Author: Arts Council

3 Fish at Wonch Park

A Colorful Melange: We All Belong Here Mural

The mural, entitled “A Colorful Melange: We All Belong Here,” was created by a group of eight talented students from the Michigan State University Department of Art, Art History and Design (AAHD). As part of their Public Art: Understanding and Practice class, taught by MSU AAHD Associate Professor Benjamin Duke this past summer, the students … Continued

A Faraway Place

A Great Place to Start

The 17 feet tall metal sculpture titled “A Great Place to Start” was funded by the LEAP Public Art for Communities grant and created by local scrap metal artist, Tom Sheerin, who was raised in the neighborhood. The three human forms atop the sculpture are inspired by the letters DVF, for DeWitt Valley Farms. The D … Continued

A Nod to Robert Busby

In November 2017, the Lansing Poetry Club received a First Impressions Placemaking Grant supported by the City of Lansing, the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. The purpose of the grant was to celebrate four areas of the city—Old Town, REO Town, the Stadium District and the Eastside— through a … Continued

All Things

The Commons is a beautifully landscaped area nestled between the historic Grand Ledge Opera House and the Grand River. This setting provides a picturesque showcase for the unique metal sculpture, “All Things”, created by the nationally recognized sculptor and West Michigan native, Johnny Blue. All Things was donated to the Opera House in 2005 by … Continued

BE

The BE sculpture was inspired by a drawing of ‘A’ by local student Aaron Boughton, who won our art contest when he was 8 years old.  He showed a young ‘A’ standing with it’s family and reaching for the rainbow overhead. The glass ‘de-constructed rainbow’ overhead was created by renowned glass artist Craig Mitchell Smith.  BE was … Continued

Beneficial Force of Water

The upper lobby of the Board of Water and Light Dye Conditioning Plant features three large murals. Look for them, including the 1940-era one shown above that depicts the advantages of water in regards to our health, cleanliness, environment, and recreation. (Source: Michigan Council for Art and Cultural Affairs)

Bottle Rocket

On August 14, 2015 a new public art sculpture, Bottle Rocket, was installed at the Impression 5 Science Center in downtown Lansing. Created through a joint collaboration by REACH Studio Art Center and Impression 5 (as well as with support from many other organizations, including the Arts Council of Greater Lansing), this large sculpture became … Continued

Break Free

Artist Tea Brown painted the mural “Break Free” under the Shiawassee Street bridge for ARTpath, a temporary outdoor art exhibit where art is showcased on bridge underpasses and other public spaces along a 3.5 mile stretch of the Grand River. The mural features large, colorful wings as its centerpiece, surrounded by an eye, the Michigan mitten with a yellow … Continued

Brenke Fish Ladder Sculptural Bike Rack

Bridge Street Four

Throughout the centuries, art and music have served as a reflection of our culture. In early 2014, the City of Grand Ledge Downtown Development Authority (DDA) purchased 4 metal sculptures created by Michigan artist, Robert Barnum that link the synergy between music and art. The DDA and the Grand Ledge Chamber of Commerce held a … Continued

Brilliant

A metal sculpture by St. Johns artist Dace Koenigsknecht. It comprises three panels that represent the past, present and future of DeWitt and incorporates images of the river, rapids, a mill, a train and an awning. The art piece was created as part of the LEAP Public Art for Communities grant program.

Butterfly Effect

If you made it out to the Old Town Commercial Association ScrapFest this year (and you should have!) then you’ve already seen The Butterfly Effect. A beautiful nine foot metal arbor created by the team Artistic Iron, it boasts over 80 metal butterflies among it’s winding metal vines, roots and branches. It won both the First Place … Continued

BWL Fountain

The grand two-story lobby of the Board of Water and Light houses a ceramic fountain, one of multiple sculptures in the building by Clivia Calder. This particular sculpture shows two girls grooming themselves, while their placement between two flanking metal stairs helps create a graceful interpretation of the machines found elsewhere in the plant. (Source: Michigan … Continued

Calliope’s Movement

Jeffery Laudenslager’s kinetic sculpture “Calliope’s Movement” was installed by the CATA – Captial Area Transportation Authority at the Capital Area Multimodal Gateway in East Lansing. Check it out the next time you’re catching the Amtrak Blue Water service to Chicago or boarding one of the intercity bus services on site.

