Community Calendar

Explore the practice of abstract painting with artist and instructor Tena Gilbreath. Regardless of painting experience, students can delve into acrylics while engaging in a variety of methods to experiment, consider, and create abstract art. We’ll approach each week with a new concept and project, intended to force you to reconsider how you create, regardless of your usual chosen media. Expect a new exercise each week, addressing themes such as sound map painting, gesture painting, collaborative improvisation painting, and more. All skill levels are welcome, and all supplies are provided!

This 4-week course will be held twice weekly from 1-3 pm on Mondays and Thursdays, July 27-August 20, 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.

Dive into the vibrant world of alcohol inks with instructor Judi Steffke in this beginner-friendly workshop themed around the sunny summer blooms of sunflowers. Alcohol inks are a bold, expressive medium known for their fluidity, unpredictability, and stunning, abstract effects. Whether you're an experienced artist or trying something new, this class offers a fun and relaxed environment to explore the magic of inks on non-porous surfaces, such as synthetic paper, ceramic tiles, or glass.

This workshop will be held from 4-6 pm on Monday, August 3 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.

Flex your creative muscles with instructor Kim Bigard at STEAM Camp this summer! We will create art projects designed to inspire creativity, invite critical thinking, and even throw some learning into the mix. Your kids, ages 6-12, will spend 5 days working on arts and crafts projects that promote STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math). You may select each day you wish to attend or enroll in the full week for a discounted rate. A snack break will be provided midway through each daily session. Students with food sensitivities should bring a snack from home.

This camp will take place from 9 am- noon, Monday-Friday, August 3-7, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 6 to 12

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

Create memories and learn new skills this summer with our Summer Studio program. Created for all ages, this program provides affordable, high-quality workshops in a variety of media to make for an artful summer. Each session will explore a different art form. This program is sponsored by Mt. Pleasant Jaycees. Each attendee will receive a $5 voucher for any future class.

Join instructor Annie Croft for an exploration of Neurographic Art. This creative method is a drawing approach 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 alcohol marker, fineliners, watercolors, and colored pencils. No experience necessary and all supplies provided.

This workshop will be held from 1-3 pm on Tuesday, August 4, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway St. in Mt. Pleasant.

Recommended age: 8 and up

Note: Participants are limited to (1) Summer Studio workshop per year. We will allow additional workshops only if the workshop does not reach capacity. After each Summer Studio workshop reaches capacity, we will create a waitlist. To be considered for additional SS workshops, please join the waitlist. Please let staff know if you are unable to come, so we can offer your space to someone on the waitlist.

Explore the world of theater, improv, and more with Mount Pleasant’s own Tena Gilbreath, a professional Hollywood theatre and Second City improv actress. Students age 7-12 can gain insight into the theater world and learn the fundamentals of acting through improvisation, scene work, voice acting, character development, and performance techniques. You’ll gain confidence in public speaking, storytelling, and exercise creativity while having fun in a supportive environment. Expect to improve your acting technique and build performance experience through creative exercises and theater games, culminating in a showcase of your skills at the final session.

This 6-week course will be held from 3-6 pm on Tuesdays, July 7-August 11, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

Recommended age: 7-12

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.

Flex your creative muscles with instructor Kim Bigard at STEAM Camp this summer! We will create art projects designed to inspire creativity, invite critical thinking, and even throw some learning into the mix. Your kids, ages 6-12, will spend 5 days working on arts and crafts projects that promote STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math). You may select each day you wish to attend or enroll in the full week for a discounted rate. A snack break will be provided midway through each daily session. Students with food sensitivities should bring a snack from home.

This camp will take place from 9 am- noon, Monday-Friday, August 3-7, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 6 to 12

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

Recreate a stylized flower market poster in acrylics with instructor Annie Croft. Pulling from imagery of market posters from around the world, you’ll recreate your own poster on canvas to add a fresh floral touch to your home decor. Students can select their city of choice and add additional flowers to suit their preferences. Works will be created on 16×20 canvas. Beginners are welcome!

This workshop takes place from 1-3 pm on Wednesday, August 5, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at 111 E. Broadway St. in Mt Pleasant.

Recommended age: 12 and up

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

Explore the world of theater, improv, and more with Mount Pleasant’s own Tena Gilbreath, a professional Hollywood theatre and Second City improv actress. Students age 13-18 can gain insight into the theater world and learn the fundamentals of acting through improvisation, scene work, voice acting, character development, and performance techniques. You’ll gain confidence in public speaking, storytelling, and exercise creativity while having fun in a supportive environment. Expect to improve your acting technique and build performance experience through creative exercises and theater games, culminating in a showcase of your skills at the final session.

This 6-week course will be held from 3-6 pm on Wednesdays, July 1-August 5, 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.

Gestural Drawing is the practice of using loose, quick, and intuitive linework to create expressive, energetic works of art. We'll work with a live, clothed model each session who will strike a variety of expressive poses to aid us in developing our understanding of these methods. Led by artist and instructor Matthew Grimmer, we'll learn to adopt a looser style through several simple exercises paired with group and individual instruction. This class is welcoming to students of all levels. Beginners will benefit from instruction which includes the basics of working with charcoal and drawing the figure, while more advanced students may enjoy the opportunity to work with a live model alongside chats and critiques with the Instructor and other students.

