The Health Forum of West Michigan event hosted by Grand Valley State University last week included panelists, from left, Andrew Brisbo, executive director of the new Marijuana Regulatory Agency for the State of Michigan; Dr. Mandeep Bath, addiction psychiatrist for Pine Rest; Scott Rifenberg, deputy chief, Grand Rapids Police Department; and John Titley, partner and corporate attorney for Varnum LLP. (GVSU/Kendra Stanley-Mills)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
A panel of experts on the medical and legal aspects of existing medical, and pending recreational, marijuana use discussed a multitude of issues at Health Forum of West Michigan event hosted by Grand Valley State University last week.
While the event was focused on the implications of legalized marijuana for the health care industry, a wide range of information was presented and topics discussed, including how police will deal with suspected driving under the influence of marijuana, the current medical-community research on the short- and long-term effects of marijuana use, and ongoing state regulatory actions in preparation for the pending legalization of recreational marijuana.
Adult-use retail sales of marijuana is set to start by the end of the first quarter 2020, and while many local cities and townships have opted-out of having legal marijuana sales within their jurisdiction — including both Kentwood and Wyoming — the state is busy establishing rules and regulations associated with its sales and use.
At the forum, Andrew Brisbo, executive director of the new Marijuana Regulatory Agency for the State of Michigan, discussed the state’s new recreational marijuana commercial licensing and regulatory program, including that there will be a 10 percent excise tax collected on sales to fund state and local regulation and enforcement costs, that there is an initial $6,000 application fee and that the actual license fee will range from 3,000-$50,000, and that there will be specific rules for consumption at temporary events and “designated consumption establishments.”
The Nov. 1 free-to-the-pubic event was part of a planned series of health-care related forms hosted by the university’s Office of the Vice Provost for Health in the DeVos Center, on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
The Health Forum of West Michigan event hosted by Grand Valley State University last week included panelists, from left, Andrew Brisbo, executive director of the new Marijuana Regulatory Agency for the State of Michigan; Dr. Mandeep Bath, addiction psychiatrist for Pine Rest; Scott Rifenberg, deputy chief, Grand Rapids Police Department; and John Titley, partner and corporate attorney for Varnum LLP. (GVSU/Kendra Stanley-Mills)
Other panelists included Dr. Mandeep Bath, addiction psychiatrist for Pine Rest; Scott Rifenberg, deputy chief, Grand Rapids Police Department; and John Titley, partner and corporate attorney for Varnum LLP.
Bath detailed known and in-study health issues involving marijuana use, and included in his details were:
Approximately 2.6 percent to 5 percent of the global population (119-221 million individuals) use cannabis, with the rate of cannabis use in high-income countries almost twice the rate in low-income countries. A 2013 survey reported 7 percent of 8th graders, 18 percent of 10th graders, 22.7 percent of 12th graders used marijuana in past month up from 5.8 percent, 13.8 percent and 19.4 percent survey results from 2008.
Medical studies suggest 8.9 percent of cannabis users would become dependent on cannabis at some point in their lives.
While most of Dr. Bath’s discussion contained dry if sobering information, one bit of medical data drew a humorous reaction:
“During intoxication, user’s sociability and sensitivity to certain stimuli like colors is heightened, perception of time is altered, and appetite to sweet and fatty foods is stimulated,” he said, reading from a powerpoint script, before adding impromptu, “… the munchies.”
The event was moderated by Susan DeVuyst-Miller is associate professor of pharmacy practice at Ferris State University and clinical pharmacist for Cherry Health Services.
The next Health Forum of West Michigan will be “New Discoveries in Genetics” on Friday, Dec. 6, with guest Caleb Bupp, M.D., a medical geneticist with Spectrum Health.
GVSU’s DeVos Center us located at 401 Fulton St. W.. For more information on planned health forums, visit gvsu.edu/vphealth .
A Harvard University scholar and narrative historian, who presents accounts from a time in American history and gives context to today, will give the lecture for the Grand Valley State University Fall Arts Celebration.
Jill Lepore, described as the preeminent narrative historian of her generation, will deliver her talk, “American History from Beginning to End,” November 5 at 6 p.m. at the Eberhard Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. A 5 p.m. public reception will precede the lecture.
Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her most recent book is “This America: The Case for the Nation.”
She asserts that the United States is an experiment founded on three “truths”: political equality, natural rights and the sovereignty of the people. Nora Salas, assistant professor of history, said Lepore compels audiences to question if America’s mission has succeeded or failed in the past and what the resulting effect on the present day has been.
“Lepore’s work speaks to the significance of history for the health of our democracy and political institutions,” Salas said. “We hope the audience will gain an appreciation for the complexity of American history. As Lepore writes, “A good history should raise questions.”
All Fall Arts Celebration events are free and open to the public. For more information visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.
The beauty of nature and how water, especially, inspired artists of the Romantic Era is at the heart of the dance performance featured in Grand Valley State University’s Fall Arts Celebration.
“Water: A Vision in Dance” is a multimedia experience that will evoke the power of water through musical selections and the choreography of BODYART, a New Orleans-based dance theater company. The performance is Monday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Haas Center for Performing Arts, Louis Armstrong Theatre.
The musical part of the performance features Bedřich Smetana’s “The Moldau” and Debussy’s “La Mer,” both of which are inspired by significant bodies of water.
“When Smetana wrote his monumental tone poem, ‘Má Vlast,’ which was the story of his native land, the principal movement was the ‘Moldau’ because that mighty river gave life and sustenance to his friends, family and compatriots,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. “Debussy’s ‘La Mer’ is a brilliant evocation of the power and mystery of the oceans.”
BODYART will unite dance, video and the music of the Grand Valley orchestra to bring these pieces to life, said Carrie Brueck Morris, associate professor of dance.
“This timely focus on water explores its aesthetic qualities and our local water landscape as the dance weaves together live performance with video projection that constantly evolves with the action on stage,” Morris said.
All Fall Arts Celebration events are free and open to the public.
Grand Valley State University’s 17th annual Fall Arts Celebration features dance that combines movement and technology; art that challenges perceptions; music that captures the power and mystery of the sea; and more — this year’s events at Grand Valley State University are set to bring out ‘all the feels’.
Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes, an installation by Elina Chauvet
When: Nov. 1, 2019-Feb. 28, 2020
Where: Kirkhof Center Gallery, Allendale Campus
Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes is an itinerant installation originally organized in 2009 by artist and architect Elina Chauvet in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Comprising 33 pairs of red shoes donated by the women of Ciudad Juárez — each pair representing a woman who had disappeared in that community — the piece is designed to draw attention to the fact that women were being killed without any consequences.
A bit of back story on the artist’s use of red shoes as the focus of her work: Chauvet researched the disappearances extensively; in the course of her fact-finding, she discovered that many of the women who vanished had worked in shoe stores, had been buying shoes at the time they disappeared, or were looking for a job in a shoe shop.
Chauvet had also used shoes as a metaphor in the past to express her concern for the missing and dead women.
In 2017, Zulema Moret, Grand Valley professor of modern languages, arranged for Chauvet to direct an installation of Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes in Grand Rapids. This exhibition documents many of the community groups that participated in painting the shoes, as well as the installation at the Richard M. DeVos Center courtyard on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
The Fall Arts Celebration shines a spotlight on some of the world’s preeminent artists, poets, musicians, dancers, and scholars. Each fall for the past 17 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. For more information, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.
More art
Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago
When: Through Nov. 1, 2019
Where: Art Gallery, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Working with Chicago-based artists, gallery owners and collectors, Grand Valley has acquired a collection of contemporary art over the last 15 years.
Curated from Grand Valley’s collection and enhanced with additional loans from Chicago, Art of Today comprises more than 40 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media works — bold and minimalistic works exploring simplicity in design, society’s relationship to the environment, as well as the intersection of pop culture and art by artists Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, David Nash and Takahashi Murakami.
The challenging imagery of other artists — such as Tony Fitzpatrick, Jane Hammond, Erika Rothenberg and Kara Walker — examines the meaning of identity, race, culture and sexuality.
Lecture
Jill Lepore: American History from Beginning to End
When: Nov. 5, 2019; public reception at 5pm and lecture at 6pm
Where: L.V. Eberhard Center, second floor, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Jill Lepore (Courtesy GVSU)
What do you see when you look at 500 years instead of the last five minutes? Jill Lepore, the leading narrative historian of her generation, offers a different perspective on history. Lepore asserts that the United States is an experiment founded on three ‘truths’: political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. Her thesis will challenge your imagination to put yourself in a place in history to help give context to the present.
Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. One of her latest books is These Truths: A History of the United States (2018), on TheNew York Times Best Seller list. Her most recent book, This America: The Case for the Nation, was published in May 2019.
GVSU Art Gallery
For more information about Grand Valley State University art exhibits, call 616.331.2563 or visit gvsu.edu/artgallery.
Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy
When: Exhibition dates are ongoing
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends
Where: George and Barbara Gordon Gallery, DeVos Center, Bldg. E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Often referred to as the ‘dean of Michigan painters’, the German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) worked in a traditional representational style, incorporating the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in his paintings. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over his more-than-40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals, all infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.
Wandering Seeds: Experiencing and Engaging Haiti Through Study Abroad
When: Through Dec. 13, 2019
Where: Blue Wall Gallery, DeVos Center, Bldg. B, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
In 2018, a dozen GVSU students and three faculty members traveled to Haiti as part of a study-abroad program, led by Peter Wampler, associate professor of geology. Designed to provide an opportunity to experience Haitian culture and gain an understanding of daily life in rural Haiti, students from various backgrounds participated in a variety of service-learning and community-based teaching experiences, allowing them to contribute their energy toward real-world problems in Haiti.
