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 […]
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
Sharing Sievers and Washington Island
Sievers and Washington Island have recently been mentioned in several media formats, starting with this book, Small-Town Wisconsin. The book covers towns and villiages with populations of under 5,000 and twenty of the fifty places featured have a population of under 1,000. In the introduction, the author writes, “This book features fifty examples of destinations with something significant in their character that defines and enriches their location.” We were pleasantly surprised to see Sievers as the featured story for the piece about Washington Island. The 195-page book has lots of interesting stories and many color photos. We have this book for sale in our shop at $27.95. If you would like a copy, please use our Contact Us page to […]
May on the Island
On a shelf at home, we re-discovered the book, “Mama Crosses the Door” by L.A. Davison. Mr. Davison lived across the road from Sievers (in the house with the windmill) and served as both the Washington Island School principal and a high school teacher for more than 20 years, covering the time when Butch, Ann, Cindra and later, Carolyn and Barb were in school. His book of poetry and Washington Island advertisements was published in 1956 by the local Lions Club. With the delicate flowers of May blooming now, it’s the perfect time to share his poem, “May on the Island”. The month of May has been away, but now that it’s returned it has brought back to Islanders the […]
April’s anticipations
April means ice and snow are retreating or only passing through. It also means preparations for the season ahead and for us, getting the shop and studios ready in anticipation of seeing all our Sievers friends again soon. Just eight weeks from now, the Washington Island Art Assocation’s Spring Open Workshop and our own first Open Quilt Studio will have already taken place. By then we trust the ice and snow will be a distant memory! We occasionally find old photos of Sievers in one or another of its previous identities. This is from a 1950’s advertisment. The cabin seen at the back left of the main building is the Teacher’s Cottage, before it was moved to its present location. […]
Winter words and views
It sifts from leaden sieves,It powders all the wood,It fills with alabaster woolThe wrinkles of the road. It reaches to the fence,It wraps it, rail by rail,Till it is lost in fleeces;It flings a crystal veil. –Emily Dickinson Our snow cover has been changeable, adding up from blizzard-like snow storms and then waning from above average temperatures. Before it melts away again, we’re sharing some Washington Island winter views. Thank you for the wonderful response during our first week of registration! We are looking forward to seeing you this year whether you’ve signed up for a class or just happen to stop in while visiting Washington Island!
2023 Sievers Preview
February 1st will be here in only three weeks! That day, all of our 2023 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 2023 brochure are some of the many colorful splint-woven baskets made by Jeanette Biederman. Thank you, Jeanette, for all the beautiful baskets and equally beautiful friendships you’ve made with us and your students over the past 32 years! Many of our instructors are returning in 2023 and we welcome two new teachers this year, Joyce Gitter and John Rezachek. Both Joyce and John […]
Nothing Gold Can Stay
It was a beautiful fall and we’re grateful it lasted a good, long month. Consider this an ode to the fall colors and scenes on Washington Island. Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. So dawn goes down to day, Nothing gold can stay. –Robert Frost Our hearts hold on to the beauty of those colorful fall days until they come again!