REQUIRED SUPPLIES:
Students are expected to bring their own pad of Newsprint Paper (18x24"). We will be making a large number of studies in this class, which will require us to quickly flip from page to page, so it's important we're not wasting time shuffling around in a sea of paper (the personal pad will also keep all your drawings safe!).
Everything else is provided, but if students are compelled to bring their own supplies, they should expect to bring Vine or Stick Charcoal (medium and soft or extra soft), and a kneadable eraser. NO compressed charcoal, please.

This 3-week course will be held 6:30-8:30 pm, Wednesday, August 5-19, 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.

Flex your creative muscles with instructor Kim Bigard at STEAM Camp this summer! We will create art projects designed to inspire creativity, invite critical thinking, and even throw some learning into the mix. Your kids, ages 6-12, will spend 5 days working on arts and crafts projects that promote STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math). You may select each day you wish to attend or enroll in the full week for a discounted rate. A snack break will be provided midway through each daily session. Students with food sensitivities should bring a snack from home.

This camp will take place from 9 am- noon, Monday-Friday, August 3-7, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 6 to 12

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

Dive into the second course of our youth summer comic series with artist and instructor Matthew Grimmer. Whether you’ve taken the first course or are just joining in, we’ll cover the same basics from session one with a twist; our characters are going to space! We'll learn to draw using simple shapes and colors as we create futuristic characters and out-of-this-world spaces. Students will create a small comic to take home each week, which can be an independent story or part of a series that follows a character of theirs. Matt will demonstrate how to draw a variety of space-themed images, including UFO's, shooting stars, monsters, and aliens, and all the wacky environments they live in! At the end of class, students will have an expanded visual vocabulary and a strengthened ability to create and narrate their own visual tales.

This 4-week course will be held from 3-5 pm on Thursdays, July 16-August 6, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant

Recommended age: 8 and up

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

Brews & Brushes is the perfect way to unwind, get creative, and enjoy a fun evening out. This monthly acrylic painting class is led by Brenda O’Brien, who provides step-by-step instructions to help you create a beautiful 16x20 masterpiece, no matter your skill level. Bring your favorite beverage, invite a friend, and let your imagination flow! We provide all the supplies you need—just come ready to paint and leave with a finished work of art. Brews & Brushes is a great way to explore your artistic side in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

This class will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, Thursday, August 6, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended for adults 21+

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

Flex your creative muscles with instructor Kim Bigard at STEAM Camp this summer! We will create art projects designed to inspire creativity, invite critical thinking, and even throw some learning into the mix. Your kids, ages 6-12, will spend 5 days working on arts and crafts projects that promote STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math). You may select each day you wish to attend or enroll in the full week for a discounted rate. A snack break will be provided midway through each daily session. Students with food sensitivities should bring a snack from home.

This camp will take place from 9 am- noon, Monday-Friday, August 3-7, in the Idonea Hersee Classroom at Art Reach, 111 E. Broadway in Mount Pleasant.

Recommended age: 6 to 12

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

From a simple line drawing on canvas to a completed oil painting, learn the beginning elements of oil painting alongside artist Matthew Grimmer. We begin by learning to prime a canvas using natural mediums that are safe and simple to understand. Working from a detailed still-life crafted by the artist, students will lay the foundations of their painting using line-work and measurement methods based on the use of a "sighting stick." Following this, we'll learn to apply the various lights and darks onto our painting using limited, natural colors, which will gradually become more complex as we learn further about color theory and finishing details. Each session will have a combination of demonstration, work-time, and individual instruction. This class is most welcoming to beginner and intermediate students.

All supplies are provided for this class. We will be using Gamblin 1980 Oil Paints, which are excellent for learning because they dry quickly and apply more easily to the canvas and atop other oil paints.

If you would like to use a higher quality of paints and bring your own, the following pigments are required, and it's preferable that they are mixed with linseed oil instead of walnut oil:
Titanium White, Ivory Black, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Light (or Hansa Yellow), Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cadmium Red Light (or Naptha Red), Alizarin Crimson, Raw Umber, and Burnt Sienna.
You'll also want a variety of different-sized brushes, a palette (or palette paper), a palette knife, a rag, refined or washed linseed oil. Art Reach will provide paint thinner, as ONLY ART TREEHOUSE THINNER MAY BE USED.

This 4-week course will be held 1-3:30 pm, Friday, August 7-28, 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.

Spend your lunch hour with instructor Cheryl Meyer exploring the art of poetry. Bring a lunch if you like and learn different methods for creating free-verse poetry to capture these moments in time. Through fun writing prompts, group discussions, and constructive feedback, you'll have the opportunity to create and share your work in a relaxed, non-judgmental environment. Perfect for those looking to spark their creativity, challenge themselves, or try something new. This is truly beginner-friendly; no writing experience needed!

This 2-week course will be held from 11 am-1 pm on Mondays, August 10-17, 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.