Water, Water Everywhere

by Katie Laden

Tuesday December 02, 2008, 2:34 PM

Exhibit focuses on Michigan's precious resource.

T'alyne, a local artist, made a mistake, according to Open Concept Gallery Curator Zora Carrier.

"She made the mistake of letting me into her studio," Carrier joked about the genesis of her and t'alyne's collaboration. T'alyne read Carrier's poetry and they instantly connected. "Her poetry speaks to my creative process--my abstract thinking." They have since joined forces; Carrier's gallery will display t'alyne's series of paintings called and then there was water...

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A Different Outlook

by Joanne N. Bailey

Tuesday December 02, 2008, 2:31 PM

ByrneBoehm Gallery features the work of Grand Rapids artist Jeff Condon.

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The barn had stood on the land for about 150 years. It was a bit rundown with holes in the roof, ladders leading randomly to places, and hay stacked here and there, a familiar sight to Grand Rapids artist Jeff Condon. This past summer, Condon got a different perspective of the structure as workers cleaned it up and made repairs.

"They removed vines and cleared away things, and suddenly we could see walls, and we discovered things in the barn that we hadn't seen before," Condon said.

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In the Heat of the Battle

by Katerie Prior

Friday October 24, 2008, 4:30 PM

Over the last five years, Todd VanTongeren, one of the organizers at Art Battle, has seen it all: artists with a fine arts background creating breathtaking paintings and sculptors working in clay, plaster, or stone. He's seen traditional artists blowing glass or welding unusual art as well as watched unusual artists making plaster molds of themselves or portraits from their own hair. Hair? Think hair stuck to the shower wall, VanTongeren explained. And the result? A captivating and strangely beautiful artwork that took first prize in 2006. "It was the most talked about piece of the performance," he said. "It was just really unique."

That's the point of Art Battle, an annual event where forty artists from across the Midwest meet for one night to create innovative art in front of an audience. In addition to music, food, and specially-priced beverages, the audience gets to view the works and then vote on the final products. The audience favorite receives a $1,000 cash prize.

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Sculpture Invades Grand Rapids!

by Grand Rapids Gallery Association

Thursday October 02, 2008, 9:14 AM

Founded in 1960 to "advance the creation and understanding of sculpture and its unique, vital contribution to society," the International Sculpture Center (ISC) has chosen Grand Rapids for its twenty-first International Sculpture Conference. October 2--4, hundreds of sculptors, collectors, and fans of three-dimensional art will descend on the city to take in what Grand Rapids has to offer. The conference, titled "Sculpture in Public: Part II Public Art," focuses on sculpture that is accessible to all. And what better place to check out public art than Grand Rapids, which has such a rich history of sculpture for the community. With Grand Rapid's iconic piece, La Grande Vitesse by Alexander Calder at Vandenberg Center plaza, Mark di Suvero's great tire swing Motu Viget just a few steps away, along with Robert Morris's Grand Rapids Project "X" in Belknap Park and the well-loved John Ball Memorial by Pompeo L. Coppini at John Ball Zoo, a trip around town is worth the effort. You don't have to attend the conference to enjoy public art in Grand Rapids. Continue reading "Sculpture Invades Grand Rapids!" »

Join the Feast

by Nicole Corley

Wednesday September 03, 2008, 2:11 PM

More bands, more art, more fun--1111 Godfrey turns into a unique artist showcase for three days.

What do you really expect to happen when you put more than 130 artists in one building? Some might say "fun," others might say "chaos." Tomato, tomato, right? If you go to Destination: 1111, you can see for yourself. But the event's organizers do have a word for it: "diversity."

Impressionism, expressionism, graffiti. Interactive sculpture, performance art, paintings and demonstrations, poetry readings, spoken word, film, and music. And while we're on the topic, you'll find hip-hop, traditional Irish music, Native American song and drum, rock 'n' roll, techno, folk, acoustic, and blues.

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Public Figure

by Mark Hensch

Sunday July 27, 2008, 4:36 PM

Local artist Cameron Van Dyke talks art and about his most recent creations.

Grand Rapids sculptor Cameron Van Dyke has made his name redefining art's functionalism. His work smoothly melts trivial dimensions like volume, depth, and height into abstract constructs as austere as they are beautiful. I sat down with the innovative artist and learned just what inspires the geometric beauty at work.

OTT: How would you describe your artistic style to someone unfamiliar with it?

Van Dyke: My work has been an exploration of planes and volumes. That is the thread that runs through everything.

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