December 13, 2024 • 26 mins
How important is local art to a community? Michele Leclaire, the Executive Director of Buckham Gallery in Flint, Michigan, discusses the 41-year history of the gallery, its mission to enrich the community through contemporary art, and her personal journey from Orlando to Flint.
Key highlights include:
- The founding of Buckham Gallery by local artists in 1984 to create a supportive artistic community and showcase innovative contemporary art.
- Michele's background in art, her move from Orlando to Philadelphia for art school, and eventually settling in Flint with her artist husband.
- The annual 'Build Your Own Collection' event and other initiatives that support local artists and engage the community.
Links:
Buckham Gallery Website: https://www.buckhamgallery.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuckhamGallery/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buckham-gallery/
Subscribe to our Email Newsletter: https://totalmichigan.com/join/
Find us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/totalmichigan
Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@totalmichigan
Address:
121 W Second Street
Flint, MI 48502
810-239-6233
Show Notes:
00:00 Introduction to Buckham Gallery
02:08 Michele's Background and Journey
06:33 The Founding of Buckham Gallery
09:14 Challenges and Growth
17:39 Current and Upcoming Events
21:23 Visiting Buckham Gallery
24:58 Conclusion
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Michele Leclaire (00:00):
They came together and they built their
(00:01):
mission right into the nonprofit.
to enrich the surrounding communityby presenting a broad range of
innovative contemporary art, bothvisual and non visual, of the
highest quality and standard.
41 years later, We're still committed to,building community, uh, and inclusivity,
supporting and nurturing artists, andchallenging our audience to engage
with and look at art in new ways.
Cliff Duvernois (00:24):
Hello everyone.
And welcome back to Total Michigan,where we interview ordinary Michiganders
doing some pretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host Cliff Duvernois.
I was laughing to myself today when Iwas driving down for this interview.
Because it seems like every time I visitan art gallery, I wind up in Flint.
And that's where I am today.
And I'm very happy once again tocome deck down here because there
(00:45):
are some really, some amazing things.
That are going on in downtown Flint,and I've got a couple of other episodes
that if you look in the show notesbefore below, you can find out what
those episodes are, but there reallyis a concerted effort here in downtown
Flint to really make this a truedestination place that people can come.
They can bring their families and notonly appreciate the artists that are
(01:08):
in the area, but also the, the foodas well, and just make it a great
evening to remember and, and help us tonavigate one of these galleries that is
located in the area is Michele Leclaire.
She's the executive director ofBuckham Gallery in Flint, Michigan.
Michele, how are you?
Michele Leclaire (01:25):
Hi, Cliff.
I'm doing great.
Welcome to BuckhamGallery and back to Flint.
Cliff Duvernois (01:30):
Yes.
And I'm totally lookingforward to this by the way.
So before we begin, why don't youtell us what is Buckham Gallery?
Michele Leclaire (01:38):
Sure.
Buckham Gallery is a nonprofit artsorganization here in downtown Flint.
We exhibit visual art and.
Sculpture, painting, printmaking, alittle bit of everything, but we also
do non visual arts programming includingliterary arts and readings and live
music at events and things like that.
Cliff Duvernois (01:59):
And it's a wonderful gallery, too, by the way.
This place is absolutely beautiful.
So, kudos to you and yourstaff for, for maintaining it.
And I know we want to talk about thatfor a little bit, but before we do,
Tell us a little bit about where areyou from and where did you grow up?
Michele Leclaire (02:15):
Sure.
I'm originally from Orlando, Florida.
so I've made the big move.
Cliff Duvernois (02:19):
Wait a minute.
Don't people usually go theother way, Michigan to Orlando?
But anyways, go ahead.
Michele Leclaire (02:23):
I know, I know.
But I went to art school inPhiladelphia, so I studied at the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Artsand I have a studio arts background.
I did printmaking and then myMFA and painting, and I married A
Michigander from, from Flint, Michigan.
And so while we didn't move here rightaway, we, we've lived in Traverse
(02:45):
City for a while and we now have beenin Flint for nine and a half years.
Cliff Duvernois (02:50):
Well, that's incredible.
So let's, let's rewinda couple of things here.
So you originally from Orlando, butyou went to school in Pennsylvania,
again, something you think would be alittle bit different, but that's okay.
Why art?
Yeah.
Michele Leclaire (03:02):
Why art?
Well, my mom, was ahigh school art teacher.
So there was always art in the house.
And I have aunts and uncles whoare also have creative backgrounds.
so I think it's in the genes.
My sister is a painter.
and she also spins wool like throughthe old fashioned methods of combing and
(03:23):
carting the wool and, her angora rabbits,It's fur and stuff, which is crazy.
Cliff Duvernois (03:27):
I got images of Rumpelstiltskin in my head
for summaries and so, yes.
I to that.
Yes.
Michele Leclaire (03:33):
Yeah.
and then I, you know, I fought it.
I tried to do other things.
I will, my dad's a chemistry teacher, so Iwas, interested in science and interested
in art and everything was, I was prettygood at everything, but not everything.
Great.
Until I started focusing on gettinglost in the creative process, and
doing sculpture and printmaking.
(03:54):
And so I finally was like, you know what?
I'm going to give this a go.
I'm going to go to art school.
Cliff Duvernois (04:00):
Yes.
Michele Leclaire (04:01):
Yeah.
And, the academy was really incrediblebecause you were like, Painting and
drawing and sculpting the figure likeeverything was based on the human figure.
And so I just really love thatprocess and the amazing artists
that I met through that journey.
and I just knew that this was right.
Cliff Duvernois (04:19):
So of all the places to go, what, what led you
to Pennsylvania to study art there?
I mean, people would thinklike New York, maybe LA, but.
Well,
Michele Leclaire (04:27):
Philadelphia is a great.
Art City.
It really, really is.
And there's a lot of art schools there.
but it just happened that I was atthe community college in Orlando
and my teacher there had gotten herMFA from the Pennsylvania Academy.
And so she had recommended it.
and I went up to visitand I just fell in love.
I mean, it felt like driving my mom'sSubaru and March and they had had a winter
(04:53):
storm and it was like this Tetris thing.
Cause I didn't know how todrive in the snow at all.
Cliff Duvernois (04:57):
Not from Orlando.
No,
Michele Leclaire (04:57):
No.
And like the, um, expressway thatgoes around Washington DC, I had
like slid and fallen into a ditchand had to like get back on.
So I had like grass stuck in the, likethe front, um, license plate thing.
