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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted February 6, 2005 Text © 2005 Jonathan Soper for Keweenaw Now.  Photos © 2005 and 2004 Keweenaw Krayons and Michele Anderson, as indicated. Keweenaw Krayons photos reprinted with permission.

Keweenaw Krayons former director retires -- but not!

MOHAWK -- Carol Rose, former director of Keweenaw Krayons, never expected her life to be changed by a group of talented, curious children. For the last six years, in the small Keweenaw town of Mohawk, she has spearheaded an effort that enables children and families to have a creative outlet and a way to expand their artistic abilities. Her story is an unlikely tale of loss, discovery, grace, and ultimately, joy.

Despite a recent decision to retire, Rose is currently spending much of her time working with local teens in the Keweenaw Krayons Graphic Arts and Marketing Program, whose latest undertaking is a Mardi Gras Wacky Dinner to be held from 5 p. m. to 8 p. m. on "Fat Tuesday," Feb. 8, at the Mohawk Gym (former Mohawk School), 110 Stanton Ave. in Mohawk.

Keweenaw Krayons Graphic Arts and Marketing teens, from left, Stephanie Fouts, Andrea Laurie and Ashley Bracco, share some laughter while working with Carol Rose in designing flyers for Tuesday's Mardi Gras Wacky Dinner. (Photo © 2005 Keweenaw Krayons. Reprinted with permission.)

"They've done everything," said Rose about the teen workers. "From designing the flyers to asking businesses for ads and food, to putting those ads on a placemat and making word games using sponsors' names. They've worked very hard and are hoping for a great turn out."

Keweenaw Krayons, the non-profit arts organization Rose spearheaded, has moved out of the Ramblin' Rose Arts Center and into the Mohawk School Building. On October 1, 2004, Rose handed the position of director over to Susan Hallwachs.

During their joint birthday party on Sept. 10, 2004, Carol Rose, left, and new Keweenaw Krayons director Susan Hallwachs, right, describe their programs to Crystal Black of Copper Country Mental Health, one of Keweenaw Krayons' partnering agencies. Black was a first-time visitor to the Ramblin' Rose Gallery. (Photo © 2004 Michele Anderson)

Hallwachs indicated it will be a challenge to follow in Rose's footsteps.

"Well, it's like wearing shoes two sizes too big," Hallwachs said. "I have a lot of growing to do to fill Carol's shoes. I am thankful that Carol has given me the opportunity and is always around to give me a boost when I need it. She is a wonderful friend and mentor."

Rose's work with Keweenaw Krayons has touched and inspired people of all ages in the local Mohawk community -- from small children to teens to senior citizens.

Ashley Bracco, left, and Stephanie Fouts, both 14 and members of Keweenaw Krayons' Graphic Art and Marketing Team, move art supplies from the Ramblin' Rose Art Center -- where Keweenaw Krayons has made its home for the past several years -- to the Mohawk School Building. (Photo © 2005 Keweenaw Krayons)

How did Keweenaw Krayons grow from a small, converted beauty shop to a house-turned-art gallery to the present entity, now located in a new space -- the former Mohawk School?

History of Keweenaw Krayons

For nearly 36 years, Rose was a wife and mother, photographer, artist and writer. However, in 1996 her world changed dramatically when her marriage ended and she moved from Traverse City to Keweenaw to be near her son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. She had every intention of using the transition to heal her wounds, to escape the recent past and find a new direction.

Wanting to become involved with the community, she joined ADARN (American Disabilities Act Resource Network). Rose has a profound hearing impairment and liked the idea of meeting with others interested in helping make life better for those with disabilities. She also joined New Dawn (a Divorce Support Group) and began attending various art functions. Through these endeavors she met a group of motivated and highly involved Keweenaw locals. Her world began to brighten; and she decided to look for a house and some property where she could settle down, relax and continue healing. Little did she know that this would be the first step towards one of the most rewarding periods of her life.

In the small town of Mohawk, Rose discovered a house that provided the kind of space she was looking for. On the same property was a small building which housed a beauty shop, employing one beautician. Rose decided to invest in the shop, naming it "Ramblin' Rose Family Hair Care," and began looking for a second beautician to hire. Her search throughout Michigan and into northern Wisconsin turned up no results.

After her birthday/retirement celebration in September, Carol Rose relaxes in the garden of the house she turned into the Ramblin' Rose Art Gallery. The Gallery is now back in the original Keweenaw Krayons former beauty shop building next to the Mohawk Superette grocery store. (Photo © 2004 Michele Anderson)

Business was lacking, and she soon realized that the venture would not be successful. In 1998, she connected with three local artists and decided to hold an art showing in the beauty shop and adjoining yard, displaying her own work along with the work of the other three artists. The showing was extremely well received; and, after some contemplation, she decided to close the beauty shop and turn the space into a small retail art store, which soon carried the work of about 20 local artists.

