CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
The Holland Area Arts Council is home to three professional galleries: the Barbara H. Padnos Gallery, the Jane Armstrong Gallery, and the Lievense Zobkiw Galleries. Admission is free of charge.
Tactile Fiber Arts Invitational
January 10 - March 1
Padnos Gallery
Reception: February 6th, 5:30-7:00 pm
Thirteen regional contemporary textile and fiber artists will have work on display in the Padnos Gallery from January 10th to March 1st with a reception on February 6th 5:30-7:00 pm. This show will display a wide variety of masterwork including sculpture, weaving, and quilts.
- Exhibiting Artists -
Kelly Allen, Jennifer Gould, Pricilla Lynch, Gloria Kirk-Hanna, Elliot Johnson, Jane Blacquiere, Judy Rosbury, Suzanne Ditsler, Sally Sundstrom, Nancy DeVries, Carol Irving, Susan Fleming, Shelby Freehling, and Patti Reen.
Tatsuki Hakoyama
November 8 - January 18
Lievense Gallery
Reception and Artist Talk: November 21st, 5:30-7:00 pm
Tatsuki Hakoyama is a Japanese artist living and working in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Having experienced lifestyles in Japan, Samoa, and the United States, his works reflect on the role of culture, community, and the effect that environment has on identity through allegorical figurative paintings. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, MI, and his Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Kendall College of Art & Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) in Grand Rapids, MI. Hakoyama has exhibited his work in various solo and group exhibitions and received recognition for his work including the Director’s Purchase Prize at the 2023 West Michigan Area Show in Kalamazoo, MI, and the 1st Place Juror’s Award at 2021 Art Walk Central in Mt. Pleasant, MI. Aside from his professional studio practice, he teaches at KCAD and Grand Rapids Community College.
Small Works Holiday Show
November 14 -December 21
Mainstreet Gallery
This year’s all ages Holiday Show at the Holland Area Arts Council is filled with unique, handcrafted small works by talented local artists! Featuring small paintings, mixed media, ceramic sculptures and more. Perfect for adding original artwork to your home or finding that one-of-a-kind gift for someone special. Each piece is individually priced and available to take home at the time of purchase.
HAAC Hours:
Monday: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Tuesday: 10:00 am - 7:30 pm
Wednesday: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Thursday: 10:00 am - 7:30 pm
Friday: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Sunday: Closed
FOTOG: Holly Palmer Memorial Juried Regional Photographic Competition
October 17 - December 21
Padnos Gallery
Artist Talk and Reception: October 24th, 5:30-7:00 pm
The Holland Area Arts Council’s Padnos Gallery is excited to showcase the work of regional photographers in the Biennial Juried Photo Competition: FOTOG. Open to all Michigan residents ages 18 and up, this competition highlights great talent and beauty throughout the region. Awards for this competition will be announced on October 24th, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm at the Reception.
-Accepted Artists-
Russ Barneveld, Christy Berghoef, Allen Brooks, Kyra Carlson, Dianne Carroll Burdick, Michelle Clark, Alex Clark, Sandie Coffman, Wendy Colsen, Patricia Dee, Henry Droski, Robert Evans, Fergy Ferguson, Daniela Goen, Mary Hilldore, Deirdre Johnston, Mary Ellen Kettelhut, Deborah Kiekover, Randy Knapp, Karen Koch, Robert Lee, Jan Lewis, Sri McCarthy, Randy Nyhof, Lynn O'Shaughnessy, Tamara Olson, Kristi Paul, Noella Poinsette, Melinda Pope, Cari Povenz, Frederic Reinecke, Sherry Saenz, Kellyn Sanders, Linda Scarborough, Steve Scarborough, Mara Tillman, Christine Urbaniak, Raúl Velasco, Leslie Victor, Diane Zoellmer.
PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS
Art for All Exhibition
October 5 - November 15
Reception: November 11th, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
At the Holland Area Arts Council
"Art for All" creates a vibrant, sensory-rich program that enhances students' artistic abilities, thanks to the support of volunteers from Hope College and the community. Through art experiences, students gain both enjoyment and focus. Looking ahead, connecting local artists with students will expose them to diverse styles and techniques. Sandie Coffman will be honored for her contributions to Art for All and all she has done for this community. This program is a valuable way to share the community's rich talent and offer opportunities to those who benefit most, regardless of their ability to give back.