Included in this exhibition are narratives and reflections by both faculty members and students who participated in the trip. Additionally, a number of photographs document their encounters, and a variety of original Haitian works of art attest to the vibrant and diverse artistic culture in the country.
Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling: Works of Art from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints
When: Through Dec. 13, 2019
Where: Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall, Allendale Campus
Courtesy GVSU
At the turn of the century, an explosion in print media occurred in Paris, one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Now-familiar artists — Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, and others — made names for themselves producing items such as posters, journal illustrations, theater programs and advertisements.
Drawn from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints in the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet, Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling provides a view into the visual culture of late 19th-century France.
In 2019, 14 GVSU students conducted research for this exhibition for the course Modern Art and Modernity. Each student focused on one work of art for in-depth study, produced original research, and presented findings to classmates and now to a wider audience.
José Guadalupe Posada: Calavera Prints from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet
When: Nov. 1, 2019-Feb. 28, 2020
Where: Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Courtesy GVSU
José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) — a printmaker and engraver who illustrated historic scenes, board games and commercial items, religious images, various books and newspapers — is most famous for his use of calaveras (depictions of skulls and skeletons) to satirize and mock the corruption of the wealthy and political elite.
He created La Calavera Catrina, his most iconic image, in 1910 at the start of the Mexican Revolution. The image shows a grinning skeleton wearing a women’s feathered hat, pointing out that death comes to everyone, even those in the upper class.
This exhibition includes 20 reproductions of his prints, from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet. The works were purchased in 2002 from the family of Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, who printed them using the original plates and press.
Performances from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance
For more information about performances from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, visit gvsu.edu/mtd.
Faculty recital — Sookkyung Cho, assistant professor of piano, artist performer
When: Nov. 4, 2019, 7:30pm
Where: Sherman Van Solkema Hall, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Pianist Sookkyung Cho uses a thoughtful expressionist style in her performances. A founding member of the New York-based Almava Trio, Cho has appeared at venues that include Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Château de Fontainebleau in France.
Additional recital by Sookkyung Cho
When: Nov. 23, 2019, 4-5pm
Where: Sherman Van Solkema Hall, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
The performance will include a variety of piano solo and ensemble music.
ReACT! presents: Difficult Dialogues
When: Nov. 17, 2019, 8-10pm
Where: Kirkhof Center, Room 2263, Allendale Campus
Grand Valley’s anti-violence peer theater troupe will use low-risk, interactive performance and discussion methods to help participants prepare to better engage someone on difficult dialogues about sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Bard to Go: Tossing on the Ocean public performance
When: Nov. 2, 2019, 1-3pm
Where: Keller Black Box Theatre, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
A 50-minute program introducing audience members to Shakespeare, Bard to Go takes the audience on a sea-faring journey with Prospero, a powerful magician, and his assistant Ariel, a magical spirit with strange powers. When Prospero and Ariel conjure a storm to shipwreck Prospero’s enemies, their magic spills over from their own play, The Tempest, and causes havoc for many of Shakespeare’s characters. This production includes scenes from The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Pericles, The Comedy of Errors and The Merchant of Venice.
Grand Valley Writers Series
The Grand Valley Writers Series brings in distinguished and emerging writers to read from their work, visit classes, and interact with students. For more information, visit here.
Craft talk and reading with Stephen Mack Jones
Stephen Mack Jones (Courtesy GVSU)
When: Nov. 5, 2019; Craft talk 1-2pm, Reading and book signing 6-7:30pm
Where: Kirkhof Center Room 2270, Allendale Campus
The first adult fiction novel by Stephen Mack Jones, August Snow, has received wide acclaim, including the 2018 Nero Award from the Nero Wolfe Society; it was also named a 2018 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. Jones has received the Hammett Prize for literary excellence in the field of crime writing from the International Association of Crime Writers.
A poet, award-winning playwright and winner of the Kresge Arts in Detroit Literary Fellowship, Jones lives in the metro Detroit area.
The growth rate of the West Michigan industrial economy improved again for September, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of September.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) edged up to +6, from +3. The production index moved down to +6, from +9. The index of purchases dropped to -6 from +2 and the employment index rose to +8 from +1.
Long said after three months of pessimism, there is a note of encouragement in September’s local index of employment.
“Numerous headlines proclaimed the national unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent in September, a 50-year low,” he said. “However, the UAW strike and the apparent softening auto market has brought Michigan’s August (latest month available) unemployment rate up to 4.2 percent from 3.9 percent in August 2018.”
Long said cities where General Motors plants are located are feeling most of the heat from the UAW strike, but a few local firms who sell to GM could begin to see layoffs if the strike continues into November.
Looking ahead, Long said despite economic trouble spots all over the world, he doesn’t see an obvious event that would trigger a recession; an exception is the U.S. trade war with China.
“Although the industrial markets are squirming because of falling exports and tariff-related price increases, the current signs still point more toward stagnation rather than a recession,” he said. “A sudden announcement that the U.S. and China have reached a long-term trade deal could spark a new round of growth, but the Chinese government may be holding out until after the 2020 election for a better deal.”
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
From the left, candidate Ron Draayer, Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan, moderator Kathey Batey, and candidate Bill Benoit. (WKTV)
Meet the Candidates
With Michael Brown’s decision not to seek another term as a 2nd Ward commissioner for the City of Kentwood, two candidates are vying to serve the city in that seat. Both candidates Bill Benoit and Ron Draayer were at the September candidate forum hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, where they shared their ideas and discussed why they were the best fit to serve in the 2nd Ward seat. WKTV will re-broadcast the debate on Wednesday, Sept, 25, at 9 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 26, at noon along with several times in October before the Nov. 5 general election. For air dates and times, visit the WKTV Schedule.
Getting the Scoop
Who knew that studying wombat scat could be so rewarding? GVSU alumna Alynn Martin, along with the research team she was with, received the Ig Nobel Prize for studying the question why is wombat scat square. “It’s not going to change anybody’s life but it’s a great little piece of information that we didn’t know before,” said Martin, who earned a master’s degree in biology at Grand Valley State University. No, but it is certainly a fun fact which is why the group won the award. So why is the wombat’s scat square? It appears to form that way in the digestive system.
Time to Take the Leaves Out
The colors are a changin’ which means we can forecast a lot of raking for many area residents. With that in mind, the City of Kentwood announced it would be opening its brush and leaf drop-off sites at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, located at 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The sites will run concurrently from Saturday, Oct. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 7, with open hours from noon to 8 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The City of Wyoming operates a year-round yard waste site next to its Public Works Facility, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. Hours are 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday through Dec. 7. Residents should bring ID when dropping off.
(Geosciences, Utrecht University)
It Once Was Lost, But Now Is Found
So some of the people visiting or skiing in the Alps may not have been on the European continent at all, but rather Greater Adria. Researchers announced this week that they have found the eighth continent, which is stuck under Southern Europe. Most of the original continent was under water but much of its rocks were scrapped off when it was forced under Europe with the rocks helping to form mountain ranges in the Alps, Apennines, the Balkans, Greece and Turkey. Source: CNN
A familiar Grand Rapids artist; a famous Mexican printmaker and engraver who lived and worked during Mexico’s social and political upheaval; and a beloved Michigan artist all have works that are being featured in Grand Valley State University galleries.
For more information about Grand Valley State University art exhibits, call 616-331-2563 or visit gvsu.edu/artgallery.
The work of José Guadalupe is featured through Oct. 25. (Supplied)
“José Guadalupe Posada: Calavera Prints from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet”
Kirkhof Center Gallery, Allendale Campus
Exhibition Dates: Through Oct. 25
José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was a printmaker and engraver, who lived and worked in a period of Mexican history characterized by social and political upheaval. In 1888, he moved to Mexico City, where he quickly established himself and created some of his most important work. Posada illustrated historic scenes, board games and commercial items, religious images, various books and newspapers. He is most famous for his use of calaveras (depictions of skulls and skeletons) to satirize and mock the corruption of the wealthy and political elite. “La Calavera Catrina,” his most iconic image, was created in 1910 at the start of the Mexican Revolution. The image shows a grinning skeleton wearing a women’s feathered hat, pointing out that death comes to everyone, even those in the upper class. This exhibition includes 20 reproductions of his prints, from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet. The prints were purchased in 2002 from the family of Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, who printed them using the original plates and press.
“Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy”
Exhibition Dates: Ongoing
George and Barbara Gordon Gallery
DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Gordon Gallery hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends
The German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.
“Watering Seeds: Experiencing and Engaging Haiti Through Study Abroad” will run through Dec. 13 at Blue Wall Gallery. (Supplied)
“Wandering Seeds: Experiencing and Engaging Haiti Through Study Abroad”
Blue Wall Gallery
DeVos Center, Building B, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Exhibition Dates: Through Dec. 13
In 2018, a dozen GVSU students and three faculty members traveled to Haiti as part of a study abroad program. The course, led by Peter Wampler, associate professor of geology, was designed to provide students from various backgrounds the opportunity to experience Haitian culture and gain an understanding of daily life in rural Haiti. In addition, students participated in a variety of service-learning and community-based teaching experiences, allowing them to contribute their energy toward real-world problems in Haiti. Included in this exhibition are narratives and reflections by both the faculty and students who participated in the trip. Additionally, a number of photographs document their encounters, and a variety of original Haitian works of art attest to the vibrant and diverse artistic culture in the country.
