By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — It was a great day to be outside on Wednesday in the city of Marquette.

Art Week 2023 was in full swing mid-week, with several special sessions taking place at the Commons.

One of them was the “Paint the Town with Love” event, sponsored by the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum.

Art supplies were provided for families to decorate their own sections of sidewalk, with specific numbers given to them for their own special spaces.

Paula Lester and her daughter, Charlotte, 10, both of Marquette, added more color to a portion of the sidewalk along South Third Street, keeping the Art Week theme of “Home” in mind.

They included a neighborhood with homes and people in their artwork.

“That’s what she thought of when she thought of home,” Paula Lester said of her daughter.

Another Art Week took place on Wednesday at the Commons, this time focusing on cloth instead of chalk and paint.

The Marquette County Quilters Association and the Lake Superior Fiber Artists presented “Home Made: Fiber Arts,” showcasing ornate quilts and letting people try their hands at sewing.

Judy Parlato of the MCQA said one station focused on making hot pads, while youngsters could make toy “stuffies” — cut-out pieces of cloth sewn together and stuffed with fiber fill — at another station.

“A lot of the kids haven’t used sewing machines before,” Parlato said.

Fortunately, the MCQA was there to offer help.

Sylvia Thomas of Sands Township already had some sewing experience, but enjoyed making one of the stuffies.

“It was super fun,” she said.

MCQA members also gave presentations on techniques such as “flying geese” patterns, confetti quilts and quilt blocks, while visitors had a chance to vote for their favorite “home-themed” quilt.

Every year, Art Week invites local artists, organizations and businesses to collaborate to create a week-long series of arts and cultural programming, free to the Marquette community.

This year’s theme is “Home,” inspired by the city of Marquette’s ongoing Community Master Plan Update. The theme encouraged artists and organizations to explore the community’s ideas of home — and how arts and culture can help envision the future.

Art Week concludes on Saturday. Visit mqtcompass.com for more details.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.