MEET OUR COMMUNITY
Maryjo Lemanski
a long-time Ox-Bow friend and a recent participant of Cabin Rentals
Noosa Main Beach, Mixed Media, 61 X 81 cm, 2020
Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up,
Describe your own art practice and your arts
and how did you come to Saugatuck?
advocacy work.
I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is an
I received a BFA and an MFA in Painting and Print-
hour from Saugatuck. I was the oldest of six chil-
making. I began teaching art in unconventional
dren, and our summer vacations were often limit-
educational classrooms—adult ed, special ed,
ed to places close to home, where a picnic lunch
community ed, and juvenile homes. I learned as
was made and a day at the beach was planned.
much about life as I did about teaching art to stu-
We also visited South Haven for the same pur-
dents who had few opportunities to be creative. It
pose, but Saugatuck remained in my memories.
was some of the best teaching of my life.
Water Street Gallery began representing my work
22
in 1980. My visits to Saugatuck were frequent due
I began working at the Kalamazoo Institute of
to openings, etc. I purchased the Water Street
Arts as an art instructor of children and adults in
Gallery and we bought a cottage in Saugatuck.
their school. My position changed to Art Coordi-
We moved here full-time in 2015.
nator, where I created programs that coincided
Photos courtesy of artist (x2)
