The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College, in partnership with many educational organizations and businesses throughout the region, presents The Big Draw – Grand Traverse. This series of events in October 2015 will showcase the regional arts scene and celebrate drawing for all ages and abilities. This year’s theme, Every Drawing Tells a Story, will provide a chance to highlight local illustrators and storytellers along with drawing.
An impressive collection of organizations in the Grand Traverse region are working together for the second annual Big Draw – Grand Traverse, offering a calendar of arts events for all ages and abilities. Partners include The Dennos Museum Center, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Blackbird Arts, SCRAP TC, Oliver Art Center, NMC Extended Education Services, Grass River Natural Area, Art Rapids!, Jordan River Arts Council, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, ACT-GT, and Traverse Area District Library, with events happening at several venues as well as local schools. For more information and a listing of all events, visit dennosmuseum.org/big-draw.
The Big Draw – Grand Traverse is supported by The Linda O’Meara Fund for Arts Education.
What is the Big Draw?
The Big Draw, hosted by the Campaign for Drawing, happens across the United Kingdom and in twenty other countries, with thousands of people expected to join in over one thousand events. The Big Draw offers enjoyable, and mainly free, drawing activities which connect people of all ages with museums, outdoor spaces, artists, designers, illustrators – and each other. These events are for those who love to draw, as well as for those who think they can’t!
The Campaign for Drawing is an independent charity launched in 2000 by the Guild of St George to commemorate its founder, the great Victorian writer, philosopher and artist, John Ruskin. The Campaign raises the profile of drawing as a tool for thought, creativity, social and cultural engagement, creating a new regard for the value of drawing to help people see, think, invent and take action.
The Big Draw – Grand Traverse Events Calendar
Events are free unless otherwise noted.
BIG DRAW DAY
Saturday, October 3, 2015 – 11:00am – 4:00pm
Dennos Museum Center, Traverse City
Visit the Dennos Museum Center to celebrate drawing! Organizations from around the region are participating in this year’s Big Draw, a world-wide program of events during the month of October. Activities for all ages and abilities will be presented throughout the day, including Native American storytelling, drawing stations in several locations, music, and dancing. Partners include the Dennos Museum Center, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Blackbird Arts, SCRAP TC, Oliver Art Center, NMC Extended Education Services, Grass River Natural Area, Art Rapids!, Jordan River Arts Council, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, ACT-GT, and Traverse Area District Library. For more information, visit dennosmuseum.org/big-draw.
POSTCARD EXCHANGE & EXHIBITION
Ongoing
Jordan River Arts Council, East Jordan
JRAC will be inviting members, students, and other artists and adults to create a drawing on a postcard and mail it in to be exhibited throughout the year in the lower level of the Art Center. Keep an eye out for the postcard in the mail, or contact JRAC at 231-536-3385 to get involved.
BIG DRAW-GRAND TRAVERSE IN THE SCHOOLS – PORTRAIT EXCHANGE
Ongoing
Oliver Art Center, Frankfort
Frankfort-Elberta students will exchange personal descriptions and the receiving students will draw their interpretation of the sender’s description of themselves and vice versa. Works will then be displayed at Oliver Art Center.
BIG DRAWING WITH SEEDS
Ongoing
Kalkaska, Brethren, and Mesick Schools
SEEDS after school programs will use drawing to further explore and enrich various programming activities in the arts, sciences, and just for fun!
COMMUNITY DRAWING AT SCRAP TC
Tuesday, October 6, 2015 – 5:00 pm – 8:00pm
SCRAP TC, Traverse City
We will be creating a month long community drawing, which will be displayed for all to see at the conclusion of the Big Draw. Every drawing tells a story is our overall theme with a creative reuse spin. Let’s work together, as a community, to create our story. At the conclusion of The Big Draw our community drawing will be displayed at our creative reuse store located at 821 Garfield Ave., in the Garfield Centre Plaza, for all to admire. Drawing supplies will be provided, or bring your own special supplies if you wish. No appointment necessary, drop in during our open hours and add to our story. All ages & skill levels are welcome. Free for all ages. Visit www.scraptc.org for more info.
STORY TIME AT GLCM
Wednesday, October 7, 2015 – 11:00am
Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Traverse City
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson
“One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight.” Armed only with an oversized purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of wonder and excitement. Activities and craft to follow the story. Admission is $7.00; free for GLCM members.
