Family and friends in the Bend arts community are reeling after the sudden death of well-known local artist and musician 67-year-old Michael Gwinup.

A Bend resident since 1976, Gwinup suffered a heart attack on March 31 at Mt. Bachelor while snowboarding with a friend, his daughter and son-in-law. Medical personnel reached him quickly, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Gwinup is survived by his wife, Michele, their two children, Matthew and Melissa and their spouses, April and Patrick, along with five grandchildren.

Plans for a celebration of life are underway, said Michele, who co-founded Blue Spruce Pottery with Michael after their 1976 move to Bend. The couple has been together since she was 15 and he was 16. They married four years later. The twosome’s journey with clay began in 1974 while studying at Western Oregon University in Monmouth.

In 1978, they opened a gallery at the south end of Bend, operating it successfully for 15 years before finally selling it when it was taking too much time away from the studio.

Blue Spruce Pottery endured at their home studio, with the Gwinups bringing daughter Melissa and son-in-law Patrick Woodman into their home studio as partners nearly 20 years ago. With this second generation’s involvement, Blue Spruce Pottery will continue.

“Michael loved working with them and had every confidence in their ability to take over and continue the legacy of Blue Spruce,” Michele said.

Blue Spruce Pottery wares are available through its website, bluesprucepottery.com (note that sales are closed through the end of the month). They can also be seen and purchased in person at Red Chair Gallery, where Blue Spruce Pottery has been available since joining the downtown Bend fine art and contemporary craft gallery at its August 2010 inception.

“As clay artists, they knew what Bend needed to do to support the clay-artist community,” Red Chair owner Rita Dunlavy said. “Red Chair has benefitted from their help and guidance through the years. Mike was an amazing individual who always had a funny story to tell and was lovingly involved with his children and grandchildren. I loved being around him.”

Michael’s creativity took a musical form as well. He played guitar from the age of 16. He was the lead singer and played ukulele in the local band Bittercreek, and also played with the band Chalkline for many years. He loved singing and playing around the campfire with friends, Michele said, and he especially loved playing with son and fellow musician Matthew.

Michele’s favorite quote from Michael was this: “It’s gratifying to know that over the years we’ve created pieces, even something as simple as a mug or a bowl, that have become a part of another’s daily life.”

Michael always loved it when he’d meet people and learn that they owned a piece of pottery from Blue Spruce, she said.

“He always felt happy that his work was in so many people’s homes, so you can look around and see things he made everywhere.”