Area artists out of town

The Three Rivers area Watercolor Circle traveled to the Elkhart "Midwest Museum of American Art" where the juried regional show (http://midwestmuseum.us/elkhart-juried-regional) is currently on display. There we saw the work of the fabulous (fabius) Helen Mac. Pop over to her blog, http://helenmac-fabiusdaybyday.blogspot.com, to see what else she is up to!

Love Your Mother Show

The Watercolor Circle's opening for its spring show at "Love Your Mother", downtown Three Rivers. Show will be up until the end of the month. Mmmm--aren't you sorry you missed the opening?

Fear Not

The large man waving a sword is actually Three Rivers artist Brian Brook, selling one of his sculptures at this weekend's art fair!

Art in the snow

The Plein Air Artists of West Michigan (http://www.paawm.org) came out to paint in Three Rivers' Scidmore Park this weekend -- gray, drizzly, snowy, cold... about a dozen artists were seen through the park, trying to feel the gray. Brent Spinks here working on his railroad bridge and river view. He said he was hoping a train would go by so he could put it in the picture.

More Carnegie

One more Carnegie picture, this one taken from the mezzanine. Today, I spent all day in tax class (no chocolate fountains there) and my brain is fried.

Carnegie Show

Sunday was the opening for the Carnegie Center for the Arts annual juried show. There was a large and enthusiastic audience in all of the galleries. Perhaps the flowing chocolate helped!
Two photos beside the chocolate are (top) the director, Donna Grubbs, with Jim Thompson, whose piece was selected by the jurors as best in show. Below, behind the chocolate, the previous director, Helen McCauslin, chats with one of my favorite watercolorists, Don Marek. Helen now hangs out in Fabulous Fabius.

Mural

Someone has painted a fence on Seventh Street with this cheerful and summery mural. The mural is quite long - I will have to get a better picture that includes the very appealing alligator!

Sculpture in Three Rivers

Piece by Three Rivers sculptor Brian Brook. The green ball on top looks unnervingly like an eyeball to me....

Painting in Progress

A work in progress by Three Rivers artist Tad Trimnell. A sculptural surface is achieved with gesso, and thin washes of oil color laid over it.

A cold place to read

This sculpture on a downtown park bench depicts a girl reading to a young boy. A nice summery sculpture...

Oh, Snow!

The promised snow finally arrived today with high winds stirring and tossing it about like dust devils in the desert. This sculpture-person by Brian Brook, doubling as a gallery open sign, seems amazed by the change in weather. Or maybe she is warming up for a part in L'Orfero, now showing (as a film) at the Riviera Theater.

Michigan Tiki

"Tiki" as a decorating style, idealized to ridiculous adaptions of decorative elements from a broad range of Pacific cultures, was popular among restauranteurs and suburban homeowners in the US in the 1950s. When I was growing up in California there were still some remnants of the style, especially "Tiki-torches", decorative garden lamps for outdoor parties, and in the decor of moldy old restaurants and bars. Moving to the midwest, I was very surprised to find "Tiki" still "alive and kicking" in rural areas, with Tiki-themed restaurants and Tiki-themed rest stops along the highway. I even once spotted a "Tiki" gas station.

Yesterday was a lovely sunny day, and I went out on the Portage River here in Three Rivers. Along the river this property-owner has a nice dock with comfortable chairs - and a palm-frond decorated "Tiki" umbrella! Looks so jaunty with the bare deciduous trees, don't you think? :-)

Harmony Fest

Setting up in the early afternoon for the Three Rivers Harmony Fest, the big musical event for the Labor Day weekend. Events include everything from a guitar contest for teenagers, to big name blues performers from Chicago.

Here the bandshell has been set up, tables laid out, and the sweet smelling smoke from a long line of barbeque stands begins to fill the air.

Carnegie Fall Show

Today was the opening of several new shows at the Carnegie Center for the Arts in downtown Three Rivers. The opening reception was well attended.

This photo is taken from the mezzanine, through the circular opening that allows light from the stained glass window in the roof to reach the first floor. This part of the center is the original Carnegie Library.

Stained Glass

Window made of chunks of stained glass by Three Rivers glass artist Joan Hector. Located in the church hall of the Trinity Episcopalian Church on Main Street in Three Rivers. Another series of stained glass church windows by Joan Hector may be seen in South Bend, Indiana, photos are online here: http://holytrinitysouthbend.org/windows.html

Outside the Carnegie

Old melds with new in the Carnegie Center for the Arts - the old library and the new passway.

Carnegie Center for the Arts

The Carnegie Center for the Arts is a Three Rivers jewel. Shows feature regional and local artists, and the Carnegie features traveling shows of other kinds as well. Art classes for both adults and children are held downstairs.

The Carnegie Center for the Arts consists of two downtown buildings, the original 1902 Carnegie library (to the left, now replaced with a modern library) and an old bank (to the right), beautifully joined together by a modern center section.

Art Market

A jazz group plays during Three Rivers' monthly arts festival/market, held in Scidmore Park. Warm sunshine, good music, and artwork! Paintings hanging behind the band are by watercolorist and printmaker Larry-Michael Hackenberg.

Caterpillar Surprise

Three Rivers has a lively art scene, and also supports arts for children, unusual for a small city in this era of budget cutting. This "critter" is encountered in a local alley, put together from old steam radiators removed from the Riviera Theater when it was refurbished. The caterpillar was painted by local children, under the direction of artists Kim Glessner and Kathy Bingamen.