In the Art World

Posted 21 August 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: 50 Art Advocates Campaign shows love for Michigan artists!

Campaign for 50 Art Advocates continues as Studio 23 prepares for

MI Artists All-State Exhibition 2020

Since 2017 Studio 23’s 50 Art Advocates have been generously supporting the artists of our region and the state of Michigan. This campaign has made a tremendous impact on promoting artists and exhibits that showcase the talent of Michigan. Calls for artists occur every year in the spring with 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region Exhibition on odd numbered years and MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition during the even numbered years. After the jury selections are finalized the biennial exhibits are installed in the galleries of Studio 23 the month of September. 50 Art Advocates have provided awards of  more than  $7000 in cash prizes since 2017, invested $12,000 in the Art Around the City program and sponsored countless educational opportunities for local artists. As part of the #artistshelpingartists initiative, the 50 Art Advocate campaigns count a number of professional artists becoming advocates in support of their artist friends. That is truly heartwarming! Many thanks to all who contribute.

Art advocates contribute to

  • Educational growth seminars for artists.
  • Exhibition Opportunities
  • Awards
  • Exhibit program
  • Support for regional art

Follow this link to become a 50 Art Advocate today! We appreciate your support. Thank you!

 

The MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition is the featured biennial exhibit  for 2020. The timeline for this exhibit started in April 2020 with a general call for artists who live and/or work in Michigan. The application process for artists consists of submitting up to three images to be juried. This year’s juror was Timothy Norris, a professional artist and curator from the west side of the state. Norris recently retired from teaching art at Muskegon Community College. His duties as a juror for this exhibit included evaluating over 275 images and curating his selections into an exhibit. He is also the judge for the monetary awards, awards of merit and honorable mentions. The 2020 call for artists saw artists submit applications from as far north as Escanaba and as south as Canton, Michigan.

Important dates to remember for Studio 23’s fall exhibition season are:

Painters and Potters 2020 Final Day for Viewing: Saturday, August 29, 2020, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition Virtual Facebook Live Juror Talk and Award Ceremony: Thursday, September 17, 2020, 5:00 pm – 6:00pm

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition Final Day for Viewing: Saturday, November 14, 2020, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

 Studio 23 is filled with art created by our students, faculty and 100 Day Project members. Painters and Potters 2020 and our Off The Wall Gallery Boutique have artwork in different mediums, sizes and prices. It feels great to be back in the galleries and we are open Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. We are also available for appointments by calling me at 989-894-2323, ext. 14 or email me at curator.studio23@gmail.com.

#collectartbuylocal

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

Fall Classes begin the week of September 14, 2020. Click here for more information. 

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.

 

 

 

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Posted 17 July 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: Newest exhibit – Painters & Potters 2020 now on display.

Painters & Potters 2020

Our galleries are open and filled with artwork created by our talented students, faculty and The 100 Day Project artists. A total of 95 artworks are part of the exhibit that includes 28 artists. The tradition of a Painter & Potters exhibit started in the 1960s and is a crowd favorite as an annual event. Our gallery visitors will see paintings in acrylic, oil, watercolor, mixed media collages along with ceramics made in our clay studios. The majority of the art is for sale and this is an excellent way to add to your collection. Members of Studio 23 receive a 10% discount on art purchases. Participating artists in this exhibit include:

Diane Arendt, Nicole Bell, Bill Brinker, D J Carmody, Sylvia Coon, Misty Coss, Sean Gallagher, Amy Gibas, C Joanne Grabinski, Beth Henderson Walker, Elli Hennessy, Ruth Howell, Kaylyn Inda, Connie Jane, Wanda Juhl, Debra LaRocque, Alan Maciag, Armin Mersmann, Sheri Moore, Jean Preston, Angela Radlinski, Autumn Reyes, Dennis Rosenblum, Fran Santoro, Charlie Schwartz, Julie Tyslicky, Janice Wegner, Nancy Weiss

The Painters & Potters 2020 will be on display thru Saturday, August 29, 2020. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

