Tag Archives: Art Exhibition

Save the Date: “CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens” art exhibition to open in 2026 at Frederik Meijer Gardens

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, design, Environment, Kent County, LANDSCAPING & GARDEN CENTERS, West Michigan, , , , ,
CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens will transform both the outdoor gardens and indoor galleries, showcasing the artist’s dynamic range and masterful creativity (Courtesy, Frederik Meijer Gardens)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


Continuing a decades-old relationship with internationally acclaimed artist Dale Chihuly, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announces a major exhibition of his work: CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens. The exhibit will open on May 1, 2026 and run through Nov. 1, 2026.

“We are delighted to welcome Dale Chihuly back to Meijer Gardens,” said Charles Burke, President & CEO at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “His groundbreaking art creates unforgettable connections between nature, culture, and human creativity.

“Guests will be captivated by the dynamic interplay between Chihuly’s spectacular art and our gardens’ natural beauty.”

An immersive transformation

CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens will transform both the outdoor gardens and indoor galleries, showcasing the artist’s dynamic range and masterful creativity. The exhibition will feature monumental outdoor installations such as Chihuly’s towering glass sculptures, vibrant Reeds, and other site-specific artworks nestled within Meijer Gardens’ landscapes.

Chihuly’s “Gilded Champagne Gardens Chandelier” showcases the artist’s masterful creativity (Courtesy, Frederik Meijer Gardens)

Indoors, visitors will experience a varied survey of works highlighting more than four decades of Chihuly’s artistic evolution. Featured series include: Baskets, Macchia, Seaforms, Putti, Ikebana, Persians, Venetians, Cylinders and Rotolo. Each piece is complemented by original drawings offering insight into his creative process.

The exhibition promises to be an extraordinary and immersive experience for visitors of all ages, celebrating the profound impact of one of the world’s most innovative artists.

Celebrating the arts

Presented by Macatawa Bank, a Wintrust Community Bank, the exhibition runs from May 1, 2026 through Nov. 1, 2026 and is the third time Chihuly’s art has been presented at Meijer Gardens. Previous Meijer Gardens exhibitions include an indoor exhibition in 2002 and a sprawling outdoor experience in 2010.

“At Macatawa Bank, we celebrate the arts and the important role creativity and artistic abilities play in fostering strong, vibrant communities,” said Jon Swets, Macatawa Chief Executive Officer. “We’re honored to be a part of this inspiring exhibition displayed upon the beautiful backdrop of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.”

Guests will enjoy the dynamic interplay between Chihuly’s art and the Gardens’ natural beauty (Courtesy, Frederik Meijer Gardens)

Additional information about the CHIHULY exhibition and the permanent sculpture collection at Meijer Gardens can be found here.


*This exhibition is organized by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in cooperation with Dale Chihuly and Chihuly Studio. The work displayed is protected by copyright, any copying is expressly prohibited.

‘Ebb and Flow: Explorations in Painting by Herbert Murrie’ Exhibition at GVSU Jan. 15-March 30

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , ,

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

For more than 40 years, Herbert Murrie had a successful advertising and design career based in Chicago. However, because of his artistic upbringing and drive, he always returned to the studio in pursuit of a more spontaneous and freeing output.

 

In 1988, Murrie began painting more seriously and by the late 1990s, he was exhibiting regularly. Over the next 15 years, evidence of his freed state leapt off the canvas. Controlled manipulation of paint and color bore witness to his understanding of design, while his process of working intuitively noted elements of the artistic movements he grew up with in the mid-20th Century.

 

Like many artists, Murrie often steps away from his art and then returns to work on pieces in his studio that he feels are unfinished. This exhibition examines the ebb and flow of his creative process, while looking back at his painting career and forward to a new body of work. It includes 26 pieces that span his career as a painter — from 1995 to the present. They are drawn out of private collections and the Grand Valley State University permanent art collection, which includes 16 works that were donated by Herbert and Lisa Murrie in 2015.

