Up here in the Keweenaw, there are plenty of outdoor activities to do, but if you know where to look, there are plenty of great indoor activities as well. Magic Kiln Studio is one of the best places to go if you’re looking to do something fun and creative to do while escaping the cold.
The paint-your-own pottery place has been open for five years and is located on Quincy Street in Hancock. The owner, Catherine Hiltunen, moved to the area from Houston, Texas to be closer to family, and, after deciding that she needed to try something else besides teaching, she opened Magic Kiln in December of 2012.
“People have really responded to it,” said Catherine. “A lot of students are glad to have a creative outlet up here.”
There are plenty of pieces to choose from to paint at the Magic Kiln. Mugs, bowls, decorations and small trinkets are just a few of the possibilities. If for some reason you don’t find anything that you would like to paint, Magic Kiln can order it for you. “People have come in before and requested items, like the butter dish, and now that’s an item I keep in the store,” said Catherine.
The options also change with the seasons, so every time you visit you’re sure to find something new to make. “For Christmas, we have things like trees, snowmen and elves that you can paint. For Easter, we have bunnies, easter eggs and egg holders out, but we will be moving into more summer themed things soon.”
“We get a lot of adults and families in the store because it’s a great family activity. We have a lot of birthday parties. Pottery painting does appeal a little more to girls, but I get a lot of boy birthday parties, too. I try to keep the pottery options neutral so everyone can find something,” explained Catherine.
The Magic Kiln also works with other businesses and programs in the area. “We’ve had the Head Start Program come in as well as some of the elderly care homes. I also can pack up some pottery and paint and travel to events. For three years now, we have done the ExSEL Program with Tech. We also do programs with church youth groups, summer programs, and campus events at Tech.”
On the third Thursday of every month, the Magic Kiln has an adults-only night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. People can bring in their own snacks and drinks while they paint without having to worry about there being a birthday party or other loud event going on at the same time.
If for some reason you didn’t finish painting your pottery piece in time, you can leave it at the store and return to finish it later. After you finish your piece, it takes around a week for it to be fired in the kiln and ready for you to pick up. “I run the kiln on Mondays and Tuesdays when the store is closed. It takes eight hours for the kiln to get to the right temperature, which is around 1800 degrees. It then takes around 12 hours for the kiln to cool off because it holds heat so well,” explained Catherine.
In order to keep the prices down for the students and community, Magic Kiln doesn’t have a credit card machine and instead takes only cash or checks. Luckily, there are two banks near Magic Kiln that have an ATM in case you forget your cash at home.
For all ages, no matter what your artistic skill level is, Magic Kiln will surely be a place you will enjoy visiting. Whether you’re making a gift for your mom for Mother’s Day (coming up soon!) or making yourself a personalized mug, there will always be something that catches your eye and will draw out your creative side at the Magic Kiln.