                         

Studio 23 The 100 Day Project

For the past three years we have been gathering as an artist community for the annual The 100 Day Project.The seed of The 100 Day Project began within the PIA Art Collective, a small band of visual artists, in Marquette, Michigan. Since 2008, PIA members have done 100 day projects as a way to keep their creative edge honed. Studio 23 joined as a community arts center in 2018 after our curator heard about the project from the Gaylord Arts Council while she was jurying an exhibit. Our artists who participated in the 100 days from January 22 – April 30, 2020 are invited to display work in the Painters and Potters 2020.  There are many projects on display in the exhibit and you can view them thru August 29, 2020.

                            

This 100 Day Project titled Portraits is by artist and Studio 23 Faculty member, Sylvia Coon. Sylvia teaches Intro to Acrylics.

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition

We are currently accepting entries into the 2020 MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition. Artists living and working in Michigan over the age of eighteen are eligible to enter the jury process now until the deadline of Saturday, August 8, 2020.

Meet our juror:

Timothy Norris

Timothy Norris’ artwork has appeared in over 100 exhibitions throughout Michigan and the Midwest since 1988. He has won many awards. Tim was Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Art Center of Battle Creek, 1992-1996. He is a current instructor at Muskegon Community College in Studio Art and has served as a curator throughout the state.

His interests include Celtic art, Civil War period history, and music. He and his artist wife, Patricia Opel  collaborated on a series of large format paintings titled Through a Crack in the Lake, inspired by Great Lakes shipwreck  narratives and history.

There will be a $1000 best of show award chosen by the juror, Timothy Norris as well as awards of merit.

  Click here for entry link. 

#collectartbuylocal

Painters & Potters 2020 is a great exhibit to purchase a new piece of artwork for your collection. We also have a fully stocked “Off The Wall” Gallery Boutique with affordable art by Studio 23 Artist Collective Members. Buying art locally not only creates revenue for regional artists, the purchase also helps maintain the vibrant and positive art center in your neighborhood- Studio 23!

Here are a few of the artworks marked with the sold GREEN DOT! CONGRATULATIONS ARTISTS!

         

CONGRATULATIONS TO  CLAY ARTIST CHARLIE SCHWARTZ, FIBER ARTIST C JOANNE GRABINSKI, CLAY ARTIST NANCY WEISS, AND WATERCOLOR                      ARTIST ANGELA RADLINSKI!

VISIT US FOR DOWNTOWN BAY CITY SIDEWALK DAYS, JULY 23–25!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!

July 23 is Throwback Thursday! We will be wearing 1959 clothing inspired by the year Studio 23 was founded!

July 24 is Food Truck Friday on Washington Street!

All three days we will feature Ann Vincenti-Michelman’s Story Blocks. A perfect way to tell your story with these unique collectible works of art. Hundreds to choose from!

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

 

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.

 

 

 

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Posted 10 July 2020

Moving into Summer Fun!

2020 has thrown us some curve balls…

   

Our staff adjusted quickly when the #stayhome order came into place. We immediately started creating family art projects, art demos and artist studio tours on our social media pages. Our website was updated, so everyone can view our social media videos on our main page. The viewers, supporters, and artists made all of that possible. Join us every Friday now, for our Friday Live Art Talks! I begin with an art talk about one of our 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region. Autumn, our Education Coordinator pops on to give you a fun family art project to do in your home. Val wraps it up by doing an art demo inspired by the artist featured. We are working our way through the whole group of 50 artists and hope you will join us! 

Studio 23 is fortunate to receive funding from DOW and funding with the PPP to continue our operations. This helped us while we transitioned our programing to online formats. 

We now offer virtual programing for classes and workshops. You can take iPhoneography, drawing and plein air classes through the Zoom platform. We finished many of our children’s classes virtually this winter and are now offering two options for children this summer. You will see us continue to offer in person classes and online. With online classes we have seen our physical location become nonexistent, having students join us from Mexico and Germany. What an amazing opportunity to reach students from all over the world. 

