Did you know that Artist Appreciation Month is celebrated in the month of August? American Artist Appreciation Month started with a goal to celebrate artists and their incredible talents. America is home to many talented artists from Andy Warhol to Jackson Pollock, and we have dozens of amazing artists all over Door County. Door County is home to over 100 galleries, studios, and exhibits. You can experience an array of styles and mediums all across the peninsula. Below is your guide to celebrate Artist Appreciation Month whether that would be exploring an art gallery, painting ceramics, or even blowing your own glass. There is something for everyone at any age to celebrate the incredible work of artists or to become the artist themselves!
1. Edgewood Orchard Galleries
Edgewood Orchard Galleries is a one-stop shop to look at a variety of art mediums and dive into some rich Door County history. Edgewood Orchard Galleries was founded in 1969 just outside of Fish Creek in a barn that was built back in 1918. Irene Pamperin Haberland founded Edgewood Orchard Galleries, and now the business continues with the third generation of the Haberlands run by Nell and her husband J.R. At this Door County art gallery, you can take a relaxing stroll through the sculpture garden, explore two barns dedicated to over 150 artists, relax in the sunshine in the courtyard, or even snap a selfie on the top deck with the “Edgewood Orchards” sign that has been there since the 1920s! Edgewood Orchard Galleries is perfect for anyone to stop by an art gallery during their trip to Door County.
2. Hands On Art Studio
Have you ever tried doing a DIY craft from Pinterest and it just never turns out like how it looks in the picture? Hands On Art Studio is a guided DIY studio that helps you hone your skills to turn into a DIY master. This studio is open year-round, no art experience is necessary, and any age is welcome. Hands On Art has a wide range of things to do including painting ceramics, creating jewelry, painting a canvas, decorating a wooden board, or fusing glass together. Inside you can enjoy refreshments from apple juice to even One Barrel’s draft beer. This studio in Fish Creek is perfect for a morning, all-day, or even a rainy-day activity. Celebrate Artist Appreciation Month by becoming an artist yourself!
3. Peninsula School of Art & Gallery
Peninsula School of Art & Gallery is for anyone that has a passion for learning a deeper understanding of art. In 1965, a Chicago filmmaker, Madeline Tripp Tourtelot, opened the doors of Door Harbor School of Art, which is now known as Peninsula School of Art. In 2021, PenArt opens its doors to an updated campus including adult painting & drawing studios, four youth studios, and a gorgeous outdoor classroom where you can see monarch butterflies fly by. PenArt has a variety of workshops available so you can become an artist. In August, there are photography, watercolor, portrait drawing, still life, and many more classes available. PenArt welcomes every guest no matter how much or how little art experience they have. Peninsula School of Art is there to teach you the creative spark when it comes to experimenting with art. If you are unable to take any art classes now, you can still enjoy the gallery by admiring various artists’ works and exploring the back garden.
4. Burnt Bluff Stone & Glass
At Burnt Bluff Stone & Glass in Fish Creek, you get a front row seat to glass blowing in their workshop. Whether stopping by the hot shop and watching glass get blown or jumping into class, you get a mind-blowing experience of what all goes into glass blowing. The Dayton family started their business by purchasing a small cabin right off of Highway 42 in 2020. The cabin they purchased was built in the Civil War era and is now used as a studio to purchase their art. Behind the cabin is where the hot shop is and where you can see the magic. Ryan and Kari Dayton’s two daughters, Ida (7) and Piper (9), also work in the hot shop creating paper weights and bowls, and they donate half of the profits to scholarship programs and charities. Ida raises money for young women in Guatemala to attend college. In her first two years, she raised $1,000, and she is now over halfway to her goal in 2023. Piper raises money for Heifer International which donates animals to villages and provides income to families. Last year she was able to donate a water buffalo, alpaca, flock of ducks, flock of chickens, and bees. The Dayton family runs Burnt Bluff together, and they provide an amazing hands-on experience of blowing glass in Door County.