Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Howell High School students were the first to participate in Cleary University’s “Arthur Secunda Immersive Experience.”

The students attended a two-day workshop on campus at the Arthur Secunda Museum. The free workshop is funded through the “Save America’s Treasures” grant, a press release from Cleary said.

The event is geared toward high schoolers who are “interested in unleashing their artistic talents and creativity through new and innovative techniques.”

Michigan artist Jeff Von Buskirk led the workshop, allowing participants to “dive into the captivating world and life of Arthur Secunda, whose work is recognized and exhibited internationally.” the press release said.

The university is home to the largest collection of Secunda’s art.

The workshop includes a guided tour of the museum, hands-on demonstrations and lessons on different art techniques and time for students to create their own Secunda-inspired work. Participants also receive lunch, snacks and a free art supply kit.

“Our goal through the Arthur Secunda Immersive Experience was for students to explore and express their own creativity, learn from and feel inspired by the works of Arthur Secunda, and apply this knowledge to their academic and career journey,” Tom Egan, director of Development at Cleary and grant administrator for the project, said.

Some of the students who participated in the event said the experience encouraged them to try ideas and mediums they hadn’t explored previously.

Von Buskirk, an adjunct professor for the College of Creative Studies at Cleary, is an artist, professional illustrator and award-winning digital designer. He has completed artwork for companies including the GM World Headquarters, Little Caesars and the Illich Family and the Marriott and Ritz Carlton Hotels. He also painted a nationally registered mural of the American flag as a memorial to 9/11 on the back of the Marquis Theater in Northville.

“It was great how focused and passionate the students were about their work,” Von Buskirk said. “They really embraced what they observed from Arthur Secunda’s work and the artistic techniques they learned, and blended them into their own unique piece of art. I loved watching them conceptualize an idea and turn it into a completed work within the two days. That is impressive, and one of the core capabilities I was hoping they would walk away with.”

The grant, which totaled $320,000, was awarded to the university for the Arthur Secunda Collection Conservation and Accessibility Project. This will allow the university to “preserve, enrich and enhance a collection of more than 800 pieces of art created by Secunda,” as well as run workshops and hire a Curator of Art.

The next workshop will host around 30 students from Hartland High School.

Those looking for more information should call Cleary University at 734-276-5677.