CRN 3717: LEARN TO SEE AS AN ARTIST SEES; YOU’LL DRAW AS AN ARTIST
Wednesdays, October 7 – November 11, 2015 – 3:30pm – 5:30pm
NMC University Center, Room 216
Instructor: Elizabeth Abeel
Fee: $129
Register online: https://banweb.nmc.edu/nmcpj/flexreg/index.jsp?frc=EESAVAIL&q=subj:EESA+numb:109
Drawing has very little to do with natural talent and everything to do with learning how to see the way an artist sees. Learn why you draw the way you do, and discover a step-by-step method that teaches accessing the right side of the brain. Yes, you can learn to draw! Bring an inexpensive 11 x 14 inch drawing pad, two pencils, and a kneaded eraser. Register online or call (231)995-1700.
WHIMSICAL HOUSES
Thursday, October 8, 2015 – 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Crooked Tree Arts Center, Traverse City (322 Sixth Street)
Join us for a family-fun activity, creating your own whimsical house from a cardboard box! Houses will be piled into a mountain to create an enchanting community inside Crooked Tree Arts Center-Traverse City. FREE to participate, no pre-registration required. Visit our website at www.crookedtree.org or call (231) 941-9488 for details.
STORY HOUR & INK DEMO WITH BRIANNE FARLEY
Saturday, October 10, 2015 – 10:00am
Traverse Area District Library, Woodmere Branch
Celebrate the Big Draw-Grand Traverse with Brianne Farley, author/illustrator of Ike’s Incredible Ink. The program will include a story hour, ink demo, and rocket drawing! Free and open to all ages.
COMMUNITY DRAWING AT SCRAP TC
Tuesday, October 13, 2015 -5:00 pm – 8:00pm
SCRAP TC, Traverse City
We will be creating a month long community drawing, which will be displayed for all to see at the conclusion of the Big Draw. Every drawing tells a story is our overall theme with a creative reuse spin. Let’s work together, as a community, to create our story. At the conclusion of The Big Draw our community drawing will be displayed at our creative reuse store located at 821 Garfield Ave., in the Garfield Centre Plaza, for all to admire. Drawing supplies will be provided, or bring your own special supplies if you wish. No appointment necessary, drop in during our open hours and add to our story. All ages & skill levels are welcome. Free for all ages. Visit www.scraptc.org for more info.
KALEIDOSCOPE
Wednesday, October 14, 2015 – 4:30pm
Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Traverse City
Explore the art of Charley Harper. See how he made the most amazing birds out of just circles, triangles and squares. Create a bird with geometric shapes to take home. Pre–registration is required. Call 231-932-4526. Admission is $7.00; $4.00 for member child, ages 5 and up.
BREAK LOOSE: ART JOURNALING FOR TEENS AND ADULTS
Wednesday, October 14, 2015 – 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Traverse Area District Library, Woodmere
Tackle those blank pages with pen, pencil, paint, and transfers to create journal pages that are all about you! Participants will be guided through a range of techniques and then, have time to explore ideas independently. Discover new ways to express yourself visually and in writing using a mixed-media approach. A sketchbook and all materials are provided.
AUTUMN FEST
Saturday, October 17, 2015 – 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire
GRNA hosts its popular annual Autumn Fest. Join the trick-or-treat trail, try your hand at the Big Draw, or enjoy some fall arts and crafts. Free fun for the whole family.
ALLIES FOR INCLUSION – DRAWING FOR ALL
Sunday, October 18, 2015 – 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Dennos Museum Center, Traverse City
Join Dennos staff and volunteers and partner ACT-GT for a mini-exhibition titled Allies for Inclusion: The Ability Exhibit. The Ability Exhibit is a traveling interactive display designed to develop allies for people with disabilities. After viewing the exhibit, visit the art room to tell your story through picture. Included with admission to the Museum: $4 for children ages 3-12, $6 for adults 13+; Free for Dennos members and NMC students.