As we move into the rest of summer we have opened our galleries to the public again. Painters & Potters is on exhibit and showcases the talent of our students and instructors. This is an exhibit to see year after year, and watch all of our students improve their artistic style. The variety of mediums is very exciting! It creates a visual representation of growth of our programing. 

Chalk Walk Art Festival is moving to an online format. We appreciate our title sponsor Thelen Subaru for supporting the festival during this change. Now adult, teens and youth can fill out their registration online and submit their original work through the online portal. Patrons will be able to view an online gallery of all of the artwork. Check out the Chalk Walk website for all information! 

With all of the change that has happened, I couldn’t be prouder to work with our staff and artists to embrace the new. We appreciate everyone’s support and patience as we have worked through rescheduling and adjusting our exhibits, fundraisers and programs. 

I get the question of ‘How can I help?’ The best way to support your local art center is to become a member, become an art advocate, or participate in a class or exhibit. I hope you will continue to support our center. Follow us along on social media and our website and share our content with friends and family who have an appreciation for art. Word of mouth is the best way for us to reach new audiences. 

Thank you for sticking with us! I look forward to seeing you in our galleries soon. 

Tara Welch

Executive Director

 

Upcoming Events and Programs

Our galleries are now open! Join us from 11am-5pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Galleries are limited to 10 people at a time. If you would like a private showing we are happy to accommodate. Please give us a call to set one up today.

August 4th, 3pm-6pm

Members of Studio 23 can join us for a Paint Pour workshop. We are offering to-go options for our members. If you would like to do this in our studio please sign up for a time slot. Thank you!

In person summer camp for children. Join us from August 3rd-7th from 8:30am – 3:30pm. Students will learn a variety of mediums in a safe environment. We are limiting our summer camps to eight campers.

Paint with Studio 23 from the comfort of your own home or even wrangle up some pals and paint from the patio…

grab your drinks because…

We’re offering a Sip ‘n’ Swirl through Zoom!!

We will be painting “Beautiful Buck” an image we’ve never offered at the studio.

This will be such a fun painting event and don’t worry, because it’s Zoom you’ll be able to ask any question you have in real time.

Does the deer look “too hard” to paint?! Promise it’s not as you will also learn to design transfer!

All supplies and instruction are included in the price!

$45 per person

Thursday, August 6th 6-9pm

You can pick up your supplies any time 11am-5pm August 4th, 5th, or 6th.

CALL FOR ENTRY

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2020 application is now available. Please submit your entries online through this link: https://form.jotform.com/201498925166161 This will be a virtual exhibit with the option of displaying your artwork in our galleries through a safe delivery system. Timothy Norris, artist and instructor is our juror. There will be a $1000 best of show award as well as additional awards of merit TBD.

 

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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.

 

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.

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Posted 15 June 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon and Painters and Potters 2020

Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon

Here is the PayPal donation link for a  Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge. Suggested donation $20. You can add a note in honor of your favorite artist!

Welcome summer to the Great Lakes Bay Region by joining us on Facebook Live, Saturday, June 20, 2020 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Amy Gibas, chair of our Studio 23 Artists Collective and I will co-host this virtual event by toasting all of our artists of the region starting at 5:00pm.

We will then feature an artists panel on Zoom via Facebook Live. Artists will describe their process and materials. Toward the magic light hour of sunset, we will venture out to Wenonah Park to film plein air artists set up with safe distancing as they capture the river’s banks and bridges on canvas. We will interview them as they are painting. Along the way, we will stop by some of the Art Around the City art stations, particularly Waterfall Park on Third Street.  Third Street will be closed that evening under the Star Bridge, so I’m sure we will do a Facebook Live from that location of chalk artists working there. Armin Mersmann will be set in the windows of Studio 23 for pedestrians and window shoppers who can peek at his progress on his detailed cat drawing that he has been featuring with demos on his Facebook page. Amy and I will also do artist demos that evening that we will post on Facebook.