Holland Friends of Art Exhibition
September 12 -November 12
Lievense Gallery
Artist Talk and Reception:
September 26, 5:30-7:00 pm
The Holland Friends of Art is an organization of talented artists, originally founded in 1963 through the efforts of the local creative community. Their mission is to stimulate community awareness of the creative arts in the Holland area. This year’s members-only exhibition is a true testament to all the wonderful and talented artists in the West Michigan Area.
Awards
1st Place - The Professor by Chris McKinley-Dahl
2nd Place - Buzz II by Sue Frederick
3rd Place - IRIS II by Holly Willson
Honorable Mentions:
Morning Crests the Dune by Lynne Boezaart
Morning at State Park by Kathleen Van Tubberg
Beach Treasures by Patricia Flynn
Standing Upright and Hanging by a Thread: Lisa Walcott and Sophia Funston
October 11 - November 1
Mainstreet Gallery
Artist Talk and Reception:
October 17th, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
This exhibit delves into complex dynamics of support, strength, and fragility. The works presented investigate the breaking and mending of support structures, reflecting themes of ingenuity, resilience, and vulnerability. Repeated forms and motions evoke the monotony of daily life, while an interplay between masculine and feminine qualities is woven throughout the pieces. Each sculpture embodies the tension between collapse and repair, challenging our perceptions of stability and vulnerability. Drawing inspiration from architectural elements, the sculptures echo the natural wear and tear of load-bearing structures—revealing cracks, fractures, and repairs that symbolize endurance and fragility. The exhibit also takes cues from human anatomy, where bones, ligaments, and muscles serve as natural support structures. Sculptures that mimic these organic elements highlight the tension between strength and vulnerability, suggesting parallels between physical and emotional states. This body of work was created through a summer research project that focused on the impact constructed surfaces can have on a sculpture. The Borgeson Scholars Program at Hope College generously funded the research.
past tattering… a witnessing: Kristine Granger
August 1st - October 5th
Mainstreet Gallery
Artist Talk: September 20th, 5:00pm-5:30pm
Marquette Artist Kristine Granger displays her enigmatic installation of sculpture, video and photography to create a not-to-be-missed installation. Kristine Granger is currently Art Faculty and Fine Arts Coordinator for Bay College in Escanaba MI. She has been published in the 2nd edition of, Elements of Photography, by artist and author Angela Faris-Belt. Granger was a 2020 & 2022, Artist-in-Residence at Chateau d’Orquevaux in Orquevaux, France, and a recipient of The Denis Diderot Award. Her sculpture, jouissance, and, the red one, created at the residency are now part of their permanent collection and on permanent display in the Chateau. In 2022, she was an artist-in-residence on Mackinac Island and the recipient of the grand prize for Poetic Visions of Mackinac. Kristine is an interdisciplinary artist who investigates memory and exhibits both nationally and internationally. In 2023 Granger established, Rock Street Artist Residency, at her home in Marquette MI.
Twenty-Something Exhibition
August 8 -September 30
Padnos Gallery
Carnival of the Arts Artist Reception:
September 20th, 5:30-7:30 pm
The Twenty-Something Exhibition showcases the artwork of young emerging adult artists in our region. This group show features fifteen select artists who are going somewhere. See and discover what our artistic future looks like!
- Featured Artists -
Esmeralda Saldana • Peter Ruffolo • Kyra Rodriguez • Christine Vermeer • Kyra Carlson • Isabelle Jaeggin • Jacob Ashba • Lena Brearley • Mara Tillman • Megan O’Neil • Ari Norris • Pearl Slayton • Maddie Jackson • Joanna Locke • Zoe Bolding
Consider: Cindy Bender
July 11 - September 7
Lievense and Zobkiw Gallery
Artist Talk and Reception:
August 8th, 5:30-7:00 pm
This collection of paintings represents Cindy’s journey as an artist. You will see examples of watercolors featuring trees, water, people, animals, and more as well as a couple of oils. Cindy prefers to paint a large variety of subjects, with many offering a challenge to meet, such as painting reflections in water, shadows, body and facial expressions, water droplets, and light. Cindy loves to meet the challenges presented in each new work. This keeps her journey interesting and enjoyable!
