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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.

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

by Val Allen

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.

by Megan Koch

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.

by Autumn Reyes

Posted 26 June 2020

Education Updates with Autumn

Hello!
I hope this message finds you healthy and you’re enjoying the beautiful weather! It’s hard to believe but, Studio 23 has been back open for two weeks now. As we navigate this new world, many of our students are getting back in our classrooms. We’ve also noticed there is still very much a demand for virtual classes so, as we move forward rest assured Studio 23 will be offering both in-studio and virtual classes and workshops for the foreseeable future.

A perfect example of our “new normal’ is our hybrid classes like our summer art camp. You may have seen our advertisements for the two in-studio summer art camps we’re hosting in July and August. However, we’re also offering themed art camps through Zoom. In July we’ll be creating all things Harry Potter and in August we will be creating Star Wars-themed art projects. Make sure and check out our website and our Facebook page for more information on those- they’re sure to be fun and they’re definitely won’t find these art camps anywhere else besides Studio 23!

Another way we’re expanding programming is through our Sip ‘N’ Swirls. Starting in July we will be offering outside and virtual Sip ‘N’ Swirls so make sure and check our social media for updates on that, as well!

I know these changes aren’t always easy but, rest assured Studio 23 is committed to bringing you art and I whole-heartedly believe it will be the arts that gets us through these unprecedented times.

Be well,

Autumn Reyes
Education Coordinator

by 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 Val Allen

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.

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 Autumn Reyes

Posted 22 May 2020

We’re Going Virtual!

With everything pandemic-related going on right now, Studio 23 has made the jump to virtual class… and we’re jumping right in! Besides the free virtual lessons we’ve been providing through our Facebook Live art lessons, we’ve also been busy planning away with our instructors to bring you classes through Zoom. We have some great classes already posted and we’re adding more every day. A great example of our virtual programming is our Still Life Colored Pencil Project with artist Julie Tyslicky! In this class you will be drawing and rendering in full color a still life of fruit on fabric. You will be instructed on ways to set up your still life. Composition, design and light source is discussed as well as color theory.

This class does not teach you how to draw but rather how to better use the color pencils in your drawing. This class looks to build on your existing drawing skills and done completely through the comfort of your own home using Zoom.

Another great class we’re offering is our Virtual Plein Air Workshop with artist Ruth Howell…
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood to take a Virtual Plein Air Painting Class with Artist/Instructor Ruth Howell.

Through a series of three sessions on Zoom, a virtual meeting site you can access in the comfort of your home or studio, Ruth will guide you through painting outdoor scenes in plein air. The opening virtual class will cover supplies, equipment and tips to paint outside. Ruth will announce the first assignment that each artist will complete during the week. The assignments will be discussed “conversation style” at the beginning of each session and then students will progress to the next topics listed below. Artists are encouraged to work in a painting medium such as watercolor, oil, acrylic or pen and ink.

We also have workshop offerings for children! Our teen instructor, Spencer Scharf is offering two workshop… A Dragon Trophy Workshop and a Tiki Mask Workshop…. In the dragon workshop, join Spencer as he takes you through his paper mache dragon trophy step-by-step. Spencer will be able to interact with you through zoom so you will be able to follow along AND ask any questions you need to create your masterpiece! With his Tiki Mask Workshop, Spencer will takes you through his cardboard Tiki Mask step-by-step. Spencer will be able to interact with you through zoom during this workshop, as well.

There is plenty more where that came from so I encourage you to check out our class listings on our website and Facebook and sign up for a class today- don’t let this pandemic stop you from getting creative. Studio 23 has got you covered- we’ll help you get creative while you’re being safe!

I hope you all enjoy your holiday weekend and I hope to see you (virtually) very soon!

Autumn Reyes

Education Coordinator

by Val Allen

Posted 15 May 2020

Curator’s Clipboard: Art in the World of Zoom and Beyond

This past month has been filled with new types of art happenings being produced in virtual formats. Facebook live, Instagram stories, Zoom meetings, fill up the days working from home and keep us connected to artists and art lovers. We are all getting very familiar with the protocol of talking to a group of mini boxes filled with friends. We stop and start, mute and unmute, schedule and show up to all sorts of art-related viewings during our days. The content branded with the #studio23onthego and #makeartvirtual grows daily and if you viewed each offering, I feel you become an artist through osmosis.

I have been blessed to know many artists in my life and I find them extremely generous to open their hearts, homes and studios to the art audience. Our virtual studio tours have proved to be very popular Facebook live events. This past month we have had two tours in our Great Lakes Bay Region. Open studio tours have always been a popular road trip happening but in this day and age we adapted with the next best thing-Facebook live tours. Productions such as this can be filmed using an iPhone or iPad, a password clearance to go directly to a page and just a bit of rehearsal to set the timing and sound.

Our tour with Misty Grumbley started with her and her cat on the beautiful landing of her Victorian home in Saginaw. Misty is one of our 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region. As if we were there in person, she graciously toured us through the home, taking time to point out cherished artwork from artist friends she has studied with or been taught by. Her warmth and poise made me feel as if we would sit down for tea at any moment and when we entered her dark room and studio I wanted to hear all the details of her creative process. Many viewers were privileged to view live that afternoon and now you can access that same video on our Facebook page and leave comments.

Our second tour takes us to an historic farm near Bridgeport, Michigan. This farm and studio tour was hosted by Doug Barron and Brian Goff. They are both part of our 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region and they work in oils on plein air and studio paintings. We start in their elegant parlor/studio filled with wonderful paintings and they both shared their painting process and concepts. The organization of the studio space was very impressive to me as it seemed every canvas, brush and tube of paint was positioned for easy access. In other words every item had it’s place of honor near the easels. Once outside, Doug and Brian took turns filming the tour so we had the sense of walking across the farmland and we could enjoy the gardens and outbuildings. What a wonderful way to escape while still being tucked away in our homes. The wind was blowing, the sky was blue and it was a refreshing way to spend time together. Many flowers and plants were identified along the way. The big trick up their sleeves at the end was a surprise visit with their chickens from the coop. Delightful! You can check out their video on our Facebook page and even leave comments with questions.

We look forward to bringing you more virtual events in the future as well as anticipate the day we can gather at Studio 23 again. Some items on the horizon include artwork displayed in our large gallery windows as part of our “Walk-a-bout Gallery for sidewalk shoppers walking the neighborhood and our Painters and Potters artwork inside starting July 9, 2020.

We are part of the Smile program with Amazon. Please think about this as you are shopping this spring and summer. All you have to do is go to smile.amazon.com and select Studio 23 as your nonprofit charity organization. Thank you for all you do for our art center!

Kind regards and Stay Safe,

Valerie Allen, curator