About Us
115 W. Bridge St., Plainwell, MI 49080
Our historic building was once the Plainwell Fire Station and is now an Art Studio dedicated to enriching people's lives with ART and creative experiences. We are a team of 13 (and growing) professional artists who love to share what we love to do, offering classes in Photography, Stained Glass Mosaic and Fusion, Calligraphy, Painting, Drawing, Watercolor, Collage/Mixed Media, INK/Dyes, Fiber, and more! We also offer class options with a special "Senior Citizen Rate" (age 60+), as well as several comprehensive children's Art Education Programs including Early Arts (for ages 3-9), Home School Arts (for ages 9-18), Creative Kids "After School Arts" (for ages 5-10) and a 26 week "Intensive Arts Program" (for ages 5-10, and for ages 10-18)! Design Street also offers as a large variety of Summer Art Camps, Classes, and Workshops for ALL AGES, children and adults.
The products and services we offer
Recommendations Received (10)
"My sons sure had a great time in her classes. The shop is so fun and eclectic I didn't mind..."
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"My sons sure had a great time in her classes. The shop is so fun and eclectic I didn't mind waiting inside while they had class. "
Products & Services
We are a team of working artists who love to share our creative process with others. Our mission is to INSPIRE students through demonstration, pres...
Gallery
Recommendations Given (7)
"Adorable items displayed beautifully in a charming space! And the front window always looks so..."
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"Adorable items displayed beautifully in a charming space! And the front window always looks so cozy and inviting. I am so glad Prevalent Boutique chose to call Plainwell “Home”. "
"We love Seminole Canyon Farm! A wonderful way to experience horses with folks who love their..."
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"We love Seminole Canyon Farm! A wonderful way to experience horses with folks who love their animals! Learn horsemanship, riding, care and handling, and more all with instruction, games, and lots of time with these majestic creatures. A family environment for connecting with nature. "
Recent Activity
Sadly I'm not a big advocate for online art classes. Digital formats essentially render art studios and other public art gathering sites, fitness, music, etc. irrelevant in many ways. Why pay to attend a school when you can stay at home and learn online? I've always wanted to provide something...
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Sadly I'm not a big advocate for online art classes. Digital formats essentially render art studios and other public art gathering sites, fitness, music, etc. irrelevant in many ways. Why pay to attend a school when you can stay at home and learn online? I've always wanted to provide something our Design Street studio that could not be provided on youtube or other video formats. As a society we are consumed by our digital devices and I cringe at the thought of complete dependence on them even during these trying times. But we've all got to do what we must do and I understand that others are moving in this direction. Technology is a necessary form of communication and a wonderful resource in many ways but I fear it will eventually replace many analog services that were once experienced in person, changing the way our society learns, studies, and communicates as we move forward into the future. In our time of required social distancing our tech devices are a fun distraction but I'm already growing tired of staring at a screen all day. Sorry for the "downer" response to your question! I'm sure others are embracing your idea and for the short term it does provide a necessary alternative. I've been discussing similar issues with schools and universities and it's quite frankly a depressing forecast for the Arts. I'm not against progressing in the technological age, but it will be a loss in many ways as technology dominates and eventually eliminates alternatives. Making art can have such a therapeutic impact and I'm hopeful people will turn to creative outlets in the weeks ahead. I'm very interested in hosting a COVID 2020 Art exhibition at our studio when this is all over, so the community has a chance to see the beauty that was created during a time of national uncertainty. :)
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If you would like to sell your artwork as images for print or products (illustration), It is best to research companies that create products you feel would fit your style. Research publishing houses, greeting card companies, and other studios/agencies that utilize digital art forms as well. Pay...
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If you would like to sell your artwork as images for print or products (illustration), It is best to research companies that create products you feel would fit your style. Research publishing houses, greeting card companies, and other studios/agencies that utilize digital art forms as well. Pay attention to products you use, where you feel your artwork would be suitable. Look for manufacturing information, or information that indicates the company that produces the products.
