A bright art studio with large windows decorated with hanging plants and woven art pieces. The back wall features colorful fish artwork. Several wooden tables are set up with art supplies including paints, brushes, and craft materials. A blue sign near the window reads, 'happy ART found HERE LAUGHING FISH gallery.' The floor is covered with a red and white checkered rug.

Welcome to Laughing Fish Gallery!
We’re a mother-daughter art gallery located in Traverse City, Michigan. All of the artwork and Art Café projects are created by hand by us! Stop in, browse our cheerful collection, and if you feel inspired, grab a table and paint your own wooden Art Café project.

Our paint-your-own Art Café cut-outs are fun for all ages (recommended for ages 5+), and they’re perfect activity for a girls’ (or guys!) day out, birthday celebrations, friend hangouts, or simply enjoying some peaceful creative time all on your own. We provide everything you need; paints, brushes and hair brushes to speed up the drying process. Projects are priced individually and start at $15.

Laughing Fish Gallery Wave Doodles
A woman working in a woodworking shop, using a bandsaw to cut wooden pieces.

Shelly Drews is the wood-carving heart behind Laughing Fish Gallery. Known for her whimsical imagination and steady hands, Shelly brings each piece to life on her bandsaw, from joyful fish to sleepy bears and everything in between. Her playful designs, carved with care and a dash of humor, have become a signature part of the gallery’s charm. Whether she’s shaping new Art Café projects or dreaming up the next batch of laughing fish, Shelly’s goal is simple: create happy art that makes people smile. Browse Shellys’ past artworks here!

A smiling woman wearing glasses and a blue cardigan holding a large, colorful, decorated wooden surfboard in a craft store or art gallery.

Kirstie Drews is the artist behind Echo Foxx Design and the daughter of Shelly Drews. She paints whimsical wooden fish, dreamy watercolor landscapes, lino prints, and vibrant acrylic pine tree paintings that reflect her love of Northern Michigan. Kirstie’s work is all about joy, storytelling, and bringing vibrant colors into your everyday life.

A large historic brick building with a tower, gabled roofs, and multiple windows, surrounded by trees and parked cars, at sunset.

Visit us in our new location at the Grand Traverse Commons! We are located on the 2nd floor, take the stairs by Cuppa Joe and follow our signs. Or, take the elevator by Pepe Nero to Kirkbride Hall and we’re right next door.

1200 W. Eleventh St. | Suite 207 | More parking behind Building 50

DECEMBER HOURS

SUN 11-4 | MON 11-4 | WED 11-4 | FRI 11-6 | SAT 11-6

Closed Tuesdays & Thursdays

What is Art Cafe?

Art Café is a relaxed, drop-in painting space where you can pick a hand-cut wooden project, grab some paints, and create your own happy art. Each project is carved and designed by artist Shelly Drews, and you can even book a table ahead to save your spot. We currently have over 30 unique projects for you to chose from and we’re happy to provide you with some painting tips and tricks to get you started.

We provide everything you need to complete your Art Café project, including paints, brushes, and even hair dryers - all included in the cost of your project.

  • The short answer: everyone! Our Art Café projects are perfect for ages 5 to 105. Come paint solo, bring friends, or plan a creative outing, whether it’s a book club get-together, girls’ night out, bachelorette party, birthday celebration, or any reason at all to make something fun! This is a perfect creative activity if you live (or are visiting!) in Traverse City, Michigan.

  • $10-$50+

    Our Art Café projects are available at a range of price points, beginning at just $10. When you choose to paint your project in person, all paints and brushes are provided at no additional cost. For your convenience, we also offer a hair dryer station to help speed up the drying process, allowing you to complete and take home your artwork the same day.

    If you take your Art Cafe project home to paint you will need to also purchase your own paint and brushes ( don’t worry, we sell these in-shop! )

    1. Drop in
      Stop by during open hours and say hello. No reservation needed.

    2. Choose a project
      Pick out an Art Cafe project from Shelly’s hand-cut designs.

    3. Check out and set up
      Pay for your project, find a table, and get your supplies. Paints, brushes, water cups, and paper towels are complimentary.

    4. Paint at your own pace
      Relax and create. Ask for color or technique tips anytime.

    5. Dry and detail
      Use our hair-dryer station to speed up drying so you can add final touches.

    6. Take it home
      Once it is dry, you are all set to bring your artwork home the same day.

    You can also book a table in advance if you already know your schedule! Check out our Booking page and choose a time that’s most convenient for you.

