Ed Gray Gallery

The works of some 70 artists are displayed at this well-regarded gallery. Ed Gray himself is probably the best known of all. Previously part of the Saugatuck, Michigan, art scene, he is widely praised for his earthy smoke fired and pit-fired pottery. His clay work draws on his Ojibwa sensibility and respect for natural elements and traditional forms and techniques. He says an inner spirit attracted him to Copper Country, where natural elements are close at hand.

One of Ed Gray's distinctive pottery pieces. Smoke firing imprints itself upon his pots, creating soft whites and dark hues.

The copper itself was appealing, especially the native copper worked here by Native Americans in the recent and very distant past, including his own great-grandfather.

Copper glazes have their own tradition in pottery. After all, Mary Chase Perry Stratton named her celebrated Detroit studio Pewabic Pottery after the Pewabic copper mine in Houghton County, near her childhood home in Hancock.

Ed teaches clay classes at the Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth Street, ( 906) 281-3494. It's in the handsome 1893 First Presbyterian Church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Gray founded the center himself, and it has quickly grown into a beehive of artistic activity. For him, teaching pottery is a spiritual thing. And it's certainly not about fashion. He calls his clay class "an experience in learning the ancient techniques of hand building, wheel work, smoke and pit firing. When the basics are achieved, I then ease the student into the quest to find the inner creative voice. . . . I draw my use of clay and primitive firing techniques from my mentors, our ancestors. Honoring the ancestors from which the art of pottery was formed and respect for each other's style is tantamount to the integrity of being a true clay artist."

109 Fifth Street,( 906) 337-5970. Open Monday-Thursday & Saturday 10-5, Friday 10-9, Sunday noon-4.
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CALUMET
POINTS OF INTEREST

Downtown Calumet. Bustling again, downtown was hopping 24 hours a day when the mining boom was at its zenith, from 1890 to 1913. Today it features Ste. Anne's ethnic museum, lavish historic taverns, plus outstanding shops and galleries: skis, bikes, copper books and gifts, minerals, jewelry, beads, art glass, Ojibwa pottery, beads, and more ... more

Swedetown Ski Trails. One of the most splendid cross-country ski spots in the Midwest has a beautiful setting with a variety of trails ... more

Vertin Gallery. An exceptionally pleasant gallery on the main floor of an old department store features juried works of 130 regional artists ... more

Copper World. One of the U.P.'s most successful gift/visitor/accessories shop has many items of copper and much more Keweenaw-themed things ... more

Coppertown Mining Museum and Gift Shop. Mining aficionados, woodworkers, and those interested in machines, foundries, and labor and Copper Country history won't want to miss this seasonal museum. ... more

Albion Station Glassworks. In an old streetcar station, a glassblower melts recycled bottles to make and sell vases, plates, bowls & carafes ... more

Calumet Theatre and Village Hall. One of the Kewenaw's glories, the elaborate 1899 opera house looks much as it did when touring stars played here in mining days. Authentically restored paintings and ornament. A memorable venue for concerts, films, plays. Tours available. ... more

Ed Gray Gallery. One of the U.P.'s top galleries shows the works of 70 artists ... more

Norwegian Lutheran Church. Norwegian Lutheran Church resembling Old Country architecture, once a wreck, being painstakingly restored. ... more

Calumet's North End. Cheap, often ornate historic storefronts have attracted several original shops: a bookshop/coffee bar, art gallery, dazzling antiques/gems/jewelry store, and the area's best frame shop. ... more

Site of the 1913 Italian Hall Disaster. 73 people, mostly children, died in the stampede that followed when someome yelled "Fire!" in the Italian social hall. It was the 1913 copper strike's defining event, memorialized in song by Woody Guthrie and others, and in story, photos, vivid websites, and a film. ... more

St. Paul the Apostle Church. A magnificentl Catholic church built by Slovenians between 1903 and 1908. Seasonal afternoon tours show off the splendid stained glass, paintings, and altar. ... more

Keweenaw History Center. Built by the wealthy Calumet & Hecla copper company as a community library, this unusual stone-faced building contains office and work areas of the Keweenaw National Historic Park. Some day it will house the Keweenaw History Center. ... more

Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau. Free tourism and history handouts and knowledgeable advice. Booklet and website include all Keweenaw parks and natural areas. A highly recommended stop for anyone spending time in the area. ... more

Shute's 1890 Bar. Legendary U.P. bar from the roaring copper mine boom times. Great interior, classic brick exterior, friendly place ... more

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