And, but finally like driving intoPhiladelphia and getting stuck going one
way around city hall, and the way thelight, cause all of a sudden the sun was
(05:18):
coming through and the tall buildings, II felt like I was driving a car inside,
because of the height of the walls ofthe buildings and that kind of feeling.
I don't know.
And that should have turned me off fromthe driving in the snow, but it didn't.
It was like, this is where I got to go.
I need to be in a city.
Cliff Duvernois (05:37):
When you were there, you made a comment before about, uh,
how, how you had met a Michigander.
Yeah.
You know, fell in love, andthen decided to move here?
What was that decision for?
Michele Leclaire (05:48):
Well, first, we were already, we were further north
Michigan for a while, but we hadfamily on the way, and so we were
looking to move out of, of Philly.
So we had moved to Traverse City,because my husband got a job at
the Interlochen Arts That's a cap.
Cliff Duvernois (06:02):
Oh, okay.
Is he also an artist?
Michele Leclaire (06:04):
He is.
Yes.
He's a painter.
Cliff Duvernois (06:06):
Man, it is in your genes.
Somehow, some way, everybody's got it.
So, yes.
Michele Leclaire (06:11):
And then eventually moved to the Flint Institute of Art.
So that's how we ended up in Flint.
Cliff Duvernois (06:16):
Oh, interesting.
Okay.
Now, if you don't mind me asking,how did you and your husband meet?
Michele Leclaire (06:23):
Uh, school.
We went to the same.
Oh, okay.
Cliff Duvernois (06:25):
All right.
Perfect.
So somehow he convinced you to come toMichigan and you lived in Traverse City.
Then you come over here to Flint.
Now, how did you, let's talk alittle bit about the history now
of, Buckham Gallery, because youwere sharing with me before that the
gallery has been here for how long?
Michele Leclaire (06:43):
Forty One years now.
Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (06:46):
Okay.
Okay.
So how did you get it?
So yeah, talk to us about the history,
Michele Leclaire (06:49):
So in 1984, a core group of like working artists, arts,
professionals, and advocates for the arts.
Many of them that were involved withMott Community College, and in the area
decided they wanted a place to exhibittheir work, but also to build a community
of creatively Thinking individuals tochallenge themselves to keep working.
(07:12):
I mean that having a community ofartists who come together and discuss
ideas is really important to like,keep your work growing and building.
So they came together and they builttheir mission right into the nonprofit.
So, to enrich the surroundingcommunity by presenting a broad
range of innovative contemporaryart, both visual and non visual, of
(07:33):
the highest quality and standard.
41 years later, we're better known asBuckham Gallery, We're still committed
to, building community, uh, andinclusivity, supporting and nurturing
artists, and challenging our audience toengage with and look at art in new ways.
Cliff Duvernois (07:49):
So when you, before you mentioned about how, and I'm
loving this idea about how, youknow, artists come together with the
self focus of, hey, let's create anorganization that actually promotes art.
But you were talking about art growing,which I've never heard that term before.
I'm not, I'm not an artist.
I will admit right now to everybodyand their brother, I'm an engineer.
(08:09):
So these terms are foreign to me.
So when you talk about make sure theart is growing, what does that mean?
I
Michele Leclaire (08:15):
if you don't want to, some people can do it by doing painting
the same thing over and over again.
But you need people to discuss yourideas about the way you're looking at
the world or what you're responding toso that you keep thinking about things
and having one thought lead to the next.
So they were sharing theirideas and they were saying, Hey,
look at what I'm working on.
Oh yeah, this is what I'm working on.
(08:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, that gives me an idea.
And so they can keep making work.
Sometimes when artists feel isolatedand don't have a community to share
their ideas with, they maybe realize,Oh, my day job is taking a lot of
my time or I need to just spend.
My this time with family, orI'm just going to watch TV and
they're not continuing to thinkabout and push themselves to go
(08:58):
to the studio because going tothe studio and making art is work.
I mean, it takes time.
It's not always a comfortable practice.
You get frustrated.
Like, why is this not looking andturning out the way I want it to?
So you need encouragementto keep showing up.
Other thing that was interestingabout the founders when in 1984.
(09:20):
Several of them had galleries,they were sending their work to New
York City to commercial gallerieswho were already exhibiting them.
But they wanted a space thatthey could show things that
they were experimenting on.
So when you have a commercialgallery, they want one specific thing
frequently, so which they know theywill sell because they have to make
(09:42):
rent and staff and all those expenses.
The, the real brilliance they had ofthis nonprofit organization is that,
they don't have to always sell thework in order to keep the doors open.
And that gave them a place to showsome of their more experimental pieces.
we rely, do a lot of like grant writing,and fundraising and other things to make
(10:05):
sure that we meet, make those ends meet.
Cliff Duvernois (10:08):
And you bring up a really good point here.
This is something I didn't think aboutwhen you talked about how when the
first doors open, because now I'm takingback when I think back 40 years, right?
We're talking basically in the eighties.
Michele Leclaire (10:18):
Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (10:19):
And the only thing I think the world remembers about Flint from
the eighties is that movie Roger and Meshowing like Flint basically decimated
because you know, the big three arepulling out and all these jobs and Flint
was really going downhill very quickly.
Yet this group of artists decidedto, we're going to build it and we're
going to build it here in Flint.
(10:39):
I mean, was there any ever any indicationlike what made them think this was
actually just going to work or wasit just showing art for art sakes or?
Michele Leclaire (10:48):
Yeah, they, they lived here.
they were living in Genesee Countyin the surrounding area and they were
teaching at the community college.
They were teaching art or theywere involved at University
of Michigan's Flint campus.
I mean, so they were here.
and I feel like they didn't knowit was going to make 40 years,
but they wanted to give it a try.
(11:08):
You know, it was worth, it was somethingworth putting their time and energy into.
Cliff Duvernois (11:12):
Right.
Michele Leclaire (11:12):
And they had to, there was no paid staff.
And for the first few years, I mean,it was, they divided up the duties of
gallery sitting and hanging the shows and,Paying the rent and all of those things.
Cliff Duvernois (11:24):
Now has, has Buckham gallery, has it always been located here?
Like right off of Saginaw street in Flint?
Michele Leclaire (11:32):
Yes.
So our first 35 years wereactually just, catty corner.
Over there upstairs in this likevintage, Flint building, right?
