Clay on Steele is a community art center focusing on promoting the arts specifically ceramics by providing instruction, space for personal exploration and exhibitions.

Clay on Steele hopes to foster an appreciation and awareness for the arts that meet the needs of local and tourist groups as well as special needs populations with in the Door and Kewaunee communities.

Owners Mark Kolinski and Ellen Levenhagen have been a part of the Door County art scene since 1985 working in their studio on their farm and exhibiting their work at Edgewood Orchard Gallery in Fish Creek. In 1992 they decided to shut down for a while and enter the world of international school teaching. Working in studios overseas during the school year and back at their Door County studio in the summer kept the ideas flowing. Throughout it all, they began to develop the idea of opening up a small arts center.

Just before returning to Door County for good, they bought the Kolbeck building in Algoma and in the spring of 2003 and began work turning the old clothing store into a pottery studio and gallery.

Although Mark and Ellen are away teaching during the school year, Clay On Steele will still be open for studio time and classes and community activities.





The raku kiln is often fired up at Clay on Steele on Saturdays.


Students working during the Clay and Culture Grant program