More than an Art Store

TC’s Surfaces Art Supplies offers something for everyone

Since Traverse City Front Street newcomer Surfaces Art Supplies opened this July, they’ve hit the ground running, curating a mix of craft and fine art supplies alongside art experiences for tourists and locals alike.

Owner Liz Kennington opened Surfaces in pursuit of a longstanding dream to pursue art as a career over working in the corporate world.

“I really wanted to do something that made me happy. Being able to teach people what I know, what I love, and share that same passion with other people was important to me,” she says. “Plus showing my kids that whatever you dream of you can actually do as long as you put in the hard work for it.”

Kennington went back to school in 2021, graduating with a degree in graphic design from Northwestern Michigan College. All the while, Surfaces was in the back of her mind.

“As I was going back to school, I was planning out the business, models, graphic design—all my logos and advertisements and all that,” she says. “After I graduated, I was able to put all my hard work to work and was able to locate the perfect building.”

While Kennington had originally hoped to be in the Warehouse District, opening in a newer location along Front Street positioned the store next to the river and allowed her to design the store from the ground up. She knew from the start she wanted it to be more than a shop and dreamed of it being a gathering space for the community.

“A lot of people don’t have a place for kids to go to play and create,” Kennington reflects. “There are also individuals who live in apartments or condos who don’t have a workspace either.” Those aspects, combined with Kennington’s background as an artist, shaped her business model.

Supplies & Workshops

On the retail side, Surfaces Art Supplies fills a notable gap downtown, offering a variety of specialty art supplies. In addition to a range of brushes, paper pads, and canvas, artists can pick up Old Holland oil paints—one of top brands in the world, according to Kennington—and any of Golden Acrylic’s 144 colors. For artists who aren’t able to find exactly what they are looking for, Surfaces also offers specialty orders. “If someone requests something, we can usually get it within a week or two,” Kennington says.

Surfaces also offers a variety of drop-in projects in addition to a full class calendar for budding and experienced artists. The store offers an on-demand DIY station that changes seasonally with what’s trending; current project options include decorating a hairbrush, painting a doormat, and decorating a tumbler or pumpkins. They also do birthday parties and holiday workshops for businesses, and partner with local businesses to do workshops, like a recent pet portrait workshop at Silver Spruce.

When it comes to classes, most are offered as one-off workshops, enabling anyone to drop in (or preregister) and experience something new.

“We try to create classes for youth and toddlers; for example, we have Toddler Tuesdays, which is sensory art for an hour and kids can play, touch, feel, glue, and cut. They have that space to be a little free,” says Kennington.

Figure drawing and collage night are two of the store’s most popular classes. Plus, to get even more buy-in from the youngest artists, Kennington’s nine-year-old son, Elliott, teaches a kids’ class once a month! “Kids tend to respond well to another kid teaching,” she explains.

Kennington says she eventually plans to offer storage lockers for artists to be able to leave supplies in the store, instead of carrying them back and forth. “We’re looking for the perfect size lockers,” Kennington says, noting she wants to ensure they are able to fit larger artworks.

For now, even if you have to BYO some of your supplies, Surfaces is open seven days a week and almost always has parking available in front of the store.

“People are scared of art, and might think ‘Oh it’s just an art store,’” Kennington muses. “People need to look at their inner child a little bit, and understand that art can be therapeutic and also bring out happiness in your life. … Everyone has that art in them.”

November Class Calendar Highlights

Toddler Tuesdays Sensory Art: Tuesdays, 3-4 pm, $15
Tween Class Mini Mannequin Fashion Designing: Saturday, Nov. 15, 12-1:30pm, $25
Crochet Basics: Monday, Nov. 24, 6-7pm, $45
Papier-Mâché (two-part workshop): Wednesday, Nov. 19 & 26, 5:30-7 pm, $60
Guided Painting Workshop/Paint & Sip: Saturday, Nov. 29, 6-7 pm, $30

For the full class calendar, stop into Surfaces at 309 W Front St. in Traverse City or visit surfacesartsupplies.com.

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