muskegon museum of art with the bestie

On Thursdays at the Muskegon Museum of Art, there is free admission in the evening hosted by Meijer. I had been cooped up for awhile, so I decided to take a drive to check out the new exhibits and visit with my bestie. The picture above was part of the Postcard Salon.

One of the other exhibits featured the work of Bryan Collier, a beautiful illustrator. I, Too, America: The Art of Bryan Collier featured spreads from his book illustrated to the words of Langston Hughes. Not only were they beautiful, but they were multi-dimensional pieces of thought-provoking images. The art will be displayed until April 17, celebrating Black History Month and March is Reading Month. Collier has so many awards to his name (not surprised!), so if you're interested in more history, check out this page.

The other exhibit is called Common Ground, a collected work of African American artists from the 19th century to now. The exhibit displays sculptures, photographs, paintings and drawings that show culture, social and political issues, identity, and more. Through the art, you can feel the 200 year history being explained through lens, paintbrush, and sculpture.

Of course I loved exploring the museum and seeing the art, but I also enjoyed hanging out with my best friend, Jasmine. Although we only live 30 minutes from each other, we don't see each other as much as we should. It was a blessing to have two of my favorite things together for a night.

Part of the I, Too, Am America exhibit with illustrations by Bryan Collier.I love how Collier has an image, but always has the flag incorporated as well. In this one, the stripes are flowing down across his face.

This is the book written by Bryan Collier.

Jasmine looking intently at one of the pictures in Collier's exhibit.

Mother and son riding on the train (I think it was a train, but it could be a different type of transportation).

An up-close view of how the pictures are pieced together. The images are cut and glued together to bring a multi-dimensional facet.

The museum had a cash bar where I got a glass of red wine. Also, a cheese and crackers spread from The Cheese Lady. It was delicious - The Cheese Lady always knows the right pairings. Yum.

This painting was part of the permanent collection, but it was one of the most intricate and beautiful pieces I saw. It is called Chain Gain Picking Cotton #2 by Winfred Rembert. It is made of dye on carved and tooled leather.

Art lovin' despite the look on my face.

We can relate to this quote, can't we? This was part of the Postcard Salon.

Wall of postcards.

This definitely speaks to me, being a lover of both poetry and nature. They are what keeps me grounded and sane.

Devastating and breathtaking oil and pencil drawing in the Common Ground exhibit. This piece was done by Charles White and is called Wanted Poster Series #17. White had been looking at wanted posters for runaway slaves, which inspired this piece of art. On the left side, names are written.

I love this sculpture and it's stance. It is called Maquette for Noah's Ark: Sophisticated Lady by Charles McGee. It is made of steel and enamel.

This piece is Love Letter, also by Charles White. This one grabbed my attention right away. I love the collage feel, the portrait, abstractness, and rose. It impacts with its simplicity.

This Ernest C. Withers photograph is called Daddy, I Want to Be Free Too. It's part of the Political and Social Expressions section of the Common Ground  exhibit.

Wisdom comes from those who take risks

The skies were dark with rain clouds today, making it feel like 6 p.m. when it was only 3. My day had been chaotic when a vibrant spirit walked into the lobby of my newest place of work. This greying woman had wet droplets on her jacket from the rain and the smell of blooming lilacs wafted in behind her as she approached me at the front desk. Many of you probably don’t know, but I am back in Michigan for the summer working at the American Youth Foundation Miniwanca, a camp on the shore of Lake Michigan. My primary duty at the camp is to help run seasonal staffing and this woman had come to sign in as a part of the medical team.

After gathering a stack of paperwork for her to fill out, we moved to comfy leather chairs, and as she began to write, I started to make small talk. She told me she loved the rain and could easily live in Seattle. I told her I had just gotten back from Seattle and that I also loved the rain. She told me about the last few years she worked on the medical team at Camp Miniwanca, talking about how excited she was to again be part of a dynamic duo in East Camp.

Wrinkles grew deep as she smiled telling me stories from her time in Hawaii – her home for over a decade. She moved back to Michigan just two years ago with no car or apartment, just stayed at her sister’s house for a few days before voyaging over to Miniwanca for the summer with no previous work in camps and not knowing what to expect.

With each new detail from her life, I was more amazed by this woman in front of me. Before knowing anything about her life, I had stereotyped her. This 70-something year-old woman expanded and inspired me, but it was one simple phrase that resonated with me – “I like change. I enjoy being adventurous.” It was more than just the phrase though, it was a combination of how her voice lowered, her eyes lit up, how her age had not dampened her energy and spirit for doing what excited her. And also that she seemed to be voyaging on this journey of life solo. She was a strong woman that talked with vigor and life and in that moment, I was jealous of her vivacity.

I’ve been making changes to my life and thinking a lot about what I want my future to be. I have to admit, it can change depending on what I’m reading, hearing and learning. But when it comes down to it, there are a few things that I feel are building blocks to my happiness: travel, poetry, art, writing, and adventure. I have goals to see new parts of the world, experience new cultures, and read as much poetry as I can. If I had it my way, I’d travel around the world, reading local poets’ work, interviewing them and finding out what makes them write such beautiful lines. Is this what my future holds? I don’t know, but it’s fun to think about.

We’ll see where my passions take me, but it is nice to be reminded that life isn’t about doing the 9-5 grind, but creating a life that sustains that passionate, happy, vibrant feeling throughout the entirety of your life. 

"And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret." -Kahlil Gibran