Almanac

Come enjoy our 31st Annual Arts and Crafts Shows, located in the heart of the Village of Elk Rapids on River Street. Our shows feature 60+ artisans and crafters.  The show features art and homemade items in many areas including coastal art, home decor, jewelry, ceramics, woodcrafts, photography, skincare products, candles, soups, apparel, specialty food and much more.

WATERCOLOR FOR ALL LEVELS - Charlevoix
JULY 31 2025
THURSDAY
10am - 1pm

REGISTER BY: July 26

CLASS FEE: $50, or $45 for members​

FORMAT: in-person

I’m so excited to return to the Circle to paint with vacationers and residents of the Charlevoix region! In this watercolor-for-all-levels class we’ll create two paintings, two different sizes. We’ll use wet-into-wet techniques and wet-into-dry, and use some unique household tools, beyond the paint brush!

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SUPPLY LIST
• 140-pound cold press watercolor paper. 9” x 12”, plus a half sheet of 9” x 12”
• A board for your paper. Can be a corrugated box side.
• Painter’s tape to tape your paper down to your board.
• Table Salt (regular and/or Kosher, larger grains).
• White Crayon or white taper candle.
• Brushes: Round brushes that come to a point when wet, including a size 0 or smaller for details, 4, 6, and optional larger.
• Watercolor paint colors: Sap green, a warm yellow, a pink, violet or purple, a deep blue, ocher, a quinacridone gold is optional, green-gold (or can make with sap green and LEMON yellow), cerulean blue, red, burnt sienna, indigo or Payne’s gray, brown. (Don’t worry if you don’t have all these colors; most can be mixed with basic colors such as red, yellow, blue)

SUPPLIES CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED! Contact Megan if you would like her to bring supplies for your use, the cost is $10 per head, bring cash to class and pay teacher directly. Please notify Megan in advance at megan@waterloogroup.com .

Plein Air Weekend
Experience the Magic of Plein Air Painting In and Around Glen Arbor!

Each first full weekend in August, artists from Michigan and the Midwest gather for a two-day event celebrating art, nature, and creativity. The Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Plein Air Weekend is a cherished community event supporting both the center and the artists. As one of Northern Michigan’s first Plein Air Paint-Outs, it continues to attract talent eager to paint outdoors and “capture the moment.”
What is Plein Air Painting?

Plein air painting means creating art outside, a method made famous by French Impressionists in the 19th century. Artists work quickly to finish their 2D paintings in a single day—rain or shine!
Weekend Highlights

Friday
Quick Draw: Artists have 3 hours to create works based on a theme, like “Village Life” or “Pastoral Life.”
Quick Draw Sale: Paintings are displayed and sold at the Glen Arbor Town Hall.
Sunsetter: Artists head out to paint beautiful sunsets.
Saturday – The Main Event
The “Paint Out” invites 75 artists to capture the area’s natural beauty, from lakes and rivers to gardens and landmarks. Sunsetter and Paint Out works are professionally displayed and sold that evening at the Glen Arbor Town Hall.

Awards and Community Fun

Saturday night celebrates creativity with the Amy L. Clark-Carels Award, honoring artistic excellence in memory of the local watercolorist. This lively event showcases diverse artwork, offering the community a chance to view, connect, and purchase unique pieces while supporting talented artists.
Admission and Donations

Both sales are open to the public, and admission is free. Donations are appreciated to support the Glen Arbor Arts Center.
https://glenarborart.org/events-page/plein-air-weekend/

The Oliver Art Center's annual Small Works, Community Collage project opens to the public on June 1st. This year's initiative aims to unite the community in the creation of a vibrant and expansive art installation, with a goal of assembling over 200 unique six-inch paintings into a breathtaking mosaic.

This engaging project underscores the Oliver Art Center's commitment to fostering awareness and accessibility of the visual arts by inviting artists of all ages and abilities to contribute their creativity. Local artists and art enthusiasts are invited to visit the Oliver Art Center to collect blank canvases and embark on creating their miniature masterpieces. These individual works will then be carefully assembled during the last week of May, with the completed community collage unveiled to the public on June 1st. The uniquely decorated canvases will be available for purchase at $40.00 each, with 100% of the proceeds directly supporting the Oliver Art Center's vital programming initiatives.

