Community Calendar

MIDLAND MAN SCOUTS

Second and fourth Monday of each Month
7:00 – 8:30 pm / $8 each day - Let us know you are coming!
Jan 12
Jan 26
Feb 9
Feb 23
March 9
March 23
April 13
April 27
May 11

WHAT: Men developing camaraderie and a social network through participation in a variety of tasks and challenges.

HOW: We will meet up to chat and pick tasks, challenges, competitions to complete. For instance, we might task each member to write one sentence about their life each day for fourteen days. At the next session, members share what they completed. We might challenge everyone to pick one health related behavior and do that for two weeks, reporting back to the group. The competition will obviously be arm wrestling. Group members will be encouraged to plan and participate in mutually beneficial outings.

Let’s show this loneliness epidemic who is boss!

With Eric Beasley, Ph.D., Sociology Michigan State University. Eric has been a professor for many years and likes improv, yoga, comedy, basketball, and guitar, along with whatever you're interested in! Send any questions, suggestions, one-liners, etc. to Eric at beasle23@msu.edu.

What's included
Chatting, bonding, and fun challenges!

Join instructor Annie Croft for an exploration of Neurographic Art on black paper. This creative method is a way of drawing that allows you to create from the inside out. It allows you to transform stress, thoughts, or worries into free-form lines that create a beautiful piece of art. The work time turns into a time to de-stress and reduce anxiety. Students can choose from a variety of media to make their individual creations. Plan to explore with light colored paint markers against a black background for high-contrast pattern making. No experience necessary! Students can relax to quiet classical music, or you’re welcome to bring earbuds to listen to personal music during the individual work times. Feel free to bring a journal or a book that contains your favorite quotes if it's helpful.

This workshop will be held from 10 am-12 pm on Tuesday, September 15, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended ages: Teens & Adults

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Using artistic expression, introspection, and easily accessible tools, enable your ability to reduce stress and address problems with compassion, creativity, and calm. Led by instructor Deborah Clark, participants will learn three techniques individually designed to help them 1) name and describe issues; 2) create a safe space for reflection; and 3) find their inner, compassionate voice for empathy and solutions – all using the simple, free-flowing artistic methods of junk journaling (ie., glue-booking). Zero artistic training or abilities needed.

Participants will each receive a journal and work through the exercises using provided mixed media and creative ephemera during each session. Materials fee is included in the cost of tuition. Minimum of 5 students required for class to run.

This 3-week course will be held 5:30-7:30 pm, Tuesday, September 8-22, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 16 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Indigenous arts comprise a wide variety of art forms from varied original peoples from around the world. Mt. Pleasant is the home to the modern-day Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the ancestral lands of the Anishinabek people. This tie to the tribe affords our region a rich history of cultural traditions, as well as a variety of art forms. Art Reach presents a series of classes with the hope of widening our worldview and offering an avenue for sharing this cultural tradition.

Anishinaabe artist and instructor Chyann Haas will cover the local history of basketmaking and guide you through the Anishinabek art form of coiled grass baskets. Utilizing long pine needles or dried grasses, students will be guided in creating a coiled basket from natural materials, formed around a base vessel of their choosing. Students will spend the 4 sessions of this course building up their form, and finish with decorative embellishments to make each project unique. Students will leave with a fully completed project and the skills to delve into more advanced baskets. All supplies are provided.

This four-week course will be held weekly from 5:30-7:30 pm on Tuesday, September 15-October 6, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 13 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 pm Sep 15, 22, 29, Oct 6, 13, 20 / $100

You don’t need to be funny . . . you just need to be there!

Improv is a lively, active, team sport that encourages us to live in the moment! Connect with teammates and explore the spaces outside of your comfort zones with coach Ariel Rak who will get you up and playing right from the start. Through games and exercises we develop creativity, flexibility, friendships, and thinking skills in a safe and nurturing environment. For those with no improv experience or those who just miss it.

Engage in dynamic games and exercises fostering teamwork, trust, and spontaneity in a supportive environment. Embrace failure as you develop your ability to stay present and seize the unexpected.

Coach Ariel Rak studied and performed short and long form improv with Magnet Theater (NYC) and the N.J. School of Dramatic Arts and was a member of ComedySportz before moving to Midland. Ages 18+

This drop-in class is a unique, low-pressure workshop where actors come together to rehearse scenes purely for the joy of the craft. Each class features a different local director, giving actors the opportunity to experience a variety of directing styles and perspectives. It's also a chance for directors to discover new talent, build relationships with actors, and collaborate in a relaxed, supportive environment. Whether you're looking to sharpen your skills, try something new, or simply spend time doing what you love, 'I Can't, I Have Rehearsal' is a space to play, learn, and connect with the local theater community.

All classes start at 7:00pm and will run for one hour if there are 4 or less participants or 90 minutes if there are 5 or more.
Each class is a $5 drop-in fee, we encourage you to pre-register.

Tues, Sep 15 / Megan Krause (Director of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' at MCFTA)
Mon, Oct 19 / Mac Hamstra (Director of 'Looking at Christmas' at Pit & Balcony)
Tues, Nov 10 / TBA
Mon, Dec 14 / Danielle Katsoulos (Director of 'Tuck Everlasting' at Creative 360, A.D. 'Come from Away' at MCFTA)
Tues, Jan 12 / Josh Abram Lloyd (Director of 'Barbeque' at MCFTA)
Tues, Feb 16 / Emily Anderson (Director of 'The Cougar Contract' at Creative 360)
Mon, March 22 / Spencer Beyerlein (Director of 'Elf Jr.' at MCFTA, Director 'Stop Kiss' at Pit & Balcony)
Mon, April 26 / Bill Anderson (Director of 'Jekyll & Hyde' at BCP and 'Come From Away' at MCFTA)
Mon, May 10 / Chris Krause (Director at Friction Theatre Company)

Wee Wednesday invites babies, toddlers, and young children to explore art in a relaxed, hands-on environment. Held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, this bi-monthly class encourages curiosity and creativity through simple projects that introduce color, texture, and playful materials. Kids can paint, build, stamp, squish, swirl, sing, and experiment at their own pace while caregivers join in on the fun.

