A new season is quickly approaching with classes starting on May 28 while the Sievers Shop opens on May 20. A few studio rentals, including the upcoming Washington Island Art Association’s Spring Workshop, will lead us into our full summer schedule. Until then, the spring landscape brings forth something new each day. In and outside the Sophie Studio, two new pieces have been added to our Permanent Collection, a handwoven rug by Rag Rug Weaving instructor, Deb Sharpee and a Bent Willow Chair from instructor John Rezachek. They’re beautiful additions to the work already in the Sophie Studio, not to mention all that’s on display in the Walter Studio and in the old Jackson Harbor School portion of the Sievers […]
Spring mix
Spring is starting to show its colors after the winter that wasn’t. The first hints of green are intensifying and a feeling of change is in the air. However, the transition between seasons can be a real mix. The start of April demonstrated just that. One of the most significant spring storms in memory occurred April 2-3, with rain turning to ice and snow, paired with high winds. Across northern Door County and the Island, trees and branches came down, affecting power lines. The entire Island was without power for more than a day, waiting for the mainland to restore the connection to Northport. A good number of Island homes were without power from Tuesday evening until Friday afternoon. The […]
Taking notice
Taking notice of all that surrounds us is a good reminder, even here on Washington Island where we’re blessed with all manner of distinctive places and sights. With an almost snow-free winter coming to a close, a visit to all corners of the Island this past week uncovered subtle splendors. “In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.” – Aristotle
2024 Sievers Preview
February 1st will be here in only three weeks! That day, all of our 2024 classes will be open for registration and the class descriptions, along with complete information, will be available on our website. The site will be in “maintenance mode” soon, but available again for registration on February 1. Featured on the cover of the 2024 brochure is the handweaving of Judith Yamamoto. Judie first came to Sievers as a student in Mary Sue Fenner’s 1981 Basic Weaving class and the following year, she offered a class in knitting. Since then, she’s gone on to offer another 100 classes at Sievers and has been a student here 35 times. Thank you, Judie, for being part of Sievers for […]
Holiday greetings in verse
Sometimes, the carefully chosen words and rhythms of others say it best. Before the ice is in the pools—Before the skaters go,Or any check at nightfallIs tarnished by the snow— Before the fields have finished,Before the Christmas tree,Wonder upon wonderWill arrive to me … Emily Dickinson Our warmest wishes to you and yours as well as happiness, good health, love and peace this holiday season and into the new year. With gratitude for your friendship, Ann, Butch, Cindra, Carolyn, Barb, Kathleen, Patricia, Ellie and Shawn
Off-season
The buildings are buttoned up for the winter months, the handmade work from our students and teachers has been returned and we tend to leave the office before it really gets dark, all things that tell us we’ve entered our “off-season”. Truthfully, it’s more of an in-between season, as we now begin to develop our 2024 schedule of classes. With a little extra time on hand, plans for the quieter months ahead are formulating for all of us on the Sievers staff. For Ann, that means finishing a cabled knit mitten (one is done), along with other mitten and sock knitting, reading collected recipes to save the best and going through old family photos in order to share them with […]
Autumn beauty
It’s hard to pick a favorite season of the year, but fall seems to edge the others out. Maybe because it never lasts long enough. Maybe it’s the intensity of colors combined with the desire to take in as much beauty as we can, before the leaves are gone that makes it so special. In a comment from a previous Sievers blog post, Barbara S. wrote, “I have always loved the fall season on the Island, with its cool, crisp breezes, smell of woodsmoke in the evening, days with bright sunshine filtering through the glorious, vibrant colors of the changing leaves, walks on Schoolhouse Beach wrapped in sweaters and scarves of soft, fragrant wool; caramel apples and bread baked in […]
Wrapping up with willow
After our last class ended, we began to look forward to one more highlight of the season! An event coordinated by Jo Campbell-Amsler and Lee Zieke Lee, Willow Connection 2023 brought together a group of willow basketmakers and enthusiasts from all parts of the country for four days of willow harvesting, basketmaking and sharing. The group harvested the entire Sievers willow patch in one morning, which ended up being the one time it didn’t rain during the time they were here! The fresh cut willow, along with other materials brought by the participants, was used for making baskets and sculptural pieces. Wrapping our season up with willow added more wonderful memories to the ones we already made in 2023! We’re also […]