Potted plants line the steps of the Rambin' Rose Gallery on Sept. 10, 2004, the date of Carol Rose's birthday and "retirement" celebration. The Gallery has since been moved next door to the original former beauty shop, which gave birth to Keweenaw Krayons. (Photo © 2004 Michele Anderson)

The corner, with its new gardens and especially the potted plants hanging on the side of the building, started attracting the attention of local youth; and Rose pulled out her art supplies and began hanging the youth's creations alongside the "Professional" artists' work. She then met and hired artist Renée Stemler to teach the children watercolor painting in the back room of the small building, bartering garden work for the lessons. When fall came and the plants were put to bed, Rose approached Kathy McEvers of Kermit's Keweenaw Kids and received funding for some start-up supplies and for Renée's weekly lessons. Word of the classes spread, and soon children from all around the community were showing up to nurture their creative abilities.

Sarah Nordstrom, right, and her little sister Brook Nordstrom work on "Thank You" banners for the sponsors of Keweenaw Krayons' upcoming Mardi Gras Wacky Dinner. Sarah, who has been with Keweenaw Krayons for several years, plans to study Graphic Arts in college next fall. (Photo © 2005 Keweenaw Krayons)

(Renée Stemler passed away from cancer in 2003. "She was loved by these children and is missed," said Rose. "We have dedicated the art room in the new center to her.")

During this time, the art store was doing only slightly better than the beauty shop had been. Rose called in a business consultant to examine what she might be doing wrong with the venture. When the consultant saw the multitude of children, she commented, "Carol, if you want to make it in retail, you need to tell these kids to go home."

However, Rose realized that this was not something she wanted to do. She had become connected with these children. They brought light and life to her world, as they soaked up these opportunities to learn new ways of creating different types of artwork. Towards the end of 1998, Rose wrote her first grant, which succeeded in garnering enough money to purchase art supplies and pay local artists to teach the children. In yet another chapter of her new life, she closed the small retail art store and decided to venture full-time into the world of teaching art to children and running the small community center. She collaborated with the children in coming up with a name for the new center: "Keweenaw Krayons."

Rose is a gracious and open person, yet she is hesitant in receiving too many compliments for her efforts.

"I moved here to heal from life's wounds," she said. "God sent the kids, the artists, the staff and volunteers; and my involvement with them served as a catalyst to a new beginning."

Grants and community events

Keweenaw Krayons programs

Amy Mattila, 17, paints a sign donated to Keweenaw Krayons by Delaware Mine. (Photo © 2005 Keweenaw Krayons)

"I'm not an expert -- pretty much self-taught," Rose said. "We work together and learn together."

These programs are funded in part by Strong Families/Safe Children. Some of the other current programs are "Traditions Alive," and "Art to Go."

This sign, donated by Delaware Mine and painted by Keweenaw Krayons youth, welcomes aspiring artists of all ages to the many community art programs offered by Keweenaw Krayons. (Photo © 2005 Keweenaw Krayons)

Traditions Alive is a program in which the youth study the history of the Keweenaw in the early 1900s, learn the arts and crafts of the era and help make their own costumes. Each one takes on the persona of a young person living during that time period. Traditions Alive started to wither for a lack of funding; but it was summarily picked up last spring by two local parents, Deb Oyler and Betty Ray Taivalkoski, and Historian Wil Shapton, the director of the Traditions Alive Program. They have resurrected the program and have been coordinating it on a volunteer basis ever since. 

Art to Go is a somewhat revolutionary program. Through a Children's Trust Fund Direct Service Grant, Keweenaw Krayons has been able to hire artists, procure art supplies, pay local teens to help out with the effort and even pay for taxis for those who cannot find transportation to Keweenaw Krayons. Four times a month, children and their families come to the center and are given free courses in various art disciplines such as watercolor, charcoal, printing, book making, scrapbooking and more. They are then given the requisite art supplies and allowed to take them home to continue creating with their families.

"It is an excellent way for children and their families to be involved with each other. They get to learn new skills, they're given the supplies they need and they have fun!" said Rose.

"The Graphic Arts and Marketing Program is equally exciting," she added. Rose works with a group of teens and teaches computer art skills -- including Photoshop, Web Page and more.

The group was very involved in designing (using art created by Keweenaw Krayons' youth and senior citizens) the 2004 Christmas greeting card line. They earned profits of more than $900, which will be put right back into Keweenaw Krayons' operating expense, including the Graphic Arts Department. International Paper Company recently donated five computers and three laptops; and last summer Crazy Dog Computer and Michigan House Restaurant and Pub, both of nearby Calumet, hosted a "Dog Days of Summer" concert, earning $500 for the non-profit organization. Some of this money was used to purchase monitors and other needed supplies for the Graphic Arts Department.

