They are located in the newly restored (and gorgeous!) historical Bancroft Building, at 104 East Gennessee.
I expect their website to be updated with info very shortly regarding this exhibit. I do know that there will be an opening artists reception on the evening of December 16, from 6-9pm,
The Gallery focuses on Michigan artists, and serves as a fund-raising source for art education programs through the Saginaw Art Museum. All proceeds from the sale of artworks on exhibit go to directly benefit the youth of Saginaw through these art programs. I think that is pretty cool, and I am proud to be able to be a part of it.
Now on to the regular monthly business....
Yes, it is December. And since the weather is turning cold and the skies have all gone grey, I thought to post this photo of a very snowy-looking cactus with a tiny colorful bloom as a visual representation of how far away spring looks from here. I think if I were ever to move to a warmer climate I would plant these snowy cacti all around my house so that it could look like winter without actually feeling like winter. Because that would be ideal. Bears have the right idea, I think...stay in and nap until spring shows up. Ha!
7 comments:
Well my Christmas just came early! Not only a rare Jonderson exhibit, but one I don't even have to travel for? Thank you, Santa!!!
Sweet! So is this sort of a "home town boy makes good" thing, or what? It doesn't seem like you to want to go back there for no reason.
Pete, that is not quite fair.
First, I am very proud of my work, and do not take for granted *any* venue which shows an interest in it, no matter where they are located.
Second, while it is true that being shown in a gallery in my home town does have an added element of pleasure for me personally, I would hardly call my decision to show there a "home town boy makes good" situation.
As it turns out, the reason I chose to submit my work to The Gallery was based far more on their mission than on my own. As a kid growing up in Saginaw I had more youth-oriented arts programs at my disposal than I could possibly have taken advantage of. Each one of them benefitted me tremendously and had life-long personal benefits to me which extend far beyond the realm of the arts. I met my best friend in the world in a city youth band program when I was ten years old, and we are still best friends to this day!
It is a much different world today though, and a much different city. The challenges are bigger, especially for kids. The Gallery is using its profits to fund arts programs for kids through the Art Museum so that no kid in Saginaw goes without at least some opportunity to be exposed to and participate in the arts. I find that to be not only insightful and unselfish, but a fantastically wise investment in Saginaw's future. The tri-cities have long established themselves as being an exceptionally above average talent source when it comes to the arts, and there is no reason to think that is going to change. (I can think of at least ten nationally recognized arts talents who I know of right off the top of my head, from this generation alone!) The thing is, that sort of talent can only come to the surface and thrive if it is nurtured early. You have to expose kids to the arts early, and as often as possible. You never know which kid is going to be the next Georgia O'Keefe, the next Paul Robeson, the next Rodin. You never know which kid is going to grow up to have a positive and lasting impact on the society and culture of the area. More importantly though, is that the only way you will ever know is by nurturing them all as much as possible and by giving them the opportunities early on.
That is why I think what The Gallery is doing is so important and so worth supporting. The fact that they are doing it in my home town and creating an opportunity for me to be a part of it is nothing more than gravy on the meat.
So you see, there *is* a reason for me to go back to Saginaw. A very, very, good reason. To help make sure that the kids there today get some of the same opportunities I had when I was there...and to give back a little of what I got. Maybe they won't all become great artists. Maybe none of them will. But maybe one of them will make a friend for life. And if that is all that comes of it, it will have been more than worth it to me.
Wouldn't miss it! C'ya there!
Will you be at the artist reception? I'd enjoy seeing you again!
Good Heavens, Matt! I haven't heard from you in ages!
Yes, the plan is that I will be there, and I'd love to catch up with you as well!
I finally made it to the gallery last week, and wow! Tons of really great work there, yours included!
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