Artists from all over the United States, Canada, Australia, and Wales will have their work displayed in The International Society of Experimental Artists 19th Annual Juried Exhibit (ISEA) at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center June 2–29.
An experimental artist is defined by exhibit co-chair Patti Sevensma as one who plays or experiments with different approaches, while keeping good design in mind.
"Take, say watercolor, but use it in a different way, maybe straight out of the tube," Sevensma said. "Or take photography and add paint and found objects to it."
Though the idea might sound simple enough, juror Edee Joppich chose just 68 pieces to appear in the exhibit out of the 357 that were submitted. Joppich is an 11-year member of the ISEA and a working artist herself. She has been accepted into every ISEA show she has entered, which led her to become this year's juror. Joppich holds a fine art degree and also teaches and lectures. This year, she set her focus on choosing the most varied collection of works to appear together in the exhibit.
Previous years have seen the show in locations from Chicago, Wales, UK, Fort Worth, TX, and Bethlehem, PA. But even after 18 years of shows, visitors can still expect to see something new this year, including artists.
Taking part in the show for the first time is Michigan artist Christine Young, with her piece titled ENTER. A self-taught designer who spent 25 years in the industry, Young switched gears and returned to school to focus on art. She started experimenting with painting and drawing and read books by ISEA founder Maxine Masterfield in hopes of a connection.
"I was thrilled to find someone to encourage my curiosities," Young said. "I am fascinated with experimenting. When I begin painting, many of my pieces often start as a loose and open adventure."
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The International Society of Experimental Artists 19th Annual Juried Exhibit
Forest Hills Fine Art Center, Grand Rapids June 2-29, Monday-Friday 9-5 p.m. Free iseaartexhibit.org, (616) 890-1879
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Through ENTER, Young invites viewers into a brightly colored sacred, intimate, and provocative environment with her use of inks, watercolors, oils, and found objects.
"My work attempts to express intimate connections and universal questions," she said. "In this piece, the shoes are tossed about in an abstracted bedroom environment- fishnet stocking, scarf, and camisole impressions."
Other Michigan artists whose work appears in the show are Dianne Wolter, Wanda Anderson, Sally Martin Stewart, Debra McCormick Shaffer, Cynthia Foley, Mary Ann Beckwith, and Kathleen Conover.
The International Society of Experimental Artists 19th Annual Juried Exhibit at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center is free and runs through June 29.
"[19 Windows] will turn East Hills into a living, breathing, art gallery for the evening," says Brynne Roberts, owner of Muse Boutique.
Roberts came up with the idea for the competition while at a brainstorming meeting with other East Hills businesses. All of the businesses wanted to come up with an event for their clients and for the local neighborhood.
"Suddenly it hit me that everyone has these beautiful windows," Roberts says, "Why not use them for something?"
The contest has drawn a wide range of talent; local art students, professional interior designers and career artists will all be competing for a $1,000 First Prize. To make things a little more interactive for event-goers, there is also a People's Choice award of $500. Attendees can pick up a voting card from any one of the participating businesses, mark their favoritewindow, and turn it in. Both prizes will be awarded at the 8p.m. reception at the ICCS Garden. Votes for the People's Choice award are due at 7p.m.
Ashley Cole, an interior designer, and Dan Carlson, Master Builder, are teamed up together and will be creating a design for Global Infusion's window. Cole heard of the 19 Windows competition onFacebook, and was drawn to the unique idea. Though at first she was hesitant about the way that teams were randomly matched with businesses, she is excited to be working with Global Infusion.
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19 Windows Competition
Cherry St, Diamond Ave, & Lake Dr, Grand Rapids June 26, 3–9 p.m. FREE 19windowsgr.com, (616) 635-2678
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She has worked with Carlson on previous designs and can't wait to work with him on the window display.
Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids
June 11, 6-9 p.m., FREE!
uica.org, (616) 454-7000
Stroll through the gallery as you enjoy refreshments at UICA's opening reception for its new exhibits. Bryan Leister's installation, "Transit," combines a variety of mediums. Justin Webb's "While Holding Our Own" is a series of pieces that follows an evolving narrative. Rebecca Murtaugh, who specializes in sculpture, ceramics, and installations, will be displaying "Temptations." All exhibitions will be on display until August 6, and this will be the last UICA exhibit before it moves into the new Fulton Street facility.
Dutch Utopia: American Artists in Holland 1880-1914
Grand Rapids Art Museum
Through August 15
Members Free, Adults $8, Seniors/Students $7,Youth $5
artmuseumgr.org, (616) 831-1000
In the late 1800s, American artists were drawn to the tradition of great Dutch artists and the contemporary work coming out of the Hague School. These artists traveled to Holland and lived in several small communities. In "Dutch Utopia," the Grand Rapids Art Museum showcases works by 40 American painters who were fascinated by Dutch art. These artists include Robert Henri, William Merritt Chase, John Twachtman, and many others.
82nd Regional Exhibition
Muskegon Museum of Art
Through August 25
Adult Admission $5, Children 17 and under, students, and members are free
muskegonartmuseum.org, (231) 720-2570
At the start of May, local Michigan artists entered their submissions for the 82nd Regional Exhibition. Juror Jim Nawara, a Detroit painter and printmaker, presented the awards at the opening reception for the exhibit on May 27. The exhibit will be open to the public for the entire summer.
A New Eden's thousands of pieces of glass have taken over and transformed 15 various sites over the sculpture park's expansive 132 acres. Though Chihuly's work is no stranger to the gardens — the park has two permanent installations and hosted Color & Light in 2003 — A New Eden features only site-specific sculpture throughout the garden's grounds.
Radiantly colored towers, like the 16-foot-tall "Citron Green and Red Tower," adorn the English Perennial Garden. A battalion of lofty reeds stands at attention on a hillside as in Red Wreaths, and the whimsical floating "Walla Wallas" colorfully transform The Groves and Hekman Pond into a sea of transparent greens and metallic blues. Color has also found its way into the Lena Meijer Children's Garden, as amber and yellow reeds dominate as sparkling barriers in the grass.
Aside from its astonishing colors and fantastic shapes though, the installation garners attention for other reasons. Vice President and Chief Curator Joseph Becherer says it's at least in part, thanks to the artist's medium.
"We all have experience with glass, from drinking to things like vases," Becherer said. "It's just so wonderful that glass can be a major medium for an artist, especially for an artist like Chihuly, who has built his entire repertoire around it. What he does with it really captures attention."
Though the bulk of its pieces are blown-glass, several installations are made from polyvitro — Chihuly's own polymer — which appears to be
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Chihuly: A New Eden
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids
Through Sept. 30 meijergardens.org, (616) 957-1580 |
Also inside, the uppermost windows of the Tropical Conservatory trap the "Polyvitro Chandelier" from escaping into the atmosphere like a tangle of runaway helium balloons and the indoor pond welcomes the multihued lily pad-like "Persians."
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will host Chihuly: A New Eden through Sept. 30, as a highlight to the park's 15-year anniversary.
"Among the most beautiful discoveries that visitors will find is how A New Eden will change between April and September," said Steve LaWarre, director of horticulture. "Color, light, and shadows will delicately evolve with plants and glass as we move from spring and summer into autumn."