And it's the original loft space with abarrel ceiling, which was really great,
except for those steep, narrow stairs.
it was really the, in 2019 with thehelp of the Charles Stewart Mott
(11:53):
Foundation that they were renovatingthe space with uptown reinvestment.
And, we were able to move into the space.
So it was really a thing.
Goodness for, the C.
S.
Mott Foundation.
Cliff Duvernois (12:04):
Yes, yeah, and I do got to say, it seems like a lot of the cities
that I go to, there's always like somefamily of wealth that's like intricately
involved with that city, and it reallywarms my heart to know that the Mott
family, the Mott Foundation, really hasjust invested a lot of money into helping
(12:25):
bring Flint back, and I could imaginefrom, because you, when did you join?
Michele Leclaire (12:31):
So I became a member in 2016.
But I didn't become astaff until late 2018.
Cliff Duvernois (12:39):
I could imagine that just between just 2016 and today.
Oh, yeah.
You've seen a lot of change that hashappened down here, let alone from like,
let's say, 40 years ago versus today.
So just in the last, eight years, Ican imagine it's just It's been mind
blowing to see what has been happeningand what's going on on Saginaw Street.
Michele Leclaire (12:59):
Definitely.
Even when we had moved here, or whenI became a member, this space that
we're sitting in right now had beenvacant and boarded up for decades.
so this building along with acrossthe street where the Mott Community
College Culinary Institute is now,that got completely renovated.
So they've moved in there.
We're here along with Elga and, ourneighbors on this block and several
(13:22):
of the other buildings downtown.
Yeah, it's been real,rejuvenation here in downtown.
Cliff Duvernois (13:27):
It is.
Now, from your standpoint here, becauseI know you said you, you became a
member, and then you became staff.
Was it always your intention tomaybe try to get people to come here?
A job in a gallery or did youjust want to pursue art or what
was, what were you thinking?
Michele Leclaire (13:42):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I always hoped to maybe work in agallery, but I didn't expect it.
I mean, I went to school for studio artand I really always expected to have a
day job and I would just be doing my,my own practice at night as I could.
but it was in, Late 2018, I was kindof looking for a part time job, and
(14:03):
that was right around that we foundout that the Genesee County millage
funds had been approved, and at thetime, Buckham only had one employee,
and that was, uh, Lynn Penning.
She was this great executive directorat the time, and she saw that there
would be an influx of funds thatwould And so with that, she was
able to add a part time staff memberand then build the programming.
(14:26):
And so that was when I got hired, sheinvited me to come in and interview
for the position, the newly createdExhibition Director position.
Cliff Duvernois (14:34):
Now, so with you joining as a member, did you have
any of your artwork on display here?
Michele Leclaire (14:40):
I had, it was part of one show and a couple of member shows.
Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (14:43):
Oh, okay.
So from there then, I mean, becauseI know you said before you were
talking about how it was painting andsculpting and everything else like that.
What is your art of choice?
Is it?
Michele Leclaire (14:54):
Yeah.
So.
I am a painter primarily,so I use oil paints.
I frequently paint on this, reallycool material called mylar is sort
of a translucent, polyester paper.
And then I also paint on panellike wood panels and they're
all sort of, figurative.
Portraits and based on old familyphotographs and building these different
(15:15):
like nostalgic memories, whetherI'm doing from a single photograph
or pulling images from multipledifferent places to create a story,
Cliff Duvernois (15:25):
man, I wish I was artistic.
So then another question I got for youthen would be, Um, At some point in
time, you had the opportunity to becomethe executive director of, the gallery.
Talk to us a littlebit about that process.
What did that look like?
Michele Leclaire (15:42):
Well, I mean, we all know what happened in 2020.
so my predecessor was ready to retire.
Um, so in that fall, she had actuallyonly intended to fill the position
for one year and she ended up beinghere for three and she decided she
already had a career and had retiredfrom teaching and now had done this for
(16:05):
three years and she's like, I'd like totravel and see my adult children more.
and so she was ready to step down andhad been grooming me for the position.
So I then.
Interviewed again with the board and theyoffered me the job as executive director.
So that was November, 2020 that I started.
Cliff Duvernois (16:22):
For our audience, we're going to take a quick
break and thank our sponsors.
Once again, you'relistening to Total Michigan.
I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
Today, we're talking withMichele LeClaire, the executive
director of Buckham Gallery,located in Flint, Michigan.
And we will see you after the break.
Are you enjoying this episode?
Well, I can tell youthere's a lot more to come.
Jump over to TotalMichigan.
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(16:44):
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today.
Hello everyone and welcome back toTotal Michigan where we interview
ordinary Michiganders doing somepretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host Cliff Duvernois today.
(17:06):
We're at Buckham Gallery,located in Flint, Michigan.
And we are talking to the executivedirector, Michele Leclaire.
And Michele, before the break, uh,we were talking about, uh, some of
the artists coming in here, beingable to display their artwork.
And one of the things that I findabsolutely fascinating, and Flint
really focuses on this, not to say thatother areas don't, but I know Flint
(17:26):
really focuses on this, is giving.
Artists, the opportunity to not only,sell their artwork, but also to gives
people the opportunity to come in andbe able to have a place to buy it.
And so why don't you talk to usabout one of the big events that
you got going on every year?
Where these two people can come togetherand, and really do something special.
Michele Leclaire (17:50):
Yeah.
So what we have coming up Marchevery year, um, is called BYOC,
build your own collection.
Cliff Duvernois (17:59):
Build your own collection.
Michele Leclaire (18:01):
So, artists in the area all submit work, for no fee.
So this is a really trying to finda way to support the artist in
addition to a fundraiser for Buckham.
So we hang about 200 worksof art in the gallery.
And for a one night event, aticket event, our, collectors
come in and they can buy work.
Nothing is priced more than 500, soit's really trying to keep things
(18:24):
at a price point that is affordable.
So you could get anythingfrom like 10 to 500, right?
Cliff Duvernois (18:29):
Right.
Michele Leclaire (18:30):
And there's always food and drinks and music.
It's a great party.
and then the sales are all splitbetween the artist and the, the gallery.
And the, and the great collectorgets to build their works of art
at home because who wouldn't rathersomething, you know, handmade, by a
local artist than maybe something froma box store when it's so affordable.
Cliff Duvernois (18:53):
I love this idea.
I've been to galleries beforewhere they've had works from,
from artists on sale, but it'sall been like the same vein.
Right.
So, you know, an example, this mightbe like, let's say an artist did, you
know, paintings of cereal bowls, right?
