Grand Rapids African american Museum

WKTV Staff

Quote of the Day

“The prize and the voting are really just mechanisms. It comes back to building a creative culture in West Michigan.”

        ~ Rick DeVos in a 2011 speech about ArtPrize

Don’t Forget to Vote!

If you haven’t made it downtown to ArtPrize, there is lots to see including the WKTV VOCIES trailer which is recording artists’ stories for the next two weekends near the corner of Lyon and Monroe. Local filmmaker and longtime volunteer Rose Hammond is showing a trailer of her upcoming documentary “Between the Trees,” about the communities of Woodland Park and Idlewild at the Grand Rapids African American Museum, which is on the short list for best venue. Also check out Kentwood resident Meochia Thompson’s “Hugs” near the city center and Nidal Kanaan’s “Blue Courage” at Flanagan’s Irish Pub, which features the Wyoming K-9 unit. Round 1 voting ends tomorrow at midnight with the Top 20 Public Vote announced on Sunday. ArtPrize runs through Oct. 7.

Keeping it Real

Self-run cars. Robots taking care of the children. It all sounds a little sci-fi, but it is quickly becoming a reality. On Wednesday, Oct. 3, Switch, Inc. Chief Information Officer Missy Young will discuss artificial intelligence in her presentation “Artificial Intelligence: Keeping the Human in Humanity,” which is part of the Grand Valley State University’s Peter F. Secchia Breakfast Lecture. The program, which is at 7:30 a.m., is at the L. William Seidman Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

The Leaves Are Changing – Yea!

Henderson Castle and Winery in Kalamazoo

Weather gurus are predicting that the leaves will change later this year with our area being in prime color around Oct. 20. With that in mind, now is the time to start planning that fall color tour. The West Michigan Tourist Association has a plethora of bed and breakfasts ideas in West Michigan that can make any weekend trip a special adventure. So it doesn’t matter if you stay in Kalamazoo’s Henderson Castle Inn and Winery or Saugatuck’s Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast, you are certain to see Michigan in full color.

Fun Fact:

1.32 Acres

That is the size of the average football field, which is 120 yards in length and 53 and half yards in width. Times the two numbers together and the total square feet is 57,600. One acre equals about 43,560 square feet, making a football field about 1.32 acres. Now that you know this little fun fact, go out and enjoy some football as many local teams will be squaring off tonight. WKTV will be at the Kelloggsville vs. Godwin Heights game, which is certain to be a good match up.

Rose Hammond with ArtPrize entry at the Grand Rapids African American Museum.

Local filmmaker and WKTV volunteer Rose Hammond is currently showing a sneak peek of her upcoming documentary “In Between the Trees” at ArtPrize 10.

The documentary focuses on the Michigan African-American communities of Idlewild and Woodland Park.

Here ArtPrize piece, also titled “In Between the Trees,” is located at the Grand Rapids African American Museum, 87 Monroe Center NW. In her ArtPrize entry, Hammond has the trailer and three canvas pieces that let the the individuals who created the communities of Idelwild and Woodland Park tell their stories. For a look at Hammond’s entry, click here.

Hammond will be presenting a discussion about her work Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. at the museum.

Hammond said she is thrilled to be showing her work at the Grand Rapids African American Museum, which was one of five venues on the ArtPrize Juried Short list for best venue. The venue features eight artists including Hammond and Heather Johnson, whose piece “But Did You Die?” made the jurors’ short list for best 2-D work.