Open Feb 6-Mar 13

A gallery art show of our Members' best work.

Opening Reception Saturday February 7, Noon-3PM

Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and Honorable Mention

Juror is artist Tony Warren from the Shelby Twp Fine Arts Society.

Pictured is the 2025 1st Place winner, "Fortitude" by Kim Santini.

K-12th grade art curated from Romeo Community Schools art classes.

Our favorite show of the year!

Coordinated by teachers Lisa Joseph and Lou Page.

Opening Reception Saturday, May 2, Noon - 3PM

Linda Hodge, Pauline Southworth, Kim McKerracher will share their art with us during the monthe of May.

A big THANK YOU TO MEIJER COMMUNITY GRANTS!

Starkweather received a $1000 donation towards clay supplies for our Summer of Clay and Empty Bowl programs.

With additional support provided by Starkweather Society, and our wonderful volunteer clay studio teachers, we are able to continue providing low cost clay classes and our Empty Bowl fundraiser to our community. 

Clay instructor Nichole Smiley will instruct groups (ages 5+) in specific clay projects. Classes will be held upstairs at Starkweather Arts Center.

2 sessions per project: one to build, one to glaze. To register and for more info: call RWB Parks & Rec at 586.752..6543  

You can also check out RWBParksRec.org

Starkweather is proud to announce that on November 1st, we celebrate our anniversary each year! That we are now over a quarter of a century old, is quite an achievement by a non profit which is run by volunteers! We support local artists and maintain our 1865 building, according to Helen Starkweather's wishes. Choose to be a member or contribute to our cause at anytime!

Project Partners Starkweather Arts Center, DIA and Romeo DDA worked together with Lead artist Nicole Macdonald and artist Stephanie Sucaet-Felczak to create a mural in downtown Romeo on the Medaugh Building at 133 S. Main Street.

Special thanks to our generous community minded donors the Four County Community Foundation and Kiwanis of the Romeo Area.

A dedication ceremony took place Saturday, October 12 featuring guest speakers State Senator Peter J.Lucido, Village President Christine Malzahn, Four County Community Foundation Director Kathy Dickens, DIA Project Director Charles Garling and DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons.

Additional contributors were Sue & Jerry Vagi and Charles Garling for the Mural Maintenance Fund. Thanks to Mike Romano of Tech City for filming the progress of the mural.

Graduating Romeo High grads who are in pursuit of higher education in art or drafting related fields, and those who have previously received a Starkweather/Garvin Scholarship may apply for a Starkweather/Garvin Scholarship through the Four County Community Foundation.

2025 Award Winners: Alumnae Nick Fredericks, Natalie Silos, Avery Coe RHS 2025 Grads Nick Carpenter and Gabrielle Gilliam

Please visit the Four County Community Foundation website: 4ccf.org "scholarships" page for application. For questions, contact Micaela Boomer  program@4ccf.org.

What better way to directly impact your community than to become a Sponsor.  We are looking for sponsors for Gallery Shows, Music Programs, Events, Education, Building Preservation and Operations.  Your donation will help us continue our great programming and will let the community know that you value the arts, and how it improves the quality of life in Romeo and Northern Macomb County. We appreciate your consideration.

Thanks to our Grantors and Donors:  MEIJER

Bruce Township • Culture Source • Detroit Area Woodturners • Donna Aul NorthEnd Accounting • DTE Energy Foundation • Emmet's Energy • Ford Motor Foundation • Four County Community Foundation • Friends of the Romeo District Library • Janet & Mark Davison • John & Renate Friedrich • John Murphy and Christina Muir • Kehoe Orthodontics • Ken Kiernicki • Kiwanis Club of the Romeo Area • Mark & Janet Davison • McLean, Mijak and Clark • MI Community Media • Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs • Mt.Vernon Tree • Northend Tax & Accounting • PNC • Preceptor Delta Beta Sorority • Record Newspaper • Renee Simon • Romeo Guild of Art • Romeo Lions Club • Romeo Masons • Rustic Bluebird • RWB Parks & Recreation • TheMitt.TV • Tri County Bank of Romeo • UPS Store 1883 • Venture Global Engineering Foundation • Village of Romeo • Washington Township • Westview Orchards & Winery- Michigan Municipal League - Romeo Rotary Club - Lisa Joseph - United by Art - Thursday Brushes - Extra Credit Union 

Introducing our Peace Pole Project. We have partnered with Romeo High School Art teacher Lisa Joseph and 38 art students from Advanced Painting and Painting for Realism, and professional artists from the Thursday Brushes and United by Art, to decorate poles to represent nature, friendship and peace which will be installed in various locations in downtown Romeo. 

