Botanical Illustration

with Olivia Mendoza
October 10, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Tuition: $75
Materials Fee: N/A

Led by a natural science illustrator, this botanical drawing workshop will teach students to use colored pencil to render lively and vibrant plant life. There will be a demonstration on how to free hand the composition, establish texture, and layer blended colors of a subject followed by time to practice these shown methods with personal guidance. Reference images will be provided but feel free to bring your own if you've already found inspiration. This will be a space for nature lovers and illustration enthusiasts alike!

Plan to bring: Smooth Strathmore Bristol paper (9x12), Prismacolor Premier pencils, graphite or mechanical pencil for sketching, and erasers (kneaded, block, narrow, etc.)

Location: Ox-Bow House - 137 Center Street, Douglas, MI 49406

Olivia Mendoza (she/her) is an illustrator local to West Michigan whose artwork shows her love of nature through the use of vivid color and meticulous detail. Her artwork shows evidence of her education in medical illustration, with her drawings' subjects including plant life, insects, and anatomy. Sharing her work with other admirers of the natural world is second only to the act of creating it.

Urban Sketching

with Marcia Schrotenboer
October 17, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Tuition: $75
Materials Fee: N/A

Urban Sketching invites participants to slow down and observe the world through drawing. Working inside and outdoors around Ox-Bow House (weather permitting), we'll explore techniques for capturing architecture, landscape, and everyday moments in downtown Douglas through direct observation. Through demonstration, individual sketching, and group discussion, participants will develop confidence in recording the places and experiences that shape their lives. All experience levels are welcome. Participants will leave with a collection of sketches and new strategies for maintaining a lifelong sketchbook practice.

Plan to bring: a sketchbook, your favorite drawing materials, and a travel chair or stool.

Location: Ox-Bow House - 137 Center Street, Douglas, MI 49406

Marcia Schrotenboer (she/her), native Midwesterner is the co-founder of Urban Sketchers West Michigan ~ Michigan’s first chapter of a global community dedicated to the practice of on-location drawing. She has taught in classrooms, sidewalks, parks and libraries around the area. She was Herrick District Library’s winter 2026 maker-in-residence. An avid sketcher sharing her love for the West Michigan and travel—one drawing at a time, she’s currently working on her 85th sketchbook since 2017.

Natural Ink Making

with Elizabeth Schmuhl
October 17, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Tuition: $100
Materials Fee: $10

Create original paintings, book marks, and cards with freshly foraged, handmade inks – and gain some inspiration for future inky experiments! We'll begin the day outside foraging for plants and other natural materials. You are also encouraged to bring plants or other materials from home; anything can be used to create ink! Next, we will learn the ink-making process using your new found materials. Wrap up the day by experimenting with your fresh inks on different substrates.

Plan to bring: Ink making materials are provided but students should bring a notebook and anything natural from their home/garden they'd like to try to make ink with. It is recommended that students dress for the weather and foraging including wearing tall socks, long sleeves, and a hat.

Location: Main Campus - 3435 Rupprecht Way, Saugatuck, MI 49453

Elizabeth Schmuhl is a multidisciplinary artist who creates work that explores nature, movement, and memory. Schmuhl deeply investigates the natural world, its cycles, and entropy, all of which inform her work. Schmuhl is a multidisciplinary artist and the author of Premonitions (Wayne State University Press). Her book of paintings created with natural ink from her centennial fruit farm in Benton Harbor, The Four Seasons, is out from Greying Ghost Press. Fishes of the Great Lakes, a book containing paintings with natural inks made entirely from the Great Lake watershed and materials that surround it, is her newest art book. She has shared her work globally and holds an MFA and a BA (University of Michigan). Schmuhl has taught at University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and elsewhere.

Exploring Walnut Ink

with David Baker
October 24, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Tuition: $75
Materials Fee: N/A

In this workshop, participants will learn to work with walnut ink, a warm sepia-toned medium traditionally made from walnut hulls and used by artists for centuries. Contemporary walnut ink is lightfast and will not cause paper to degrade. Through demonstration and guided practice, students will explore its tonal range by creating washes with a brush and using a pen to develop linework and hatching techniques.

