Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Northern Light Art Studio has emerged from the former Creators Space, a nonprofit that closed last fall after five years of providing workspace and classes for artists at 218 7th St. E. Studio owners Kassy Paige and Jordyn Piverson were members of Creators Space and after the business closed they scrambled for a way to preserve the space in some capacity to hone their artforms. Fortunately, the landlord wanted them to stay in the building.
Prior to opening, considerable renovation was required to downsize the space. The pottery studio areas were moved to the main level, and volunteers knocked down several walls and completed a laundry list of cosmetic updates, including painting several large-scale murals. The space, which is only accessible to members, boasts 16 pottery wheels and two kilns, dozens of individual workspaces and personal storage areas, free materials and equipment for members, and eight private studios of various sizes. A member lounge will also be made this summer and Saint City Catering bistro and coffeeshop – formerly Creators Cup Coffeehouse – is located on the other side of the main floor. The studio currently has about 50 members and can take on 25 more, although that number may be expanded in the future. Memberships start at $110 per month.
Today the studio has everything that painters and potters need to bring their ideas to life. It also regularly offers beginner-friendly courses and one-day workshops to the public. During the Spring Art Crawl, it will unveil its new art gallery and artist boutique.
“The art gallery will start by featuring work from our members and eventually feature guest exhibitors as well,” said Paige. “Our artist boutique is going to feature mini shops – think of it as tiny storefronts for different members who’d like to sell their work…. I’ll have one where I’ll be selling my belly mugs, ring holders, incense holders, and other things that are part of my core collection of goods.”
During the Crawl, the site will feature the works of about 18 artists, and host two mini-workshops throughout the weekend: Paint-Your-Own Tote Bag, and Make-Your-Own Ceramic Slab Built Planter or Wall Vase. Both are $20. The studio will also feature a scavenger hunt, and those who find all the clay animals will be awarded a handmade gift. The studio will be open for the Crawl 6-9 p.m., April 26; noon-8 p.m., April 27; and noon-5 p.m., April 28.
Kassy said the studio’s most popular workshop is the two-hour Intro to Wheel Throwing, where beginners learn to make a pot using a pottery wheel. The most popular course is Pottery 101, a five-week course that allows students to create a piece from start to finish. On the painting side, figure drawing with a live model is a popular offering held two Sundays per month, and new watercolor courses are now open for registration. Pottery 301 courses will open this summer, featuring specialty projects such as mugs, lidded jars and “throwing big.”
“We’re also doing some really fun specialty workshops that are usually more themed events,” said Paige. “The most recent one we did was our International Women’s Day Vase Decorating and Floral Workshop, which was a huge hit. It was so amazing. We had over 20 people come out and paint vases that we had handmade in the studio. Then we had a gorgeous, huge bloom bar where everyone got to make their own bouquet and share about the important women in their life.”
The grand opening event at the studio in November featured zany activities like blindfolded pottery and a one-minute-mug challenge, and you can expect similar activities to take place at future events.
Paige, a Washington native, has lived in St. Paul for about 12 years since relocating to attend college. She’s a lifelong photographer who had always been interested in pottery but was deterred by the expensive equipment necessary to work with it. However, within a year of joining Creator’s Space she fell in love with the art form and took on the role of pottery studio manager.
“Setting up a home studio is cost- and space-prohibitive, so a community studio is the best option for many, many potters,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of other benefits [of community studios] too. You might have access to additional equipment that you wouldn’t be able to have in your home studio, and I think the more important one for me is that you get to be a part of an amazing community… Our members are so kind and they make such amazing and diverse work. Getting to be around that is really a wonderful gift and you can learn techniques that you never would otherwise.”
The street level studio receives northern light exposure which is ideal for painters and is the inspiration behind its name. For more details, visit nlasmn.com.
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