Sketching with artists available daily at oldest Michigan art group
The Grand Valley Artists welcomes artists of all stripes to join them for figure drawing, plein air, photography, still life—and the camaraderie of a room full of artists working together.
Two decades ago, I graduated from a college (soon-to-be-university) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts under my arm, and walked away from the group studio times, the room full of drawing tableaus with charcoal dust everywhere. I left that resource but just as significantly, I realized years later, I had left that camaraderie found in the stillness of scratches against paper as everyone focused on the scene before us, trying to capture the shapes and lines in front of us.
Just recently, I am embarrassed to admit, I first walked into a group studio space that brought me back to those college studio classes, but this one is for adult artists: post-college or self-taught, professional or hobbyist, acclaimed or unknown.
The oldest art group in all of Michigan, Grand Valley Artists, also has a gallery, and they sponsor the Reeds Lake Art Festival, which we’ve all attended and probably also purchased a bowl or cup or print. But I was drawn to that studio.
It was a weekday afternoon and the studio was buzzing, full of about 15 or so artists drawing the still life set up in front of them, commenting on each other’s progress, sipping coffee and comparing notes.
It turns out the scene I happened upon is a daily occurrence, nothing special or out of the ordinary for the Grand Valley Artists. Mondays and Tuesdays there’s a model sketch, Tuesdays there’s also a photography group that meets, Wednesdays in good weather the gang heads out to do some plein air in good weather or has open studio if the weather’s wretched, Fridays is the still life setup I happened upon, and Saturdays there’s another figure sketching opportunity. When there’s a model, artists chip in five bucks to help pay the model, but otherwise, it’s all free to members. The community, the chance to draw and paint and more with others, the group exhibition opportunities, the connections: members donate $40 for the year and get all of this in return.
Plus I’m told the potlucks and pasta nights are killer.
I will admit there may be hesitations for someone my age or younger—the crowd is significantly curved towards older artists, though younger artists are starting to join. I see the hesitation but I also want to note a significant benefit for young or just-starting-out artists (or just-getting-back-into-it artists): the GVA is a wealth of resources in experience and mentorship.
With summer just around the corner, stealing a couple hours each week to go out and paint or draw with other artists feels like a dream, doesn’t it?
Learn more about Grand Valley Artists
Visit the GVA website
Follow GVA on Facebook or Instagram
Check out their most recent newsletter and calendar of opportunities.
