New Outdoor Sculpture Installed on Phoenix St.

The latest in a series of public sculpture in South Haven's historic downtown district is called "A Moment of Joy"—created by metal artist and South Haven native Lou Rodriquez. The piece is part of the South Haven Center for the Arts' Grow Your Own Sculpture program. "A Moment of Joy" was installed on Phoenix St. in front of Clementine's this spring for permanent display.

From left, South Haven Center for the Arts Executive Director Kerry Hagy, South Haven Center for the Arts Board President Paul Hix, and artist Lou Rogriquez; "A Moment of Joy"; Hummingbird's-eye view of "A Moment of Joy" at Clementine's, 500 Phoenix St., South Haven

Growing up in South Haven, Lou entered many art competitions and then began creating movie props and costumes. He took part in a local ice carving contest in 2009, and the experience sparked an interest in sculpture. A welder and steel fabricator at RCI Adventure Products in Holland, Michigan, Lou transitioned from ice to steel and fabricated his first piece, “A Dragon for Jonas,” in 2010. The piece finished in the top 25 at ArtPrize—an international public art competition held every two years in Grand Rapids, Mich. Learn more about Lou.

In the Studio With Lou

Lou transformed 400 pounds of steel into a graceful spring sight, using color-shifting paints that shift from green to purple to blue depending on the viewing angle. “It reminds me of the iridescent quality of hummingbirds in nature.”

Soon to be transformed into a colorful feast for the hummingbird

Installation

With the help of the South Haven Department of Public Works, Lou and friends installed "A Moment of Joy" in front of Clem's on a cold day, with birds chirping and a hint of spring in the air.

Paul Hix of the Edward Jones Office of Paul Hix in South Haven watching the installation. Paul and Michael Morey titled the sculpture and donated "A Moment of Joy" to the City of South Haven for permanent display.

“A Moment of Joy” is one of five sculptures that received seed funding from the South Haven Downtown Development Authority through the South Haven Center for the Arts Grow Your Own Sculpture program. Artists click here for details about Grow Your Own Sculpture Requests for Proposal.

Sculptures can be donated to the City of South Haven through a tax deductible donation that supports the artist. The art center asks anyone who is interested in donating a sculpture for permanent display to please email info@southhavenarts.org. See sculptures that are still available for donation.

The Grow Your Own Sculpture program is made possible by the South Haven Downtown Development Authority.

Donation to help the art center continue this tradition of public sculpture in South Haven.

A Moment of Joy

Thanks to financial planner Paul Hix of South Haven and Michael Morey, Lou Rodriquez’s sculpture “A Moment of Joy” is permanently installed on Phoenix St. in South Haven’s historic downtown district.

Rodriquez fabricated the giant hummingbird and flowers from steel, and used color-shifting paints that shift from green to purple to blue depending on the viewing angle. “It reminds me of the iridescent quality of hummingbirds in nature,” said Rodriquez.

Rodriquez took part in local art competitions while growing up in South Haven, and moved on to creating costumes and movie props as an adult. He participated in a local ice carving contest in 2009, and the experience sparked an interest in sculpture. A welder and steel fabricator at RCI Adventure Products in Holland, Mich., Rodriquez transitioned from ice to steel and fabricated his first piece, “A Dragon for Jonas,” in 2010, which finished in the top 25 at ArtPrize—an international public art competition held every two years in Grand Rapids, Mich. Learn more about Lou.

“A Moment of Joy” is o ne of five sculptures that received seed funding from the South Haven Downtown Development Authority. Through the South Haven Center for the Arts Grow Your Own Sculpture program, sculptures can be donated to the City of South Haven through a tax deductible donation that supports the artist. Pieces by Carolyn Robinson Fink and Kathy Kreager were donated by Hix and Morey, and Dana S. and Teresa R. Getman, respectively.

Two additional pieces are available—Mark Toncray’s “Dune Anchor” in front of Black River Tavern, and John Sauve’s “Faust” across the street from Clementine’s. Anyone who is interested can email info@southhhavenarts.org.

The South Haven Center for the Arts’ effort to add art to downtown continues. Another artist stipend for the Grow Your Own Sculpture program is currently available. Those interested in submitting a proposal can download the RFP here. For additional questions, please send an email to info@southhavenarts.org.

Image from left, South Haven Center for the Arts Executive Director Kerry Hagy, Paul Hix of the Edward Jones Office of Paul Hix in South Haven, and “Moment of Joy” sculptor Lou Rodriquez. Photo courtesy of Tom Renner.

South Haven Art Fair To Return Next Summer!

See You At the Fair In 2022

The South Haven Center for the Arts has cancelled its 2021 South Haven Juried Fine Arts Fair scheduled every year for the first weekend in July due to ongoing Covid-19 limitations and concerns. The Center’s Board of Directors and staff decided to cancel out of an abundance of caution for the South Haven community.

Please email info@southhavenarts.org with any questions you may have about the following information. If you would like to speak with us directly please leave your phone number and we will return your call. Click to download and print the press release.

The fair typically takes months to plan and involves artists from more than twenty states, hundreds of volunteer and staff hours, and thousands of visitors. With the uncertainty of what will be both legally allowed and medically advisable in July, the constraints to planning our event for this summer are too many.

The South Haven Center for the Arts shares the concern and heartache of the artists that continue to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting event cancellations. We would like to encourage our members and community to patronize artists as much as possible this summer and the coming year.

Although the South Haven Art Fair, July 3–4, 2021, has been cancelled, the South Haven Center for the Arts will continue to fulfill our mission to enrich our community through the arts. Please visit our website to learn about exhibition and public arts opportunities for artists, as well as workshops and exhibitions as we move into the summer months.

We look forward to the South Haven Art Fair next year on July 2nd and 3rd, 2022, and hope to open the artist application process in November of 2021.

Here are few images of artwork juried into the 2020 fair. Please visit the South Haven Art Fair blog post on our website for a complete list of those artists with images of their artwork and links to their websites. Support artists by purchasing their work!

Artwork from top left by RC Fulwiler, Derek Christensen, Debra Bet, Crocifissa Grillo, Mark Wagar, Simon and Elizbeth Tarasiewicz, Jan Sadowski, Cara Van Leuven, Judith Brook, and Kyle Huntoon