Cedar Street Art Collective Mural

The mural on the south side of CSAC was done by local artist Tod Parkhill. It was painted on four panels and installed August 2017.  It measures 8 foot by 16 foot. At first glance, it just looks like a bunch of random objects. Upon a closer look, it becomes more obvious that the objects … Continued

Chain Sculpture

Charlotte Rising

The City of Charlotte unveiled “Charlotte Rising,” in January, 2017, a new sculpture funded by a Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and PNC Foundation Public Art for Communities Grant. The sculpture, located at the corner of Lovett Street and Cochran Avenue in downtown Charlotte, was designed and created by Frank Balluff, a Charlotte native. When … Continued

DeLuca’s Italian Mural

One of Lansing’s oldest surviving murals painted on the exterior wall of DeLuca’s Pizza.

Dreamcatcher

Glass artist Craig Mitchell Smith donated $10,000 with of his glass art to Windwalker under the condition that the artists within the building would create something. Kalli Dempsey, Vincent Brady, Brandon McCoy, Matt Allumi, and Richard Turbin collaborated together over a period of 6 months to design, create, and install the sculpture. 5 ft in … Continued

Early Postman

Marion Overby completed this terra cotta bas relief, entitled “Early Postman,” in 1939 with funds provided by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. It is part of a wide array of New Deal art history in many post offices all over the State of Michigan. It can be viewed in the lobby of the historic Mason … Continued

Eastside History Murals at the Venue

The Scott Gillespie Company commissioned Brian Whitfield to create a series of 10 murals depicting the history of the Eastside of Lansing on the back of the new apartments and shops at the Venue on E. Michigan Avenue in 2018.

Elderly Music Mural

Though it has operated since 1984 in a renovated building on North Washington Avenue in Lansing, MI, Elderly Instruments has recently undertaken a major exterior facelift. And what an update it is! Owner Stan Werbin has commissioned Los Angeles artist Jennifer Springman to design and apply a custom music-based mural to the 68′ X 15′ face of the building. … Continued

Elite Dance Company

The Elite Dance Company is committed to instilling a passion for dance education in all of their students. The EDC strives to provide quality dance education ensuring each dancer has an enjoyable and memorable experience, along with promoting a positive self-image, sense of accomplishment, expression of creativity and appreciation for the art of dance. It … Continued

Energy For Life

This piece, entitled “Energy For Life” by Jim Cunningham, was commissioned in fulfillment of the City of East Lansing’s Percent for Art Ordinance.

Engineers Monument

Dedicated on October 12, 1912 to the First Regiment of Michigan Engineers, which was a forerunner of today’s Army Corps of Engineers. This regiment’s job during the Civil War was to build roads, railroads, bridges, buildings, communication lines, and tear down enemy roads, railroads, bridges, etc. all while under fire in the worst possible conditions. … Continued

Fish Bike Rack

The functional and creative “fish” bike rack is a colorful site at Jaycee Park, located near the boat launch along the Riverwalk Trail. Fishing the Grand River is a popular pastime for Jaycee Park visitors, as is biking the rich trail system around Grand Ledge. The fish is a perfect addition to this fun and … Continued

Friedland Scrap Fence

If you’ve been to Friedland in Old Town, you’ve probably noticed their hubcap-decorated fence. It’s become a landmark of sorts. The hubcaps are painted by people who visit them during Be A Tourist In Your Own Town every year. Except in 2014, they ran out of hubcaps! As a result, for the 2015 Be A Tourist In Your … Continued

Genessee Street Elementary School Mural

The neoclassical brick behemoth — built in the early 1900s — became a school by 1912. It remained part of the Lansing School District until the late ‘80s. The mural reads “we’re all in this together”.

Gillespie Building Graffiti

In 2016, graffiti artist, Samskee DeBourban was commissioned by the Gillespie Group to graffiti an entire building by the Lansing Brewing Company.

Governor Austin Blair Memorial

Due to its central location when viewing the Capitol, this monument by C. W. Hills holds important real estate on the Capitol grounds. Austin Blair was governor of Michigan from 1861 to 1864, and is the only governor to have a statue at the Capitol. In 1895, the Michigan legislature appropriated $10,000 and directed that … Continued

Grand Army of the Republic Monument

Enjoy a stroll among the Capitol grounds to see not only public art, but also important historical monuments and markers to the State of Michigan. Erected by the Michigan Women’s Relief Corp on June 11, 1924 in memory of the men of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), this piece symbolizes a small but longstanding … Continued

Great Lakes Pool

A generous contribution from the Kresge Foundation gave sculptor Glen Michaels the opportunity to design a unique pool for the first floor rotunda. Surrounding the base of the Michigan white pine, it symbolizes the crucial role nature played in shaping Michigan’s history. Michaels created an immensely elaborate mosaic made of hundreds of pieces of fused … Continued

