BOND! Learn the Art of Mosaic

BOND: 5 Mosaic Artists is an exhibition of 2D and 3D mosaic art created by five Michigan artists working with glass, stone, ceramic, and repurposed materials and found objects.

Darcel Deneau, Sue Majewski, Joan Schwartz, Michelle Sider and Ruth Tyszka share a passion for mosaic and have collaborated to bring BOND to South Haven, and to lead a community effort to inspire and encourage others to try their hand at mosaic art in the form of a mosaic bench that will sit on permanent display at the SHCA.

All five women hold many accolades for their talent and are widely exhibited, and each works in a different way, with different materials, inspired by different life experiences and themes meant to inspire those who view their art.

Sue Majewski of St. Clair Shores will lead a community workshop on Sunday, July 14 from 12:00-3:00 p.m.. The piece will consist of 181 4x4” tiles–called mandalas–decorated by participants that will be incorporated into the final design. The art center will hold additional workshops throughout the summer to complete the mandalas which will be installed in August. “My creativity is sparked by the materials that surround me and by the infinite world of imagination and wonder,” said Majewski. “To share that world of mystery and magic is my absolute sheer delight.”

Joan Schwartz will lead a workshop on August 14 & 15 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. where students will learn how to mosaic a three-dimensional garden orb using a range of materials.

For more information and to register for the Garden Orb workshop and the Mosaic Mandala Workshop call (269) 637-1041 or email info@southhavenarts.org. Workshop information can also be found at southhavenarts.org and on Facebook. Drop-ins are welcome for the Mandala Workshop.

Joan, a former pediatric nurse who lives in Huntington Woods, crafts her work to help children with life-threatening illnesses through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, StarsGuitars through Beaumont Hospital, and Doctors Without Borders. Schwarz explained that it not just about the end-product, but the process itself, to create pieces that communicate her values of life, children and well-being. “It is my mental vacation, a journey in which I get lost in an array of colors, patterns and materials,” said Schwartz. Schwartz will lead a workshop on August 14 & 15 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. where students will learn how to mosaic a three-dimensional garden orb using a range of materials.

Darcel is inspired by her native city of Detroit. “Initially, I became fascinated with creating images of the city as it took me back to spending time with my father in places like Eastern Market, Downtown, Mexicantown and the Riverfront. I soon found my affection for the city was not shared by many of my fellow metro-Detroiters; not even the press,” said Deneau. “A negative perception of Detroit was apparent and fueled my drive to validate the city's worth even more. Today, I continue to create positive images of this truly amazing city.”

Darcel collaborated with Schwartz and musician and mosaicist Ruth Tyszka on “Just Desserts”, as series of works focusing on justice and the idea that things aren't always what they appear to be. “There was this kind of double meaning to it, like you get what you deserve and kind of a sense of justice,” said Deneau.

“People’s lives are painful and messy in profound ways. It is not in spite of this, but because of it, that my recent artwork focuses on issues of society and community through imagery and color that is an antidote to struggle, need and darkness,” said Ruth Tyszka, who lives in Bloomfield Hills. “Symbols such as cake permit focus on the present moment and that they are meant to be shared. Other works use similar imagery to highlight struggle, temptation or the chaos in the world.”

Michelle Sider is an artist and teacher who works in many mediums, including glass mosaics in vivid colors that demonstrate a sense of movement. “I take my inspiration from the natural world, particularly the way in which light plays upon surfaces,” said Sider “I strive to communicate ideas, feelings and inspirational learning into my pieces.” Sider also leads community art projects and runs school and community art programs in Detroit. “In my teaching and community work, I focus upon community-building and incorporate learning into the art projects. I strive to transfer the joy I feel in creating my art to my students.”

Artwork by Ruth Tyszka

Art Center Brings Public Art to Town

Don’t be surprised if you run into the work of famous artists from all over the world while strolling around town this summer.

The South Haven Center for the Arts has partnered with the Detroit Institute of Arts to bring an outdoor exhibit called “Inside|Out” to public spaces in South Haven this June through November.

With the support of the City of South Haven and the Department of Public Works, free-standing and wall-mounted reproductions of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Pieter Bruegel and 12 other works from the DIA’s permanent collection are on view within walking and biking distance of South Haven.

