Top 20 Art in Bloom Poster Images Announced
Beyond, Cassandra Garcia

Cassandra Garcia is twenty years old and lives in Grand Rapids. She enjoys physical activities and art in all forms. She enjoys music and learning new things. 

   

            "Beyond", well what does that word mean to you? What inspired me to create this? Well what didn't? I look around this world now and I see a lot of mediocrity, people who just settle or are reaching for "good enough". Schools standards not as high as they should be and parents not as involved as they could be. One of my favorite quotes is by Muhammad Ali "I am the Greatest, I've said that even before I knew I was." I do not want to settle for good enough. Mediocre is not even a word I want in my vocabulary. 


 

The biggest colorful flower (from Pastel) is made to stand out from the other (charcoal drawn) tulips. Thee non color portion could be either the world or your repeating family maybe just your town. But I am the flower I, not want, but will stand out regardless of the world that word is so powerful because that is what I want to be!

    

 

 

Tulips 3, Christi Dreese

 

Christi Dreese is originally from Spring Lake, Michigan and currently resides there with her two daughters. She graduated from Aquinas College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1997.


 

Christi's contemporary floral paintings are inspired by the memories of her grandmother's flower garden. Color, contrast and shape are her main focuses. She starts her process by laying down a coat of black acrylic paint. Quick, loose brush strokes are applied as shapes are formed. Before the paint starts to dry and the picture becomes clearer, she uses the end of her brush to carve through the thick paint. This creates movement and reveals some of the under layers that were previously applied.  After several layers, the painting is finalized by vigorously adding a 6B graphite pencil around the edges of the objects, making the shapes pop from the canvas.


 

Christi's love for the arts, lakeshore and personal growth continues to inspire her to create new works of art and have purpose in life.


 


Each week leading up to Tulip Time, we'll highlight images from this year's Art in Bloom. 

Three Exhibition Openings in March

 

This is an exciting month for Arts Council exhibitions! The walls are bare right now, but three new exhibitions are going up this week and next. Join us for the opening receptions:


 

Prisms of Hope, Lievense Gallery

March 5 - April 25

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 5, 6-8 p.m.


 

Frozen in Time, Mainstreet Gallery

March 5 - April 18

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 5, 6-8 p.m. 


 

D�but, Padnos and Armstrong Galleries

March 12 - April 18

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 12, 6-8 p.m.


 


 


Frozen in Time Opening Thursday, March 5

 

The Holland Area Arts Council presents Frozen in Time, photographs of frozen Lake Michigan by Tony Reidsma, beginning March 5 with an opening reception.

 

Reidsma is a self-taught photographer who, in the winter of 2014, set out to document the record breaking cold and ice coverage on Lake Michigan. The original purpose of this project evolved far beyond the 2014 weather to include capturing the effects of the drastically changing water levels of Lake Michigan.

 

Now, in the winter of 2015, Reidsma's exhibition reflects what is happening outside of the Arts Council's walls as Lake Michigan ice coverage continues to grow.

 

The exhibition will be on display in the Mainstreet Gallery at the Holland Area Arts Council. It will open with a reception on Thursday, March 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with Prisms of Hope, on display in the Lievense Gallery.


 

Reidsma's artwork is for sale with a variety of sizes and types of prints available. You can learn more about him and his art at www.imagesforyourwalls.com.

 

 


Prisms of Hope Opening Thursday, March 5

 

 

The Arts Council presents Prisms of Hope, Living with Mental Illness, beginning March 5 with an opening reception at 6:00 p.m.

 

Five local artists -- Ashley Rowe, Craig Geiser, Janine North, Lincoln Clark and Nathan Klay -- have come together to create this moving, thought-provoking exhibition. The artists have shared experiences with mental illness, and their artwork expresses the hope and transcendence that creativity brings them.

 

A variety of media and subjects are represented in the exhibition including oil, acrylic and digital prints depicting realistic and abstracted images.

 

The opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Lievense Gallery. Food and wine will be served, and vocalist Rachel Miller will provide entertainment.


 

Image: Turtles by Lincoln R. Clark

 

D�but Opening Thursday, March 12

 

Every spring, the Arts Council gathers student artwork from local high schools to be displayed in our Padnos and Armstrong Galleries. Instructors from each school submit a selection of student work.This year eleven schools will participate including Black River Public School, Fennville, Grand Haven High School, Holland Christian High School, Holland Public High School, Jenison High School, Saugatuck, West Ottawa High School North and South and Zeeland East and West High Schools.

