At the intersection of art and renewable energy in Downtown Midland

Eighteen turtles are walking through Downtown Midland until the end of September. Next summer, watch out for the intersection of art and renewable energy.

The annual display -- now in its 10th year --  is part of the Downtown Midland Summer Sculpture Series, a whimsical art project that incorporates the work of local artists into an urban setting. A committee of local artists gathers each year to decide the theme for the following year and then auctions off the artwork in the fall to buyers throughout the community. Proceeds then go toward purchasing materials for the following year's project.

"What we do is a neat collaboration," says Cheryl Smith, co-chair of the sculpture series committee and Northwood University's arts director. The sculpture series in previous years has featured trolls, benches, dragons, cars, foxes, and other items.

The turtles now on display will be auctioned off at the H Hotel on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., says Smith. In the meantime, artists are already busy brainstorming ideas for next year.

On August 10, the committee and others interested in participating in next year's art project, will host a presentation called "Applications of Renewable Energy in Art," from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Griswold Lecture Hall on Northwood's campus. The presentation will include a discussion of renewable energy sources like wind, water, solar, and recycled materials. It also will include ideas on how these technologies and associated materials can be used to create unique pieces of art -- especially for next year's downtown art display.

The region's focus on solar and renewable energies prompted the idea to combine these technologies with art in a meaningful way, Smith says. "We do have a very strong arts community, but they're very interested in what's cutting edge."

The display will "educate and inspire people at a grassroots level," she says. "And what better way to plant seeds in young minds?"

For more information or to register, contact Cheryl Smith at (989) 837-4480 or casmith@northwood.edu.

Writer: Jenny Cromie
Source: Northwood University, Cheryl Smith