A French printed fan is part of the “Carnivals, Cognac, and Cycling: Works of Art from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints.” (Supplied)
“Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling: Works of Art from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints”
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall, Allendale Campus
Exhibition Dates: Through Dec. 13
During the period spanning the turn of the century, Paris, one of the most vibrant cities in the world, experienced an explosion in print media. Now-familiar artists, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, and others, made names for themselves producing items such as posters, journal illustrations, theater programs and advertisements. Drawn from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints in the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet, “Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling” provides a view into the visual culture of late 19th century France. In 2019, 14 GVSU students conducted research for this exhibition for the course Modern Art and Modernity. Each student focused on one work of art for in-depth study, produced original research and presented findings to classmates and now to a wider audience.
“Pearl Walk” Make W. Wilkins is part of the exhibit featuring Wilkins work. The exhibit runs through Oct. 25. (Supplied)
Mark W. Wilkens, 1955-2017
“A Life in Paint”
West Wall Gallery, Eberhard Center
Exhibition Dates: Through Oct. 25
Born in America’s heartland, Mark Wilkens’ passion for nature and the environment blossomed in the sun-drenched countryside of the Iowan farmlands. Wilkens traveled often after his schooling in Iowa, Arizona and South Dakota, using the opportunity to visit museums and learn about different cultures. In 1990, after a number of years painting independently and working in graphics and illustration, Wilkens moved to Michigan, which would serve as his creative home for nearly 27 years before his death on March 17, 2017. This exhibition includes 25 works of art from the last three decades of his career, including a variety of watercolors and oils. It honors a passionate artist, whose commitment to paint was evident throughout his life.
GVSU DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL AND MEDIA ARTS FACULTY EXHIBITION
“Endless Possibilities”
Exhibition dates: Through Oct. 27
NOMAD Gallery by Richard App
74 Monroe Center St. NW, Grand Rapids
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays
This unified show will showcase the media in which faculty members work. The exhibition will showcase works across animation, ceramics, digital art, film, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, video art and more. Special performances, artist talks and workshops will also be offered in conjunction with the exhibition. Visit gvsu.edu/vma for more information.
The Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival is the oldest and largest festival celebrating the Bard’s life and works in Michigan. Now in its 26th season, the festival has attracted thousands of people of all ages to the campuses of Grand Valley State University and to West Michigan to enjoy the legacy of Shakespeare. For more information about the Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival, visit gvsu.edu/shakes
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Sept. 27, 28 and Oct. 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 and 6 at 2 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Tickets: $16 for general admission; $7 for students; $14 for seniors and faculty, staff and alumni. For tickets and more information, contact the Louis Armstrong Theatre box office at (616) 331-2300.
Last year, the GVSU Sharkespeare Festival presented “King Lear.” (Supplied)
Shakespeare’s most magical comedy transports us to a moonlit forest where four young lovers flee to escape the cruel law of Athens that would make a daughter choose between marrying the wrong man or being put to death. In the chaos of the night, the lovers find themselves at the mercy of fairies whose dreamlike power operates just below the level of conscious thought, weaving spells around the lovers and making sport with a troupe of bumbling, would-be actors who come to the woods to rehearse their wedding play about star-crossed lovers. The production will be directed by Roger Ellis, professor of theater at Grand Valley.
Other Performances from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance
For more information about performances from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, visit gvsu.edu/mtd.
GVSU OPERA THEATRE
“Mother Goose” (a ballet) and “The Naughty Boy” (an opera)
Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 5 at 2 p.m.
Peter Martin Wege Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet Company, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
Tickets: Grand Rapids Ballet ticket office at 454-4771, ext. 10
This family-friendly pairing of the stories from “Mother Goose” and “The Naughty Boy” (who wouldn’t do his homework) comes from French composer Maurice Ravel. GVSU students and the Junior Company of the Grand Rapids Ballet School will bring this piece to life.
Margarita Denenburg
MUSIC
Guest artist piano recital: Margarita Denenburg
Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Sherman Van Solkema Hall, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Margarita Denenburg is widely recognized for her teaching effectiveness. She is associate professor of keyboard studies at Heidelberg University and has written a number of articles about teaching music; she also has presented at several conferences on the same topic.
GVSU Symphony Orchestra side-by-side concert
Oct. 24 at 8 p.m.
Grandville High School, 4700 Canal Ave. SW, Grandville
Admission: Free and open to the public
The GVSU Symphony Orchestra will combine with the Grandville High School Orchestra for a joint concert.
20th/21st Century Piano Festival
Oct. 26, all day
Sherman Van Solkema Hall, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Admission: Free and open to the public
This celebration of 20th/21st-century piano music will include student recitals throughout the day. The performances include the premier of a commissioned piece by composer Sun-Young Park, who will also be in residence.
THEATER
ReACT! presents: “My Costume is Not My Consent”
Oct. 30, 8-10 p.m.
Kirkhof Center, Room 0072, Allendale Campus
Grand Valley’s anti-violence theater troupe will use peer theater education methods to work with audience members on how to develop safety strategies for Halloween celebrations. The performance will include discussion and dialogue on how the GVSU community can help prevent sexual assault.
“Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago” runs through Nov. 1. (Supplied)
From dance that combines movement and technology to music that captures the power and mystery of the sea, the 17th annual Fall Arts Celebration events at Grand Valley State University are set to bring out “all the feels.”
Each year, Fall Arts Celebration shines a spotlight on some of the world’s foremost poets, musicians, dancers, artists and scholars. For the past 17 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events every fall that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. Below are the four of the signature events that are scheduled for September and October. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.
ART
“Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago”
Through Nov. 1
Art Gallery
Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Working with Chicago-based artists, gallery owners and collectors, Grand Valley has developed a collection of contemporary art over the last 15 years.
Drawn from Grand Valley’s collection and enhanced with additional loans from Chicago, Art of Today brings together more than 40 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media. This curation includes both bold and minimalistic works exploring simplicity in design, society’s relationship to the environment, and the intersection of pop culture and art by artists Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, David Nash and Takahashi Murakami.
Other artists, such as Tony Fitzpatrick, Jane Hammond, Erika Rothenberg and Kara Walker, provide challenging imagery that examines the meaning of identity, race, culture and sexuality.
MUSIC
Water on the Mind: A Baroque Musical Journey
Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus
Water has transfixed the imagination and creative artistry of the human race since the earliest days on earth. To the ancient Greeks, water defined life and was seen as the essential element in the creation of civilization. At the dawn of the Baroque Era, as classical teachings spread across Europe, Baroque composers were as equally inspired as the ancients by the power and mystery of the sea.
See that inspiration come to life through works such as the “Storm Scene” from Marin Marais’s opera, Alcyone, which convincingly delivers the terror and dread from a powerful ocean tempest, and Georg Philipp Telemann’s hauntingly beautiful and imaginative orchestral suite, Hamburger Ebb und Fluth. This piece musically depicts the rise and fall of the ocean while invoking the story of Neptune and his son, Triton.
Rounding out the performance is Handel’s Water Music, composed in 1717 for a barge party given by George I on the River Thames, and Antonio Vivaldi’s fiery violin concerto, La Tempesta di mare (The Sea Storm). Famed Baroque violin virtuoso, Ingrid Matthews, one of the most-recorded baroque violinists of her generation and solo violinist with Toronto Tafelmusik Ensemble, will perform the dazzling composition that concludes the concert.
Poets Ellen Bas and Kevin Young are featured on Oct. 3. (Supplied)
POETRY
An Evening with Ellen Bass and Kevin Young
Oct. 3 with poetry readings at 6 p.m.
L.V. Eberhard Center, second floor, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Acclaimed poets Ellen Bass and Ellen Young will read their works. Bass is a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. Her most recent book, “Like a Beggar” (Copper Canyon Press, 2014), was a finalist for several notable literary awards. Previous books include “The Human Line” and “Mules of Love,” which won The Lambda Literary Award. She co-edited (with Florence Howe) the first major anthology of women’s poetry, “No More Masks!” (Doubleday, 1973).
Young is the director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and is poetry editor at The New Yorker. His newest book of poetry is “Brown” (2018). Also an essayist and curator, Young’s “Ardency: A Chronicle of the Amistad Rebels” was the winner of an American Book Award. His work “Jelly Roll: A Blues” (2003) was a finalist for the National Book Award and Los Angeles Times Book Prize and winner of the Paterson Poetry Prize.
The dance program “Water: A Vision in Dance” is Oct. 28. (Supplied)
DANCE
Water: A Vision in Dance
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
In this performance, Bedřich Smetana’s “The Moldau” traces the path of this mighty river from its origins deep in the Bohemian Highlands to its final journey bringing life and sustenance to the Czech people. Debussy’s “La Mer” presents a musically evocative, suggestive image of the sea in all of its beauty. Bringing these works to life in a brilliant new choreographic vision is BODYART, a New Orleans–based dance theater company founded and directed by Leslie Scott. Focusing on the intersection of movement and technology, Scott and the artists of BODYART will unite dance, video, and the music of Smetana and Debussy performed by a full orchestra in an absorbing multimedia experience.
A Grand Valley alumna was part of a research team that helped unlock at least some of the long-held mystery about the droppings of the wombat: Why are they shaped like cubes?
