On the edge of downtown Eagle River sits the community arts center known as the Warehouse. The Warehouse has been around for nearly a decade, cultivating the arts and acting as the artistic hub of Eagle River between hosting art related classes and even showcasing art exhibits. All of these aspects come together at the heart of the Warehouse which is bringing people together and building community through the arts.
McCall Hocking is the Marketing and Programming Director at the Warehouse and she believes that this idea is especially important in our rural Northwoods communities.
“Art helps create community and helps celebrate culture. So I think it's important in the Northwoods when you are pretty rural, and it can get lonely sometimes, to have something you know, especially something that you can be passionate about, something that you can rally around a passion like art to create community,” said Hocking
Community is evident in the Warehouse from the moment you step inside. From people sitting around tables painting and creating art all the while chatting with each other and laughing along, to newcomers bent over a pottery wheel with intense focus, to the art displayed on every wall.
Bringing people together in this way has a wonderful impact on the community, especially when there may not be as many opportunities for people to gather in this way in local areas.
“There's not as many art museums, there's not as many art centers, even for students, there's not as many art opportunities for kids. Some kids only have one art class a whole entire week for half an hour in some of the school districts in this area. So I think having accessible art opportunities in the North Woods is extremely important,” said Hocking.
It was this same sentiment over the lack of artistic opportunities in the area that inspired the Warehouse’s founding in the first place. Rose Majewski is the Administrator Coordinator at the Warehouse and her significant other’s aunt is the original founder of the Warehouse.
“She was really inspired by having not a lot of art in this area and really the only place near to us was Land O’ Lakes, you know, with their art center, and so it was really important for her to find community within people within, you know, the art industry, because she is an artist herself, and to really bring people together with things that they enjoy doing, such as art," said Majewski.
Along with bringing people together, the classes that are hosted by the Warehouse also offer opportunities to develop a more diverse range of art related skills that may not be as commonly taught in schools or other art centers.
“Here, you know, you get a lot more diverse kind of classes, like we have a chainmail class, there's a stained glass class, there's glass mosaic, there's so many different kinds of classes that we have and it's great, you know, diverse options, rather than the few classes you get in other places,” said Majewski
These classes not only help newcomers to learn new skills, but they also act as a jumping off point for people to go on and further develop their understanding and, potentially, even bring back what they have learned to the Warehouse and teach it to others or facilitate a class. One such individual who followed this route is Steve Opfer, a retired engineer turned watercolor class facilitator who started out because he wanted to try something outside of his comfort zone.
“I had done all the computer stuff, I did the web page, and the Constant Contact, etc, for a while and the lady who was the former executive director, who started the watercolor class, couldn't get here one Tuesday, said, you know, you're the only one who can start the Zoom meeting and all that, you know, can you just kind of facilitate? Well, then she was busy every Tuesday after that and since then, I've been doing it,” said Opfer.
The Warehouse has cultivated a love for the arts within many people who may not have started out with the arts. John Langer of Bear Paw Pottery teaches many different pottery classes at the Warehouse. He was also the one to initially set up a pottery studio at the Warehouse. Though he has held a love of pottery close to his heart for many years, Langer originally started out as a high school science teacher but was mesmerized when he walked past the art room one day and saw the art teacher throwing a pot. It was Langer's first time ever seeing a pot being thrown.
“He tosses it on the wheel and I was hooked and all I took was a little community art class that he taught in the high school classroom, you know, and I really never had any of the coursework. You know, I never took any college courses or anything like that. It's just, it's kind of an adventure you pursue on your own. It takes a lot of practice.” said Langer
Though it takes time to learn the art of pottery, Langer loves to watch his students develop their skills and says that he would just as soon teach pottery as he would make pottery.
“I just love to see the transition that people make, and the progress they make. That's really satisfying to me, and the look in their eye when they get it. The light comes on. Some people just have that experience of having the worst time, worst time and all of a sudden, they've got a pot there and I said, Where'd you get that? and they go, that really felt good.” said Langer
Just as the arts are open for anyone to enjoy, the Warehouse is also open to anyone who wants to stop in and experience the love of art and sharing it with others. Kim Adamovich, the Operations and Engagement Director at the Warehouse encourages anyone to stop in anytime, even if it’s only for a couple minutes.
“I would just encourage people to stop on in, take a look around, grab a calendar, take a couple of minutes. They can sit on our patio and just hang out if they're in the area and need to rest their feet, anybody should, feel free to come on in. Arts are for everybody," said Adamovich. "There's just so much stuff to offer that it would be great if people wanted to come in and learn a little bit about it.”
The Warehouse is a great organization for anyone who wants to experience the arts up close and perhaps even try their hand at something new. The Warehouse has many events and classes that they are hosting every week so to learn more about the Warehouse and what they have to offer, you can check them out at eagleriverart.com.