Greetings from Lansing Mural

In 2015, the Design Committee of Downtown Lansing Inc. was awarded a grant for a “Greetings from Lansing” mural in downtown Lansing’s Stadium District on behalf of the City of Lansing. Goals for this mural were to create a dynamic placemaking contribution to the cityscape, to create community and civic pride for Lansing residents, and to … Continued

Growing Progress

The sculpture titled, “Growing Progress” was created by Michigan artist, Thomas Sheerin and is made entirely of recommissioned metal. The inspiration for the sculpture was to honor the Huhn family and their legacy in Grand Ledge from farming to selling Chevrolets. In 1919, Leo Huhn broke from the family’s agriculture roots and opened a Chevrolet … Continued

Happy in Holt

Delhi Township unveiled a new piece of art in November 2017 called “Happy in Holt” created by artist Matthew Lincoln in front of the Delhi Township offices. The artist created a ‘happy’ structure and if you look at it, it appears to be a ‘smile.’  This artwork was funded by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership.

Hiker Memorial

Dedicated to the infantry of the Spanish American War of 1898, the Philippine Insurrection, and the China Relief Expedition, the Hiker Memorial is a bronze statue that originally cost $6,000 and was cast by Gorham Founders from a sculpture by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson. It was placed on the Capitol grounds on September 15, 1946, … Continued

Holt Farmer’s Market Sign

Glass and steel butterflies appear to by flying from the Market sign to the top of the building at the Holt Indoor Farmer’s Market. And a few even flew inside! This new sculpture is the creation of renowned artist Craig Mitchell Smith, who has also displayed work at the likes of Disney’s Epcot Center and … Continued

Industry and Agriculture

Boris Mestchersy painted the oil-on-canvas mural “Industry and Agriculture” in 1938. Viewable in the lobby of the historic Eaton Rapids post office, the work was commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. (Source:  Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs)

Inspire

The rainbow sculpture, INSPIRE, was motivated by an experience Lee Howser had many years ago. Another rainbow sculpture captivated him and stirred memories of the times he had started over and transformed his life into something new and different, and often for the better. Lee felt that the pivotal and transformational role that AL!VE plays in … Continued

Jackson National Life Sculpture

Junipers

Cliff Garten’s “Junipers,” resembling twin tornadoes of stainless steel, form a gateway to the latest large-scale campus development, 1855 Place, and its new market at the corner of Kalamazoo Street and Harrison Road in East Lansing. Garten’s workshop in Los Angeles spins out delicate-looking but tough, stainless steel webs that festoon parks, bridges, buildings and … Continued

Kean’s Mural

Holland based tattoo artist Chris Garcia gifted downtown Mason with a very charming and serene mural on the side of Kean’s Store on August 9, 2018. The artwork took Garcia one week to complete, and depicts several different types and species of flowers in varying colors and sizes. The owner of the store, Teresa Wren, … Continued

Layers

In November 2017, the Lansing Poetry Club received a First Impressions Placemaking Grant supported by the City of Lansing, the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. The purpose of the grant was to celebrate four areas of the city—Old Town, REO Town, the Stadium District and the Eastside— through a … Continued

Lifted

Glass ceiling sculpture in main lobby of the Herbert-Herman Cancer Center at Sparrow Hospital features 100 pieces of kiln-fired blue-green iridescent waves of glass by artist Craig Mitchell Smith. Smith’s piece for the center involves 100 pieces of glass that each take two days to complete and involved his studio’s full production capability to finish … Continued

Meridius Prime

This all stainless steel sculpture by artist Timothy Higgins has a cartographic feel and stands 14 feet tall with a base of 8 feet. It was commissioned by Meridian Township to encourage economic development (with the idea that art can help beautify even the most basic of public spaces) and to add to the cultural integrity of the community … Continued

Mezza Luna

“Mezza Luna,” a metal kinetic sculpture that moves in the wind, was created for Lake Trust Credit Union’s new Lake Lansing Road branch (1300 W. Lake Lansing Road) by California-based artist Jeffery Laudenslager.

Michigan Landscapes

Sculptor Sergio Degiusti combined his interpretations of Michigan’s natural beauty with a commentary on modern American life in his 20 -panel bas-relief Michigan Landscapes. ”This work is an expression of what I see in our state and our society,“ Degiusti says. ”Like a Rorschach inkblot test, the work intends to allow viewers free association in … Continued

Michigan Tapestries

Through the expressive possibilities of woven fabric, artist Gerhardt Knodel conveyed his impression of Michigan’s natural beauty in two eight by 14 foot tapestries that accentuate the north and south walls of the Board Room. ”I wanted to use the end walls so participants can feel themselves extended as far as possible in space.“ Knodel … Continued

MSU Benefactor’s Walk

A series of architectural pillars with imagery fused to glass panel and ceramic tiles that reflect the names of the Benefactor’s who support Michigan State University.  .

