The First Friday event for the month of August at the ACWL-Nuveen Gallery will be the opening celebration of "Expressions – ‘en plein air’ 2021". This eclectic community exhibit showcases artwork by 17 West Michigan artisans ranging in age from 11 - 80. Participants were invited to submit their pieces to the show for free. The only stipulation was that the work be initiated outdoors, but it could be fine-tuned and finished indoors. This is the third year the ACWL-Nuveen has sponsored this exhibit to coincide with the ‘plein air themed’ July class offerings for youth and adults. We are so fortunate to have very talented instructors who generously share their skills with beginning and advanced students, helping individuals to find their own unique expression while confronting the challenges of working out in the elements. Not all of the individuals in this exhibit participated in our July ‘plein air’ events, some artisans just answered the community call to fill our gallery with diverse and unique expressions of our beautiful natural environment.
Ann Burroughs Christiana Franzon Kari Wilson Axel Franzon
There will be prizes awarded for this exhibit and we are counting on the public to help us out! We will be awarding a $50 ACWL-Nuveen Award, $50 People’s Choice Award, $25 gift card for the Runner-up People’s Choice Award and an award of art supplies for the Youth Division. Voting for your favorite piece in the show, of course, is best when you view the work in person, but the artwork will also be featured on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ACWL.Nuveen where the public can weigh in on their favorite ‘plein air’ expression. In-person voting will start on August 6 and continue until September 2, with the winners announced at our First Friday Event on September 3rd.
This exhibit celebrates the art of creating outdoors which can be exciting, frustrating, and also incredibly rewarding. When you work outside you face the unpredictable challenges of wind, rain, sun, heat and even bugs! But as artist Robert Jackson notes how he experiences the “heartbeat of nature”, Kathy Rogers states, “drawing and painting outside is a clear connection to the beauty around us - giving you a chance to REALLY see, feel and express yourself”.
Expressions – ‘en plein air’ – 2021 will be on display Friday, August 6 – Saturday, September 11 during our regular business hours: Tuesday – Friday 11:00am – 5:30pm and Saturday 11:00am – 3:00pm. If you have questions, please call – (231) 893-2524 or stop by 106 E. Colby St. Whitehall, MI