The Art Apartment on Lansing’s Southside is a haven for artists who don’t have a lot of money or studio space, but still have desire to work on and showcase their art.
This year, the 700 square foot Art Apartment is expanding its services, adding more open art time to accommodate its growing following.
The Art Apartment, which was created by Melody Atwood and Sally Churchill, creates a community environment for artists, specifically painters. For $10 a session, the artists can drop by and work on their canvas. Artists of varying degree paint at the Art Apartment, sharing ideas and techniques.
“This is a very secure place where artists can leave their work and learn from each other,” says Atwood.
Atwood and Churchill opened the Art Apartment after meeting at a painting class. Frustrated that they had to pay for the classes regardless of their actual attendance, they opened a space where artists pay as they go.
“This makes it easy and accessible because you pay as you go,” Atwood says. “There’s no contracts, no $85 sessions. If you make it you make it. If you don’t, you don’t.”
The Art Apartment is open 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Tuesday, and is located at 1102 E. Mt. Hope Avenue. Due to increased demand, a Thursday night session is being added.
Formerly occupied by an insurance company, the Art Apartment opened in the summer of 2008. Atwood made numerous renovations to the space before opening it to the art community.
Atwood and Churchill are also members of Zonta Club of Lansing, an international service organization of executives working to advance the status of women.
Source: Melody Atwood, Art Apartment
Ivy Hughes is the managing editor of Capital Gains and can be reached here.
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