  • You can paint in-person at our Art Gallery located in The Grand Traverse Commons. We are located on the 2nd floor in Suite 207. Take the stairs by Cuppa Joe and follow the signs to us, or take the elevator to Kirkbride Hall and we’re next door.

    1200 W. Eleventh Street, Traverse City MI 49684

    Park in the lot across from Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery and you’ll be just steps away from us!

    You can drop-in or book a table in advance if you already know your schedule!

  • Any type of acrylic paint will work on our wooded Art Cafe projects. We recommend, Folk Art Multi Surface Paints - They’re what we use!

A colorful, hand-painted wooden bee with light blue wings, a yellow face with a smiling expression, black antennae, and a yellow and black striped body, placed on a table with multicolored confetti decorated with paint bottles and craft supplies in t
Wooden animal figures with a painted night sky and trees, craft supplies on a table in an arts and crafts room.
Decorative painted owl figure on a colorful craft table with paint bottles and brushes in the background.
Decorative miniature wooden mushroom figurines with red caps and white spots on painted wooden bases, placed on a colorful table with art supplies in the background.
Two women smiling and sitting at a table in an arts and crafts room, surrounded by colorful artwork, paint supplies, and decorative wooden fish on shelves and the wall.

A little bit more about us…

We’re Shelly and Kirstie Drews, the mother-daughter team behind Laughing Fish Gallery. We first opened our cheerful little gallery in Suttons Bay in 2019, where we carved, painted, and built a community around our happy whimsical art. In 2023 Kirstie welcomed her son (Henry), and as our family grew, we realized we needed a gallery closer to home in Traverse City. That shift led us to our new space at the Grand Traverse Commons, a place that allows us to keep creating while staying close to family. Our second-floor gallery gives us the perfect space to offer tables for our Art Café projects, and it also doubles as a cozy studio where Kirstie does all of her painting, weaving, and creating.

Today we continue to carve and paint side by side, sharing joyful art and hands-on creativity with our visitors. We also have a sister store, Pier Joy in Ludington, where our work is proudly featured alongside other Michigan makers.

We also happily take orders for custom artwork, focusing mainly on our carved wooden pieces like fish, bears, dogs, cats and other woodland creatures. Each design is carved and painted in our signature whimsical style, making every custom piece a one-of-a-kind addition to your home.

If you would like to order a custom piece, please send us an email here.

Vibrant acrylic painting of a Lake Michigan Sunset painted by Local Traverse City Artist, Kirstie Drews of Echo Foxx Design
Heart Shaped Michigan themed art, Whimsical Michigan Art, Michigan Mitten Art
Black and white drawing of three cartoon-style fish with large eyes and fins.
Woman painting colorful wooden fish figurines at an artist's table filled with paint supplies.

Creating art takes time and each piece is a labor of love, from the first sketch to the final wire eye on each fish. Whether it’s Shelly carving and painting her whimsical fish or Kirstie weaving a sunset inspired tapestry, every creation is made with care and creativity. We believe that art isn’t something to rush; it’s a process of inspiration, craftsmanship, and joy. While we may not always have a huge inventory, every piece we offer is made with heart, and we’re so grateful for the patience and support of those who appreciate the time it takes to create something truly special.

If you’d like to be the first to know when new creations are available in our online store, be sure to sign up for our newsletter (fill out the form below)! We love sharing our latest work with you.

Stylized black wave design with dotted accents.
Colorful wooden dog sculpture with a checkerboard pattern, pink face with polka dots, yellow striped ears, and a blue nose, held up by a hand.
Colorful woven textile wall hanging with wavy patterns in shades of blue, pink, orange, white, and beige, mounted on a wooden dowel.
A colorful wooden boat with a smiling person holding a fishing pole with a fish on it, surrounded by fish and sea-themed decorations on the wall.
Birch Tree Paintings by Echo Foxx in Traverse City Michigan, Full Moon Paintings, Acrylic Paintings on Wood, Magical Night Sky Art
Dreamy paintings by Echo Foxx , Lake Michigan, Whimsical Flower Paintings, Glowing Pine Tree Painting on Wood Slice
Colorful fish-shaped ceramic ornament with white flower designs, a large eye, partial open mouth, and a loop on top being held by a person's hand.
Hand holding a wooden craft of a dog in a boat with a checkered pattern, mounted on a black spring, with a background of wooden fish crafts with colorful designs and googly eyes on a white wall.
Decorative arts and crafts display including three colorful bird sculptures on wooden bases, with hand-painted landscape and artwork on the wall behind.