Arts Council Kicks off the Plein Air Season
The 4th Annual Art & Soul Gallery Plein Air Event is coming in May. While previously known as the Saint Johns Plein Air Event, the Event boundaries have grown outside our little town to include the entire State of Michigan. Be adventurous in choosing your location in the Great Lake State.
Early Registration is in full swing, and that deadline is May 1, 2023 with a $30 registration fee. The Regular Registration deadline is May 19, 2023 at a fee of $35. Late Registration closes on May 26, 2023 with a $40 fee.
Registration is open to all artists, high school students and older. Media choices include: oils, acrylics, watercolors, gouache, pastels, charcoal, pencil, and mixed media. This is a 2 dimensional art event.
Awards include:
– Best in Show: $300
– Best in Advanced Artist: $150
– Best in Emerging Artist: $100
Best in Show will be awarded by the judges. Best in Emerging Artist and Advanced Artist will be awarded by popular vote.
Find the Registration Fee here
What is Plein Air?
Plein Air art – or Open Air art – is a creative style where you immerse yourself in nature and illustrate your surroundings. The art of outdoor, Plein Air painting originated in 19th-century France, popularizing airy, impressionistic landscapes.
Support the Arts Council
Why would you support the Clinton County Arts Council?
CCAC is dedicated to marrying arts and the community together through free or low-cost events and outreach activities. CCAC provides a diverse range of events and programs focused on teaching, learning and appreciating the arts so that we can build and maintain a strong, creative, and connected Clinton County. Did you know we have 4 branches providing art to our community?
Art and Soul Gallery – The gallery offers affordable classes for kids and adults in a wide range of mediums from various painting classes, stained glass, pottery, and more. Whether you’re a beginner or more experienced artist, there is something for everyone. The gallery, itself, offers local artists an outlet to sell and display their work, as well as an opportunity to support all of our artists.
The Mint City Singers (MCS) – Love to sing? Or maybe just love music? Mint City Singers is a community-based vocal music ensemble for singers from Clinton County and its surrounding communities. It is designed for people who love to perform a wide variety of choral music and provides individuals the opportunity to enrich their lives and our community through group singing. New members are always welcome and should contact clintoncountyarts1@gmail.com.
Homegrown Productions – Homegrown Productions has been a regularly performing theatre group since 2006. Homegrown produces a minimum of two shows per year with a musical review or variety show often making the line-up. Performances mainly take place in the Wilson Center Auditorium in downtown St. Johns, though a handful of performances have been done in partnership with the Starlight Dinner Theater in Lansing. Homegrown Productions strives to provide a world-class theatre experience in a small town. Casting and auditions for Homegrown Productions are open to anyone who wishes to be part of the Homegrown community, no experience necessary.
Concerts in the Park and Events -There’s no better way to savor a summer night than spending a warm evening outdoors for a concert in the park. Sponsored jointly by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns, our “Concert in the Park” series begins in mid-June each summer and runs for twelve weeks. Concerts are held every Wednesday evening at the William E. Tennant Performance Shell in St. Johns City Park. Concerts are FREE of charge, although donations are gratefully accepted.
CCAC Sponsored Events – CCAC sponsors amazing events like the annual Chocolate Walk, Plein Air Painting Competition, Chalk It Up, and performances throughout the year by the Mint City Sings and Homegrown Productions. Watch for additional events to be scheduled.
To keep these art opportunities available in our community and to continually improve, we need your help. It takes a community to succeed.
For as little as $35 a year, you can help by becoming a member! Learn more about our membership levels and benefits by clicking the button below! It is easy to sign up. Fill out the form and drop off to the Art and Soul Gallery located downtown or simply click here https://clintoncountyarts.square.site/membership-2020 to sign up and pay for your membership. Every dollar is appreciated.
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Byzantine Chain Maille Bracelet Class
Learn how to use the Byzantine chain maille weave to create a bracelet that can be worn by anyone. This design can be worn by men and women. We have a wide range of colors to choose from. You can go with your favorite colors, the colors of your favorite sports team or make it as a gift in Mom or Dad! This class will be taught at the Art & Soul Gallery in St Johns, MI on Thursday, April 27th, 6:30 – 8:30pm. The cost is $40.
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Play with Clay Class – Debbie Fehrenbach – High School Level
$50.00
Play with Clay is a 6 week summer program, starting June 14, 2023, for Middle and High School Students. Classes will be held on Wednesday mornings, 10 – 1, for Middle School students and afternoons, 2 – 5, for High School students. Space is limited to 12 students per group.
Learn multiple techniques used in hand building and slab clay creating with local Michigander, Debbie Fehrenbach, a profession multimedia artist.
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Watercolor Fundamentals – Level 2: Paint Characteristics
Sunday, April 30, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Understanding and managing the unique characteristics of watercolor paints can help an artist get the results they want. In this class at the Art & Soul Gallery, taught by Susan Mahoney, you will learn about pigments, transparency/opacity, lightfastness, granulation, and staining which will help you select the best paints for each of your works. The in-class project (a bi-color tulip with negatively painted background) will incorporate skills learned in both the Water Control and Paint Characteristics classes.