It turns out the Australian marsupial actually forms the unusual shape in its digestive system, a discovery that led to the research team, including alumna Alynn Martin, ’14, being recognized with an Ig Nobel Prize.
The annual awards are presented each September at Harvard University to honor “achievements that make people laugh and then think,” according to the organizers’ website.
Other winners this year studied how much saliva a 5-year-old produces and whether pizza consumption protects against illness (apparently only if it’s made in Italy). The stated goal of the awards is to honor the unusual and imaginative in scientific discovery, and Martin embraced that spirit.
“It’s not going to change anybody’s life but it’s a great little piece of information that we didn’t know before,” said Martin, who earned a master’s degree in biology at Grand Valley.
Martin’s part in the wombat waste discovery came during her time working on a doctorate in ecology at the University of Tasmania in Australia. She was working with researcher Scott Carver on wombats and disease when they examined a wombat cadaver. That’s when they discovered the cubic waste in the intestine.
The team sent cadavers to colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology for further analysis, such as the dimensions and elasticity of the intestine. All of the researchers were part of the award.
Aside from this interesting discovery about wombats, Martin has developed an affinity for the creatures that survive on grasses and roots (a dry diet that she said may also play a role in their waste formation).
First of all, they’re inarguably cute. Martin described them as burrowing marsupials with pouches specially configured to protect their young from the kicked-up dirt from digging. She also noted that wombats seem to play an unwarranted second fiddle to their fellow Australian marsupial and close relation, the koala.
She was fascinated by these animals whom she described as charismatic and surprisingly regimented. “Working in the field, you could see they were creatures of habit. It’s incredible that for wild animals that can go anywhere and do anything they pretty much stick to a routine,” she said.
A Grand Valley alumna was part of a research team that helped unlock at least some of the long-held mystery about the droppings of the wombat: Why are they shaped like cubes? (Supplied)
Since receiving her doctorate, Martin has gone on to work in Montana with the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the impacts of disease on wild big horn sheep.
Studying disease in wild animals is Martin’s life passion and part of what brought her to Grand Valley, where she studied under Amy Russell, associate professor of biology. Martin, who researched tricolored bats while at Grand Valley, credits Russell with providing the foundation for understanding population genetics as well as research training that is useful every day.
Russell said Martin, her first graduate student, is smart and passionate.
“I remember her being tremendously curious and just always wanting to be out in nature and to learn new things,” Russell said.
Wombats are burrowing marsupials with pouches specially configured to protect their young from the kicked-up dirt from digging. (Supplied)
After last month’s dip, the pace of the West Michigan industrial economy returned to a very modest growth rate, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of August.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) recovered to +3, up from -13. The production index bounced up to +9, from -15. The index of purchases flipped back to +2 from -6 and the employment index edged to +1 from -1.
Long called the trade war with China a two-edged sword. “The news media has highlighted the impact on farmers, which has resulted in falling prices for corn, soybeans, pork and other agricultural exports,” he said. “Many West Michigan industrial firms have come to rely on a wide range of industrial commodities subject to new tariffs that are driving up prices.”
Long said initially, many Chinese exporters were willing to accept lower prices in orders to retain the business relationship. “Both buyers and sellers believed the governments of both countries would soon reach an agreement, but that was 18 months ago, and now the rhetoric has turned pessimistic,” he said.
The world economy continues to slow, and the U.S. will eventually be drawn into the slowdown, Long said.
“The world political situation is a mess. The impending U.K. ‘hard’ Brexit could destabilize both the British and the European economies. Italy, France and Germany are dealing with populist uprisings. And, the U.S. is starting to focus on a major election that is still 14 months away, ignoring other problems,” he said.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
The art event for the 2019 Fall Arts Celebration is showcasing contemporary pieces, many of which originate from Grand Valley’s carefully developed collection of art in that genre.
“Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago” features more than 40 pieces, from paintings to photographs to sculptures, that offer compelling imagery examining the issues of the day.
A public reception is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Art Gallery in the Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus. The exhibition runs through November 1.
All Fall Arts events are free and open to the public as a way to thank the community for its support of the university.
The exhibition also pays tribute to the important role that Chicago plays in the contemporary art world and Grand Valley’s alliance with the city’s art experts. Grand Valley art experts for the past 15 years have assembled a contemporary art collection by working closely with Chicago-based artists, gallery owners and collectors. This exhibition draws from Grand Valley’s collection and is augmented by loans from Chicago.
“Contemporary art takes courage and challenges us,” said Nathan Kemler, interim director of Grand Valley’s Galleries and Collections. “This exhibition provides perspectives on today’s society and allows our community to explore complex global themes that widen our awareness and build empathy about the human condition.”
Visitors can expect to see both bold and minimalistic work that explore and examine contemporary issues.
While leaders of nonprofit organizations know that their board members can have a significant impact on the work an organization does, few resources exist to help leaders build their own abilities to work with board members and select board members who can effectively foster success.
The Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University is working to help the nonprofit sector develop more diverse and inclusive boardrooms while ensuring effective board experiences that will help organizations thrive.
The Johnson Center is launching a new initiative, The Ecosystem for Nonprofit Leadership, in partnership with Ferris State University and other area nonprofit organizations. Co-chaired by Tamela Spicer, program manager at the Johnson Center, and Carlos Sanchez, director of the Latino Business and Economic Development Center at FSU, the initiative seeks to prepare community members for board service and develop greater nonprofit capacity to support effective boards.
“We know that nonprofits are vital to healthy communities and are instrumental in the success of local governments and businesses,” said Spicer. “However, governing boards can be the deciding factor in the success or struggles of a nonprofit organization despite competent leadership and staffing. We want to ensure that community members are equipped for board service and can easily connect to organizations that will foster that service.”
The initiative is driven by leaders from local organizations and aims to develop a curriculum that can be integrated into existing leadership programs, making board service training more accessible to the community.
The program is being supported by leaders from many area organizations, including Mercy Health, Kids’ Food Basket, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Urban League, Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Amway and more.
Grand Valley State University’s recently completed renovations and expansion of the Jamie Hosford Football Center. (Supplies GVSU/ Rex Larson)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Grand Valley State University’s head football coach Matt Mitchell called the recently renovations and expansion of the Jamie Hosford Football Center “a big home win” — and considering the Lakers’ NCAA Division 2 all-time home record is 171–38–1, Mitchell, his players and local fans know a home win when they see one.
More than 400 people — including ex-GVSU and current Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly — celebrated the dedication of improvements football center on June 19, improvements which, according to supplied material, “will help recruit prospective student athletes while providing the university’s current 575 student athletes access to an updated athletic and rehabilitation training room.”
“We talk a lot about doing things at a championship level,” Mitchell said in supplied material. “Our student athletes are champions on and off the field. They deserve the best facilities to support their hard work. Jamie’s spirit will live in this building. He had an infectious energy.”
The facility is named for Laker football alumnus Jamie Hosford, who died in 2014 after a battle with cancer, but in his GVSU career earned 12 varsity letters and All-American honors in football and wrestling. He was inducted into the GVSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. After graduating in 1977, Hosford worked for Rockford Public Schools for 25 years.
Renovations to the two-story, 22,000-square-foot building include an expanded locker room, larger athletic training/rehabilitation room, all-team meeting room, and spaces for equipment maintenance, storage and laundry.
Keri Becker, GVSU director of athletics, said the facility honors the tradition of past football champions while setting the atmosphere for more achievements.
“It will serve as a daily challenge to coaches and student athletes on how to live like a champion,” she said. “Relationships will be cultivated inside this building. This facility will help make the players a team and a family.”
The donor-funded expansion campaign was led by honorary chairs President Emeritus Arend D. Lubbers and Kelly, who coached the Lakers from 1991-2003.
“This facility supports students athletes,” Kelly said. “Grand Valley has always been about finding the best resources for students, and student athletes.”
Gloria Hosford, Jamie’s wife, said her family was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for this project. “Words cannot express how proud we are and what an honor this is for Jamie,” she said. “Laker pride is definitely deep, deep, deep in our family.”
GVSU, with the winningest NCAA Division II football program, finished the 2018 season with a 10-2 record and an appearance in the playoffs for the 19th time in program history.
Carillonneurs from around the world will come to the Allendale and Grand Rapids campuses of Grand Valley State University this summer for the annual concert series that this year marks 25 years of performances at the Cook Carillon Tower.
All concerts are free – including free nearby parking — and open to the public. The concerts last approximately one hour and take place rain or shine.
The Cook Carillon International Concert Series on the Allendale Campus features a reunion recital along with the concert lineup. The performances will take place at 8 p.m. Sundays beginning June 23.
Cook Carillon Concerts
June 23 – Reunion recital
June 30 – Open tower tours
July 7 – Bernard Winsemius, (The Netherlands)
July 14 – Gijsbert Kok, (The Netherlands)
July 21 – Tim Sleep, (Naperville, Illinois)
July 28 – Laura Ellis (University of Florida)
Aug. 4 – Sue Bergren (Naperville, Illinois)
Aug. 11 – Lisa Lonie (Philadelphia)
Aug. 18 – Julianne Vanden Wyngaard (GVSU carillonneur)
The Cook Carillon Tower is named for major donors and longtime Grand Valley supporters Peter and Pat Cook, who died in 2010 and 2008 respectively. The tower’s 48 bells were cast in 1994 in the Netherlands. The bells for the Beckering Family Carillon, named for the Beckering family of Pioneer Construction, were cast in 2000 in France.