Sweet Tooth: Candice Chovanec
June 6 -July 27
Mainstreet Gallery
Artist Talk and Reception: June 13th, 5:30-7:00 pm
There are over 60 names for naturally and synthetically produced sugar. We package it in plain sight and hide it in everything we eat. This unavoidable substance is a source of pleasure, pain, comfort, frustration, pride, and shame. Sugar addiction is genetic and learned while also being isolating and generational. Sweet Tooth examines the complex relationship between sugar and addiction.
A Work in Progress: M. Joy Lemon
May 6 - June 29
Lievense and Zobkiw Gallery
Artist Talk and Reception:
June 13, 5:30-7:00 pm
After earning her BFA from university M. Joy Lemon produced decent work, but felt like she lacked skill and refinement in a way she could not clearly define at the time. Joy remembers hearing “A good painter is a good drawer” and that’s what she set out to do. In the spring of 2020, Joy began to study various art techniques. She came across the classical academic method of atelier training, a method undertaken by the greats of the past, from Michelangelo to Sargent. It is a form of rigorous intuitive study focused on developing an artist’s eye for accuracy with proportion, value, and color to a very high degree of sensitivity. While developing refined control of materials she learned to do without relying on external measuring devices or tools. This method is reflected in this very beautiful collection of works.
Début 2023
Début Juried High School Art Exhibition features select student artwork from regional high schools with cash awards issued for excellence.
This year, to celebrate 45 years of this prestigious exhibition The Holland Area Arts Council will expand to display student art in all three galleries. This exhibit is supported by the Dennis Foley Memorial Sponsorship and Holland Friends of Art along with The National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Arts and Cultural Council. The exhibit is open from April 13-May 27.
ARTIST TALK- The Beauty in the Ordinary: Pastel Paintings by Jim McMillan, Helen Kleczynski and Thomas Tomasek
Padnos and Armstrong Galleries
Often we pass by a subject that is considered “Ordinary”. Michigan artists Jim McMillan, Helen Kleczynski and Thomas Tomasek took time to look more closely at their surroundings and found “Beauty” in ordinary subjects, both in their travels and just down the street. Their paintings incorporate dramatic patterns of light and shadow, abstract shapes, poetic colors and interesting textures that transform ordinary subjects into inspired works of art.
The Beauty in the Ordinary: Paintings by Jim McMillan, Helen Kleczynski and Thomas Tomasek
Padnos and Armstrong Galleries
Reception March 10th 5:30-7:30 pm
Often we pass by a subject that is considered “Ordinary”. Michigan artists Jim McMillan, Helen Kleczynski and Thomas Tomasek took time to look more closely at their surroundings and found “Beauty” in ordinary subjects, both in their travels and just down the street. Their paintings incorporate dramatic patterns of light and shadow, abstract shapes, poetic colors and interesting textures that transform ordinary subjects into inspired works of art.
Reception: Holland Friends of Art Juried Members Show
This organization of talented artists was originally founded in 1963 through the efforts of the local creative community. The goal of this group is to initiate an annual members art exhibit and to stimulate community awareness of the creative talents in the Holland area. We have grown over the years to be a well-respected supporter of the visual arts within West Michigan. Become a member and help support the arts!
Community of Mud: The Work of the Holland Arts Ceramics Studio
The Arts Council houses a vibrant community of ceramic artists and potters. We will be displaying a sample of these diverse works in the Armstrong Gallery.
Abstracts in Steel and Fiber
This is the first exhibit featuring the work of Blair Rieckmann and Elizabeth Brandt together. Through over 30 years of marriage, they’ve shared a love of artwork and mid-century modern design, filling their home with both. But it wasn’t until they found mentors that they began to create artwork of their own. In 1999, Elizabeth gave Blair the gift of a copper bowl forming class with Ed Gray at Ox-bow in Saugatuck, MI. This workshop was a turning point for Blair who was able to let go of the precision he had learned as a machinist and to use welded or blacksmithed scrap steel to create expressive new forms. In 2006, Blair gave Elizabeth a book by contemporary artist and quilt maker Nancy Crow. The idea that one could use fabric to create such powerful art intrigued her, so she began studying at the Crow Timber Frame Barn in Ohio in 2010. She has attended workshops there ever since. In this exhibit, Blair and Elizabeth are showing a range of their work which highlights their love of improvisational composition, form, color, balance, and texture.
