The Glen Arbor Art Center’s (GAAC) main location is in the township, but they also host classes out of the old Thoreson Farm on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. GAAC volunteers rehabilitated the 19th century farm buildings into a classroom and studio space.
The GAAC has a truly impressive amount of programming planned at Thoreson Farm this summer, with at least several classes per week. Only some of these classes involve drawing and painting, and the ones involving pottery and clay may be of special interest to makers young and old.
Most of the pottery classes for adults will be taught by the GAAC’s “potter-in-residence,” John Huston. According to the GAAC website, Huston has been a potter since 1973. He studied in Ohio and Japan and started Platte River Pottery in Benzie County in 1978. He and his wife Amy Stevens own and operate the Glen Lake Artists Gallery.
“John Huston has decades of experience,” said Kristie McCaw, GAAC program manager. “And after taking a pottery wheel class with him, you can sign up for open studio time throughout the summer. John is there to guide open studio three times a week.”
Pottery on the wheel classes taught by Hunter are scheduled every Monday in July from 6-9 p.m., with the deadline for registration on June 30. The classes teach the basics of using a pottery wheel including wedging, centering, throwing, and trimming basic forms. By the end, students will have the skills to decorate, glaze, and fire a finished work. As McCaw mentioned, open studio time is also included.
Hunter will also instruct students in traditional Japanese Raku pottery across two classes in July, at 1 p.m. July 13 and 20. The registration deadline is July 11. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Raku ware are ceramics that are highly esteemed in the Japanese tea ceremony. Hunter’s workshop will involve glazing, decorating, and firing already-made pots.
Rounding out Hunter’s July programming are a series of classes where students will make tiny clay houses on July 15-19 from 1-4 p.m. As with the Raku pottery classes, registration ends July 11. The event description on the GAAC website says that students will extrude and slab-roll the clay and fire the houses on July 19. The setting is also meant to inspire reflection about “home and place.”
Program Manager McCaw agreed that Thoreson farm inspires artistic creativity: “It’s a beautiful, pastoral setting for a pottery studio,” she said.
Most youth and teen pottery classes are taught by Ana Spencer, an art teacher from Chicago. “Clay Cubs” kicked off on June 21 and continues at 9 a.m. on Mondays in July starting July 8. She also teaches pottery wheel classes for tweens at 9 a.m. on July 10-11. The registration deadline for the tween pottery wheel classes is on the Fourth of July.
McCaw said that these two classes are being held in collaboration with Leelanau Investing For Teens, which also offers summer programming to sixth through 12th graders at Suttons Bay, Northport, and Glen Lake schools.
McCaw also called attention to an animal portrait sculpture workshop to be held later this year on Sept. 13-15 at 4-6 p.m. This class will be taught by Allora McCullough, an artist and educator based out of Missouri. McCullough earned her master’s degree in fine arts from the State University of New York and has exhibited work in national galleries.
In this three-day-long workshop, McCullough will guide students as they make animal portraits out of clay. She will help each student individually, starting with anatomy research of the animal of their choice, to the final finishes. McCullough will also be demonstrating slabbuilding techniques for difficult features like noses, mouths, and ears. Registration for this class closes Aug. 29.