On the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, the 19th annual Beckering Family Carillon International Concert Series will present five concerts at the Lacks International Plaza located at the DeVos Center. The performances are at noon Wednesdays beginning July 3.
GVSU’s Beckering Carillon (Photo by Amanda Pitts)
Beckering Family Carillon Concerts
July 3 – Helen Hofmeister (Grand Rapids)
July 10 – Bernard Winsemius (The Netherlands)
July 17 – Gijsbert Kok (The Netherlands)
July 24 – Tim Sleep (Naperville, Illinois)
July 31 – Alex Johnson (Rochester, New York)
For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/mtd, or call Grand Valley’s Music and Dance Department at (616) 331-3484.
The West Michigan economy is chugging along like it has been for the past 10 years, but evidence is mounting that the pace may be slowing, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of April.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) remained positive but backtracked to +13 from +17. The production index rose to +11 from +5, and the index of purchases also increased to +16 from +4. The employment index slid from +15 to a 27-month low of +4.
“Although one month can never be construed as a trend, it was disappointing to see our local employment index take such a deep slide,” said Long. “Unemployment is always an economic laggard, resulting in most of our West Michigan counties continuing to post very good unemployment numbers.”
Long said although there are some significant signs that growth is slowing, there is still no sign that the economy is about to slide into a recession.
“We know the world economy is slowing and that will ultimately have at least some impact on our domestic economy,” said Long. “Various industries are starting to grow ‘bubbles’ which we hope will not all break at once.”
The ongoing trade dispute with China could generate a significant slowdown or even a recession if the war drags on, Long said. Most major capital projects are planned and executed over a long-term cycle, such as five years. He said these projects tend to have long and productive supply chains which stimulate growth. He also said some of the benefits of the 2017 tax legislation could be felt for years to come, making the U.S. the cheapest place in the world to do business.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
West Michigan’s recovery from the Great Recession began 10 years ago this month and it continues at the same slow pace since 2009, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of March.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) remained virtually unchanged at +17, up from +16. The production index retreated to +5 from +16. The index of purchases waned to +4 from +16, and the employment index declined slightly to +15 from +17.
Business confidence rebounded in February after posting near-record lows in January, Long said, but March saw that optimism fade.
“Short-term confidence for March slipped for a number of reasons — no resolution to the Chinese trade war, Brexit, the softening world economy and retreating monthly auto sales,” said Long.
The long-term business outlook (perception for the next three-to-five years), remained steady at +28, up marginally from February’s +27.
Long added that auto sales are continuing to fall as predicted, but West Michigan auto parts producers are not feeling pinched. “Just as it has been for many months, the decline in auto sales has been very orderly, so far,” he said.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
While 2019 got off to a slow start in January, February’s report for the West Michigan economy shows a return to a pattern of slow growth that has been reported for nearly 10 years, according to Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of February.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) bounced back to +16 from -4. In a similar move, the production index rose to +16 from +4. The index of purchases also bounced to +16 from +3, and the employment index rose to +17 from +14.
Long said several business leaders continue to voice concerns over the still unresolved tariff war with China, and others are cautious about the potential decline in auto sales.
“Although several of our local auto parts producers remain modestly pessimistic about the prospects for 2019, we have yet to see any significant weakening in our local firms,” said Long. “Overall, the mood remains watchfully optimistic.”
Long said business confidence rebounded in February, after posting some near-record lows in January.
He said despite the weakness in last month’s survey, the employment index continues to remain double-digit positive.
“Employers are still complaining that they cannot find enough qualified workers,” he said.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
Yup, it’s time to change your clocks this weekend.
Spring is right around the corner. Really, it is, and the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department points to its Spring Activities Calendar as proof. Check out all the fun things you can do here.
The best things in life are free
The Grand Rapids Public Museum offers free admission March 10.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum offers fun, hands-on learning opportunities for all ages through a variety of core and traveling exhibits. Visitor favorites include the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, an immersive exhibit that transports visitors back to 19th century of downtown Grand Rapids, and West Michigan Habitats, that showcases the vast wildlife found in West Michigan. More info here.
Live and let live
That’s it, in a nutshell.
Domestic violence abuse attorney Kinza Khan
A presentation on Monday, March 11 at Grand Valley State University will explore the importance of encouraging young people to grow in their interfaith understanding in order to become positive religious leaders of the 21st century. Kinza Khan, a domestic violence attorney, will be the featured speaker during the 2019 Rabbi Phillip Sigal Memorial Lecture. More info here.
Fun fact:
85%
The percentage reduction in the number of children named ‘Katrina’ after Hurricane Katrina.
ATO members get ready for last year’s walk. (Supplied)
Spring break is supposed to be a time to left off a little steam and head to warmer weather. But members of one local fraternity will be heading the opposite direction, to Traverse City, with the sole purpose of walking 160 miles back to GVSU’s Allendale campus.
For the past seven years, Grand Valley State University’s Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity Kappa Lambda Chapter has hosted the Walk Hard event, where 20 of its fraternity members walk 160 miles from Traverse City to Allendale during their spring break — this year March 1 – 8 — to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. The kick off event happens to night at 9 p.m. at the GVSU Allendale campus.
“When I was rushing [an opportunity for interested persons to talk to potential fraternities or sororities], the walk was something that they told me about. I was like ‘what, you do this?’ It made me want to be part of Alpha Tau Omega even more. In fact, there were guys rushing for this fraternity just because they wanted to be part of the walk.”
The walk itself is not easy, with the students facing challenging weather conditions. Arrangements are made for the students to stay at local churches along the trail. The route they take is open road from Traverse City to about Cadillac where the group connects to the White Pine Trail, which brings them to about 16 miles away from GVSU. From that point, the students will follow open road again. There is a team of about five to six students who serve as support to those walking.
Happy trails: About 20 members participate in the Walk Hard which has been taking place for the past seven years. (Supplied)
Through a challenge campaign with other GVSU clubs and organizations and the walk itself, Alpha Tau Omega has raised more than $230,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The group is on track to raise about $24,000 this year.
“When I first did this, I was not really ready for the mental aspect of just keep going,” said Bertoia who marks his third walk this year. After walking for an extended period of time, many of the walkers begin to feel mild signs of Multiple Sclerosis such as fatigue, poor balance, and muscle cramps.
“After eight days, our bodies are broken down, tired and in pain,” Bertoia said. “I can’t imagine the strength it takes to live with this disease.”
Bertoia said the support of the churches and communities they visit helps encourage the group to continue along with knowing they are creating awareness about Multiple Sclerosis, which affects the central nervous system such as the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, more than 2.3 million people have Multiple Sclerosis.
“The walk was started seven years ago by a couple of (fraternity) brothers because they had been impacted by MS,” Bertoia said, adding that many of the past and current fraternity members have a personal connection to MS, making Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity Kappa Lambda Chapter united toward one this single cause.
The walk will physically take its toll with many of the participants feeling mild signs of Multiple Sclerosis such as fatigue, poor balance, and muscle cramps. (Supplied)
“Yeah, so there is going to Panama City or doing something like that but in the end, I too have a spring break as well,” Bertoia said. “For me, it’s like having a big sleepover with some of my closet friends because we watch movies and hangout and talk.
“And in the end, we’ve come together over a unique experience that allows to understand what someone is going through.”
Two Grand Valley State University writing faculty members will discuss the inner workings of their creativity and craft during the annual Grand Valley Writers Series.
Chris Haven, associate professor of writing, and Gale Thompson, visiting professor, will present a faculty reading on Tuesday Feb. 5, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room, located on the Allendale Campus.
Haven teaches courses in intermediate and advanced fiction, beginning creative writing, style and techniques, and composition among other topics. His short fiction and flash fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in Threepenny Review, New Orleans Review, Arts & Letters, Massachusetts Review, Electric Literature, and Kenyon Review Online. His poems can be read in Cincinnati Review, Pleiades, Mid-American Review, and Beloit Poetry Journal, and prose poems from his Terrible Emmanuel series have appeared in Denver Quarterly, Sycamore Review, North America Review, and Seneca Review. He has been teaching writing at Grand Valley since 2002.
GVSU Associate Professor of Writing Chris Haven also will present on Feb. 5. (Supplied)
Thompson is the author of Soldier On (2015) and two chapbooks. Throughout her career, Thompson has received fellowships from the Vermont Studio Center and Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Her work has appeared in or is scheduled to appear in Gulf Coast, American Poetry Review, Guernica, jubilat, Bennington Review, and Colorado Review. She is also the founding editor of Jellyfish Magazine.
The Grand Valley Writers Series will offer two additional events this winter season:
Poetry Craft Talk and Reading with Janine Joseph and Oliver Baez Bendorf Thursday, March 14 Craft talk: 6:15-7:15 p.m., DeVos Center, room 121E, Pew Grand Rapids Campus Reading: 7:30-8:30 p.m., University Club, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Nonfiction Craft Talk and Reading with Sarah Einstein Monday, April 8 Craft talk: 3-4:15 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 2270, Allendale Campus Reading: 6-7:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room, Allendale Campus
For more information, contact Todd Kaneko, series coordinator, at kanekot@gvsu.edu, or visit gvsu.edu/writing.
Sisters Ruth and Eileen Sherwood leave behind their ordinary lives in a rural Ohio town in pursuit of fulfilling their dreams in New York City.
Filled with swinging show tunes, Grand Valley State University students will showcase how “Wonderful Town” captures the thrill of two sisters trying to change their lives.
