This serving bowl is by Marvin Bjurlin.

The North Shore Arts Alliance announces that the 11th annual Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail Open Studio and Gallery Tour will take place over Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-26. One of the artists participating in this year’s art trail is Marvin Bjurlin for ceramics and sculpture.

Bjurlin began creating art as a child, but did not realize that making art could become more than a hobby until high school. Even so, in college he majored in math, beginning art courses in his junior year. Born in Minnesota, Bjurlin lived in South America until the age of 14, returning to Minnesota for high school and college. Before starting a teaching career at SUNY, Fredonia, he went to graduate school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Ironically, Bjurlin likes any food that is spicy. And, as a maker, he works with clay, wood-fired to high temperature. During the month of February, he spends most of his studio time making a couple hundred bowls for the “Empty Bowls” fall fundraiser.

During the Art Trail, tourgoers will find Bjurlin at his kiln site at 10789 Newell Road in Dunkirk where the public will be able to see the dramatic process of the kiln fired with wood. This will be an active educational experience with several of his Chautauqua Area Potters firing collaborators.

For more information and a list of all the artists participating, visit http://www.northshoreartsalliance.com.