Old Town art icon opens new gallery

By Sophia Potter
Freelance Reporter

Just north of Old Town at 2916 Turner St. in Lansing is a quaint, pink, nearly 100-year-old building that recently got a new tenant - prolific local artist David Such – under the name Struk Studio.

“I always liked the look of the building,” Such said, "but I didn’t really think about it until I got in here, what all the possibilities were.

“I primarily saw this, with my connection to (Old Town’s annual) ScrapFest, as a great place to show sculpture with all of the floor space.”

The new Struk Studio is located at 2916 Turner St. in Lansing.  Photo by Sophia Potter

In addition to hosting sculpture, the high walls lend themselves beautifully to large paintings and installations.

A lifelong artist with a history spanning from chief photographer of Render Studios (formerly known as Such Video) to painter to ScrapFest founder, Such was able to target his niche early on by creating a space for some of the types of art most important to him.

“There are some great galleries in Lansing, like the Nelson, LaFille Gallery downtown, Absolute Gallery, Katalyst Gallery," Such said. “I’m not really in competition with any of those people. In fact, I know them all, and I kind of figure, the more art the better.”

In many ways, Struk Studio stands as testament to Such’s commitment to Old Town and his connection to ScrapFest, a festival he created as part of the Old Town Commercial Association.

“It started in 2008, and it’s devoted to metal sculpting from recycled and repurposed metal,” Such explained. “It’s steadily grown every year, and the quality of the pieces have become world-class.”

This year ScrapFest will take place on July 12 and 13, and Such strongly encourages anyone who has never experienced it to get out there.

“People in other parts of the country are jealous of Lansing because they have this thing called Scrap Fest,” he said.

Pictured are some of the many art pieces on display at Struk Studio.  Photo by Sophia Potter


While owning a gallery is a first for Such, he’s been learning quickly – and asking for help from his community of artists along the way.

“I have a way of idealizing things and making them easier in my head as an encouragement to keep going,” he joked.

 He said he feels confident the space will continue to serve as a place other artists and collectors can learn as well.

“It’s a stepping stone in the artists’ path, and a stepping stone on the gallery path,” Such said.

In the future, Such said he would like to have a permanent display of previous ScrapFest entries in a sculpture garden behind the studio, which stretches for approximately a city block.  Such also plans to use the ample space to host events showcasing even more diverse types of art, including a poetry reading later this year.

Struk Studio is open Thursday to Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. To read about featured artists and art on display like the current Tragjectories show, visit www.struk.studio.