And then so that's whatthey sell a cereal bowls.
(19:13):
So if you're not into cereals,I guess there's really not
anything of interest to you there.
But what you're talking about hereis just artists from the area.
So it could literally be anythingfrom photographs to cereal.
Impressionistic style to modern styleto sculpting, I'm assuming anything and
everything that they would want to sell,people could come here and find it.
Michele Leclaire (19:35):
Mm hmm.
And even like, art books andjewelry and, glass, there's
ceramics, painting, printmaking.
It's all original works of art.
Cliff Duvernois (19:45):
This is incredible.
And is this also to coincide withbecause I know one of the big things
I love about Flint is the art walks
Michele Leclaire (19:53):
that are going on.
Cliff Duvernois (19:54):
So does this also court like coincide with that as well?
Michele Leclaire (19:57):
It's a different day just because it's a different event.
so art is always on thesecond Friday of the month.
And we do that year round.
It extends our hours from six To 9pm,it's free, open to the public, it's
really a great time to come out, visitthe restaurants and the bars, come
into the galleries, it's free, havea glass of wine or water, and, you
(20:18):
know, meet the community and talk tothe artists who are exhibiting, B.
Y.
O.
C.
is more of a fundraiser, andit always happens towards the
ends of March once a year.
and we, you know, that's a ticketed event.
It's really affordable.
I think it's like 25.
and that comes with a coupledrink tickets and food and, and,
and entertainment for the night.
and then the following day, thegallery opens to the public.
(20:41):
But it's kind of cool because whilewe hang the show floor to ceiling,
the people who buy the work are ableto take it home with them that night.
So when you come in the next day, yousee where the things are missing from
the walls and it's still the nails.
And then it's like half the gallerystill has work, and then people come
in without paying for the ticket andthen can buy stuff that's left over.
Cliff Duvernois (21:03):
Sure.
Oh my goodness.
That sounds so cool.
Michele Leclaire (21:06):
So much fun.
You've got to come.
Cliff Duvernois (21:08):
Okay.
I will.
Thank you for the invite.
What was the date?
Michele Leclaire (21:11):
March 28.
March 28,
Cliff Duvernois (21:13):
2025.
Michele Leclaire (21:14):
Yes, that's correct.
Cliff Duvernois (21:15):
So what I would like to do now is, uh,
first off, I love that idea.
So thank you for doing that.
And I'm sure the, the artists in thelocal community appreciate it as well.
What I would like to do is I would liketo talk about, something current that
is going on that's being displayed here.
So if somebody were to, to walkthrough the door, upon hearing
this interview, you know, what's,you know, what, what's on display?
(21:36):
What's what's coming?
Michele Leclaire (21:37):
Yeah.
The next show is December 13thuntil January 11th, 2025, and it
is a solo artist presentation.
Emily Scott Beck.
It's called Threshold, andshe does these really great
installations, and fabric art.
Um, she's a professor at NotreDame, um, and so she's going to be
(21:57):
on the view, along with a nationaljuried exhibition called SNAP,
and it's all about photography.
Cliff Duvernois (22:05):
Incredible.
Yeah.
Incredible.
So now let me ask you this question here.
How do you go about selectingthe artist to come in here and
put their artwork on display?
Michele Leclaire (22:14):
Yeah.
So we have a national call for entry,that we do annually and that where
artists submit their proposals, whichis reviewed by our collective of artists
and then narrowed down further by ourexhibition committee to build our season.
And we schedule those out abouta year and a half in advance.
Um, so we just finished schedulingout through the fall of 2026, I think.
(22:42):
and then, so we do thatfor the solo shows.
and then for the little, thesmaller jury shows, we usually
run those like just annual calls.
It's all done on our website.
and that's a few months in advance.
So that's like when we pick singlepieces to curate a signature.
Cliff Duvernois (22:58):
You mentioned something there real quick, and I want to go back
and talk about that as you talked abouthow the artists collective votes, how
many artists are in the collective?
Michele Leclaire (23:06):
We have, 25, 29 visual and writers, literary artists, and
then we have our sustaining members,which are part of the collective,
um, so we round up to 37 total.
Oh, wow.
You know, and those aren't necessarilypracticing professional artists,
but they're, they help support orthey could be creative, but aren't
(23:27):
trying to exhibit quite as often.
Sure.
So, really it's afantastic group of people.
Cliff Duvernois (23:31):
Wonderful.
Yeah.
One of the things that I would like to askyou is, is, is let's say that, you know,
somebody is coming here for the firsttime, they have no idea what to expect.
Maybe they heard the show, on apodcast or on YouTube, radio, whatever.
And they're coming herefor the first time.
What can they expect whenthey walk through that door?
Yeah.
Michele Leclaire (23:51):
So when people come in, they're always greeted by
myself or someone at the front desk.
we give a brief synopsis.
Of what show is currently on, and thenwe will hand them like one of these paper
didactics, where they can find, there'snumber pins where they can see the titles
of the artist and, the title of the piecebut it's not necessary as visual art.
(24:15):
A lot of people just like to comein and absorb it and experience it.
There's always like lively music playing.
So it's not like a quiet museum.
You know, it's really, you can bring inkids, it's free and open to the public.
Just come in and enjoy it.
Enjoy the work we have.
Benches if you need a moment tosit down, be there for further
contemplation or just if you need a rest.
Cliff Duvernois (24:35):
Sure, and then when you were talking before about how, cause
I know like this next exhibit that'scoming up, you talked about the December
13th through January 11th of 2025, doyour exhibits rotate out once a month?
Michele Leclaire (24:48):
It's about every four to five weeks, so mostly once a month.
We do 10 shows a year, soit's not quite 12, but yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (24:57):
Oh, wonderful.
Perfect.
And then if somebody is listeningto this episode and they want
to come and check you out.
find you online, see whatexhibits are happening there.
Maybe plan a night todo the Flint art walk.
how can they find you?
Where can they find you?
Michele Leclaire (25:11):
Sure.
So online we're at buckhamgallery.
org.
it's really a lot ofinformation on our website.
you can find.
Exhibitions upcoming also,information about our writer's
residency and other programs.
we are also active on Facebookand Instagram at Buckham
gallery dot or Buckham gallery.
and we also have a LinkedIn justtrying to share out information there.
Cliff Duvernois (25:34):
There's something nobody says.
Michele Leclaire (25:37):
It's not as, you know, it's not as active as, as our
Instagram and our, uh, and our Facebook.