  • What: ‘Ebb and Flow: Explorations in Painting by Herbert Murrie’ Exhibition
  • When: Jan. 15-March 30; opening reception: Jan. 18, from 5-7 pm
  • Where: GVSU Art Gallery (room 1121), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts

‘Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings’ at GVSU through March 2

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

From 1940-1960, the Australian government forced Aboriginal groups off their lands and into organized communities of the Central Desert region and along the northern coast. Papunya, located about 150 miles northwest of Alice Springs, was the final community established to collect these displaced groups, and where the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement began.

 

This exhibition is drawn out of a recent gift of Australian Aboriginal paintings to Grand Valley State University, created by artists from Papunya and the surrounding region. It features artwork that provides insight into Aboriginal life, retellings of important ancient stories and symbols, and the sacred sites of this vast and arid landscape.

  • What: ‘Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings from the Central and Western Deserts’
    When:     Exhibition on display through March 2
    Where:     Kirkhof Center Gallery (main floor), Allendale Campus

Urban artists featured in new summer exhibition at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, , ,

 

By Taylor Koopman, Saugatuck Center for the Arts

 

The new summer exhibition, Stories of Us: Transforming Communities Through Art, comes to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (400 Culver St.). Stories of Us will run from June 10 to September 3, Mondays through Fridays from 9 am-7 pm, and weekends from 10 am-7 pm, with free admission.

 

Stories of Us features works from four Chicago-based urban artists that create “street art” as well as works for galleries and exhibitions. In the exhibition, artists Rubén Aguirre, Andy Bellomo, Miguel A. Del Real, and Sam Kirk will share their own works, along with a collaborative 3-D installation piece made for the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ gallery.

 

“We’re thrilled to welcome this group of incredibly talented young artists to West Michigan,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “They are all connected by place (Chicago), their roots in graffiti art, and their passion for using art as a means of deep story telling. The four have never done a collaborative show before – we’re very excited to debut their work at the SCA!”

 

The artists’ exhibition at the SCA features work that encourages unity, and their pieces reveal stories interwoven with optimism and a better understanding of people; their culture, their identity, and their circumstances.

 

Ruben Aguirre, the Artist in Residence for summer 2017 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, transitioned from graffiti artist to abstract painter/contemporary muralist. His mural can be seen on buildings and neighborhoods in Chicago as well as Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands.

 

Andy Bellomo is a mixed media artist, using her perspective to transform acrylic, stained glass, repurposed objects, and spray paint into works of art. Bellomo’s pieces have been featured in galleries across the country.

 

Miguel A. Del Real’s art illustrates mostly black line works contrasted with colorful accents and original designs influenced by pre-Columbian and indigenous patterns, as well as calligraphy and urban art. Del Real has created large-scale public mural installations that can be recognized in Chicago neighborhoods, as well as in Brooklyn, New York and Oaxaca City, Mexico.

 

Sam Kirk creates paintings and murals using art to provoke people to feel, see or understand things differently. Recognized for her public art and solo shows in Chicago, Kirk has exhibited in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Minneapolis. Kirk is an award-winning artist, and has been commissioned by Guinness, Smirnoff, Ciroc, Rolling Stone Magazine and Proctor & Gamble.

 

Rubén, Andy, Miguel, and Sam believe art is a transformative tool, each using their art as a means of creating community. Their work encourages unity, and understanding of others’ culture, identity, and circumstances. The art featured in this exhibition serves as a platform for discussion, learning, and human connection in the Saugatuck community in the spirit of creativity and openness to all people.

 

For information on other SCA programs featuring these artists throughout the summer visit sc4a.org.

 

Stories of Us is sponsored by Bud Baty & Max Matteson, Debra Minton & Terri Osborne, Lori & Keith Hayward, Marlo & Tom Byrne/Barbara Bradley Bakagaar Foundation.