By Mercedes Michalowski, Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts
Oliver Art Center (132 Coast Guard Rd., Frankfort, MI 49635) is using all available space this month to showcase the region’s (and beyond) talent.
Opening Friday, Oct. 11 is an exhibition featuring Manistee area artists Ken Cooper and Phil Joseph. Ken Cooper will be showing his dynamic abstract paintings and ceramic sculptures from his ‘Scratch and Dent’ series. Cooper lives and works in Norwalk, MI, near the county seat of Manistee, where he taught public high school art for 27 years.
Onekama artist Phil Joseph will feature his large-scale abstract and landscape paintings. In Joseph’s own words, “Whether a traditional landscape or pure abstraction, each work becomes a voyage and a struggle, as I am always searching for the essence of an image rather than imposing a preconceived aesthetic or artistic style. Risk and surprise are vital to keeping the work fresh and moving forward. A good painting reveals things unseen before, or opens a window, even a little, to new visions.”
Running now through Oct. 17 is a Pop-up Exhibition featuring African Indigo textiles. This show is accompanied by a short video that delves into the process to create such fabrics and even has a creative project for kids and adults to recreate the designs and symbols on the fabric onto denim and paper.
During Frankfort Beer Week, OAC is again featuring a Pop-up Exhibition of beer-themed artwork, titled ExhiBEERtion II. For example, some pieces are inspired by local brews, made of cans and bottle caps, and are beautifully rendered landscapes featuring beer. The exhibition will run the duration of Beer Week.
Parking at Oliver Art Center is limited. Overflow parking can be found along the east side of Second Street, which leads to Oliver Art Center, as well as on Main Street. Parking is prohibited in the adjacent lots of Harbor Lights, The United States Coast Guard Station, and at other condominiums.
The Oliver Art Center exhibit will be open to the public Mon.-Fri. 10am-4:30pm, Sat. 10am-4 pm, and Sun. 12-4pm. Please visit www.oliverartcenterfrankfort.org or contact 231-352-4151 for more information.