Cliff Duvernois (25:43):
Michele, thank you so much for taking time to
come and chat with us today.
Really do appreciate it.
Michele Leclaire (25:46):
Thank you, Cliff.
This was great.
Cliff Duvernois (25:48):
And for our audience, you can roll on over to totalmichigan.
com.
Click on Michele's interview andget the links that she mentioned
above, including LinkedIn.
Uh, we will see you next time whenwe talk to another Michigander doing
some pretty extraordinary things.
We'll see you then.
They came together and they built their
(00:01):
mission right into the nonprofit.
to enrich the surrounding communityby presenting a broad range of
innovative contemporary art, bothvisual and non visual, of the
highest quality and standard.
41 years later, We're still committed to,building community, uh, and inclusivity,
supporting and nurturing artists, andchallenging our audience to engage
with and look at art in new ways.
Cliff Duvernois (00:24):
Hello everyone.
And welcome back to Total Michigan,where we interview ordinary Michiganders
doing some pretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host Cliff Duvernois.
I was laughing to myself today when Iwas driving down for this interview.
Because it seems like every time I visitan art gallery, I wind up in Flint.
And that's where I am today.
And I'm very happy once again tocome deck down here because there
(00:45):
are some really, some amazing things.
That are going on in downtown Flint,and I've got a couple of other episodes
that if you look in the show notesbefore below, you can find out what
those episodes are, but there reallyis a concerted effort here in downtown
Flint to really make this a truedestination place that people can come.
They can bring their families and notonly appreciate the artists that are
(01:08):
in the area, but also the, the foodas well, and just make it a great
evening to remember and, and help us tonavigate one of these galleries that is
located in the area is Michele Leclaire.
She's the executive director ofBuckham Gallery in Flint, Michigan.
Michele, how are you?
Michele Leclaire (01:25):
Hi, Cliff.
I'm doing great.
Welcome to BuckhamGallery and back to Flint.
Cliff Duvernois (01:30):
Yes.
And I'm totally lookingforward to this by the way.
So before we begin, why don't youtell us what is Buckham Gallery?
Michele Leclaire (01:38):
Sure.
Buckham Gallery is a nonprofit artsorganization here in downtown Flint.
We exhibit visual art and.
Sculpture, painting, printmaking, alittle bit of everything, but we also
do non visual arts programming includingliterary arts and readings and live
music at events and things like that.
Cliff Duvernois (01:59):
And it's a wonderful gallery, too, by the way.
This place is absolutely beautiful.
So, kudos to you and yourstaff for, for maintaining it.
And I know we want to talk about thatfor a little bit, but before we do,
Tell us a little bit about where areyou from and where did you grow up?
Michele Leclaire (02:15):
Sure.
I'm originally from Orlando, Florida.
so I've made the big move.
Cliff Duvernois (02:19):
Wait a minute.
Don't people usually go theother way, Michigan to Orlando?
But anyways, go ahead.
Michele Leclaire (02:23):
I know, I know.
But I went to art school inPhiladelphia, so I studied at the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Artsand I have a studio arts background.
I did printmaking and then myMFA and painting, and I married A
Michigander from, from Flint, Michigan.
And so while we didn't move here rightaway, we, we've lived in Traverse
(02:45):
City for a while and we now have beenin Flint for nine and a half years.
Cliff Duvernois (02:50):
Well, that's incredible.
So let's, let's rewinda couple of things here.
So you originally from Orlando, butyou went to school in Pennsylvania,
again, something you think would be alittle bit different, but that's okay.
Why art?
Yeah.
Michele Leclaire (03:02):
Why art?
Well, my mom, was ahigh school art teacher.
So there was always art in the house.
And I have aunts and uncles whoare also have creative backgrounds.
so I think it's in the genes.
My sister is a painter.
and she also spins wool like throughthe old fashioned methods of combing and
(03:23):
carting the wool and, her angora rabbits,It's fur and stuff, which is crazy.
Cliff Duvernois (03:27):
I got images of Rumpelstiltskin in my head
for summaries and so, yes.
I to that.
Yes.
Michele Leclaire (03:33):
Yeah.
and then I, you know, I fought it.
I tried to do other things.
I will, my dad's a chemistry teacher, so Iwas, interested in science and interested
in art and everything was, I was prettygood at everything, but not everything.
Great.
Until I started focusing on gettinglost in the creative process, and
doing sculpture and printmaking.
(03:54):
And so I finally was like, you know what?
I'm going to give this a go.
I'm going to go to art school.
Cliff Duvernois (04:00):
Yes.
Michele Leclaire (04:01):
Yeah.
And, the academy was really incrediblebecause you were like, Painting and
drawing and sculpting the figure likeeverything was based on the human figure.
And so I just really love thatprocess and the amazing artists
that I met through that journey.
and I just knew that this was right.
Cliff Duvernois (04:19):
So of all the places to go, what, what led you
to Pennsylvania to study art there?
I mean, people would thinklike New York, maybe LA, but.
Well,
Michele Leclaire (04:27):
Philadelphia is a great.
Art City.
It really, really is.
And there's a lot of art schools there.
but it just happened that I was atthe community college in Orlando
and my teacher there had gotten herMFA from the Pennsylvania Academy.
And so she had recommended it.
and I went up to visitand I just fell in love.
I mean, it felt like driving my mom'sSubaru and March and they had had a winter
(04:53):
storm and it was like this Tetris thing.
Cause I didn't know how todrive in the snow at all.
Cliff Duvernois (04:57):
Not from Orlando.
No,
Michele Leclaire (04:57):
No.
And like the, um, expressway thatgoes around Washington DC, I had
like slid and fallen into a ditchand had to like get back on.
So I had like grass stuck in the, likethe front, um, license plate thing.
And, but finally like driving intoPhiladelphia and getting stuck going one
way around city hall, and the way thelight, cause all of a sudden the sun was
(05:18):
coming through and the tall buildings, II felt like I was driving a car inside,
because of the height of the walls ofthe buildings and that kind of feeling.
I don't know.
And that should have turned me off fromthe driving in the snow, but it didn't.
It was like, this is where I got to go.
I need to be in a city.
Cliff Duvernois (05:37):
When you were there, you made a comment before about, uh,
how, how you had met a Michigander.
Yeah.
You know, fell in love, andthen decided to move here?
What was that decision for?
Michele Leclaire (05:48):
Well, first, we were already, we were further north
Michigan for a while, but we hadfamily on the way, and so we were
looking to move out of, of Philly.
