By Laurel Decker
Photos by Susan Ayer
Whitepine Studios
105 W. Michigan Avenue
Saline, MI
(734) 330-2079
info@whitepinestudios.org
www.whitepinestudios.org
Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Gallery is open during events or by appointment on the weekends.
When artist Kaili Dence neared the end of her senior year at the University of Michigan in the spring of 2020, she received a strange message telling her that due to Covid-19 stay-at-home mandates, students must pick up all unfinished art pieces and vacate campus until further notice. Dence was stunned. She was also stuck trying to figure out how to transport the artwork she had worked tirelessly on—three massive 7’x7’ canvases. Instead of showcasing her works as the apex of her time at U of M, she would have to store them.
Picking up their daughter and her senior project was an emotional experience for Randall and Joanne Dence. As they carefully loaded up a U-Haul at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, they could see that Kaili was crying –a rarity for her. For the family of four, including son Tyler, the only option was to rally for each other. The following weeks felt surreal as there were no finals, no graduation party, and diplomas were received in a “drive-by graduation” with horns honking from the safety and containment of separate vehicles.
Fast forward to the summer of 2023, and I stood in an elegant gallery in downtown Saline, Michigan looking at a variety of impressive 2D and 3D artwork. I was there to learn how Whitepine Studios went from that upsetting message in 2020 to a thriving women-founded business that had already outgrown its first studio location (opened in 2021). Here is what I learned about their journey from setback to success.
Laurel Decker: Why did you move from your first space into this one?
Whitepine Studios: Our original space was just across the street from where we are now. Our new space is nearly three times as large and allowed us to greatly expand our art adventure camp offerings. This captivating space also permitted us to offer a dedicated gallery space that features the artworks of leading local artists. Our new venue is truly eye-catching, and we encourage those who have not seen it to stop by.
Laurel Decker: Why did you decided to open this particular business in such an uncertain time?
Whitepine Studios: The idea for the business grew from Kaili’s experiences providing art lessons over Zoom during the Covid lockdown. While some children readily took to online learning, others seemed to struggle in the absence of more personal interaction and feedback. Based on our desire to meet the needs of all types of learners we decided to open Whitepine Studios in the summer of 2021 and offer classes and workshops for all ages and abilities. At this time, we also developed a full mobile studio that could take our classes to those not yet comfortable with coming to our studio…we retain the mobile studio today and still provide art classes to a wide variety of learning and living communities.
Laurel Decker: Where/how did you do most of the planning while under stay-at-home mandates?
Whitepine Studios: Whitepine Studios, like many small businesses, was launched over meetings at the family’s kitchen table. We are a women-owned business, but all the family members participated in the planning and launch of the business.
Laurel Decker: Were there any unexpected benefits that came from opening during/following the pandemic? If so, what were they and why do you think it’s unique to the pandemic?
Whitepine Studios: We opened our studio in the summer of 2023 and we were profoundly humbled by the excitement and joy we saw in the faces of our young campers and birthday party participants. The need to create and socialize is an extremely important part of the human condition. We frequently hear comments like “best birthday party ever” or “my child’s whole outlook has changed.”
Laurel Decker: Does Covid still impact your business, and if so, then in what ways?
Whitepine Studios: Yes, we still see some impact from covid on our business, but it is minimal. If a client feels unwell, we allow them to reschedule. As I mentioned, we also provide a complete mobile studio so we can come to the client’s school, office, or home. We have even done outdoor painting parties if requested.
Laurel Decker: Is there a memorable moment, good or bad, associated with having a business during such an uncertain time?
Whitepine Studios: We were very confident that we had the right business model and team to thrive in a post-Covid world. But clearly, we were taken-aback by the overwhelming response we received to our first few birthday painting pARTys. Seeing the expressions of the birthday girl or boy having their first birthday party with friends and pizza made all the work and planning worthwhile. And frankly, sometimes the moms were just as excited to provide a unique custom birthday party experience after years of just close family members.
Laurel Decker: What keeps you motivated to persist through the challenges of business ownership?
Whitepine Studios: We are motivated by all the positive feedback and support we have received from our students, celebrants, customers, artists, and community members. The Whitepine Studios motto has always been “Inspiring the Artist Inside” but often our art students inspire us.
Laurel Decker: How do you see the studio and gallery impacting the community now and in the future? And why is this meaningful to you?
Whitepine Studios: We see Whitepine Studios providing a host of benefits for the community. We provide a place for local artists to create and display their works and for residents to be exposed to new art forms and ideas. We provide classes and programs for aspiring artists of all ages to build their skill levels and express their creativity. We also attract visitors that can shop and dine at the surrounding businesses. Our goal is to be the key player in a creative hub that enhances the cultural, economic, and social well-being of our community.
Laurel Decker: As a family business, what are the skills and traits that individuals contribute to the business? Is there anyone else who contributes significantly?
Whitepine Studios: We each bring our unique skill sets to the business: (full bios at whitepinestudios.org)
Kaili Dence is the Creative Director. Kaili is responsible for setting the creative direction and teaching many of our classes.
Joanne Dence is the Managing Director. Joanne is responsible for operations and staffing.
Randall Dence is the Marketing Director. Randall is responsible for marketing and finance.
Tyler Dence is Technical Director. Tyler is responsible for our hardware and software technology platform.
Tara Joshi is Gallery Manager. Tara is responsible for gallery design and management.
Holly Ann Stewart is a Resident Art Instructor. Holly Ann is a lead art instructor for our classes and camps and also provides private art lessons.
During our interview, the Dences repeatedly attributed the growth of Whitepine Studios to community support—a community eager to reconnect following the restrictions on gathering during the pandemic. They emphasized how fortunate they were to provide that reconnection through their “mission to teach the fundamentals of art and design in a fun, creative, and supportive environment.” During the recent grand opening of the gallery addition conjoining the studio, that support was felt by the attendance of many fellow art lovers, including the mayor of Saline. But community aside, I was also moved to note that their success as a business came from their strength as a family. Realizing that nothing would be the same after that day when they collected Kaili’s three canvases, Joanne recalled, “We gave ourselves a few days to grieve together.” And then they took advantage of their time together to plan a business that would tap into the unique skills of each family member, primarily inspired by Kaili’s talent for creating and teaching art.
