Artists from around the country come to capture the Copper Country, but some of the community’s favorite artists are homegrown. Broad Brush Studios is bringing together kids and adults to create works of art in three communities this summer through a series of mural camps.
Lisa Gordillo and Mary Kozmor, co-directors of Broad Brush Studio, are preparing for emerging artists to join them in Houghton, Hancock and Calumet.
“We consider it part of our mission to add color and texture and paint to every surface that we find,” Gordillo said. “Over the summer we have three art camps going on.”
The Calumet camp will feature two locations, with one across the street from Keweenaw Coffee Works. The pair also are hosting an adult art camp in Houghton where participants will paint a mural at the Prickly Pine in downtown Houghton.
“Grownups like to have fun too,” Gordillo said.
A third camp for teens and children will take place in Hancock next week. The co-directors have been working with a local ecologist to find local plants for inspiration in the mural designs.
“We’re working with a local ecologist to learn about local flowers and things that are important to our area specifically that we want to incorporate in the design,” Kozmor said.
Participants will learn every aspect of mural creation, from drawing and transferring designs to full size, paint mixing, working with backgrounds and adding details. The workshops also will include an ecology walk.
“You can’t care about something until you know about it,” Kozmor said. “It’s nice to bring the ecologist in because we’re going to explain that to the students and they’ll know more about it.”
The murals will bring a sense of pride to the community and the artists who create them. Kozmor is excited to lead a mural project at the Orpheum Theatre and bring back some of the past history. Gordillo brought the idea to the Prickly Pine Cafe after many visits to the emerging downtown location.
“Walking past a mural that you made, hopefully you’re really proud of it and you get to show it to other people,” Gordillo said. “For many years you have the memory of having done that and other people get to know that you contributed to this interesting project.”
“They get to be part of the local history,” Kozmor said. “Twenty years from now, they can say ‘I did that 20 years ago.’ That’s something really cool and special.”
The adult camp in Houghton costs $300, and the teen camp in Hancock costs $275. Meals and art supplies are included in both programs. The Calumet camp is free to CLK students through a grant supported by the Keweenaw Community Foundation.
For more details about each art camp starting next week, visit Broad Brush Studios online.
