Photo courtesy of Marlene Millevolte
Lake Country Fine Arts School’s Marlene Millevolte
Marlene Millevolte, artist and owner of Lake Country Fine Arts School and Gallery, teaches an array of classes for all ages and abilities at her Hartland, Wis., studio. Off the Cuff sat down with Marlene recently to chat about the various classes and projects she is involved with.
What kinds of classes do you teach?
Pottery, watercolor, glass fusing and hand building sculpting. Twice a year, a drawing teacher comes in to teach short classes. Also, a painting teacher comes in for workshops, birthday parties and summer camps.
You hold classes for the special needs population. How did that get started?
Mary-Ann Beckman, former Special Education Director at Arrowhead High School, told me that I should work with special needs students. Mary-Ann told me that by my nature, I would just treat this population as I do everyone else, with respect, care and love, and that I would get results.
I have been holding adaptive arts classes for 23 years now. It’s important that volunteers and helpers not do the work for them. Sometimes, students are like glass artist Dale Chihuly. They want to direct volunteers and helpers to do their projects. But the parents can tell if their child brings home something that’s too structured. It’s important to let the students do most of the work, then they are proud of their creations.
Tell me about a memorable or unique student.
I had a student come to me at six years old and stay with me in the kids’ clay classes all through her school years. Her name is Gabby. She loves to talk, she has a creative spirit about her. She attends MIAD now on a partial scholarship, creating sculptures and drawings. MIAD brings in corporations for internships, and Gabby earned one with General Motors (GM). Then, Gabby developed a passion for motorcycles, and on a whim, emailed Kiska, a motorcycle company in Austria. She is currently there on another internship until next May. Then, GM upped the offer to come back and do yet another internship with them.
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I’m very proud of her. She comes back here on breaks from school and creates more sculptures and keeps me up to date on what she’s doing.
What about your own art?
I do pottery and sculpture, but it’s few and far between. I’m devoted to my classes and the students. Seeing students create is very rewarding for me.
What else is rewarding for you?
I’m thrilled with the adaptive arts classes. Some students have been with me for 20 years now. Communication goes on between even the quietest students. Camaraderie between students and their families is so great to see. Classes have nurtured students. Also, classes help get the right health care figured out and getting the right guidance for medical help for each student. Paperwork is overwhelming, but families and students will offer to help new students with it. They’ve developed friendships. To see the love and care between them—that’s what this studio is all about. And yes, we’re making cool projects.