ETCH-A-SKETCH COMPETITION
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 – 4:30pm – 7:00pm
The Little Fleet, Traverse City
Join Blackbird Arts @ The Little Fleet in a raucous drawing competition using Etch-a-Sketches. Sign up as a team or as an individual (adult or youth). We’ll provide Etch-a-Sketches for the first 10 teams/individuals. Others welcome to BYO. Prizes for most original design and best collaborative drawing. FREE, but please register your team or as an individual online at blackbirdartstc.org.
COMMUNITY DRAWING AT SCRAP TC
Tuesday, October 20, 2015 -5:00 pm – 8:00pm
SCRAP TC, Traverse City
We will be creating a month long community drawing, which will be displayed for all to see at the conclusion of the Big Draw. Every drawing tells a story is our overall theme with a creative reuse spin. Let’s work together, as a community, to create our story. At the conclusion of The Big Draw our community drawing will be displayed at our creative reuse store located at 821 Garfield Ave., in the Garfield Centre Plaza, for all to admire. Drawing supplies will be provided, or bring your own special supplies if you wish. No appointment necessary, drop in during our open hours and add to our story. All ages & skill levels are welcome. Free for all ages. Visit www.scraptc.org for more info.
BIG DRAW DAY AT OLIVER ART CENTER
Saturday, October 24, 2015 – 10:00am – 1:00pm
Oliver Art Center, Frankfort
Join storyteller Shelly Szymanski for three different sessions of interpretative storytelling. 10am, 11am, and 12pm – come for one or stay for all three sessions. Shelly will bring the story to life through spirited and energetic oration and then it is up to you to draw what you imagined during the reading. Materials are included. This event is FREE and open to the public of all ages.
COMMUNITY DRAWING AT SCRAP TC
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 -5:00 pm – 8:00pm
SCRAP TC, Traverse City
This is the final night to add your creative touch to our month long community drawing. We will be revealing the drawing for all to see tonight! Every drawing tells a story is our overall theme with a creative reuse spin. Let’s work together, as a community, to create our story. The Big Draw, community drawing will be displayed at our creative reuse store located at 821 Garfield Ave., in the Garfield Centre Plaza, for all to admire. Drawing supplies will be provided, or bring your own special supplies if you wish. No appointment necessary, drop in during our open hours and add to our story. All ages & skill levels are welcome. Free for all ages. Visit www.scraptc.org for more info.
KALEIDOSCOPE
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 – 4:30pm
Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Traverse City
Help us paint our windows for fall! You will come up with some crazy fall ideas that we will transfer to our big windows. Your mural style paintings will be on our big windows for everyone driving down M22 to see! Pre–registration is required. Call 231-932-4526. Admission is $7.00; $4.00 for member child, ages 5 and up.
TRICK-OR-TREAT-OR-DRAW
Saturday, October 31 – Noon – 4:00pm
Dennos Museum Center, Traverse City
Looking for some additional goodies while trick-or-treating? Stop by The Dennos Museum Center to show off your costume and pick up some Big Draw themed prizes. All ages welcome. No charge for trick-or-treating, but admission will apply for entry to the galleries: $4 for children ages 3-12, $6 for adults 13+; Free for Dennos members and NMC students.
MAIN CONTACT: Jason Dake, Dennos Museum Center, 231-995-1029, jdake@nmc.edu
OTHER CONTACTS:
Ann Drake, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, adrake@glcm.org
Babs Young, Jordan River Arts Council, babsyoung41@gmail.com
Cathy Lancaster, Traverse Area District Library, clancaster@tadl.org
Dayne Ryan, ACT-GT, dayna@act-gt.org
Dayne Valpey, SCRAP TC, dayna@scraptc.org
James Dake, Grass River Natural Area, james@grassriver.org
Jordan Barber, SEEDS, jordan@ecoseeds.org
Julie Doyal, NMC Extended Education Services, jdoyal@nmc.edu
Kathryn Pheifer, Crooked Tree Arts Center, kathryn@crookedtree.org
Melissa Johnson, Blackbird Arts, melissa@blackbirdartstc.com
Mercedes Michalowski, Oliver Art Center, director@oliverart.org
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The Dennos Museum Center is open daily 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursdays until 8 PM, and Sundays 1-5 PM. For information on the Museum and its programs, go to www.dennosmuseum.org or call 231-995-1055. The Dennos Museum Center is located at 1410 College Dr., Traverse City, MI 49686, at the entrance to the campus of Northwestern Michigan College.