Monroe Bluff, Stanley Johnson Park, SHOUT Park, Packard Park, Elkenberg Park, City Hall, Hotel Nichols, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum, the South Haven Visitors Bureau, the South Haven Community Garden, South Beach, Cogdal Vineyards, Martha’s Vineyard and the South Haven Center for the Arts are hosting the artwork.

“The South Haven Center for the Arts is grateful for the support and approval of the City Council and the Parks Commission to install the pieces,” said SHCA Executive Director Kerry Hagy. “Our hope is that by including Martha’s Vineyard and Cogdal Vineyards we can draw more people into South Haven to enjoy the work.”

The DIA has also awarded the art center a $2,000 stipend, which the SHCA plans to use for a mobile Art Cart that will be part of a new community outreach program this fall.

According to the DIA, “Inside|Out is a popular component of the DIA’s community outreach program. For the past 10 years, the museum has worked with more than 100 communities and engaged tens of thousands with art in places where they live, work and play.” DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons said, “For a decade, this program has been bringing culture and history that must be experienced in person to the communities we serve, providing an experience that cannot be found on TV or the Internet.”

“It is a pleasure to partner with the South Haven Center for the Arts to bring the DIA program to our community,” said South Haven Mayor Scott Smith. “This display of artwork provides a unique opportunity to residents and visitors to enjoy an additional cultural experience in our city. We welcome everyone to come and see the art.”

Maps are available at the art center or print one here. Call the South Haven Center for the Arts at (269) 637-1041 or email info@southhavenarts.org for more information.

Art Fair on the Horizon

This year marks the 150th year of South Haven and the 61st anniversary of the South Haven Art Fair, June 29 & 30 from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in Stanley Johnston Park.

The South Haven Art League held the first fine arts fair in 1958 at Stanley Johnston Park, then called Oakland Park. Known as the “Clothesline Exhibit”, 50 Michigan artists exhibited over 300 paintings on clotheslines and easels that year. In the last six decades, the art fair has expanded to a two-day juried event and evolved to include more than 120 artists and thousands of works of art.

“Art Fair is a wonderful part of the busy summer season in South Haven and we look forward to visitors coming out to see the work,” said South Haven Center for the Arts Executive Director Kerry Hagy. In the last 61 years the event has expanded to include local artists, as well as artists from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Florida and a handful of other states, but in 2019 the fair is moving back to its roots. “This year we are proud to present the work of over 50 Michigan artists, which constitutes over half the work in the fair.” said Hagy.

This year’s fair features unique fine and functional artwork created by more than 100 talented artists working in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pastel, drawing, sculpture, photography, metal, glass, wood, clay and jewelry made from

Artist Sheri Dion of Grand Rapids, Mich. demonstrating her unusual technique of “fire painting” at art fair in 1968.

precious and non-precious materials. The SHCA awards a $500 prize for Best in Show. The second-place winner is awarded $250 and third place receives $100.

This year’s judges are sculptor Geoffrey Novelli, and watercolorist, mixed-media painter and muralist Anne Farley-Gaines. Novelli is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and composes works in marble, limestone, cast iron, sandstone, copper, glass and rubber. Gaines grew up in South Haven and now lives and works in Chicago. She creates multi-media paintings, and large-scale murals consisting of paint, mosaic and ceramic that adorn many public spaces across the U.S.

New to the art fair this year will be a family art tent featuring arts and crafts for kids of all ages. Guests can also enjoy a variety of food, including wood-fired pizza, BBQ, Italian ice, coffee drinks, smoothies, waffles on a stick and more. The Casco Band will play traditional Independence Day music on Saturday, June 29 at 2:00 p.m.

The South Haven Trolley, sponsored by the South Haven Visitor’s Bureau, will be available throughout the weekend. The trolley runs on the half hour from the South Haven High School parking lot into town with stops in between, Saturday from 7:00 a.m.-midnight and Sunday from 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Art Fair is funded in part by local businesses and corporate sponsors, including Albemarle, Meijer, LeafFilter Gutter Protection, Outdoor Adventures, Renewal by Anderson, South Haven Visitor's Bureau, Abonmarche, BER Refrigeration, Heating & Cooling of St. Joseph, Beyer Construction, Filbrandt Family Funeral Home, Whiteford Wealth Management, Hardt Insurance and Sherman's Dairy Bar.

For more information contact the South Haven Center for the Arts at (269) 637-1041 or info@southhavenartfair.org. Visit the SHCA on Facebook for art fair updates.