GVSU Opera Theatre will present “Wonderful Town” Feb. 8, 9, 15, and 16, at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 10 and 17 at 2 p.m. All shows will take place in Louis Armstrong Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus.
Ruth is an aspiring writer played by Mikayla Berghorst, a junior majoring in vocal performance. Berghorst said her favorite aspect of adopting the character of Ruth has been portraying a different kind of personality than she is used to on stage.
“My favorite part about playing Ruth is being able to portray an older, strong-minded, sarcastic character because I have often played younger, weaker characters,” said Berghorst. “The most challenging part has been stepping out of my comfort zone on stage. Ruth is a wacky character, and I often find myself mentally and emotionally exhausted after rehearsals.”
Elise Endres, a freshman majoring in music, will portray Eileen in “Wonderful Town” — a dancer who wants to pursue a life on stage. Endres said her approach to the character is one of balance.
“Eileen is a very sweet people-person, but also a bit of a ditsy flirt and that element of this character has been fun to bring to the table and stage,” said Endres. “Having said that, the most challenging part of this character is really making her ditsy nature come to life while not making it too unbelievable!”
Dale Schriemer, GVSU Opera Theatre artistic director said “Wonderful Town” was an easy choice to bring to the Grand Valley stage. “It’s such a fun show and written by the genius team of Leonard Bernstein (music) and Comden and Green (book and lyrics),” he said. “It’s a delightful comedy with sing-along music, comic situations that are inventive and clever, and the whole cast gets to do a lot of different things.” “Wonderful Town” will be directed by alumnus, Christopher Carter, ’09.
Tickets for “Wonderful Town” are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and Grand Valley faculty and staff, $7 for students, and $10 for groups of 10 or more. They are available at the Louis Theatre Armstrong Box Office, located in the Haas Center, or via startickets.com. For more information, contact the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office at (616) 331-2300 or visit gvsu.edu/theater.
Philanthropic giving in the United States is a massive sector of the economy, topping $400 billion, and countless community and national organizations are benefitting from a surge in public interest.
Experts at the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University expect to see the entire ecosystem of philanthropy — nonprofits, foundations, donors and volunteers — rally to support the cause of civil society and cross-sector collaboration in 2019.
However, the challenges the nonprofit sector faces in 2019 are significant, and Johnson Center experts said that addressing those challenges will require data-driven strategies and a willingness to experiment, evaluate and adjust over time.
With these challenges in mind, the thought leaders and experts at the Johnson Center have examined changes in the field and identified 11 trends in philanthropy they expect to see impacting philanthropy in 2019.
The trends cover a range of topics, from significant growth in nonprofit media to a downturn in religiosity, to ongoing uncertainty about the impact of 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the nonprofit sector.
1. The Boundaries are Blurring Between Philanthropy and Business – Michael Moody, Ph.D., Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
For as long as we have used “sectors” to define society, we’ve been particularly fixated on the boundaries between those sectors. But today, those boundaries – especially the once bright lines between business and philanthropy – are blurring at an accelerating rate. This trend is leading to great innovation, but its potential pitfalls are real, as well.
2. As Religiosity Changes, Donor Engagement Needs to Adapt — Tamela Spicer, M.A., program manager
Religious organizations have taken in a significant share of America’s philanthropic dollars for generations. But as Americans become less religious, and the traditional vehicles for giving evolve, nonprofits’ understanding of how faith and spirituality impact giving needs to expand.
3. For Nonprofits, the Tax Landscape is Far From Settled — Kyle Caldwell, president and CEO, Council of Michigan Foundations, and Donna Murray-Brown, president and CEO, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Member
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) included a number of provisions that affect the way nonprofits identify and calculate their tax liabilities. Many nonprofits are still working to understand, explain and account for these changes ahead of the 2018 filing deadline. However, the TCJA’s true impact — and even whether the tax code will continue in its current form through 2019 — remains to be seen.
4. Nonprofit Media is Experiencing a Growth Spurt — So is Philanthropy’s Response – Tory Martin, M.A., director of communications and engagement
Journalism is turning to a nonprofit model in the hopes of offsetting falling ad revenue and shoring up faith in a free press. And in a moment of near-daily attacks on the media, more and more foundations and donors are exploring what it means to support independent journalism and media literacy.
5. More Tools – and More Calls – to Align Foundation Culture with Mission and Values – Teri Behrens, Ph.D., executive director
Power dynamics in philanthropy are nothing new, but the sector’s increased focus on racial equity, environmental sustainability, and other social justice-related issues are pushing more organizations to take a look in the mirror. Foundation leaders are increasingly paying attention to the foundation as an organization, with a culture that supports or interferes with the ability to achieve their mission.
6. Nonprofits are Playing a Vital Role in Civic Engagement – Tory Martin, M.A., director of communications and engagement
Anecdotally, America seems to be experiencing a great surge in civic engagement. Countless nonprofits are benefitting from increased awareness, donations and public passion — but what really seems to be changing for nonprofits is their own awareness of the role they play in sustaining a healthy democracy.
7. Concrete Strategies are Emerging for Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Principles – Juan Olivarez, Ph.D., Distinguished Scholar in Residence for diversity, equity, and inclusion
As professional organizations and agents of cultural change, nonprofits have been concerned with advancing social justice for decades. But as a sector, we have often struggled to find the right levers and tactics for living out our DEI values. Fortunately, the sector’s increased focus in this space is producing more practical strategies for organizations and communities alike.
8. Powering Communities While Protecting Individuals – Erica Czaja, Ph.D., director of the Johnson Center’s Community Research Institute
Communities working toward equitable change are increasingly turning to data to help them understand and solve their biggest challenges. Detailed data, broken down by characteristics like race and gender, are critical to uncovering stark inequities that might otherwise be hidden by total population averages. But this trend is simultaneously prompting serious questions about the entities that handle data and the security measures they take to protect individuals’ information.
9. The Wealth Gap is Becoming a Giving Gap – Michael Moody, Ph.D., Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
Giving in the U.S. has long correlated with the up and down pattern of the nation’s economy. But what about an economy in which the most glaring “trend” is not an overall rise or fall, but a growing gap between those at the top and bottom? As wealth and income become increasingly unequal in this country, it appears that patterns in giving may follow this dramatic bifurcation.
10. As Donors and As Causes, Women are Taking the Lead in Philanthropy – Kate Pew Wolters, trustee, Grand Valley State University; co-chair, Johnson Center Leadership Council
Women have dominated philanthropy’s professional ranks for decades, and today, the number of women who are taking on roles as institutional leaders and major donors is on the rise. Yet the international spotlight currently falling on women and girls’ causes should be understood more as a blossoming of what’s been happening for generations, than as a wholly new trend.
11. Foundations are No Longer Wedded to the Long Game – Teri Behrens, Ph.D., executive director
Patience has been a defining aspect of institutionalized philanthropy for decades; permanent endowments meant foundations could afford to invest in change over the long term. Since 2010, however, there has been a significant shift toward creating foundations that have a defined endpoint. Donors’ reasons for creating these limited-life foundations vary widely.
For more information on the 11 trends, see the full report or visit johnsoncenter.org.
Sunset, Lake Michigan was one of seven Alten paintings recently gifted to Grand Valley by Anita Gilleo. (GVSU)
Grand Valley State University has several art exhibits opening this month. Below is a list of the university’s galleries and upcoming exhibitions.
“Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy”
Exhibition dates: ongoing
George and Barbara Gordon Gallery
DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Gordon Gallery hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends
The German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection in the world of Alten’s work.
“Multitudinaria marcha por la ley de agua 14 julio 2018” in “Water: Human Right or Commodity?” exhibition. (GVSU)
“Water: Human Right or Commodity?”
Blue Wall Gallery, DeVos Center, Building B
Exhibition on display Jan. 7-June 21
This exhibition explores human rights in a world of increasingly limited natural resources; specifically, access to clean water. A result of the research and collaborations arranged by two Grand Valley State University social work faculty members, Paola León and Steven Smith, this exhibition includes images and descriptions of the challenges faced in El Salvador and Flint, Michigan. Organized into themes dealing with civic engagement, infrastructure, ownership/legislation, public health and scarcity/contamination, these materials provide local, national and international context to water rights. The El Salvador portion of the exhibition, focusing on the lack of running water in homes, social activism and contamination by the mining industry, was organized by León. Smith organized the Flint portion of the exhibition, documenting the ongoing issues and continuing recovery of the City of Flint’s tainted water supply.
“Fallout” is part of the VMA Sabbatical Showcase opening Jan. 14.
VMA Sabbatical Showcase
Art Gallery, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts
Exhibition on display Jan. 14-March 29
This sabbatical showcase will feature works by Grand Valley faculty members Brett Colley, Dellas Henke, Hoon Lee and Anthony Thompson.
Students using a specimen to aid in anatomy and physiology courses in “Plastination – The Art of Preservation,” opening Jan. 14
“Plastination — The Art of Preservation”
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall, Allendale Campus
Exhibition on display Jan. 14-June 21
Plastination is the process of infusing animal, human or plant tissues with a variety of plastic or silicone products to render the tissues odor-free, dry and permanently preserved for educational and instructional purposes. The process was invented by Gunther von Hagens in 1977 at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and became popular through his many “Body Worlds” exhibitions around the world. Beginning in 2007, members of Grand Valley State University began studying plastination and investigating the opportunity to create a lab at the university. That became a reality in 2013, and since then, more than 300 specimens have been plastinated for use in a variety of teaching roles. This exhibition tells the story of plastination at Grand Valley and walks viewers through the process and uses of plastinates. It brings together more than 20 animal specimens from the lab – currently the only plastination lab in Michigan.
