Artists Guild Creates Sturgeon Bay Coloring Book

Photo by Rachel Lukas.

The crew at the Artists Guild in Sturgeon Bay is releasing On the Road: A Sturgeon Bay Coloring Book just in time for Memorial Day.

“During COVID, paint-by-number kits and puzzles were flying out the door,” said store manager Ernest Beutel. 

Customers were also looking for Door County souvenirs, so he and Ben Toyne got to work.

“The intent was not only to provide this item to meet demand, but to create a different kind of coloring book – one that has a sense of humor as well,” Beutel said. 

For example, a caption under a drawing of a sun shining on the Artists Guild reads, “The sun is always shining on Third Avenue, downtown Sturgeon Bay.” “Except when there is a blizzard,” reads the next page, which is entirely white.

Another page shows a sailboat in front of the Steel Bridge and the text,

“Nobody can forget this most iconic view of the Steel Bridge.” The following page shows a car’s right side-view mirror and a flashing red light (once colored in) and the sign, “Be prepared to stop when flashing.” It’s an image that will resonate with anyone who has ever been stuck on the bridge while waiting for boats to go through.

Toyne, an accomplished illustrator and comics creator, produces a regular comic called Life as a Lizard (lifeasalizard.com); has illustrated John Koski’s book Baby Bumbu; and will soon release a new picture book, Sofaraway.

Although Beutel and Toyne did all the drawings, Beutel credits his store colleagues – including painter Samantha Beutel, who did the coloring book’s binding – for supporting the project. 

The coloring book, priced at $19.95 and printed in a small edition, is sold exclusively through Artists Guild, 215 N. 3rd Ave. in Sturgeon Bay.