Local Art Gallery in Traverse City, Michigan + Paint Your Own Art Experience
Welcome to our mother and daughter art gallery, where you’ll find handmade wood art, original paintings, and a hands on Art Café where you can create your own piece of original art. Every piece in our gallery is made by us, including our signature Laughing Fish, hand carved and painted by Shelly Drews since 2014.
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We’ve moved our gallery from Suttons Bay to Traverse City, Michigan! Visit us in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. We’re located on the 2nd floor, take the stairs or elevator by Pepe Nero.
Enter this into your GPS: 800 Cottageview Drive, Traverse City MI, 49684
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Our Art Café is a creative space where you choose a hand carved wooden project ( all designed and carved by Shelly Drews) and paint it right in our gallery. All supplies included.
No experience needed
Projects for kids and adults
Walk ins welcome
Great for rainy days, date nights, and family outings
Projects start at $20 and all supplies are included.
Reserve a table or stop in anytime
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Welcome to Laughing Fish Gallery, a locally owned art gallery in Traverse City, Michigan. We specialize in handcrafted wooden art, original paintings that capture the beauty of Northern Michigan, and a unique paint your own art experience. Whether you are looking for a meaningful piece for your home or a fun and creative activity, our gallery offers both.
We are a mother and daughter art gallery located in Traverse City, Michigan, featuring handmade wood art, original paintings, and a hands on Art Café experience. Every piece in our gallery is created by us, from our carved wooden artwork to our paint your own Art Café projects. Stop in to browse our cheerful collection, and if you feel inspired, take a seat and create your own.
Our Art Café is a paint your own wooden art experience in Traverse City, perfect for locals and visitors looking for a fun and creative activity. Choose from a variety of hand carved projects, then paint at your own pace in a relaxed, welcoming space. This experience is great for families, date nights, birthdays, and girls outings, or for anyone looking for a unique indoor activity in Traverse City. We provide all paints, brushes, and supplies, including hair dryers to help speed up drying time. Projects start at $20, and you are welcome to bring a coffee or tea to enjoy while you paint.
Our Gallery
Shelly Drews has been carving her signature laughing fish since 2014 and has worked with a bandsaw for many years prior. In 2019, Shelly and her daughter Kirstie opened Laughing Fish Gallery in Suttons Bay, Michigan, with the goal of sharing their joyful, handcrafted art with a wider community. Shelly carves all of the wooden artwork featured in the gallery, from her beloved fish to bears, foxes, and other playful woodland characters. She also hand-carves every Art Café project, creating the pieces that invite visitors of all ages to slow down, get creative, and experience the joy of making art themselves. Stop in a paint at our Art Café for a unique Traverse City experience.
Shelly Drews, The Fish Artist
Kirstie Drews is the artist behind all pieces signed Echo Foxx. The name Echo Foxx was developed while Kirstie was traveling through Nepal and working as a freelance graphic designer. She creates all of the watercolor prints and greeting cards, along with acrylic paintings inspired by her love of color and nature. Her signature style often features galaxy night skies and silhouetted pine trees, with much of her artistic inspiration drawn from her travels abroad, especially time spent out West. Kirstie’s work reflects her deep appreciation for the desert and the mountains, wide open spaces, and the sense of wonder that comes from standing beneath a vast, star-filled sky.
Kirstie Drews, AKA Echo Foxx
We have moved our happy little art gallery to Traverse City, Michigan. Visit us in our new location at the Grand Traverse Commons! We are located on the 2nd floor, use the Kirkbride Hall Entrance and use the stairs or the elevator (Located near the entrance by Pepe Nero) and you’ll find us right next to the historic Kirkbride Hall.
Enter this into your GPS: 800 Cottageview Drive, Traverse City Michigan 49684.
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.
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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.
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$20-$50+
Our Art Café projects are available at a range of price points, beginning at just $20. 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! )
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Drop in
Stop by during open hours and say hello. No reservation needed.Choose a project
Pick out an Art Cafe project from Shelly’s hand-cut designs.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.Paint at your own pace
Relax and create. Ask for color or technique tips anytime.Dry and detail
Use our hair-dryer station to speed up drying so you can add final touches.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.
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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!
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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!
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.