During the week leading up to the event and during the evening we will feature artists and their images. As this is an Art-A-Thon, we will be asking for pledges of twenty dollars that celebrate our vibrant artists community. This is the chance for Art Fans to show their support of Studio 23 in the name of their favorite artists!

Here is the PayPal donation link for a  Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge. Suggested donation $20. You can add a note in honor of your favorite artist!

Also, here are the names of many Great Lakes Bay Region and Michigan artists who have been featured in 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region 2017 and 2019 and MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2018. We are gearing up for MI Artists 2020 now! Celebrate these artists and more by making a Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge of twenty dollars!

50 Artists of Great Lakes Bay Region 2019

Laurie Anderson, James Ardis, Diane Arendt, Gregg Barckholtz, Douglas Barron, Sharon Berkan-Dent, Mark Bleshenski, Larry Butcher, Katrina Canfield, Sara Clark, Margaret Colarelli, Sylvia Coon, Wanda Dziwura, Amy Gibas, Brian Goff, Avram Golden, Jason Graham, Stephen Grewe, Misty Grumbley, Pamela Hart, Ruth Howell, Rosemary Kavanagh, Debra LaRocque, Matt Lewis, Alan Maciag, Edith Marshall, Jim Matherne, Jody McDonald-Rider, Armin Mersmann, Sheri Moore, Alisse Noble, Priscilla Olson, Steven Parkhurst, Larry Peters, Mark Piotrowski, Barbara Plezia, Roger Reichmann, Robert Rokita, Wilma Romatz, Sally Rose, Josh Roupe, D. Joanne Rummel, Laurie Russell-Parrent, Fran Santoro, Carol Speltz, Julie Tyslicky, Silas Warren, Jan Wegner, Rebecca Zeiss, Mike Zureich

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2018

Gregg Barckholtz, Douglas Barron, Sharon K. Berkan-Dent, Mark Bleshenski, Nancy Brooks-Siebert, Katrina Canfield, D J Carmody, Diane Clise, Julia Close, Margaret Colarelli, Alma Cooke, John Diephouse, Jeanne Dodd, Kelly Frank, Bruce Giffin, Brian Goff, Avram Golden, C. Joanne Grabinski, Jason Graham, Christian K. Harger, Pamela Hart, Emmy Heger, Chandra L. Jewell, Kathy K. Jones, Karen Ann Jonker, Walda Juhl, Rosemary Kavanagh, Debra LaRocque, Heather Love, Alan Maciag, Kathy Maciag, Anthony Macioce, Douglas Malone, Armin Mersmann, Sheri Moore, Jody McDonald Rider, Priscilla Olson, Andrea Ondish, Victoria Parker, Steven Parkhurst, Andrew Rieder, Blaise Rhein, Julia Rohde, Stacie G. Rose,  D. Joanne Rummel, Fran Santoro, Carol Schadd, Carol Speltz, Shelly Newman Stevens, Sherrie Tiderington, Valeri Trombley, Jan Wegner, Rebecca Zeiss, Barbara Zimmerman, Mike Zureich

50 Artists of Great Lakes Bay Region 2017

Brett Alger, Denise Ardis, Kelsey Bailey, Gregg Barckholtz, Sharon Berkan-Dent, Zachary Branigan, Larry Butcher, Sara Clark, Diane Clise, Margaret Colarelli, Misty Coss, Fletcher Dean, Sarah Duncan, Alyssa German, Brian Goff, Avram Golden, C.Joanne Grabinski, Jason Graham, Robert Graham, Stephen Grewe, Pamela Hart, Emmy Heger, Marcia Henne, Bill Horning, Mary Horning, Ruth Howell, Chandra Jewell, Rosemary Kavanagh, Debra LaRocque, Tisch Mikhail Lewis, Alan Maciag, Jim Matherne, Armin Mersmann, Kent Miller, Zi Moreira, Mike Mosher, Priscilla Olson, Steven Parkhurst, Mark Piotrowski, Roger Reichmann, Jody McDonald Rider, Robert Rokita, Paul Rytlewski, Jennifer Schultz, Charlie Schwartz, Carol Speltz, Ellen Visser, Silas Warren, Kathy Wertz, Rebecca Zeiss