This year's exhibition holds special significance as it is presented in honor of Joe Muer, a longtime supporter, donor, and even participating artist of the Oliver Art Center, who passed away in 2024. The canvases for this project have been generously donated by Joe and Jane Muer over the past several years.

The Oliver Art Center encourages all members of the community to participate in this vibrant celebration of art and collaboration. Blank canvases will be available at the Art Center throughout the run of the exhibit.

Plein Air Weekend
Experience the Magic of Plein Air Painting In and Around Glen Arbor!

Each first full weekend in August, artists from Michigan and the Midwest gather for a two-day event celebrating art, nature, and creativity. The Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Plein Air Weekend is a cherished community event supporting both the center and the artists. As one of Northern Michigan’s first Plein Air Paint-Outs, it continues to attract talent eager to paint outdoors and “capture the moment.”
What is Plein Air Painting?

Plein air painting means creating art outside, a method made famous by French Impressionists in the 19th century. Artists work quickly to finish their 2D paintings in a single day—rain or shine!
Weekend Highlights

Friday
Quick Draw: Artists have 3 hours to create works based on a theme, like “Village Life” or “Pastoral Life.”
Quick Draw Sale: Paintings are displayed and sold at the Glen Arbor Town Hall.
Sunsetter: Artists head out to paint beautiful sunsets.
Saturday – The Main Event
The “Paint Out” invites 75 artists to capture the area’s natural beauty, from lakes and rivers to gardens and landmarks. Sunsetter and Paint Out works are professionally displayed and sold that evening at the Glen Arbor Town Hall.

Awards and Community Fun

Saturday night celebrates creativity with the Amy L. Clark-Carels Award, honoring artistic excellence in memory of the local watercolorist. This lively event showcases diverse artwork, offering the community a chance to view, connect, and purchase unique pieces while supporting talented artists.
Admission and Donations

Both sales are open to the public, and admission is free. Donations are appreciated to support the Glen Arbor Arts Center.
https://glenarborart.org/events-page/plein-air-weekend/

Horizons: Alternative Landscapes will open with a reception on Friday, August 2 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.

The exhibition takes a fresh look at landscape art, exploring the genre through the lens of several featured artists. Each brings a unique twist to the subject, ranging from romantic realism to luscious abstractions rendered in a variety of media.

Participating artists include Carl Sperber (Clarkston, MI), Julie Tibus (Howell, MI), Ron Gianola (Honor, MI), Cody Winter (Toledo, OH), Adam VanHouten (Traverse City, MI), and Anne Kindl (Saline, MI). An artist talk will take place at the close of the show on September 5 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

This fun and immersive exhibition explores the joy of sailing Michigan’s rivers and lakes, and celebrates the adventurous heart of our harbor community.

Artwork in all media highlighting all kinds of water travel – from tug boats to kayaks, canoes to freighters, and everything in between – it’s all hands on deck!

Exhibit hours:
Sundays 12-4
Mon-Thur 10-4

For ages 10 & up!

SERIES OF 4 CLASSES:

August 4,6,11,13
Mondays & Wednesdays
3:30 - 5pm​

CLASS FEE:
$80, or $72 for Members

​FORMAT: In Person

This class is for anyone creative that enjoys television and film, and wants to learn more about the acting process.

You will learn the basic fundamentals of acting, acting exercises, monologues and scene study as well as many other acting related topics.

No prior acting experience is needed!

The class atmosphere will be light hearted and fun! Let’s roll!

Phillip will also answer your questions about working in the entertainment industry and how things work in Hollywood.

INTRO TO ACTING
REGISTER
SERIES OF 4 CLASSES:

AUGUST 4, 6, 11, 13
Mondays & Wednesdays
5:30 - 7pm​

CLASS FEE:
$80, or $72 for Members

​FORMAT: In Person

This class is for anyone creative that enjoys television and film, and wants to learn more about the acting process.

You will learn the basic fundamentals of acting, acting exercises, monologues and scene study as well as many other acting related topics.

No prior acting experience is needed!

The class atmosphere will be light hearted and fun! Let’s roll!

Phillip will also answer your questions about working in the entertainment industry and how things work in Hollywood.

Come to the museum and join an informal tour of our current exhibitions with one of our docents.

Tours are free with museum admission and will begin at 12:00 PM. Please meet by the front desk a few minutes before the tour begins.

Tickets are not required for this event, and registration is not necessary. Please pay admission when you arrive.