So we had moved to Traverse City,because my husband got a job at
the Interlochen Arts That's a cap.
Cliff Duvernois (06:02):
Oh, okay.
Is he also an artist?
Michele Leclaire (06:04):
He is.
Yes.
He's a painter.
Cliff Duvernois (06:06):
Man, it is in your genes.
Somehow, some way, everybody's got it.
So, yes.
Michele Leclaire (06:11):
And then eventually moved to the Flint Institute of Art.
So that's how we ended up in Flint.
Cliff Duvernois (06:16):
Oh, interesting.
Okay.
Now, if you don't mind me asking,how did you and your husband meet?
Michele Leclaire (06:23):
Uh, school.
We went to the same.
Oh, okay.
Cliff Duvernois (06:25):
All right.
Perfect.
So somehow he convinced you to come toMichigan and you lived in Traverse City.
Then you come over here to Flint.
Now, how did you, let's talk alittle bit about the history now
of, Buckham Gallery, because youwere sharing with me before that the
gallery has been here for how long?
Michele Leclaire (06:43):
Forty One years now.
Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (06:46):
Okay.
Okay.
So how did you get it?
So yeah, talk to us about the history,
Michele Leclaire (06:49):
So in 1984, a core group of like working artists, arts,
professionals, and advocates for the arts.
Many of them that were involved withMott Community College, and in the area
decided they wanted a place to exhibittheir work, but also to build a community
of creatively Thinking individuals tochallenge themselves to keep working.
(07:12):
I mean that having a community ofartists who come together and discuss
ideas is really important to like,keep your work growing and building.
So they came together and they builttheir mission right into the nonprofit.
So, to enrich the surroundingcommunity by presenting a broad
range of innovative contemporaryart, both visual and non visual, of
(07:33):
the highest quality and standard.
41 years later, we're better known asBuckham Gallery, We're still committed
to, building community, uh, andinclusivity, supporting and nurturing
artists, and challenging our audience toengage with and look at art in new ways.
Cliff Duvernois (07:49):
So when you, before you mentioned about how, and I'm
loving this idea about how, youknow, artists come together with the
self focus of, hey, let's create anorganization that actually promotes art.
But you were talking about art growing,which I've never heard that term before.
I'm not, I'm not an artist.
I will admit right now to everybodyand their brother, I'm an engineer.
(08:09):
So these terms are foreign to me.
So when you talk about make sure theart is growing, what does that mean?
I
Michele Leclaire (08:15):
if you don't want to, some people can do it by doing painting
the same thing over and over again.
But you need people to discuss yourideas about the way you're looking at
the world or what you're responding toso that you keep thinking about things
and having one thought lead to the next.
So they were sharing theirideas and they were saying, Hey,
look at what I'm working on.
Oh yeah, this is what I'm working on.
(08:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, that gives me an idea.
And so they can keep making work.
Sometimes when artists feel isolatedand don't have a community to share
their ideas with, they maybe realize,Oh, my day job is taking a lot of
my time or I need to just spend.
My this time with family, orI'm just going to watch TV and
they're not continuing to thinkabout and push themselves to go
(08:58):
to the studio because going tothe studio and making art is work.
I mean, it takes time.
It's not always a comfortable practice.
You get frustrated.
Like, why is this not looking andturning out the way I want it to?
So you need encouragementto keep showing up.
Other thing that was interestingabout the founders when in 1984.
(09:20):
Several of them had galleries,they were sending their work to New
York City to commercial gallerieswho were already exhibiting them.
But they wanted a space thatthey could show things that
they were experimenting on.
So when you have a commercialgallery, they want one specific thing
frequently, so which they know theywill sell because they have to make
(09:42):
rent and staff and all those expenses.
The, the real brilliance they had ofthis nonprofit organization is that,
they don't have to always sell thework in order to keep the doors open.
And that gave them a place to showsome of their more experimental pieces.
we rely, do a lot of like grant writing,and fundraising and other things to make
(10:05):
sure that we meet, make those ends meet.
Cliff Duvernois (10:08):
And you bring up a really good point here.
This is something I didn't think aboutwhen you talked about how when the
first doors open, because now I'm takingback when I think back 40 years, right?
We're talking basically in the eighties.
Michele Leclaire (10:18):
Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (10:19):
And the only thing I think the world remembers about Flint from
the eighties is that movie Roger and Meshowing like Flint basically decimated
because you know, the big three arepulling out and all these jobs and Flint
was really going downhill very quickly.
Yet this group of artists decidedto, we're going to build it and we're
going to build it here in Flint.
(10:39):
I mean, was there any ever any indicationlike what made them think this was
actually just going to work or wasit just showing art for art sakes or?
Michele Leclaire (10:48):
Yeah, they, they lived here.
they were living in Genesee Countyin the surrounding area and they were
teaching at the community college.
They were teaching art or theywere involved at University
of Michigan's Flint campus.
I mean, so they were here.
and I feel like they didn't knowit was going to make 40 years,
but they wanted to give it a try.
(11:08):
You know, it was worth, it was somethingworth putting their time and energy into.
Cliff Duvernois (11:12):
Right.
Michele Leclaire (11:12):
And they had to, there was no paid staff.
And for the first few years, I mean,it was, they divided up the duties of
gallery sitting and hanging the shows and,Paying the rent and all of those things.
Cliff Duvernois (11:24):
Now has, has Buckham gallery, has it always been located here?
Like right off of Saginaw street in Flint?
Michele Leclaire (11:32):
Yes.
So our first 35 years wereactually just, catty corner.
Over there upstairs in this likevintage, Flint building, right?
And it's the original loft space with abarrel ceiling, which was really great,
except for those steep, narrow stairs.
it was really the, in 2019 with thehelp of the Charles Stewart Mott
(11:53):
Foundation that they were renovatingthe space with uptown reinvestment.
And, we were able to move into the space.
So it was really a thing.
Goodness for, the C.
S.
Mott Foundation.
Cliff Duvernois (12:04):
Yes, yeah, and I do got to say, it seems like a lot of the cities
that I go to, there's always like somefamily of wealth that's like intricately
involved with that city, and it reallywarms my heart to know that the Mott
family, the Mott Foundation, really hasjust invested a lot of money into helping
(12:25):
bring Flint back, and I could imaginefrom, because you, when did you join?
Michele Leclaire (12:31):
So I became a member in 2016.
But I didn't become astaff until late 2018.
