoneography Group class sponsored by Studio 23. Having just finished our term I must say the art created by this talented group of passionate artists to the thought provoking discussions about art was awe inspiring and has brought joy, laughter and community throughout the pandemic. As I have often said, this is a must take class with a new session starting soon so keep an eye out for announcements on both Studio 23 and Armin Mersmann’s Facebook page. For those that don’t live locally or even in this state this class is taught via Zoom!” Thank you, Cindy for sharing your talent and thoughts with us! #studio23onthego #makeartvirtual #michiganartist

With that said, don’t forget fall classes are now posted and start the week of September 14^th. Some classes are virtual, many are in studio. And don’t worry, we are committed to keeping everyone safe by keeping class numbers small and requiring masks at all time.

I can’t wait to see you all this fall!

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 24 July 2020

Summer Classes are in full swing at Studio 23

We have so much going on at the studio for the summer! So many things we’re still offering you in the summer. We’re offering in-person and virtual Sip ‘N’ Swirls, in-person summer art camp, Star Wars summer art camp, wood burning workshop… check it out and sign up today because all of our classes have a limit of eight students per session.

Our children’s instructor, Sue Zolton, came up with an entire week of Star Wars-themed art projects for a week of art camp. Best of all, this is a virtual camp so your little one can participate from the comforts of home. Sue will use Zoom to instruct and participate with students so they will be able to get help and feedback in real time.

Our award-winning instructor, Julie Tyslicky is offering a wood burning workshop in-studio. You bring in the wood and Julie will provide you with a wood burning tool and all the instructions you need to get you wood burning!

In-person summer art camp! Our children’s instructor, Spencer Scharf, will help your student create all types of fun art! From painting to clay Mr. Spencer teaches a little bit of everything! Students will play games and learn some art history, as well. A fun week of creating and learning, who could ask for anything more?!

This will be our first ever virtual Sip ‘N’ Swirl! Our instructor, Sue, will prepare a canvas, brush, paint, and image transfer supplies for you to pick up and then she will walk you through transferring images and painting! This is such a beautiful painting and this is such a fun and relaxing activity. Make it even more fun by inviting a buddy or two to paint online, too!

Our award-winning watercolor instructor, Bill Brinker, will be offering a workshop in August. This will be a hybrid workshop- you can participate in studio or online through Zoom. Which ever way you choose, bill will teach you to paint this beautiful image of apples and oranges.

We have many more workshops we’re offering through August… I encourage you to check our education pages and find one that interests you!

We can’t wait to have you create with us!

Stay well and we hope to see you soon,

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator