(Reprinted with permission from Door County Living, all rights reserved, ©2004)

“I have a restless and inquisitive nature - I really enjoy a variety of projects,” reflects Cy Turnbladh founder of Hands On Art Studio. The very existence of Hands On, it’s success and the array of art projects available can all be traced to that single statement.

Hands On wasn’t even an idea for the successful Minnesota potter, transplanted to Door County in the early ‘90s. “ My field was functional high-fired pottery,” Turnbladh explains, referring to sets of mugs, place settings and other practical pieces in his repertoire. While being creative and distinct in his style, his work was highly repetitive. “It was a full time job making thousands of pieces of pottery each year to make a living - but because I enjoy many art forms, I also tried sculpture, painting, jewelry and photography as well,” he says.

In 1994 Cy bought a small building in Juddville and opened Spirited Hands Gallery where he sold his artworks and those of artists from around the country. “I have always been drawn to artwork with a bit of brightness and whimsy, you know, like people with sparkling personalities. Art is the same for me - fun!,” Cy reflects. At Spirited Hands people could watch Cy in his studio in the midst of this fun and creative process of throwing a pot or constructing a sculptural vessel. “People loved the accessibility of my studio, they loved to see works in progress and the atmosphere of inspiration,” Cy says.

During a trip back to Minnesota in 1995 came the genesis of Hands On Art Studio quite by accident. “I happened upon one of those franchise paint-your-own ceramic studios and after looking around I said to myself I can do this in Door County and do it better!,” Cy says, “It needs to be more fun and interesting and - people need more of a selection of possibilities.” By the following season, Hands On Art Studio was operating out of Cy’s kitchen and living room attached to his gallery. “I took the doors off the cupboards and stacked the whiteware…plates, mugs, pitchers, vases - functional stuff - and I filled the living room with tables and chairs, brushes, glazes and water buckets and asked every gallery customer if they might be interested in making something themselves,” they were he says.

By the next summer, 1996, it was quite apparent to Turnbladh that without even advertising, Hands On was becoming popular by word of mouth. So, Cy started offering glassware and tee-shirt painting and glass fusing as further exciting make-it-yourself options.

While running his gallery and new Hands On studio venture Cy began rennovating and abandoned 65 acre farm on Peninsula Players Road, which included an unliveable house and a junk-filled barn. “I did all the construction myself because I love buiding as well, I managed my business and I made art - it took all of my energy - and it was worth it,” Cy grins!

By February of 1998 Cy had made the house a home and the barn an interesting and functional studio. Three months later he moved Spirited Hands and Hands On into the barn. “My friends thought I was nuts to move my business off of the highway, Door County’s main drag! I had a feeling that this place would become a destination regardless,” he states.

And that feeling proved true. People love the rural setting, the neighbors cows in the pasture, the view across the meadows, the uplifiting sense of space. By 2000, Spirited Hands Gallery had completely morphed into Hands On Art Studio - The Art Barn!

The success of Hands On is testament not only to Cy’s restless energy but to the creativity of Door County’s residents and visitors. “Hands On grew 28% last year,” Cy says proudly.”July of 2003 was as busy as our entire first year here.” So if you have a restless creative spirit, come to Hands On. Cy and his staff of Art Helpers are experts at beating boredom and having fun doing it!