 

Call for Artists: Painters and Potters 2020                                                                                                                          Students, The 100 Day Project members and faculty of Studio 23

All students taking classes between June 2019 – June 2020, The 100 Day Project 2020 members and faculty of Studio 23 are invited to submit work for this upcoming exhibit opening July 9, 2020. This exhibit will be online and also all artists who are comfortable bringing work into the gallery will be exhibited in our Rowley gallery. Masks will be required and we will have safe drop-0ff options for the artwork. A virtual Zoom reception will be held on July 9, 2020 at 5:00 pm. The exhibit will run July 9 – August 29, 2020. Please use this application link: Painters and Potters 2020 Entry Form. Jpeg images are required as well as a working email address. We hope you consider entering this popular annual exhibit!

We are very thrilled to being open this week and thankful we have many events and activities to look forward to with our community of artists. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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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

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Posted 16 April 2020

Curator’s Clipboard: There is so much talent here!

    

Hi! It’s Val, curator of Studio 23!

Hello from my home! I didn’t expect that we would be working from home but here we are. Actually, we are accomplishing quite a bit keeping the arts relevant and accessible to all via the internet. Within a week of the shelter at home order, our team rallied and began a creative stream of social media content that is serving as a source for visual art to bring encouragement, escape and education to the Great Lakes Bay Region.

The hashtags #Studio23OnTheGo and #MakeArtVirtual will now retrieve many informative videos, posts and events. I’m proud that we were in the forefront of joining forces with the Make Art Virtual movement and became part of a coalition with Midland Center for the Arts. This type of connection leads to a strong, robust art community and can only further prove that Mid-Michigan is full of talent!

We have had a few weeks now to refine our Facebook Live event titled, “Live Art Talk and Art Project. This 45-minute segment on the Arts Around the City Rail Trail highlights an art image by one of our 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region. To date we have featured artists Rosemary Kavanagh, Sally Rose, Sheri Moore, Sylvia Coon, Bonnie Lalley and this week we will feature Josh Roupe.

Here is a sampling of their artwork and we thank them for sharing their talent!

Rosemary Kavanagh

Bonnie Lalley

Sylvia Coon

       Sally Rose

 Sheri Moore

               Josh Roupe

As the curator of Studio 23 and a professional artist, I have been creating artist demonstrations focusing on art materials and techniques. These presentations are inspired by the aesthetic of our featured artists. Since all of this is done live via Facebook, we sometimes have surprises while filming, often many comments from viewers and we are always learning new ways to connect regional artists with our audience.

Another exciting development that came about because of our increased awareness into virtual connections is the formation of our Studio 23 Books on Art Club. We are reading the book “The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith and will be having a virtual Zoom meeting next week. All of these online applications will serve us well into the future and allow us to expand our mission beyond our brick and mortar space! However, we hope that soon our community will begin to return to a new normal and we will see our friends again in the gallery. Until then, please enjoy these images created by Studio 23 member artists during our time of shelter.

a

“Wishing all love and happiness today!” Mark Piotrowski
“Walking through my woods during this time of seclusion, I made a great early morning discovery to paint.” Alan Maciag

Stay safe and keep well, Studio 23 family!

Kind regards,

Valerie Allen, curator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted 20 March 2020

Curator’s Clipboard: Interview with Bonnie Lalley, Artist/Illustrator

 #Understory #BonnieLalley #MichiganArtist

Hi! It’s Val, curator of Studio 23! It is a true pleasure to introduce artist Bonnie Lalley and her exhibit titled Understory. Bonnie has created 47 artworks for this exhibit. The mixed media pieces range in size from approximately 12″x18″ framed to well over 8 feet. Some are exquisitely framed in custom and handmade hardwood frames by Timothy Lalley, a known artisan in the Thumb area and Bonnie’s husband. Others are installed as if they are vintage tapestries, without a glazing treatment and inviting the atmosphere to age them naturally over time. Such a great concept! I had a chance to ask Bonnie questions regarding her life, her creative process and philosophies and here is the content. I hope you enjoy reading!