Plan to bring: Walnut ink (available at Ox-Bow House), watercolor brushes, dip pen and pen holder, mixing tray, hot press watercolor paper, pencil

Location: Ox-Bow House - 137 Center Street, Douglas, MI 49406

David Baker (he/him) is a visual artist who specializes in poetic landscape painting, much of it done en plein air. His studio pieces are often reinterpretations of paintings done outdoors. His principal media are watercolor, oil, and charcoal. His subjects are magical discoveries made while walking the landscape near Lake Michigan and, in particular, the campus of Ox-Bow. Frequently these paintings will suggest an ongoing series of pictures. David is a lifelong artist/teacher. He recently retired as art professor Emeritus from Southwestern Michigan College. He still teaches at Ox-Bow School of Art, South Haven Center for the Arts, and the Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, Michigan. He maintains a studio at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph.

Punch Needle Embroidery

with Patti Reen
November 14, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Tuition: $150
Materials Fees: $30

Punch needle embroidery is an ancient textile art, dating back to early Egyptian and Medieval traditions, now enjoying a modern revival through the resurgence of slow stitching and handwork. In this workshop, students will learn the fundamentals of this satisfying technique—threading the punch needle, creating smooth lines and curves, and building texture with colorful embroidery floss. Working from a small pattern mounted in a lap frame, participants will explore design, rhythm, and the tactile pleasure of textile making. A finishing technique will be demonstrated, and a detailed handout with resources will be provided for those eager to continue at home.

Plan to bring: Punch needle and other materials will be provided for use during the workshop; optional frames and tools will be available for purchase from Ox-Bow.

Location: Ox-Bow House - 137 Center Street, Douglas, MI 49406

Patti Reen (she/her/they) is a retired Registered Nurse and I moved to Holland with my husband in 2019. I am a proud mom to three girls and a grandma of 5. I have been making art all of my life. It all started at age 8 when my grandmother taught me to knit and embroider, then moved on to sewing garments and quilts. Stained glass came next, then primitive rug hooking and punch needle embroidery. I learned to make mosaics at the Chicago Mosaic School at age 60! I've been working with Punch Needle Embroidery since 2007, and have recently been displaying and selling my pieces at the Holland Arts Council and at Ox Bow House in Douglas. I really enjoy meeting folks interested in learning both Punch Needle Embroidery and Sashiko Embroidery, and look forward to meeting new students.

Longleaf Pine Needle Basketry

with Mary Boyd
December 12, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Tuition: $150
Materials Fee: $30

In this workshop, students will learn the foundational techniques of coiled basketry while creating a small basket from longleaf pine needles. Beginning with a prepared wooden or stone center, we’ll explore how to start a coil, build walls using the spiral stitch, and incorporate beads with the Mariposa stitch to add texture and detail. Through demonstration and individualized guidance, students will practice shaping, binding, and tapering their final coil to create a smooth, finished edge. Along the way, we’ll discuss the history and traditions of natural-fiber basketry and how contemporary makers continue to evolve the form. Materials including pine needles, waxed thread, a prepared center, beads, and sewing needles—will be provided.

Plan to bring: a small pair of sharp scissors, a hand towel, and needle-nose pliers if available.

Location: Ox-Bow House - 137 Center Street, Douglas, MI 49406

Mary Boyd (she/her) is a natural fiber artist living in Saugatuck, Michigan. She creates functional and sculptural pieces from longleaf pine needles and stones from around the world, as well as incorporating other natural fibers and ceramics in her work. Mary is self-taught, having developed her skills and techniques through years of practice, experimentation, and collaboration with fellow pine needle artists, after being introduced to the art in an afternoon workshop. Mary is now a full-time artist, following a career as a chemistry professor and university administrator. She also serves as an administrator for an international group of 10,000 pine needle artists on social media.