If you are interested in selling your work as fine art or prints, you can research ways to have your work printed at a variety of sizes, and research other fine artists who sell work online to see how they have set up their work for sale. You can also join art society's, clubs, guilds, and local art councils to create networks for promotion and distribution.
You can also sell original work online through Etsy, or even social media sites like Instagram, where you can promote your work and interested buyers can contact you for more information. It is best to work through Paypal or another reputable online banking system for sales.
Handcrafted work is typically one of a kind, with special attention made to detail and quality, and when you buy art or craft work made by a human being you are owning a piece of someone’s life. Their time, thoughts, energy, and personal investment went into creating a piece of art. Mass produced...
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Handcrafted work is typically one of a kind, with special attention made to detail and quality, and when you buy art or craft work made by a human being you are owning a piece of someone’s life. Their time, thoughts, energy, and personal investment went into creating a piece of art. Mass produced art has made it affordable for everyone to decorate themselves and their space affordably, but in the process we have come to undervalue original art made by people, not machines. When you purchase hand made art, you are helping an artist make a life, doing what they love to do.
1 Reply
That is always tough to do! Check local markets for comparable art for sale. The bottom line is (sadly) it only matters what it will sell for, regardless of what it actually worth, and your market area has a lot to do with that. Rural areas are harder to sell work in than urban areas, unless it...
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That is always tough to do! Check local markets for comparable art for sale. The bottom line is (sadly) it only matters what it will sell for, regardless of what it actually worth, and your market area has a lot to do with that. Rural areas are harder to sell work in than urban areas, unless it is a tourist location. The more established you are (and in demand), the higher your prices can go.
1 Reply
Utilize free social media as much as possible! Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Facebook... get your “brand” out there and see what others are selling too. Also research online sales options like Etsy, EBay, and even Craigslist. This will allow you to sell all over the country with no storefronts...
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Utilize free social media as much as possible! Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Facebook... get your “brand” out there and see what others are selling too. Also research online sales options like Etsy, EBay, and even Craigslist. This will allow you to sell all over the country with no storefronts to worry about. And don’t forget local markets as well. Check out antique markets, craft shops, gift shops, anywhere that allows you to rent a small space. You can keep a small space easily stocked, and it is a fairly small fee per month compared to a whole shop, AND the benefit of having other venders attracting customers to the space as well. Also, try to participate in any local art events like Summer festivals, art fairs, etc. You need to connect with people and make an impression. People like to meet artists and will support what you do if you have an interest in their community 😊
Always CONTACTS! Can’t get to “contracts” without them!! One leads to another. Word of mouth recommendations seems to work 10x better for our enrollment than paid advertising. Social media, also a great way to utilize as many free “invitations” into people’s lives as possible. 😊
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Always CONTACTS! Can’t get to “contracts” without them!! One leads to another. Word of mouth recommendations seems to work 10x better for our enrollment than paid advertising. Social media, also a great way to utilize as many free “invitations” into people’s lives as possible. 😊
As a non-profit organization we are invested in our community in multiple ways! :) Our building is the former town fire station which has functioned as a gathering place for many community events for generations We love keeping these traditions alive! This past weekend was the annual Christmas...
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As a non-profit organization we are invested in our community in multiple ways! :) Our building is the former town fire station which has functioned as a gathering place for many community events for generations We love keeping these traditions alive! This past weekend was the annual Christmas tree lighting on Friday night, followed by the annual parade on Saturday. We continue the tradition as the gathering site for 300-500 people after the tree lighting, who come in for cookies and cocoa (generously provided by the local Methodist Church). On Saturday we are the traditional place for kids to gather to talk to Santa after the parade. We spend hours preparing the studio, to look like a magical Santa room, with multiple trees, lights, and Santa throne. We love being a part of so many memories to people of all ages. It is a huge blessing for us!