Cliff Duvernois (12:39):
I could imagine that just between just 2016 and today.
Oh, yeah.
You've seen a lot of change that hashappened down here, let alone from like,
let's say, 40 years ago versus today.
So just in the last, eight years, Ican imagine it's just It's been mind
blowing to see what has been happeningand what's going on on Saginaw Street.
Michele Leclaire (12:59):
Definitely.
Even when we had moved here, or whenI became a member, this space that
we're sitting in right now had beenvacant and boarded up for decades.
so this building along with acrossthe street where the Mott Community
College Culinary Institute is now,that got completely renovated.
So they've moved in there.
We're here along with Elga and, ourneighbors on this block and several
(13:22):
of the other buildings downtown.
Yeah, it's been real,rejuvenation here in downtown.
Cliff Duvernois (13:27):
It is.
Now, from your standpoint here, becauseI know you said you, you became a
member, and then you became staff.
Was it always your intention tomaybe try to get people to come here?
A job in a gallery or did youjust want to pursue art or what
was, what were you thinking?
Michele Leclaire (13:42):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I always hoped to maybe work in agallery, but I didn't expect it.
I mean, I went to school for studio artand I really always expected to have a
day job and I would just be doing my,my own practice at night as I could.
but it was in, Late 2018, I was kindof looking for a part time job, and
(14:03):
that was right around that we foundout that the Genesee County millage
funds had been approved, and at thetime, Buckham only had one employee,
and that was, uh, Lynn Penning.
She was this great executive directorat the time, and she saw that there
would be an influx of funds thatwould And so with that, she was
able to add a part time staff memberand then build the programming.
(14:26):
And so that was when I got hired, sheinvited me to come in and interview
for the position, the newly createdExhibition Director position.
Cliff Duvernois (14:34):
Now, so with you joining as a member, did you have
any of your artwork on display here?
Michele Leclaire (14:40):
I had, it was part of one show and a couple of member shows.
Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (14:43):
Oh, okay.
So from there then, I mean, becauseI know you said before you were
talking about how it was painting andsculpting and everything else like that.
What is your art of choice?
Is it?
Michele Leclaire (14:54):
Yeah.
So.
I am a painter primarily,so I use oil paints.
I frequently paint on this, reallycool material called mylar is sort
of a translucent, polyester paper.
And then I also paint on panellike wood panels and they're
all sort of, figurative.
Portraits and based on old familyphotographs and building these different
(15:15):
like nostalgic memories, whetherI'm doing from a single photograph
or pulling images from multipledifferent places to create a story,
Cliff Duvernois (15:25):
man, I wish I was artistic.
So then another question I got for youthen would be, Um, At some point in
time, you had the opportunity to becomethe executive director of, the gallery.
Talk to us a littlebit about that process.
What did that look like?
Michele Leclaire (15:42):
Well, I mean, we all know what happened in 2020.
so my predecessor was ready to retire.
Um, so in that fall, she had actuallyonly intended to fill the position
for one year and she ended up beinghere for three and she decided she
already had a career and had retiredfrom teaching and now had done this for
(16:05):
three years and she's like, I'd like totravel and see my adult children more.
and so she was ready to step down andhad been grooming me for the position.
So I then.
Interviewed again with the board and theyoffered me the job as executive director.
So that was November, 2020 that I started.
Cliff Duvernois (16:22):
For our audience, we're going to take a quick
break and thank our sponsors.
Once again, you'relistening to Total Michigan.
I'm your host, Cliff Duvernois.
Today, we're talking withMichele LeClaire, the executive
director of Buckham Gallery,located in Flint, Michigan.
And we will see you after the break.
Are you enjoying this episode?
Well, I can tell youthere's a lot more to come.
Jump over to TotalMichigan.
com, enter your email address,and get on our mailing list.
(16:44):
You'll get a list of the topfive episodes for the show.
Along with that, you'll getall kinds of behind the scenes
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Just go over to TotalMichigan.
com, enter your email address.
today.
Hello everyone and welcome back toTotal Michigan where we interview
ordinary Michiganders doing somepretty extraordinary things.
I'm your host Cliff Duvernois today.
(17:06):
We're at Buckham Gallery,located in Flint, Michigan.
And we are talking to the executivedirector, Michele Leclaire.
And Michele, before the break, uh,we were talking about, uh, some of
the artists coming in here, beingable to display their artwork.
And one of the things that I findabsolutely fascinating, and Flint
really focuses on this, not to say thatother areas don't, but I know Flint
(17:26):
really focuses on this, is giving.
Artists, the opportunity to not only,sell their artwork, but also to gives
people the opportunity to come in andbe able to have a place to buy it.
And so why don't you talk to usabout one of the big events that
you got going on every year?
Where these two people can come togetherand, and really do something special.
Michele Leclaire (17:50):
Yeah.
So what we have coming up Marchevery year, um, is called BYOC,
build your own collection.
Cliff Duvernois (17:59):
Build your own collection.
Michele Leclaire (18:01):
So, artists in the area all submit work, for no fee.
So this is a really trying to finda way to support the artist in
addition to a fundraiser for Buckham.
So we hang about 200 worksof art in the gallery.
And for a one night event, aticket event, our, collectors
come in and they can buy work.
Nothing is priced more than 500, soit's really trying to keep things
(18:24):
at a price point that is affordable.
So you could get anythingfrom like 10 to 500, right?
Cliff Duvernois (18:29):
Right.
Michele Leclaire (18:30):
And there's always food and drinks and music.
It's a great party.
and then the sales are all splitbetween the artist and the, the gallery.
And the, and the great collectorgets to build their works of art
at home because who wouldn't rathersomething, you know, handmade, by a
local artist than maybe something froma box store when it's so affordable.
Cliff Duvernois (18:53):
I love this idea.
I've been to galleries beforewhere they've had works from,
from artists on sale, but it'sall been like the same vein.
Right.
So, you know, an example, this mightbe like, let's say an artist did, you
know, paintings of cereal bowls, right?
And then so that's whatthey sell a cereal bowls.
(19:13):
So if you're not into cereals,I guess there's really not
anything of interest to you there.
But what you're talking about hereis just artists from the area.
So it could literally be anythingfrom photographs to cereal.
Impressionistic style to modern styleto sculpting, I'm assuming anything and
everything that they would want to sell,people could come here and find it.
Michele Leclaire (19:35):
Mm hmm.
And even like, art books andjewelry and, glass, there's
ceramics, painting, printmaking.
It's all original works of art.
