Art Reach of Mid Michigan's art gallery is about to grow from one to four walls.
The organization has showcased regional and Michigan artists for decades in a downtown store called
Art Reach on Broadway, which has one wall as dedicated art gallery space. But in August, all that will change when the 30-year-old organization will officially expand its one-wall art gallery to the four walls of the building next door.
"It's a really exciting time for the organization," says executive director Kathy Hill. "It's exciting to see how we've blossomed."
Art Reach will celebrate its move with a grand opening ceremony, which will begin at 5 p.m. on Aug. 19. The celebration also will be a reception for artist
Rose Wunderbaum Traines, a Mount Pleasant-based artist who will be the first to have her work displayed in the new gallery. Traines, whose work is collected and exhibited worldwide, creates sculptures from scrap metal.
As part of the festivities, one of the artist's sculptures will be given away as a door prize to someone who has the winning ticket, Hill says. Hors d'oeuvres and piano music by Paul Melcher, a CMU graduate student, also will be a part of the festivities.
Typically, Art Reach rotates its exhibits each month, she says. But with the larger space, Hill says the organization likely will begin a two-month rotation.
In addition to art and sculpture, the new gallery space also will be used for the Art Reach's free monthly lunches that feature music by various artists, Hill says. The space also will be used for meetings, classes, and performances.
The added space also will be helpful around Christmas time when Art Reach on Broadway sells the work of about 300 artists from around the state, she says. The consignment store sells pottery, jewelry, ornaments, paintings, and hand-blown glass.
Art Reach provides a service to artists throughout Michigan by selling their artwork.
"But the fact that we can do something like this is a tremendous thing for our community," Hill says.
Writer: Jenny Cromie
Source: Art Reach of Mid Michigan, Kathy Hill (executive director)
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