For more information about Grand Valley State University art exhibits, call (616) 331-2563 or visit gvsu.edu/artgallery.
Grand Valley State University’s Beckering Family Carillon will fill the air above Grand Rapids with the sounds of the season during a special holiday concert.
The concert will take place on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, from 9:30-10:15 p.m. on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, and will be performed by Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carillonneur. The concert will be free and all Grand Valley parking lots will be open to the public.
The Beckering Family Carillon Tower was dedicated in fall 2000 with the support of the Beckering family of Pioneer Construction. The 151-foot bell tower completes the look of a European village square on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus and contains 48 bronze bells cast at the Paccard Bell Foundry in France. The largest bell, called the “bourdon,” weighs 4,500 pounds; the smallest weighs 25 pounds.
For more information, contact the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department at 616-331-3484. Please note that Grand Valley State University will be closed from Dec. 24-Jan. 1.
For the West Michigan industrial economy, September was strong, October was stronger and November was the best month of the year, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of November.
Brian Long, photo from gvsu.edu
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) edged higher to +38, from +36. The production index edged up to +33, from +30. The index of purchases rose to +36, from +32, and the employment index came in at +25, up slightly from +24.
Long said November’s bad news from the automotive sector came from General Motors; the company plans to close three plants associated with small car production and lay off 14,000 workers, presumably to get ahead of the predicted slump in auto sales for 2019.
“Although auto sales continue to soften, our West Michigan auto parts suppliers continue to report positive business conditions and remain cautiously optimistic about the first half of 2019,” he said.
The 2017 tax incentives may have run their course for at least some of the capital equipment firms, Long said, and business conditions remain strong for most industrial distributors.
He added that the office furniture industry is profitable at the current level, but the expansion for this phase of the business cycle for office furniture is apparently over. “The ‘sugar high’ for office furniture sales brought on by the 2017 tax reform package has now run its course,” said Long.
Looking forward, Long said unless trade talks with China break down, there is no apparent problem in the short term that will upset the economy for the first half of 2019.
Other report highlights:
* Some firms are seeing falling prices for some key commodities. However, the tariffs are still being used as an excuse to raise prices.
* Year-over-year unemployment rates are still running about a full percentage point below a year ago.
* Hiring and retaining new workers continues to be a big problem for some firms, but with the current hesitancy in the economy, this problem may be receding.
* The European economy continues to slow. Not collapse, just slow. The Italian fiscal budget problem is not yet resolved, and could cause trouble for the other eurozone countries.
* Mike Dunlap survey of the office furniture firms clearly depicts an industry that is topping out.
* Our two largest trading partners are Canada and Mexico. The Mexican PMI dipped to 49.7 in November, down from 50.7. However, the Canadian PMI upticked to 54.9 in November from September’s 53.9.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
The 2016 election of Donald Trump, Kavanaugh hearings, and 2018 midterm elections have stirred up deep emotions about what kind of nation America is and should be. Conservative and progressive debates over the meaning of these events have opened old wounds and created new injuries in our body politic.
Gleaves Whitney, director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, will address the divide in the country, and explain why failure to resolve our most difficult challenges is not an option.
“Fortunately, America has usually had enough people of goodwill who want to work with others over the divide of their differences,” Whitney said. “A major aim of the Hauenstein Center is to tap this civic energy by enlightening, encouraging, and empowering Americans to seek common ground for the common good.”
Gleaves Whitney: Common Ground?
Wednesday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m.
Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center
401 Fulton St. W., Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Free and open to the public, but an RSVP is requested at gvsu.edu/hc
Whitney will lead a searching exploration of how we can do better — and be better — as a people.
Robert Shaw’s “The Many Moods of Christmas” meshes together pieces of 18 of the most traditional carols combined with music from famous composers such as Handel, Bizet and Bach.
Renowned choral conductor Craig Jessop will lead the Grand Valley State University Arts Chorale and local high school students as they perform the piece during a special Fall Arts Celebration concert.
“Celebrating Holiday Splendor: Craig Jessop Conducts ‘The Many Moods of Christmas’” will take place Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m., at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids (24 Fountain Street NE). The concert is free and open to the public.
Jessop, professor of music and founding dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University, is the former director of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He led the ensemble as a featured conductor during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
“Craig Jessop is a true American treasure, and he is without doubt one of the foremost expert choral conductors and choral interpreters in the world today,” said Danny Phipps, chair of Grand Valley’s Music, Theatre, and Dance Department. “I am very excited that our students will have an opportunity to work with this legendary conductor because those who remain in the fields of choral performance or choral education will never forget working with him, nor will audiences forget that they heard the ‘Many Moods’ conducted by one of the most accomplished and celebrated Choral conductors in America today.”
For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.
More than 20 students from Grand Valley State University’s Visual and Media Arts Department will showcase works that represent the culmination of their collegiate educational experiences.
Valerie Wojo, a senior majoring in photography, said the senior photography exhibition, “Resonate,” places a strong emphasis on community.
“As an all-female team, we have found empowerment in our common goal of representing a community that resonates within us,” said Valerie Wojo, a senior majoring in photography. “While that community varies from one series to another, we each have a personal connection to our subject matter.”
For the exhibit, Wojo chose to represent the Flint community, specifically those who have been impacted by the Flint water crisis.
A piece from “Resonate” by Valerie Wojo
“While photographing my thesis series this semester, I have met so many new people who shared their personal stories of suffering with me, and it was both eye-opening and extremely frustrating to learn that these people have been neglected for so long,” said Wojo. “However, each individual inspired me to channel that frustration into my work and strive for change, so being able to use my gift to do that has been rewarding.”
Jacob Mol, a senior majoring in graphic design, will be showcasing his designs for an emergency survival kit e-commerce product line called “72 Critical Hours” in the senior graphic design exhibit, “Command + N.” Mol designed the branding, packaging, print and digital components for the product line.
He said his work for this exhibit reflects the skills he has acquired at Grand Valley.
“Not only did I learn to be a designer, but I learned to be an artist, a critical thinker, a problem solver and self-motivator,” said Mol. “To be able to think beyond just the design to how it might be perceived, interacted with and what impact it might make on others has been a valuable experience.”
Mol said the name of the exhibit is representative of the keyboard shortcut graphic designers can use on Apple computers to create a new project.
“In a way, this represents us in this show,” said Mol. “Everything we are doing is new work, it’s a new exhibit and we are becoming new designers in the design community.”
Below is a full list of upcoming senior thesis exhibitions:
Command + N
Senior graphic design exhibition
Exhibition dates: November 26-30
Reception: November 29, from 5-8 p.m.
Padnos Student Visual and Media Arts Gallery, Calder Arts Center, Allendale Campus
Students: Jessica Allen, Christina Elsholz, Stephanie Freeman, Kristine Hynes, Jacob Mol, Sydney Schurig, Shelby Verstrate
Resonate
Senior photography exhibition
Exhibition dates: November 27-December 8
Reception: November 29, from 5-7 p.m.
GVSU Art Gallery, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts
Grand Valley State University’s Art Gallery has launched a new online digital library that provides a comprehensive database of the life and works of late artist Mathias J. Alten. The university currently owns the largest single public collection of Alten’s work, which includes more than 150 pieces of art.
The Mathias J. Alten Online Digital Library allows users to seamlessly browse through Alten’s life and work on computers and mobile devices. Nathan Kemler, assistant director of Galleries and Collections, said this system answers the question of how to best engage Grand Valley students and the global community in Alten’s legacy in a modern technological age.
“The Mathias J. Alten Online Digital Library provides our students and faculty with an ever-growing and changing wealth of both primary and secondary visual research materials to support academic learning,” said Kemler. “This collection of paintings, archival materials, scholarship, timeline entries and oral histories is presented fully integrated together thus encouraging learning connections across both time and space.”
The GVSU’s Mathias Alten collection is now available through a digital library.
The digital library, which can be accessed on the Art Gallery’s website, includes eight new paintings recently added to Grand Valley’s Alten collection. Seven paintings, including rare depictions of the Lake Michigan shoreline, were gifted by Anita Gilleo, one of Alten’s granddaughters.
One of Alten’s paintings created during trip to Spain in 1912 was gifted by George and Barbara Gordon, local collectors who have added to Grand Valley’s Alten collection annually since 1998.
Gilleo also presented to the university the Alten Catalog Raisonné — a comprehensive, annotated listing of all the known works by Alten written by local art historian James Straub— and created the Anita M. Gilleo Endowment Fund to support the maintenance of the catalog in perpetuity.
“This is a very significant gift to Grand Valley because it holds all known paintings of Alten worldwide, which is over 2,200, and it is the undisputed authority of the artist’s body of work,” said Kemler. “This gift gives our community the ability to browse the artist’s work at a scale and depth that is incredibly unique compared to most artists.”
Alten’s legacy will spread beyond Grand Valley when the “Mathias J. Alten: An American Artist at the Turn of the Century” exhibit travels to museums and galleries around the State of Michigan in 2021 during the 150th anniversary of Alten’s birth.
The Art Gallery staff is currently developing the traveling exhibit, which will include more than 40 works of art and other objects that provide context for Alten’s artistic legacy, such as pictures, personal items, oral histories and letters.