 

A juror then narrows the submissions down to those that will be hung in the gallery. The juror also selects first, second and third place and honorable mention awards to be given out including cash prizes. This year's juror, chosen by the Arts Council from the art community, will be Hope College's Dean of Arts and Humanities, Dr. Patrice Rankine.

 

The Arts Council is proud of the consistent quality of the work offered by our area schools and applauds the hard work and dedication of the area's talented art instructors. This exhibition creates the opportunity to share meaningful art and involve students. It reaches the essence of our mission: to educate, engage and challenge the community through the arts.

 

The competitive nature of a juried show creates a large degree of excitement around the exhibition, but more significant than the awards given is the creative process which all the students experience.

 

To applaud their artistic growth and d�but in the art world, the Arts Council hosts an awards reception on Thursday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m., complete with music and food: a true celebration of the joy and challenge art brings to our lives.

 
D�but is sponsored by Howard Miller and Holland Friends of Art.


Brown Bag Lunch Concert, March 6
A Brown Paper Bag on Hard Wood Floor by Max via Flickr

Friday, March 6
12:00-1:00 p.m.

Founded in 2008 and directed by Hope College piano professor Dr. Andrew Le (Drew), Brown Bag has rapidly become one of the most popular and innovative music events in the Holland area.  Built on the premise that classical music should be accessible by all, the series presents classical art music in a setting that is completely free of pretense: performers are required to wear jeans and talk to the audience about their selections, people of all ages are encouraged to come and go as they please, and everyone is encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch and make as much or as little noise as they wish.  Light beverages are also served.


Spring Workshops

Wire Sculpture
Instructor: Jessica Bohus
Learn the art of drawing with wire. Sculptor Jessica Bohus will teach the techniques of wire sculpture. Learn what gauges and mediums she likes to use and the best tools for the best results. You'll leave with a creative hanging or standing sculpture and the knowledge to create more interesting projects. Supplies will be provided but bring a sack lunch.
One Day * Saturday * March 7 * 10:00 am - 3:30 pm * $80 ($70)


Printmaking Workshop: 
Introduction to Copper Etching
Instructor: Lee Ann Frame
Here is a rare chance to learn etching with award winning printmaker Lee Ann Frame. She will bring this 500 year old process to life! Create beautiful intaglio prints from copper plates. This workshop covers basic techniques, including plate preparation, ground application, mark making, stopping out, paper prep, inking and registration to finally printing using Lee Ann's beautiful Conrad Press. This is a fascinating and rewarding process beloved by the likes of Rembrandt, Hopper and Cassatt. No prior printmaking experience is required. Supplies are included.
One Day * Saturday * March 21 * 9:00 am - 4:00 pm * $150 ($140)


Precious Metal Clay Jewelry Workshop
Instructor: Gini Cooper
Sculpt with silver! Create one-of-a-kind silver pendants, earrings or charms in this fun workshop. Precious Metal Clay is microscopic pieces of silver mixed with an organic binder to achieve a clay-like substance. When fired in a kiln, the binder burns out leaving a fine silver sculpture. 
One Day * Saturday * March 7 * 10:00 am - 4:00 pm * $90 ($80) 
Did you know...?
 
The Arts Council has an Amazon Wishlist! 
Browse through our needs as we prepare to recreate the Arts Council! 


Flip Through Our Whole Catalog Online!
Special Winter Hours




Remember:
The Arts Council cancels classes when Holland Public School closes. Check WHTC online for school closings, and check our website or our Facebook page for updates on our schedules for those days. 





This winter the Arts Council will close at 5:00 pm on Wednesdays, except for special events. We'll return to our regular Wednesday evening schedule on April 1. 

Arts Council Winter Hours
Monday, 10am-8pm
Tuesday, 10am-8pm
Wednesday, 10am-5pm
Thursday, 10am-8pm
Friday, 10am-5pm
Saturday, 10am-3pm
Closed Sunday


Our Partners







 

 

 

 

 We simply can't do it without you!

 

To learn how to become one of the Arts Council's valued partners contact 

Lorma at (616) 396-3278 or email at lorma@hollandarts.org

 

 

Contribute

    



Join Our Mailing List