MSUFCU Headquarters Sculpture

Installed in 2008 by artist Bill Barrett at the new MSUFCU headquarters.

Murals at Okemos Public Montessori at Central

A series of murals grace the front of the Okemos Public Montessori at Central.

Newton’s Cube

In 1600, Sir Isaac Newton theorized that a prism separates white light in the electromagnetic spectrum into colors that are visible to the human eye. These extraordinary colors come together in linear dissections of various shapes and sizes to create this dynamic multi-hued cube.

North Woods

When approaching the Grand Staircase in the Library of Michigan, visitors have the sensation of walking into a large Michigan forest. The effect was created by Richard Kozlow in his 10 x 20 foot oil painting, “North Woods”. “I was born and raised in Michigan and have a great love for this state, especially the … Continued

Okemos Gateway Sculpture

Old Town BluesFest/JazzFest Mural

The JazzFest and BluesFest Old Town Mural was created as a Community Art Project in partnership with 24 teens in REACH Studio Art Center’s Teen Open Studio, the Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art, Message Makers, Habitat for Humanity, and local muralists Joy Baldwin, Samskee, Lebaron Rodgers II, Steven Allen, Kaitlyn Granger, & Julie Smith. The … Continued

Old Town General Store Mural

Approaching this building from the west, one is immediately captured by Barbara Hranilovich’s colorful mural of an urban forest. The liveliness of the mural is carried to the front of the building, where the header bricks above the main entrance are picked out in matching colors.

Old Town Koi

Created by Andrew Sandstedt during the 2016 Scrapfest, the Koi now resides at the Cozy Koi Bed and Breakfast in Lansing, Michigan. The inspiration for “Old Town Koi” came from two areas. The first is the anchor business of Old Town, Preuss Pets. A family owned business that has provided joy to countless animal enthusiasts for … Continued

Opolis

This stainless steel sculpture by artist Timothy Higgins is approximately 12 feet tall and 5 feet wide and is installed in Rotary Park on Railroad Street near the historic depot in St. Johns. Affixed into the main part of the piece is a rotary cog with a medallion in the center depicting the front of a train … Continued

Owl Bike Rack

The functional and creative “owl” bike rack brings a bit of whimsy to the recently redesigned parking lot located off of East River Street in downtown Grand Ledge. The scholarly owl incorporates numerous books which is relatable since this parking lot provides access to the Grand Ledge Area District Library, as well as numerous other … Continued

Painted Steel Gates at Beal Gardens

World-renowned metalsmith Albert Paley’s painted steel gates on the north and south ends of Beal Gardens are inspiring to come upon when strolling through the Beal Botanical Gardens at MSU. Those who choose to wander under the rare trees and tended rows of MSU’s most venerable gardens must now pass through a heavy, tangled mass … Continued

Penn4People

The Penn4People initiative focuses on making aesthetic improvements to Pennsylvania Avenue allowing for a more pedestrian friendly experience. This community mural was painted in a paint-by-number format allowing for many neighborhood residents and local students to be involved in making the art. The railroad bridge north of potter park zoo is frequently used by pedestrians … Continued

Polaris Ring

From Easter Island to Africa, from Greenland to New Guinea — David Barr’s work is displayed worldwide. Specializing in projects that employ geographic, geometric and geological elements, his Polaris Ring outside the Center’s main entrance often reminds visitors of a modern-day Stonehenge. Fifty steel columns encircle a five ton kona dolomite boulder. Smaller stones spinout … Continued

Portrait of a Dreamer

The 15-foot-tall sculpture called “Portrait of a Dreamer,” is composed entirely of stainless steel and overlooks Museum Drive from Michigan Avenue. “Portrait of a Dreamer” is not just substantial in stature but is also interactive and illuminated. Artist Ivan Iler describes the piece as one that visualizes the flow of ideas transpiring within Lansing’s cultural … Continued

Preuss Pets Mural

This mural spans several outside walls of the locally-owned Preuss Pets, drawing visitors in with vibrant colors and larger-than-life depictions of flora and fauna. Along with this mural and all the other aquatic themed imagery surrounding the corner and parking lot of Preuss Pets, a new multi-colored light up sign depicting the Preuss Pets’ “P” has been … Continued