A native of Germany, Alten immigrated to Grand Rapids as a teenager. Often referred to as the “Dean of Michigan Painters,” Alten spent his 40-year career painting in Europe and across the U.S., but always returned to Grand Rapids, his professional base of operations and home, until his death in 1938.
It is estimated that the United States loses about 600 World War II veterans and 300 Vietnam veterans per day. And as these veterans pass, lost are their stories of some of the most historic challenges the United States has faced. In 2006, the GVSU Veterans History Project began recording veterans’ personal stories. The program not only preserves those histories but serves as a reminder of what many veterans did for our country. Director James Smither visited WKTV to talk about some of the unforgettable stories in honor of Veteran’s Day.
Smither estimated he has completed more than 1,000 interviews since 2007. One that still stands out in his mind today is Francisco Vega, a WWII veteran from San Antonio, Texas. His military career almost didn’t happen because the government didn’t want to recruit him as he was Mexican. On D-Day, Vega was on Omaha Beach in the advanced headquarters for Eisenhower. Vega had many stories to share including dangling off the Eiffel Tower to get a picture.
Michael Woods, a New Orleans native, had an argument with his principal and left school to join the Marines. However, Woods lied about his age and got caught, but his mother later signed for him to join. Without a high school diploma or a college degree, he had a long-standing career in the military that allowed him to travel the world.
Smither believes capturing stores like the two above is just one small way of acknowledging the service that many men and women provided to their country. Additionally, many of these stories provide insights that the world may not have ever known about. It’s just one way to get in touch with our country’s history.
The economic pace for West Michigan was strong in September, but October was even stronger, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of October.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) rose confidently to +36, from +28. The production index edged up to +30, from +29. The index of purchases rose to +29, from +21, and the employment index came in at +24, down from +29.
Long said auto sales numbers continue to surprise many economists. “After all the talk about auto sales softening, the October sales report from Automotive News posted a minor gain of 0.4 percent,” Long said. “The seasonally adjusted sales rate (SAAR) rose to 17.59 million vehicles from 17.44 in September.”
Long said year-over-year unemployment rates continue to fall; Kent County is at 2.6 percent, Ottawa County is at 2.5 percent and Kalamazoo County is at 3.0 percent.
The current economy is about as good as it gets, Long said. “Hiring and retaining new workers continues to be a big problem for some firms, so we can’t expect much more expansion.”
Long said there has been an interesting twist on the tariffs. “Because of some Chinese firms experiencing declining business, they have been willing to cut prices enough to cover the cost of the tariffs,” he said.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
Grand Valley State University students will adhere to the “Law of the Jungle” when they perform a play that’s a newer take on the beloved Disney classic film “The Jungle Book.”
Theatre at Grand Valley presents “The Jungle Book”
November 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, at 7:30 p.m.
November 11, 18, at 2 p.m.
Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Tickets: $15 for adults; $13 for GVSU faculty and staff and all seniors; $7 for all students; $10 for groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets or for more information, contact the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office at (616) 331-2300. NOTE: Younger children are welcome to attend performances of “Jungle Book,” however this production is darker in themes and content than the Disney musical version.
In “Jungle Book,” the “Law of the Jungle” rules Mowgli’s adventures while growing up with a wolf pack, but when his identity is challenged after realizing he’s human, his quest to master the laws becomes more complicated and dangerous. Tensions mount when Mowgli becomes entangled with Shere Khan, the most feared animal, and Mowgli’s choices affect life in the jungle forever.
While the character of Mowgli has historically been be a boy, this iteration of the story will see Mowgli as a female protagonist, played by Leanne Hoag, a sophomore majoring in hospitality and tourism management.
“Mowgli is such a fun role because I get to incorporate childlike acting techniques that I normally don’t get to delve into while also showing this beautiful arc of character development where Mowgli finds her true self,” said Hoag.
Hoag said that audiences will experience another key diversion from the Disney film — the absence of songs.
“This version is more about survival in the jungle and the power hierarchy that results between predator and prey,” said Hoag.
In addition to changing Mowgli’s gender, Hoag said acting in the Keller Black Box Theatre, in which actors and the stage are surrounded by the audience, has also been a fun challenge.
“Instead of performing to one side of an audience, we have to think about three, so in this way we have to tailor our staging and actions differently so that everyone in the audience can see the show,” said Hoag. “As an audience member, being in the black box is such an immersive experience, and being stuck in the middle of the Jungle watching the struggle between predator and prey is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.”
Playing the role of Mowgli has been a surreal experience for Hoag since “Jungle Book” was one of her favorite movies throughout her childhood.
“I remember I used to ask my grandma to watch it when I was over at her house,” said Hoag. “It is honestly surreal to be playing a character that I am so familiar with, but it is also so different from the Disney version that I am able to take a few essential elements from that movie and spin it to fit this version of Mowgli.”
For more information about “Jungle Book,” visit gvsu.edu/theater or contact Allison Metz, director, at metza@gvsu.edu.
The groundbreaking of the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health on Grand Valley State University’s Health Camps in downtown Grand Rapids.
More than 300 people attended a groundbreaking ceremony October 23 for the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health on Grand Valley State University’s expanding Health Campus in downtown Grand Rapids.
The new center, under construction at 333 Michigan St. on the Medical Mile, will be the third and flagship building on the Health Campus, joining the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences and Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall.
President Thomas J. Haas thanked donors and elected officials for their “continuing transformative support” of Grand Valley and its students. Haas said the naming of the building for Dan and Pamella DeVos reflects the genuine care and concern they have for the community and its future.
Rendering for Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health
“We will generate a great return on your investment by continuing to provide top talent for our region and our state,” Haas said. “I’m often told by employers across the state that our health sciences graduates are exceptional caregivers.”
The DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health will include 15 classrooms and 14 interactive laboratories, and help accommodate expanding programs in growing fields at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who earned an MBA from Grand Valley in 2000, said the university is a significant talent pipeline for the state.
“Talent is the new currency of economic development and Grand Valley is playing an important and pivotal role in developing that pipeline,” Calley said. “Education is everything — education is freedom and connection to all the things that are important in life, and right in the middle of it is Grand Valley State University.”
Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who earned an MBA from Grand Valley in 2000
The new five-story, 160,000-square-foot center will allow Grand Valley to significantly expand and update its simulation center and space available for collaborative work.
Dan DeVos said the groundbreaking ceremony was also a celebration of his late parents, Rich and Helen DeVos, who had an early vision for the Medical Mile and matched the generosity of their son and daughter-in-law as leadership donors for the building.
“I’ve heard my dad and others say, ‘What would West Michigan be like without Grand Valley?’ It is hard to imagine,” DeVos said. “Grand Valley faculty, staff members and students will give the building life and students will use it to change lives.”
Maria Cimitile, GVSU provost, said the new health building will advance health education with the newest technology. “It will double our simulation space, giving us more room for interprofessional collaboration,” Cimitile said.
The Kirkhof College of Nursing will be housed in the center, bringing faculty and students together in collaborative spaces to accommodate interactive learning.
Nursing student Doug Chambers said Grand Valley’s professionalism and caring faculty drew him from the east side of the state. “I learned how important it is to choose a school in close proximity to clinical opportunities and I’ve taken advantage of my rotations in psychiatry, oncology and other areas right here in Grand Rapids,” Chambers said.
Grand Valley is the region’s leading provider of health care professionals with more than 20 health sciences programs.
The State of Michigan is providing $29 million for the $70 million project; the remaining funds will come from private donors and university bonds. Construction is expected to be completed in May 2021.
Kariamu and Company: Traditions — A Celebration of African Dance (photo supplied)
By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University
For the past 15 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events every fall at Grand Valley that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. President Thomas J. Haas said these events are offered as gifts to the local community that has supported the evolution of the university.
“Each year, these six diverse and free events provide us with the opportunity to thank the West Michigan community for its continued support of the performing arts at Grand Valley, and the university as a whole,” said Haas. “The arts lift us up, make us think and provide an endless variety of entertainment and enrichment, and we hope others will join us in celebrating the richness of the worlds of poetry, dance, art, music and more this fall.”
Here are the upcoming Fall Arts Celebration events for November and December. For more event details, go here.
Kariamu and Company: Traditions — A Celebration of African Dance
Nov. 12, at 7:30 pm
Location: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Kariamu Welsh is a Guggenheim award–winning dance scholar, choreographer, educator and the founder of the Umfundalai technique. For the past 40 years, Welsh has developed Umfundalai as a contemporary dance technique that seeks to articulate the essence of African-oriented movement while highlighting the cultural and aesthetic continuity found in the rhythm and artistic sensibilities that cover the full range of African dance. As an “artivist,” Welsh feels that one of her responsibilities is to tell the stories, myths, legends and histories of the marginalized, invisible, forgotten and oppressed. Welsh is currently a professor of dance in the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University.
Photo supplied
Celebrating Holiday Splendor: Craig Jessop Conducts “The Many Moods of Christmas”
Dec. 3, at 7:30 pm
Location: Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids
Robert Shaw’s “The Many Moods of Christmas” meshes pieces of 18 of the most traditional carols combined with music from composers such as Handel, Bizet and Bach. Renowned choral conductor Craig Jessop will lead the GVSU Arts Chorale and local high school students for this special holiday celebration concert. Jessop, professor of music and founding dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University, is the former director of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He led the ensemble as a featured conductor during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