This class is $35.
Tri-County Office on Aging hosting public hearings
The Tri-County Aging Consortium will hold two public hearings to solicit input on its Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP): May 2 at 12:00pm via Microsoft Teams with call-in option and May 3 at 4:00pm at Tri-County Office on Aging, 5303 S. Cedar St., Bldg. 1, Lansing, MI 48911. Contact Kate Long prior to May 2 for information on how to join.
The 2024 AIP Summary, as well as more information about the plan, is on Tri-County Office on Aging’s website, www.tcoa.org/documents. To request special accommodation, submit written comment, or to request a copy, call (517) 887-1348 or write Kate Long at Tri-County Office on Aging, 5303 S. Cedar Street, Building 1, Lansing, MI 48911 or by email to longk@tcoa.org.
About Tri-County Office on Aging (TCOA)
TCOA is one of sixteen Area Agencies on Aging in Michigan. Funded by the Older Americans Act of 1965, Medicaid, and other resources, it administers programs directly and through a network of over 185 service provider agencies and partners. This includes programs and services such as in-home care services, transportation, care giver support, legal services and information and assistance. TCOA has been the leader of assistance, advocacy, and planning for older adults and their families since 1974. Serving Michigan’s Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties and the Cities of Lansing and East Lansing, older adults, family members, hospital staff, home health agencies, and neighbors depend on TCOA for direction, referrals and services to help seniors live independently and remain active in their communities.
SafeCenter Honors Survivors and Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2023
Every April, SafeCenter Domestic and Sexual Violence Services of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties honors National Sexual Assault Awareness Month by bringing the issue to the forefront of our community engagement efforts.
By definition, “sexual assault” includes any type of unwanted sexual contact, ranging from sexist attitudes and actions to rape and murder. Forms of sexual violence include rape or sexual assault, child sexual assault and incest, sexual assault by an intimate partner, unwanted sexual contact/touching, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and trafficking, nonconsensual image sharing, among others.
According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), an American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, and every 9 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 25 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison. In addition to this, 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, and 3% (1 in 33) of American men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. 9 out of every 10 victims of rape are female, and the majority (55%) of sexual assaults occur at or near the victim’s home.
SafeCenter Domestic and Sexual Violence Services of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties is the area’s designated agency for providing advocacy, counseling, awareness, and education to adult and child survivors, and the greater community. SafeCenter staff are on the frontlines, offering 24-hour emotional support via the crisis hotline, providing emergency shelter to those actively fleeing dangerous situations, responding to the hospital for domestic and sexual violence emergencies, as well as providing ongoing advocacy/counseling, and supportive services sessions to adults and children.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault (or domestic violence), we want you to know that we believe you and we are here for you. You matter and you are more than what happened to you. Violence is not the end of your story, hope and healing are possible.
To get connected with free and confidential Advocacy/Therapy, please call us toll-free at 877-952-7283 or visit us online at www.thesafecenter.org. You can also find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesafecenter.org.
Next Alzheimer’s Caregiver meeting is May 1
Alzheimer’s Caregiver meetings are held at the Clinton County Senior Center, 201 E., Walker St. in St. Johns on the first Monday of each month from 7 p.m. to 8 or 8:30 depending on the participation.
These meetings are for anyone dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, Parkinsons and anything of that type. This can be a caregiver, a family member,or friend who would like some answers.
These are an informal, discussion type meeting that include answer questions, helpful hints and to let you know you are not alone in this situation. Everything is kept confidential. What is said at these meetings and who attends stays at the meeting.
For more information please email psk_13@frontier.com.
Community Christian welcomes first responders
It was a very special Sunday as Community Christian Church worshiped with local first-responders and showed them much-deserved appreciation for their demanding service and faithful sacrifice when duty calls to help those in need.
A continental breakfast was enjoyed by all, special gifts were given, and prayer was lifted up on their behalf in addition to the worship celebration that morning.
Spring Collection event is April 29
The Clinton County Spring Collection Event will be on April 29 this year. In order to attend the event an appointment is required.
Electronics and Household Hazardous waste will be accepted at this event.
They will not accept bulky waste, appliances, yard waste or scrap metal. As of March 30 the tire trailer has reached capacity, so they can no longer accept appointments for tires.
To sign up for an appointment visit this link to create a new account Clinton County Parks & Recycling Services. After creating a new account, click on the green “Recycling and Collection Events” tab, then click on “Spring Clean Community Event” to pick an appointment time.
After making a reservation you will receive an email with additional information. If you are unable to register yourself, please give the office a call at 989-224-5186.
Important note: The venue for this event has changed. Those who created an appointment prior to February 23 should have been notified through email. Please call the office if you didn’t get the email of the new venue at 989-224-5186.