The program starts at 10 am, Wednesday, September 16, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Designed with ages 0–5 in mind but welcoming to older siblings, Wee Wednesday is a flexible, sensory-rich art experience where every child can create, discover, and make a little joyful mess.

Choose one medium to focus on or try both!

For drawing, learn the fundamentals of observational drawing with an introduction to materials and their functions, perspective, proportion, composition, shading and more. For painting, you may be an absolute beginner or be well versed in the acrylic medium. Cyd will provide an understanding of the principles and elements of art, color mixing, composition, and adding mediums to explore the versatility of acrylics. There will be project flexibility depending on your artistic needs with in-depth tailored instruction.

With Cynthia Keefe, MFA, Creative 360 Co-Founder. No experience necessary. Age 16 and up. Materials list upon registration. Please preregister.

Wednesdays, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
August Mini Session – Drawing & Painting / August 5, 12, 19, 26 / $80

Join us for an Introduction to Linocut course and explore the world of relief printing! In this three-week course, you’ll learn how to carve designs into linoleum blocks and turn your creations into beautiful prints. Perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike, instructor Kristena Gilbreath will guide you step-by-step through carving, inking, and printing. By the end of the course, you’ll have your own unique art pieces and the skills to keep exploring this expressive medium.

Students with poor grip strength can be provided with safety linocut pull tools for better accommodation in dexterity.

This three-week course will be held from 1-3 pm on Wednesday, September 9-23, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant

Recommended age: 14 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Join us for an Introduction to Linocut course and explore the world of relief printing! In this three-week course, you’ll learn how to carve designs into linoleum blocks and turn your creations into beautiful prints. Perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike, instructor Kristena Gilbreath will guide you step-by-step through carving, inking, and printing. By the end of the course, you’ll have your own unique art pieces and the skills to keep exploring this expressive medium.

Students with poor grip strength can be provided with safety linocut pull tools for better accommodation in dexterity.

This three-week course will be held from 1-3 pm on Wednesday, September 9-23, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant

Recommended age: 14 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

“Paul is a treasure! He shares a wealth of knowledge.” ~ glass student

Wednesdays, September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 / 1:00 – 3:30 pm / $150, plus $35 materials

Learn the copper foil method of stained glass designed for the creation of Tiffany lampshades. It is a lighter, stronger, and simpler way to work with glass. Each student will finish one project.

Paul Schmidt, previously a partner at Imagine That! has been creating stained glass for 40 years. He loves sharing his passion with others because, “Stained Glass is my thing!”

Preregistration required. Class size is limited.

Wednesdays, 1:00 – 3:00 pm / Sept 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct 7 / $100 per person

Choose one medium to focus on or try both!

For drawing, learn the fundamentals of observational drawing with an introduction to materials and their functions, perspective, proportion, composition, shading and more.

For painting, you may be an absolute beginner or be well versed in the acrylic medium. Cyd will provide an understanding of the principles and elements of art, color mixing, composition, and adding mediums to explore the versatility of acrylics. There will be project flexibility depending on your artistic needs with in-depth tailored instruction.

With Cynthia Keefe, MFA, Creative 360 Co-Founder. No experience necessary! Ages 16 and up.

Please pre-register. Materials List provided upon registration.

Indigenous arts comprise a wide variety of art forms from varied original peoples from around the world. Mt. Pleasant is the home to the modern-day Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the ancestral lands of the Anishinabek people. This ties to the tribe affords our region a rich history of cultural traditions and a variety of art forms. Art Reach presents a series of classes in hopes of broadening our worldview and providing an avenue for sharing this cultural tradition.

Anishinaabe artist and instructor Chyann Haas will explore the art and history of the beadwork tradition of the Anishinaabe people. Students will be able to select their chosen pattern. Utilizing glass seed beads, students will learn the process to sew beads onto a foundation fabric, creating artful beadwork designs. Basic sewing techniques will be taught, but students should be comfortable with needles. All supplies are provided.

This four-week course will be held from 4-5:30 pm on Wednesday, September 9-30 in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 13 and up

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

Teens looking to further hone their acting skills in theater, improv, and more are invited to join Mount Pleasant’s own Tena Gilbreath, a professional actress in Hollywood theatre and Second City improv. Students ages 13-18 who have completed the first course in this series can gain further insight into the theater world and practice the fundamentals of acting through improvisation, scene work, voice acting, character development, and performance techniques. Actors will continue their practice by improving on techniques learned in the first course and build performance experience through creative exercises and theater games.

This 6-week course will be held from 6-9 pm on Wednesdays, September 2-October 7, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Recommended age: 13-18

A snack will be provided midway through each session. Students with food sensitivities should bring a snack from home.

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.

This is the second course of four in the Fundamentals of Drawing series with award-winning artist and instructor Julie Tyslicky. This course will build upon the skills learned in course 1 to further advance your technical art skills. Participants will learn how to utilize tools to sharpen their skills in drawing. You will learn more about observation with site measuring. Students will also learn technical skills in using grids, their many uses as a tool, and how it assists in portrait drawing, as well as one & two-point perspective drawing.

Fundamentals of Drawing 1 is required before taking Fundamentals of Drawing 2.

This 12-week course will be held 6-9 pm, Wednesday, September 16-December 2, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: Adults only

Please note: An active membership is not required to register. Active members receive a 15% discount on classes.