Cliff Duvernois (19:45):
This is incredible.
And is this also to coincide withbecause I know one of the big things
I love about Flint is the art walks
Michele Leclaire (19:53):
that are going on.
Cliff Duvernois (19:54):
So does this also court like coincide with that as well?
Michele Leclaire (19:57):
It's a different day just because it's a different event.
so art is always on thesecond Friday of the month.
And we do that year round.
It extends our hours from six To 9pm,it's free, open to the public, it's
really a great time to come out, visitthe restaurants and the bars, come
into the galleries, it's free, havea glass of wine or water, and, you
(20:18):
know, meet the community and talk tothe artists who are exhibiting, B.
Y.
O.
C.
is more of a fundraiser, andit always happens towards the
ends of March once a year.
and we, you know, that's a ticketed event.
It's really affordable.
I think it's like 25.
and that comes with a coupledrink tickets and food and, and,
and entertainment for the night.
and then the following day, thegallery opens to the public.
(20:41):
But it's kind of cool because whilewe hang the show floor to ceiling,
the people who buy the work are ableto take it home with them that night.
So when you come in the next day, yousee where the things are missing from
the walls and it's still the nails.
And then it's like half the gallerystill has work, and then people come
in without paying for the ticket andthen can buy stuff that's left over.
Cliff Duvernois (21:03):
Sure.
Oh my goodness.
That sounds so cool.
Michele Leclaire (21:06):
So much fun.
You've got to come.
Cliff Duvernois (21:08):
Okay.
I will.
Thank you for the invite.
What was the date?
Michele Leclaire (21:11):
March 28.
March 28,
Cliff Duvernois (21:13):
2025.
Michele Leclaire (21:14):
Yes, that's correct.
Cliff Duvernois (21:15):
So what I would like to do now is, uh,
first off, I love that idea.
So thank you for doing that.
And I'm sure the, the artists in thelocal community appreciate it as well.
What I would like to do is I would liketo talk about, something current that
is going on that's being displayed here.
So if somebody were to, to walkthrough the door, upon hearing
this interview, you know, what's,you know, what, what's on display?
(21:36):
What's what's coming?
Michele Leclaire (21:37):
Yeah.
The next show is December 13thuntil January 11th, 2025, and it
is a solo artist presentation.
Emily Scott Beck.
It's called Threshold, andshe does these really great
installations, and fabric art.
Um, she's a professor at NotreDame, um, and so she's going to be
(21:57):
on the view, along with a nationaljuried exhibition called SNAP,
and it's all about photography.
Cliff Duvernois (22:05):
Incredible.
Yeah.
Incredible.
So now let me ask you this question here.
How do you go about selectingthe artist to come in here and
put their artwork on display?
Michele Leclaire (22:14):
Yeah.
So we have a national call for entry,that we do annually and that where
artists submit their proposals, whichis reviewed by our collective of artists
and then narrowed down further by ourexhibition committee to build our season.
And we schedule those out abouta year and a half in advance.
Um, so we just finished schedulingout through the fall of 2026, I think.
(22:42):
and then, so we do thatfor the solo shows.
and then for the little, thesmaller jury shows, we usually
run those like just annual calls.
It's all done on our website.
and that's a few months in advance.
So that's like when we pick singlepieces to curate a signature.
Cliff Duvernois (22:58):
You mentioned something there real quick, and I want to go back
and talk about that as you talked abouthow the artists collective votes, how
many artists are in the collective?
Michele Leclaire (23:06):
We have, 25, 29 visual and writers, literary artists, and
then we have our sustaining members,which are part of the collective,
um, so we round up to 37 total.
Oh, wow.
You know, and those aren't necessarilypracticing professional artists,
but they're, they help support orthey could be creative, but aren't
(23:27):
trying to exhibit quite as often.
Sure.
So, really it's afantastic group of people.
Cliff Duvernois (23:31):
Wonderful.
Yeah.
One of the things that I would like to askyou is, is, is let's say that, you know,
somebody is coming here for the firsttime, they have no idea what to expect.
Maybe they heard the show, on apodcast or on YouTube, radio, whatever.
And they're coming herefor the first time.
What can they expect whenthey walk through that door?
Yeah.
Michele Leclaire (23:51):
So when people come in, they're always greeted by
myself or someone at the front desk.
we give a brief synopsis.
Of what show is currently on, and thenwe will hand them like one of these paper
didactics, where they can find, there'snumber pins where they can see the titles
of the artist and, the title of the piecebut it's not necessary as visual art.
(24:15):
A lot of people just like to comein and absorb it and experience it.
There's always like lively music playing.
So it's not like a quiet museum.
You know, it's really, you can bring inkids, it's free and open to the public.
Just come in and enjoy it.
Enjoy the work we have.
Benches if you need a moment tosit down, be there for further
contemplation or just if you need a rest.
Cliff Duvernois (24:35):
Sure, and then when you were talking before about how, cause
I know like this next exhibit that'scoming up, you talked about the December
13th through January 11th of 2025, doyour exhibits rotate out once a month?
Michele Leclaire (24:48):
It's about every four to five weeks, so mostly once a month.
We do 10 shows a year, soit's not quite 12, but yeah.
Cliff Duvernois (24:57):
Oh, wonderful.
Perfect.
And then if somebody is listeningto this episode and they want
to come and check you out.
find you online, see whatexhibits are happening there.
Maybe plan a night todo the Flint art walk.
how can they find you?
Where can they find you?
Michele Leclaire (25:11):
Sure.
So online we're at buckhamgallery.
org.
it's really a lot ofinformation on our website.
you can find.
Exhibitions upcoming also,information about our writer's
residency and other programs.
we are also active on Facebookand Instagram at Buckham
gallery dot or Buckham gallery.
and we also have a LinkedIn justtrying to share out information there.
Cliff Duvernois (25:34):
There's something nobody says.
Michele Leclaire (25:37):
It's not as, you know, it's not as active as, as our
Instagram and our, uh, and our Facebook.
Cliff Duvernois (25:43):
Michele, thank you so much for taking time to
come and chat with us today.
Really do appreciate it.
Michele Leclaire (25:46):
Thank you, Cliff.
This was great.
Cliff Duvernois (25:48):
And for our audience, you can roll on over to totalmichigan.
com.
Click on Michele's interview andget the links that she mentioned
above, including LinkedIn.
Uh, we will see you next time whenwe talk to another Michigander doing
some pretty extraordinary things.
We'll see you then.
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