Moraine Shop creates a place for artists & makers in Suttons Bay
By Chris Loud
Sun contributor
The Moraine Shop & Studio is Suttons Bay’s new spot for holiday shopping, and its mission is to not only curate local art, but to also support the process of local artists and makers as well. Moraine opened late this summer in the heart of downtown. The shop features jewelry, art, and other items made by independent artisans and local makers. The collection is curated by Leland residents, Kelsey McQuown and Melani Wilson. Also, the adjacent Moraine Studio will host public and private workshops, and classes taught by artists in a variety of mediums, for all levels of artists and makers. The space will also be used for special events and popups.
Speaking of special events, I attended Moraine’s amazing Holiday Market and open house, featuring local artists such as Em Randall (painter & illustrator), Laura Brown (LauraLou Pottery) and Abby Foster (Toile & Stripes Clothing). It was a perfect example of how they’ve created more than a space to curate and sell art, but a great spot in Leelanau for the artist community to gather and support each other. There was a great mix of holiday shoppers and fellow artists checking out the new space.
The store itself is bright and welcoming, located in a small cottage-like building on M-22. It’s a comfortable and inviting spot, with just the right amount of items to browse. In my opinion, the soul of the shop and studio is this massive, square wood table that sits off to the side in the studio section. This is where classes and workshops will be held in the future for artists looking to hone their craft. At this table during the holiday event, McQuown showed a few kids how to make designs on small pieces of metal, teaching them some of the first steps to creating jewelry like the pieces she makes for her line, KelseyGrape.
The word moraine is a geological term that references a mass of rocks or sediment deposited by a glacier. McQuown says the name reflects the beauty and history of the area, while also providing a nod to the materials she uses in her own work. McQuown studied psychology, and worked at the University of Chicago before turning her attention to her art.
The Glen Arbor Sun caught up with McQuown to learn a bit more about her new shop, and how her business fits into the growing local artist and maker scene in Leelanau County.
Glen Arbor Sun: How did you get started in the process of opening and running the shop and studio?
Kelsey McQuown: “My husband (Steve) and I moved to Leelanau County in 2016, and I’ve been looking forward to someday opening a jewelry shop and art studio space nearby. Coincidently, I met my business partner, Melani Wilson, at the Suttons Bay Art Festival last year, where I was selling my line of KelseyGrape modern filigree jewelry. We instantly bonded over our appreciation of handmade goods, and we both discussed our desire to open a store on the Leelanau Peninsula. Later that day, I got an email from Melani about a yet-to-be-listed storefront available in Suttons Bay. Fast forward a year, and Moraine Shop & Studio celebrated our grand opening in that space, 412 N St. Joseph Street, in August 2019, exactly one year from the day Melani and I met.”
Sun: Besides their being an open retail spot, why did you choose Suttons Bay for your space?
McQuown: “Well, we live in Leland, so I definitely wanted to stay in Leelanau County when launching and running Moraine Shop & Studio. Suttons Bay was a natural choice because of its central location between Traverse City and the towns on the Leelanau Peninsula. That location allows Grand Traverse and Leelanau residents and visitors to easily shop the store, and visit our art and jewelry workshops and other events as well. It also has an abundance of incredible natural beauty, which is what drew us to Leelanau County in the first place. It’s a fantastic spot to achieve our goal of being a creative center for the community.”
Sun: How’s it going so far? Have the classes been filling up, and how has the feedback been so far?
McQuown: “The feedback on Moraine Shop & Studio has been fantastic! We’ve had several workshops and classes on a variety of different topics, like Fine Silver Fusing and a Minimal Hoop Earrings Workshop. These events have been full, with a wide range of participants. We had locals, visitors, those with prior experience creating jewelry, and those with absolutely no experience working with metals. Everyone seemed to walk away feeling really good about the process and excited to continue to learn more and stay involved. It’s been really fun to share in the creative experience with members of our community.”
Sun: What do you think makes Moraine Shop & Studio unique?
McQuown: “I think it’s beneficial for customers to not only be able to browse, enjoy, and purchase handmade artwork in the store, but also to experience creating art themselves as well. That was a really important thing to me when it came to opening a retail space, to dedicate a significant portion of it to the creative process. I want to engage with the community in a creative way, encourage them to try something new by creating something, and help them to learn more, or change their perspective, about the products and artwork they might be purchasing or already have in their lives.”
“Also, I am an artist, a metalsmith, and I have my own line of KelseyGrape modern filigree jewelry in the store, as well as work from numerous other very talented jewelers, and handmade goods from local, national, and international artists of all kinds. I think it’s a valuable experience to shop directly from the artist themselves, or from another artist that is able to share the experience of what goes into creating a piece of art.”
Sun: How does your background play into the way you’re operating the shop and studio?
McQuown: “I have a lot of experience engaging one-on-one with my customers, through many years of bringing KelseyGrape modern filigree jewelry to different art shows, exhibitions, and events around the country. I’ve had the really unique opportunity to engage directly with artists and patrons from all over, and share with them what makes my work special, unique, or different. That is something I’m really comfortable with and enjoy; I’ve always loved interacting with my customers and sharing what goes into handmade jewelry. I especially enjoy sharing not only my own work, but also the work of artists I know personally and those whose artwork I admire.”
“My background also involves a lot of time spent in shared studio spaces around the country. I think that the creative community that you get in a shared art studio space is really crucial to keeping creative momentum. When we moved to Leland, and I switched to working in a solo workspace, I wanted to find a way to continue to foster the type of creative community I have grown to love. It became a really great opportunity to create a bit of that community here in Leelanau County, and to interact with and support amazingly talented local artists through pop-ups and other events that keep our community really interesting, innovative, and fun.”
Sun: What are you most looking forward to moving ahead with your new journey?
McQuown: “I’m looking forward to continuing to showcase really distinctive and unusual handmade goods — artwork that has a very specific identity, artists with an unmistakable aesthetic, or pieces created using different materials and processes than have been used before. I’m excited to continue to engage with the Leelanau and Grand Traverse community through different pop-up shops with local artists and workshops in a wide variety of artistic mediums.”
Join Moraine Shop & Studio on Dec. 20 from 2-6pm for a Holiday Pop Up with Kristin MacKenzie Design (from Leland) and Toile & Stripes (from Northport).
New workshops and events are always being added to the schedule. Find the full list of events at shop-moraine.com/events or follow along on Instagram.com/shop_moraine.
Moraine Gift Certificates are available and can be used for workshops or on handmade jewelry and artwork in Moraine’s curated shop.