Holland Friends of Art Juried Members Show
This organization of talented artists was originally founded in 1963 through the efforts of the local creative community. The goal of this group is to initiate an annual members art exhibit and to stimulate community awareness of the creative talents in the Holland area. We have grown over the years to be a well-respected supporter of the visual arts within West Michigan. Become a member and help support the arts!
Reception: Rude Food
Lievense Gallery
Tasty or possibly a little tasteless food items expressed in artwork. Guest curator- Tamara Fox.
Reception: FOTOG- The Holly Palmer Juried Photo Show
RECEPTION - A large and dynamic exhibition featuring the photographic work of this region's best. Juried by Randall Nyhof. Awards by the Holly Palmer Foundation. Image is Randall Nyhof's "Pavillion at Ottawa Beach".
Reception: Found Hither and Yon, Art Featuring Dorris Akers
Armstrong Gallery
This collection represents approximately ten years of fun, whimsy and discovery. Using exclusively man-made objects found hither and yon in daily life and others bestowed by family members and friends, The materials are diverse and the methods of joining them are too. When at all possible the objects are used as they were found with few or no alterations. Basically it's my goal to obscure their use and change their meaning.
Found Hither and Yon, Art Featuring Dorris Akers
Armstrong Gallery
This collection represents approximately ten years of fun, whimsy and discovery. Using exclusively man-made objects found hither and yon in daily life and others bestowed by family members and friends, The materials are diverse and the methods of joining them are too. When at all possible the objects are used as they were found with few or no alterations. Basically it's my goal to obscure their use and change their meaning.
Rude Food
Lievense Gallery
Tasty or possibly a little tasteless food items expressed in artwork. Guest curator- Tamara Fox.
FOTOG- The Holly Palmer Juried Photo Show
A large and dynamic exhibition featuring the photographic work of this region's best. Juried by Randall Nyhof. Awards by the Holly Palmer Foundation. Image is Randall Nyhof's "Pavillion at Ottawa Beach".
Rizzolo/Rizzolo Retrospective: Dance of Life...Fun of Play
Padnos Gallery
Reception: July 21 5:30-7:30 pm
Lou and Linda Rizzolo present their works in the Padnos Gallery. This monumental exhibition is a retrospective of the Glen, Michigan couple’s artistic creativity. In the gallery we present large scale 2-D watermedia works as well as sculpture. Linda and Lou Rizzolo have also been instructors, hosting a renowned annual workshop for artists. The Rizzolo exhibition is paired with a showing of the works of past workshop participants in the exhibit “Lights of inspiration” showing simultaneously in the Armstrong Gallery.
“Linda and Lou’s highly individualistic art relationship, as husband and wife, is centered on inspiration and equality. The subtitle says it all, “dance of life ....fun of play”! Inspired by the mysteries of Lake Michigan, their unique personal aesthetics flourish through the love of God and energized by a loving, supportive, non-competitive relationship. The exhibition reflects artwork that is qualitatively rendered to achieve the most beautiful of form”, Linda and Lou.
"All the Feels" Art for All Artwork
Lievense Gallery
Reception: August 29th 6:00-7:00 pm
“All the Feels” is an exhibit of the recent artwork from our Art for All program.
Art for All, a unique art program for adults with mental and/or physical disabilities, began in 1985 as an opportunity for individuals in the community to experience the arts.
Today the Art for All program is a year-round class taught once a week for an hour and a half. The present supervising instructor is Sandie Coffman. Student attendance varies from 13 to 20 each week. The cost is $20 per month, and scholarships are available from community sponsors. Art for All students are exposed to various art media including printmaking, weaving, clay sculpture, painting, and wood construction, as well as dance and movement 6-8:00 pm Mondays.