Three Ways to Create Art at Home

Although we can’t gather with large groups of friends or attend concerts and festivals this summer, there are still many ways to make this season a meaningful and fulfilling one. All that’s needed is a little inspiration and creativity. Thankfully, Door County is full of both. Check out these three ways to stretch your creative muscles, support local organizations and have fun making art at home this summer. 

Family Fun Fridays and Art Prompts, Peninsula School of Art 

“Creativity is a human need,” said Catherine Hoke, executive director of Peninsula School of Art. “It’s important to give ourselves permission to make space for art and creativity in our lives.” 

Even though the school has canceled all in-person classes this summer, its online programming emphasizes that art is certainly not canceled. A quick glance through its Facebook page reveals a wealth of inspiration for artists of all ages and skill levels. 

“We want to provide points of entry for everybody, no matter where they are on their creative journey,” Hoke said.  

In addition to posting weekly studio prompts for adults and educational resources for beginners, the Peninsula School of Art also develops a new Family Fun project every Friday. If the project requires a kit, the kits are available for pickup from the school’s campus in Fish Creek on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Other projects are designed to use supplies found at home. Last Friday’s project, Mud Paintings, was inspired by Alexis Rockman – an artist who, while camping in the Amazon rainforest without a pencil, began using mud to sketch his surroundings. After downloading the directions for mud painting from peninsulaschoolofart.org, I collected some dirt from my backyard, added water and a small amount of glue, and got to work painting! 

Art-to-Go Kits, Hands On Art Studio

Hands On Art Studio offers Art-to-Go Kits in a variety of media and for all age groups. From ceramic ornaments and figurines to glassware, kits can be shipped anywhere for a fee, or delivered free of charge to those in Door County.

Some of the kits, such as ceramic mugs and plates, must be returned to Hands On to be fired. Others, such as the glassware and ceramic ornaments, can be completed entirely at home. 

Recently I tried out the Paint Me stemless wineglass kit, which came with a stemless glass, six colors of nontoxic paint, three brushes, a plastic plate, three wooden paint stirrers, easy-to-follow directions, and tips about mixing paint – everything I needed to make a unique glass. After I finished painting the glass and waiting for it to dry, I simply popped it into the oven to bake for 30 minutes. The whole experience was a lot of fun, and I came out of it with a personalized wine glass! 

To browse all of the Hands On kits, visit handsonartstudio.com. 

Community Mosaic Project, Hardy Gallery 

Door County and art have long had a symbiotic relationship, with art inspiring Door County and Door County inspiring art. If the county has inspired you in some way this year – whether through the peninsula’s natural beauty, dynamic community or creative residents – consider creating your own piece of art for inclusion in the Community Mosaic Project. 

This is the 13th year of the Hardy Gallery’s Community Mosaic Project. Each year, the gallery calls for submissions from the community to include in a mosaic-like installation made of six-inch-by-six-inch canvases. The completed Community Mosaic Wall will be unveiled at the Hardy Gallery on Aug. 15 and remain on display until Sept. 13.

Submissions may be created in any medium, but they must fit on a six-inch-by-six-inch canvas. Free canvases, donated by the Art Guild in Sturgeon Bay, are available for pickup at the Hardy Gallery’s office (located in the Ephraim Village Hall), June 2 – July 3. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 2. Visit thehardy.org to learn more.