"Retirement" and future plans

Rose has also begun to write a book, tentatively titled Go Home, about her journey to the Keweenaw Peninsula and her experiences with Keweenaw Krayons. She's also busy painting and generally fixing up the two Ramblin' Rose buildings.

"They show the effects of the many kids who have come through their doors," Rose said.

The kids tend to stay and participate in teen programs, often taking on leadership roles. An example is Hope Currey, 19, of Ahmeek Location. A participant in Keweenaw Krayons since its beginning, Currey has been a Teen Assistant/Mentor, an Artist Supervisor in the After School Program and, most recently, an Artist in the Art to Go Program. On Monday, Feb. 7, Currey will lead a Family "Art to Go" Prayer Flag Workshop, at which participants will be given an opportunity to create Asian Prayer Flags as a reminder of compassion for those who have been affected by the Tsunami. The participants will be able to use various stamps or draw designs on squares of colored cloth, to make a string of small flags symbolizing prayers for the Tsunami victims. (Rescheduled from Saturday, Feb. 5, the workshop will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 in the Renée Stemler Memorial Art Room located in the Mohawk School. Pre-registration is not necessary. Call 337-4706 for information.)

"Although prayer flags are associated with Asian traditions," said Currey, "I am simply using this as an art form ... These flags will remind me to pray in compassion for the hurting overseas."

A participant in Keweenaw Krayons since its beginning and now an Artist in the Art to Go Program, Hope Currey, 19,  of Ahmeek Location, waters plants outside the former Keweenaw Krayons Mohawk Studio, originally a beauty shop. With the move of the non-profit art agency to the nearby Mohawk School, owner Carol Rose has reopened the studio as a place for artists to create and/or market their work. (Photo © 2004 Michele Anderson)

Rose has recently moved moving back into the house (which held the Keweenaw Krayons offices and gallery) and plans to rent out one of the rooms as a "Hostel" adventure. It would be a place for out-of-town artists to come stay, create, host workshops and market their work. And while she'll be gearing her publicity to visiting artists, non-artists will be able to stay at the Hostel as well. She'll move her own graphic arts business and photographs to the studio and will also rent studio space to other artists. 

Although the redecorating is still in process, the hostel and studio are open. So far the studio has the creations of local drumweaver, Len Novak.

In the Ramblin' Rose garden, Drumweaver Len Novak poses with a dreamcatcher constructed by participants in a workshop he conducted at Keweenaw Krayons. Novak's creations are now on display in the studio. (Photo © 2004 Michele Anderson)

"It'll have my own photography and line of greeting cards up very soon," said Rose. "I'd like to carry the work of one or two other artists as well. I'm hoping to carry coffee beans (and maybe serve coffee) and have Internet access available. Hours right now are very flexible so if anyone is driving from a distance and wants to make sure the studio is open, they can call 906-370-4314 or email carolrose@chartermi.net.

"I don't want to get to set on what I think this will be. After all, I thought it was going to be a beauty shop," laughed Rose.

Rose's impact on the community over the last six years through Keweenaw Krayons is evident, and yet as she sits in the gallery, works with the graphic art and marketing teens, or leads an art workshop, one cannot help but notice that she has been deeply impacted as well. She does not hesitate in giving all credit for Keweenaw Krayons' success to God.

"It's a God thing," Rose said.

And as for retirement ... "I'll never really retire," she said. "It's more of a change of direction. I'm doing more art now and less grant writing and reporting. This is a good thing." 

You can find out more about Rose's adventures with the Ramblin' Rose Art Studio as well as Keweenaw Krayons by going to either website: www.ramblinroseart.com or www.keweenawkrayons.com. 

For a first-hand glimpse of what Rose's young people are accomplishing, come to the Wacky Dinner, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the new center. Tickets for the dinner (you'll have to come to find out what's "wacky" about this dinner) are available at Keweenaw Krayons 337-4706 or at the following businesses: Mohawk: Slim's Café, Keweenaw Specialty Wood, Ramblin' Rose Art. Calumet: Jim's Pizza Parlor, Re-Run Sports and Tool. Eagle Harbor: the Eagle Harbor Inn.

The cost is: age five and under, free; ages six to 11, $3; ages 12 on up, $5. Family discounts are available. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and people will be given their choice of purchasing a Mardi Gras Style meal or An All-American meal of hot dogs, beans and more. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward supporting the Graphic Arts and Marketing Department as well as other Keweenaw Krayons programs. 

Editor's Notes: Guest author Jonathan Soper is a free-lance writer and student in Humanities at Michigan Technological University.  For more information about Keweenaw Krayons and their current activities visit the Keweenaw Krayons Web site.

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