The Spiral Studio, which opened Oct. 3, 2007, is a 300-square-foot space leased by SC4 at Studio 1219
(1219 Military St., Port Huron).

Each month, an SC4 art instructor or alumni artist is featured working in the studio. SC4 students and alumni are welcome to use the studio to create their own work, converse with the guest artist, and network with fellow students and artists at Studio 1219.

The Spiral Studio is open during the same hours as Studio 1219:

• Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday — Noon to 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Friday and Saturday — Noon to 8 p.m.

Upcoming guest artists for The Spiral Studio are:

• January — SC4 alumna Jody Parmann, former SC4 art instructor, acrylics. More about Jody Parmann.
• February — SC4 alumnus Duane Collins, flatwork pottery. More about Duane Collins.
• March — SC4 alumna Deborah Bassett-Maxwell, pottery. More about Deborah Bassett-Maxwell.
• April — SC4 alumna Debra Dunkel, paper collages. More about Debra Dunkel.
• May and June — SC4 art instructor Alfred Gay and SC4 alumnus Richard Kinnee, print-making and etching. More about Alfred Gay and Richard Kinnee.

Previous guest artists for The Spiral Studio were:

• December — SC4 art Professor John Henry, silk screening. More about John Henry.
• November — SC4 art instructor Holly Pennington, drawings. More about Holly Pennington.
• October — SC4 alumna Cindy Badley of Marysville, watercolors. View the video (3.6MB) Download the podcast (3.4MB)

The "Spiral" Studio — the story behind the name:

The symbol of a spiral was chosen as the name for the art studio and gallery. The spiral is the most ancient symbol found on every civilized continent. The spiral symbolized the sun, as ancient people thought the sun was born each morning, died each night and was reborn the next morning. A spiral is a cycle as it moves through time ...

Spirals remind us that life is movement, that each moment is unique, and a spiral is the essence of transformation ...

Spirals never repeat. Walk a circle and you can stay in balance, and it is easy to trust every step. Walk a spiral, you will inevitably come to the unique next step, an unknown ... an opportunity for change, a window of transformation, which is what the creation of art is.

The word “spiral” comes to have symbolic resonance, a close connection between the qualities of the object and the characteristics of the symbol it represents. This symbol took on an intellectual life of its own over time, the connection between the symbolic meanings and the essence of the thing itself.

The spiral is a metaphor waiting to happen. The spiral symbol is a prominent image presenting qualities of movement, change, discovery and creativity.

The spiral is an allegory for the arts.