Making Space for Art

Named after a Door County native who died in an ATV accident at 21, the Ellie Helm Maker Space is stocked with the help of the Friends of Door County Libraries and the Friends of the Kress Pavilion, as well as donations. Photo by Jeanine Brennan.

Dabble in glass-fusing, candle-making – and so much more 

Patrons can check out books at any library – but at the Egg Harbor Library, they can also “check out” new art mediums and techniques, thanks to the Ellie Helm Maker Space.

The collaborative workspace is filled with art tools including Cricut smart-cutting machines, sewing machines, woodburning tools, paints, a mug press, a glass kiln, a button-maker, a binding machine, a die-cutting and embossing machine, a laminator and a 3-D printer – among other supplies.

It’s a lot to sort through, so if patrons need a little guidance as to where to start, the library highlights one craft every month that can be made in the space, according to Egg Harbor Library Branch Manager Jeanine Brennan. Part of Brennan’s job involves managing the Maker Space – and part of that  job means testing the projects with her grandchildren before debuting them.

“I figure if a 10-year-old and 12-year-old can do it, probably just about anyone can,” Brennan said. 

This month’s craft is soy candles, and the library provides all the materials required, including wax, dyes, scents, jars and instructions. Featured crafts from previous months include alcohol inks, book bags, decorated mugs and a fan favorite – fused-glass art. Library staff gets in on the fun, too, by learning how to make the monthly project so they can assist patrons who need help.

When the Maker Space opened in early 2018, it was geared towards children, featuring robotic tools, iPads and Legos. But the well-stocked room went underutilized. Brennan thought it was because of the relatively low number of children in the area, recalling just one homeschool family that regularly utilized the space. 

Library staff relocated most of the materials geared towards kids to the Children’s Library and switched gears to help the Maker Space appeal to a demographic that’s more prevalent in Door County: seniors.

Ironically, this rebranded Maker Space brings in more children than the original kid-centric version did. That’s because people now bring their children or grandchildren to make crafts together, especially in the summer. The day before the interview, Brennan recalled three patrons who came in to make candles before they brought their grandchildren.

The open-ended nature of the Maker Space means that every patron uses it in a slightly different way. Many patrons, according to Brennan, use the space to try out new art mediums without having to buy all the necessary materials or sign up for a class. One spent a whole day there making Christmas cards; two others – a mother in her 80s and a daughter in her 60s – regularly work with glass together; and the homeschool family that used the original Maker Space still comes back, mostly for crafts rather than robotics now.

“We get people from all over the county,” Brennan said. “It’s not just an Egg Harbor Maker Space; it’s a Door County Library System Maker Space.”

The Egg Harbor Library is located at 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor. The Maker Space is open to the public during library hours, and it can be rented out to crafting groups after hours (free for Egg Harbor residents, $10 an hour for non-residents.) For more information, visit kresspavilion.org/workspace.