Yipee!  We’re having fun again with Schneller Art Gallery.  Classes started again on Fridays.  We have free art classes from 11 am to 1 pm for children ages 5-12 AND new for this year is Free Friday art classes for teens from 1:30 to 3:30.  So give us a call or text at (906) 364-0992 or email: arschneller@gmail.com to RSVP a spot, class size is limited to 12 but walk ins for now are welcome.   Hope to see you there.

We’ve got some exciting programming this year.  We have several guest artists that will also appear one will be teaching a wood sculpture assemblage class and another will be teaching a bookmaking class.  Special thanks to Pat O’Neill’s poetry reading that funds these free art classes.

Be sure to also check out Facebook Page for Downtown Art Place (DAP) and Ironwood Carnegie Library.  There are wonderful children’s programs starting in July at DAP and ongoing reading and art programs at the library.  On June 12th I will be part of the “Big Dig” program with the library where I will have kids collage and decorate very nice wooden treasure boxes. Call the Ironwood Library and DAP to reserve your spots in those great programs!

Have  a creative summer!

Sweeping, organizing, tossing, and cleaning. Doing all that stuff that gets me going and excited to open the gallery soon.  New ideas, new challenges.  I’m ready!

Here’s a great website if you have difficulty choosing colors for your artwork.

http://colorschemedesigner.com/

This is a very cool interactive site showing color combinations.

Check it out, it’s free.

Although Schneller Art Gallery isn’t open during the winter months, it’s been a busy winter helping Downtown Art Place (DAP) get off the ground.  Ar Schneller is even teaching a few workshops there!   It’s a great building in downtown Ironwood with a ton of potential for artists and the community. We are starting to see great things happen there.  Peg Sandin, a beautiful watercolorist is teaching classes there in March and April

We have over 140 artists on our database and are excited to be reaching out to them with an open house in March. The two handicap bathrooms were recently completed in the DAP, we even have a work sink.  Life is good.

DAP recently was awarded a $ 1940 grant from Michigan Council of Arts.  They will be able to offer a nice selection of classes and workshops at the DAP. We have a big event planned for Sat March 16th, see you then!  Watch for updates on www.downtownartplace.net  and you can email them at downtownartplace@gmail.com

Want to paint on large 4 X 6 foot and 4 X 8 foot sheets of plywood? Turn them into a “Super Sized Christmas Card” to be displayed along US 2 for the Jack Frost Festival.  Join us at Schneller Art Gallery on Sat & Sun Dec 1 & 2nd, 2012  from 2-4 pm, all materials supplied.  Wear painting clothes : )

We have one community board that will feature just snowflakes, so if you want to paint one of them quick, stop on in!  Contact Ar Schneller (906) 364-0992 for more info.

I’m going to paint “Super Sized Christmas Cards” on plywood for a few days at Schneller Art Gallery Nov 23-25th, 2012. Special thanks to Bessemer Plywood for donating the beautiful plywood! “Cards” will be displayed randomly along the highway every year during Jack Frost Festival and hopefully stay up until Sisu Fest. Anyone want to help paint and decorate these cards? I’m looking for permission to place these “Super Sized Cards” in key locations along US2 in Ironwood — any takers? Let me know if you want to paint with me, pick up a card or need delivery.

The Jack Frost Gingerbread House Workshop was a great success.  We had over 85 people and 42 beautiful creations are on display at River Valley Bank.  I hope you get a chance see them.  Moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers, friends and family joined in on the fun. Special thanks to Gogebic County 4-H volunteers, Bert & Edna Tatham, Kaite & Bryce, and my son Kevin, the photographer.  This is an annual event sponsored by Snow Country Contracting and Schneller Art Gallery.  Contest prize money and display of gingerbread houses is sponsored by River Valley Bank.  Great job everyone.  See you next year!                                                  - Ar Schneller, Gingerbread Chairperson

A free Gingerbread House workshop will be held Sat Nov 17, 2012  from Noon-3pm at Zion Lutheran Church in Ironwood, located at 100 E. Midland, (turn right/north at Mike’s Restaurant, Zion is two blocks north on corner of N. Lowell and E. Midland). Snow Country Contracting, Inc., will provide the “free building materials” and other sweet treats for your no bake graham cracker houses.  River Valley Bank sponsors the prize money and will have the houses on display in their lobby.  Schneller Art Gallery will provide snacks and volunteers for the event.

Gingerbread builders can bring a cardboard structure, undecorated graham cracker or Gingerbread house to work on, structures will also provided.  At the workshop participants can add royal icing and specialty candies provided free of charge.  All children must have an adult accompany them, and participants are welcome to bring candy to share.

The River Valley Bank lobby transforms into a sweet village of over 50 Gingerbread Houses built by area children, groups and adults.  These houses will be on display through mid December and there are cash prizes awarded. The Gingerbread Contest is part of the Jack Frost Festival and is sponsored by River Valley Bank and Snow Country Contracting, Inc.

Entry forms can be picked up at River Valley Bank, Snow Country Contracting, Ironwood Chamber of Commerce.  Online forms are at www.schnellerartgallery.com look for “Gingerbread Contest”  and you can see ideas from past events on Facebook/Gingerbread Workshop! (Be sure to add the exclamation point)

Judges will review the entries at River Valley Bank. Read attached Gingerbread house building rules to qualify. This is a community wide event to celebrate the 17^th annual Jack Frost Festival and is open to the public. Please contact Arlene Schneller, Gingerbread Chairperson at (906) 364-0992 with any questions.

We celebrated our last event this year for kids in October.  At the gallery we’ll drain our pipes and turn off the heat until next spring.  We look forward to teaching new classes for children and adults.  Great news, we will continue our free art program for kids again next year!   Pat O’Neill has agreed to again sponsor that program with us, he will provide funding from his spring poetry readings. Our gallery will supply labor and whatever other materials and ideas needed for that successful children’s program. We’re getting ready for next year and already ordered new books for creative writing and art with poetry books.  It will be an exciting upcoming year. See you in the spring!

Check our page on September Classes offered. You’ll have loads of fun learning acrylic painting, abstract or mixed media with Amy or Ar.  Hope to see you there. Remember all our classes are aimed at being fast and fun, complete your art project in less than a day using our instruction and materials.  Coming up this week Amy’s acrylic class is Thurs Sept 20th from Noon to 3:00 pm.  Amy will host an acrylic painting class each Thursday during the month of September, each class is $ 30.

Hey the kids are off at school, now it’s your time!  Enjoy an art class with us this fall.  We’re only open for two more months this year.  We’ll host a free children’s Halloween party to end our seasonal closing date on Sat Oct 27th from 11-1, mark your calendars!  We’ll reopen again next May through October.  We’ve posted our September classes, you’ll have a choice of a driftwood mobile class or acrylic painting with Amy or a variety of classes with Ar in mixed media collage, photography and a watercolor class.  Take a look at our Art Class Schedule and calendar, then give us a call!  Amy (906) 364-5874, Ar (906) 364-0992.