Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Ironwood — The grand opening of the Art and Pottery Studio in Ironwood drew more than 150 people last Saturday.
Proprietors of the establishment are Ann Marie Batiste, a longstanding local painter, and Jesika Cane, a potter.
Cane described the grand opening as “excellent” and explained the women’s desire to establish a shared location.
“We were looking for more space,” she said, explaining that — until now — she worked only out of her home-based studio whereas Batiste is closing her own art studio in Hurley.
“I’m kind of a newbie at this,” said Cane. “This is my first public space. I’ve been making pottery for awhile as a hobby in my garage.”
“I’ve been painting since I was 16,” said Batiste, who earned an Associate of Science degree from Gogebic Community College, and left this region years ago to pursue employment.
In 1998, she returned to this area and opened her first studio in Ironwood’s Downtown Art Place, from where she operated for one and one-half years.
She then took time out to raise her family.
Then, she added of when her children graduated from high school, “I decided to get back to the business of painting.”
A former resident of the area, Mae Moderson, also encouraged Batiste to set up classes to teach painting to area residents.
She now conducts 3-hour class periods.
“I do like 17 or 18 classes a month, and that doesn’t include the private classes,” said Batiste, whose private teaching includes kids who are being home-schooled.
At the women’s new studio, Cane said they each will sell their artwork and that Batiste will continue to teach painting.
“And I’m going to be offering some classes in the summer,” added Cane, who also teaches instrumental music and is the band director at the Hurley K-12 School.
Batiste said that she met Cane when her kids were taking piano lessons from Batiste’s sister, Jody DeCarlo-Schneider of Hurley.
“We complement each other,” she said of their artistic interests.
Batiste also has a website at annmariebatiste.com.
“What I’ve done is mostly craft fairs, so I haven’t established an online site yet,” said Cane, who added that she is working toward a social media presence.
Hours for the Art and Pottery Studio will be seven days a week from noon-7 p.m. The location is at 629 W. Cloverland Drive, Suite 4, in Ironwood’s Sunnyside Plaza, across from Curry Park.