Interview with Artist Bonnie Lalley

  1. Please describe the logistics of your exhibit.

Understory is comprised of 47 pieces of paintings on paper. The title describes the vegetative layer that lies beneath the canopy of trees. This title was chosen by Elizabeth Lalley, who, as well as being my daughter, is a curator of contemporary art in Chicago. This title is apt and poetically describes the source of much of my imagery. It is used loosely, as Elizabeth describes it, for I am “under water as much as under bushes looking at things…”

  1. Which is the most autobiographical artwork?

I would have to say Beasts and a Ladyis the most autobiographical piece for reasons only I would know. The “lady” is not me, but, the imagery, the colors—everything—are redolent of childhood imaginings for me.

  1. How do you describe your process? Is it collage? Is it mixed media? Is it painting?

My process is difficult to describe because I feel I have found my voice. I don’t follow any system. The way I work—by painting and drawing images and then cutting and arranging them on a larger paper ground—is very free and unplanned. I am able to move things, change background colors, layer, stencil, etc., in a manner that is fluid, like music. If I call them “collages” it suggests that I use appropriated imagery, which I don’t. I draw and paint everything. So not being able to give them a tidy category has kept me out of a lot of juried shows! (Ha ha!)

  1. You talk about your art being inspired by flora and fauna. Can you tell us more about that and also about your gardens?

My family culture was always centered around nature, whether we were living in Detroit or on my grandfather’s farm. Botany and beauty were important topics of discussion: “Did you see the sunset? Did you hear that bird? Someone saw a patch of Blue Fringed Gentian…” My mother had beautiful flower gardens, and I try to emulate that, but I find it much harder than she made it look! I have English roses that I cherish, but my gardening skills are not so great. I find I would rather be in my studio painting flowers than digging in the dirt. However, hope springs eternal, and I make new promises every year to have the best garden ever! This year is no different (a double ha ha!).

   

  1. I’ve seen your studio space—small, intimate, and, in my mind, an artist’s hideaway. Why does that setting work so well for you?

Because it is near a teapot and toaster. Actually, somedays I kind of long for a few more square feet for really large pieces.  Having said that, I make it work. I love my little studio…

  1. You and your husband are both artist and artisan. Do you often talk about the creative process? Do you inspire each other with ideas and, if so, can you be specific about your collaborations?

Regarding his cabinetmaking and my art, we tend to both be internal. Regarding our house and garden restoration, though, we collaborate on all levels. This we both enjoy, and we recognize each other’s talents and have equal input. The other important collaboration that happens is the framing of my work with his spectacular handmade frames.

  1. If you were to invite an artist to your beautiful home for dinner, who would you invite and what would you serve?

Can I invite three? Or a combination of the three and two of them dead? If I could do that, it would be Mary Delaney, who was an 18th-century English aristocrat who in her 70s developed the style of painting, cutting, and assembling pieces into beautiful botanical compositions. Her work inspired the first piece I did, which was the beginning of this body of work. Next, I would have Maria Sibylla Merian. Born 350 years ago, she left her husband and Holland and with two young daughters travelled by ship to distant tropical countries. She painted some of the most beautiful and best-regarded botanical and reptile/animal illustrations. She was one of the first to understand and illustrate the life cycle of moths and butterflies. I would love to talk to her about her travels and the natural world she witnessed. Finally, I would invite Cornelia O’Donovan, who is a young contemporary British artist whose work I admire. We both have a love of early textiles, so we could talk about that. Her imagery is so freely composed—I really love that.

Oh, and I would serve shrimp and grits with a side of greens cooked in a little bacon fat, a garlicky salad, and gingerbread with orange curd and whipped cream. This is because I just made this for friends and the cooking gods were with me.