Funding is through the generosity of the Michigan Municipal League Foundation and their Bridge Builder Neighborhood Grant, Romeo Rotary and with assistance of local Boy Scouts Troop 87.

This effort is to help add artwork to the Village which involves the community and is cost-efficient. 

Placements:

Starkweather Arts Center Garden, 219 N. Main: Thursday Brushes

Romeo Kezar Library, 107 Church: Romeo High School Student Artists

Greater Romeo Washington Chamber of Commerce, 228 N. Main:

  Romeo High School Student Artists & Thursday Brushes

Uptown Dog, 111 S. Main: United by Art

People Driven Credit Union, 141 S. Main: Romeo High School Student Artists

135 W. St. Clair: Romeo High School Student Artists

OPEN MIC NIGHT @ Starkweather 4th Fridays.   Music starts at 7PM, $4, $3 members.

What are open mics? Come play, sing, read, perform! Come listen and enjoy! Performers sign in at the door and perform 2 or 3 numbers (depending on how busy we are).  Most of our performers are musicians but comedy, poetry, acting are all welcome. We welcome all ages and abilities.  Everyone pays the nominal amount, as this is a fund raiser for Starkweather Arts Center, a non profit.

Open Mic @ Starkweather is upstairs. (Sorry no elevators)

Since 2015, our little but mighty Clay Studio, has raised  close to $30,000 which is donated to local food insecurity programs. One bowl at a time, our volenteers spend the spring and summer working toward supplementing local food pantries. 

2019: Our 2019 recipient was the Second Baptist Church of Romeo which was proudly celebrating 100 years of helping folks in need in our community! 

 2021:  Our Clay Studio was able to raise $3,518 through Empty Bowls which was split between MCREST and the First Congregational Curch of Romeo!  

2022: We raised over $6067 for the Romeo Community Schools Free & Reduced Lunch Program. 

2023: The Agape Center at St. Clements Church is our recipient and we raised just over $4000.

2024: Four County Community Foundation's "Feeding Families Forever" project, we raised $3262

2025: Samaritan House was recipient this year with a donation of $3300.

If you would like to help fight hunger here in Romeo and just be a "clay dabbler", you can sign up to make an Empty Bowl for our fundraiser to  be held in October.  The cost is $5.00 to make the bowl and it takes 2 visits which will be scheduled at times that are not scheduled for Open Studio. This is great for groups of all kinds that want to try something new, fill a need, or just plain show community spirit. Sign up with Peg at  586.752.6013. Group size will be limited. Please contact us in April to sign up for the 2026 season.  Or Call Peg Grandstaff directly at 586.752.6013.

Clay Studio will open when the weather breaks, ususally in May. Please contact Instructor: Peggy Grandstaff at 586.752.6013 

Clay Studio will open in the spring with two options for a summer of clay fun. If you would like to work on projects all Summer long, there is a one-time cost of $60 per person and you can attend during our Open Studio times which are TBD.

Space is limited to six participants (including the staff) per session and you need to sign up by calling Peg at 586-752-6013.

 If you would like to help fight hunger here in Romeo and just be a "clay dabbler", you can sign up to make an Empty Bowl for our fundraiser to be held in October.  Proceeds will support local food pantries.  The cost is $5.00 to make the bowl and it takes 2 visits which will be scheduled at times that are not scheduled for Open Studio. This is great for groups of all kinds that want to try something new, fill a need, or just plain show community spirit. Sign up with Peg at the same phone number as above. Group size will be limited.

If you are an art teacher interested in teaching class, please email us at starkweatherarts@comcast.net. Classes run best if you have a few students lined up to start.

 If you are a teacher interested in running a class, give us a shout out at starkweatherarts@comcast.net.