Theresa Camilli, of Marquette, and her son, Vincent, 8, create their own gnome on Tuesday as part of a community art project, “Gnome Place Like Marquette.” The event, which took place at HOTplate Clayworks in Marquette, was part of Art Week, with over 80 events scheduled through Saturday. (Journal photo by Christie Mastric)

MARQUETTE — Those strolling through Marquette should look for little faces peeking back at them throughout the area in the coming days.

The community art project, “Gnome Place Like Marquette,” was part of Art Week, which is going on through Saturday in the city.

The activity took place on Tuesday at HOTplate Clayworks, located at 110 N. Third St. It originally was scheduled for Clark Lambros’ Beach Park, but questionable weather moved the event inside.

Frankie McGinley, an instructor at Clayworks, oversaw Tuesday’s making of gnomes.

“We’re going to end up firing these through the kiln, and then we’re actually going to start to hide these around Marquette,” she said. “People can go ahead and try to find them through the community. If you end up finding one, then feel free to grab that gnome and bring him back in.”

She said that after the gnomes are “fired up,” they will be placed in hidden spots for people to find. People then can keep the finished gnomes after they’re glazed.

“It’s almost like a little gift to whoever finds it,” McGinley said.

People may get updates on the project via the Facebook and Instagram pages of HOTplate Clayworks or the HOTplate Pottery & Art Studio, located in the U.P. Masonic Center, 128 W. Washington St.

In fact, they can bring their found treasures to either spot for the finishing touches.

McGinley said it’s fun for people to work on something collaboratively.

“A lot of times, people come in here and it’s more just individually based, so it’s pretty cool to be kind of having all these people come together,” she said.

By midday, many gnomes already were placed throughout HOTplate Clayworks, all one of a kind with wizard hats, long beards and other characteristics.

“It’s really cool to see all the personality and stuff that everybody’s given them,” McGinley said. “We’ve been letting them fly free and come up with their own ideas.”

The small clay creatures don’t have names, but that’s not to say that anyone who finds one can’t give it a name for a little “gnome-menclature.”

Vincent Camilli, 8, of Marquette, picked a particularly tough gnome to make: a Medusa, which in Greek mythology has snakes for hair.

The creature also was dangerous.

“Anyone who looks at the eyes gets turned to stone,” Camilli said.

The boy’s Medusa doesn’t have that power, thankfully, but those hair snakes probably were challenging to sculpt, considering their thin shape.

“It’s definitely scary,” said his mother, Theresa Camilli, who helped her son at the event. “There are eyeballs at the ends of these things.”

A full schedule of Art Week events, event descriptions, locations and times can be found online at www.mqtcompass.com/art-week.

An informational booth will also be available at the Marquette Commons from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net