  1. What is your art teaching philosophy in a nutshell?

To teach skills and philosophy; i.e., “methods and materials” and “art is important.”

  1. If you were not a visual artist, what would you be?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm—a grower of cardoons in France.

Thank you, Bonnie for sharing your thoughts with us during this time of sheltering! You gave us much food for thought on living your best life as an artist. This exhibit will unfold virtually over the next few days on our website and Facebook page.

The exhibit is generously sponsored by Chemical Bank. 

Thank you for your support of the visual arts in the Great Lake Bay Region.

Stay safe and keep well, Studio 23 family!

Kind regards,

Valerie Allen

Curator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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.

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Posted 21 February 2020

Curator’s Clipboard: Artists as collaborators!

 #Collaboration

Hi! It’s Val, curator of Studio 23! The artist Robert Rauschenberg has been a major influence in my life since art school. He lived between 1925–2008 and was very prolific in mixed media artwork involving printmaking, painting, photography, and performance art. He led the charge for many collaborations between visual artists, scientists, musicians, dancers and social activists and he strived to promote world peace and understanding. “There is no reason not to think of the world as one gigantic painting,” stated Rauschenberg in 1971. Not only does that quote speak to me of all the possible materials we can use in our artwork but also the big picture of defining collaboration as a complete creative process. Here are just a few of the collaborations we initiated at Studio 23 so far in 2020.

On January 25, Studio 23 collaborated with City Market Bay City for “A Taste of Art” held during the market’s Sample Saturday. Faculty members from our education department demonstrated drawing, painting, printmaking and offered a station for market-goers to do their own mini paintings. I’m happy to announce that this community event was successful and our collaboration will now be scheduled four times a year with the next “A Taste of Art” being on Saturday, April 25, 2020. Below you will see artists from left to right,  Amy Gibas, Julie Tyslicky, Ruth Howell, Deb LaRocque, Misty Coss, all instructors at Studio 23.

              

Studio 23 is collaborating with Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy to present Land to River, an exhibit that features artists in the role of communicators, explorers and environmentalists. Artists include: Mark Bleshenski, Zachary Branigan, Frits Hoendervanger, Erwin Lewandowski, Alan Maciag, and John Sabraw. This exhibit will open on May 14, 2020 at 5:00pm. The topics of conservation, restoration, education, utilization and activation as it relates to over 6000 acres of land in our region will be addressed through the message of visual art with the opportunity for our community members to participate in workshops and environmental events. This exhibit is sponsored by Waste Management.

The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra and Studio 23 presented Where Art and Music Unite, a collaboration that featured artist Valerie Allen painting to the music of Haydn, Torke, and Copland performed by the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra and led by Conductor Fouad FakhouriThe painting was then auctioned at the afterglow for the evening. The collaboration also included a food drive for Hidden Harvest, a regional organization that strives to alleviate hunger and food waste in the counties of Bay, Midland and Saginaw. 

       

Kind regards,

Valerie Allen

Curator

Current Exhibit:

Teenworks & Kids’ Kreations continues until March 7, 2020

Don’t miss this popular exhibit featuring the young artists of Bay County. The exhibit features over 375 creations by elementary, middle school and high school art students. We have a family-fun scavenger hunt for this exhibit and if you correctly answer the questions you will receive a label. Collect a label from each exhibit in 2020 and you will receive a prize in December. Gallery hours are Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm. We are closed Sunday and Monday.

Upcoming Exhibit:

Understory: Bonnie Lalley, artist and illustrator

March 19 – May 2, 2020

Bonnie Lalley is a full-time artist/illustrator and art professor at Delta College. She lives in the countryside by choice, as flora and fauna are the motifs she loves best. Her 100-year-old home and studio in the Thumb reflect her aesthetic with vintage colors and patinas. There will be large scale collages as well as mixed media works custom framed by artisan Timothy Lalley. 

Artist’s reception: Friday, March 20, 2020, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 

A Conversation with Artist Bonnie Lalley: Saturday, April 11, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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