Featured Artist

Michigan native Paul Collins is renowned locally, nationally, and worldwide for his realistic portrayals of everyday life, his focus on people from a variety of cultures, and his showcasing of important and uplifting moments in history. From his roots in the Black community of West Michigan, he’s traveled around the world creating art, from Native […]

Congratulations to Abdoulaye Conde for winning first place in the public vote in the 2023 ArtPrize competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Abdoulaye takes home a prize of $125,000 for his entry “Raining Wisdom,” a 30×66 foot mural depicting an idyllic scene of humans and elephants playfully interacting in an African river. According to Abdoulaye, “This

A Wildlife Artist, Kelli Bechtel creates realistic renderings of wild animals. She uses paint, graphite, watercolor and ink, but favors the intricate quality of colored pencil. She focuses on endangered species, to promote their conservation through art. Kelli has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing from Kendall College of Art and Design. Passionate about

Rob Penning, an art educator of 33 years, creates surreal paintings and three-dimensional works that the mind of the viewer. He creates geometric worlds in his paintings that alter reality in a way that viewers immerse themselves into the canvas. With a Undergrad and Masters Degree from Calvin College, Penning is the master of his

Self-taught and self-made, Amelia Polder is an up-and-coming acrylic and watercolor painter, whose style and color reflect the bright happiness her content emulates. Living on a farm in Lee County, Virginia, she draws much of her painting inspiration from the environment around her.  Primarily painting images of nature, farm life, and even coastal settings, Amelia’s

Brian O’Leary produces beautifully dynamic street photography that reflects on the decay of architecture. Primarily photographing in Flint, Michigan, his urban landscapes include sharp focus, clarity from foreground to background, and a distinct interest in abandoned buildings, as well as industrial scenes. Self-taught and born in Flint, his familiarity with the area works to his

Rachel Oakley is an acrylic painter based in Michigan. Her work is bright and vivid, allowing colors and shapes to create motion and emotion. With duo bachelor’s degrees in Studio Art and Marketing from Oakland University, she is skilled in painting, photography, and journalism.   Rachel paints with intention of “celebrating the color of existence.”

As a member of the Ocean Artists Society and an artist for Ocean Geographic Society, Mary Sayre’s passion for aquatic life is evident. Painting oceanic wildlife as early as ten years old, Mary creates illustrative paintings with oil on canvas and, most uniquely, acrylic on marble. Her selection of marble as the foundation to her