by ohnomaster
Expanding art outside of our walls
2016 came and went more quickly than I could imagine. We have a lot to be proud of after a successful year. Two successful fundraisers helped fund our studio: ART pARTy and The Black & White Affair. A Perfect Pairing event was an intimate evening that allowed guests to hear from artists about their inspirations and learn from wine experts about the pairings. We hosted seven exhibit openings; including the Tall Ships Exhibit in collaboration with The Tall Ships Celebration and our All-Area Exhibit, where we gave away cash prizes to top artists in our state. Our membership numbers and class sizes both increased.
If you’ve taken a walk around the Downtown and Uptown areas you may have noticed some art hanging on the buildings. Underneath Veterans Bridge, three high school seniors created a mural that represented Bay City’s past, present and future. With help from Barb Engelhardt-Carter, MARKed ARTs, the Bay Area Community Foundation, the Women’s Philanthropy Circle, the Men’s Philanthropy Group and the Rotary Club of Bay City we could paint the bright scene underneath the bridge. What a positive way to show our history and events in a mural viewable from the Riverwalk and river!
Another public art effort was “Art Around the City” which featured historical photographs from Bay County’s maritime past. We partnered with the Bay County Historical Society for the photos and descriptions and worked with various community partners to implement the project. A special thanks to our sponsors: Northwood University, Herter Music Center, the State Theatre, City of Bay City, Rev. Andreas and Tracy Teich, Bay County Historical Society, Historic Masonic Temple, Downtown Bay City, Farm Bureau Insurance, Bay County Library System and Bay Landscaping. Without the support of our community projects like this are not possible. Be on the lookout for next phase of this project in late spring!
The board of directors, staff and teachers at Studio 23 are excited for a successful 2017.
Sincerely,
Tara Welch,
Executive Director
