Homestead Resort, Oliver Art Center partner on new gallery
Photo: Adam Van Houten is the first featured artist at The Homestead’s new art gallery.
From staff reports
The Homestead near Glen Arbor is adding to its many attractions by creating an art gallery in the resort’s Welcome Center lobby in partnership with Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts of Frankfort. The Homestead’s gallery will display works depicting the region, from the dunes and Lake Michigan to Leland Fishtown, the lighthouse at Point Betsie and more. Oliver Art Center will showcase its members with a rotating exhibit. The two will also collaborate on a plein air event to take place on the grounds of The Homestead this fall.
The gallery and cooperative effort will kick off with a reception on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with representatives from The Homestead and Oliver Art Center, including Adam Van Houten, the first featured artist. His work utilizes both light and texture to capture the colors and nuances of the landscape. Van Houten is a longtime member of the center and teaches painting there. That night will also feature Seth Bernard performing at Music On The Mountain, the resort’s summer music series.
Robert Kuras, owner and CEO of The Homestead, knows that people visit the four-season resort on the shore of Lake Michigan to enjoy its many amenities, including its private mile-long beach, the restaurants, golf course, ski area, spa and more. The region also attracts visitors for its natural beauty, trails, wineries, and its art scene. Recognizing the appeal of the lattermost, Kuras reached out to area arts facilities regarding collaborating, and Oliver Art Center was eager to partner with the resort to promote the arts in the Sleeping Bear Coast area.
“This area is known for many things,” Kuras said. “Cherries, of course. Its natural beauty. The many wineries. And certainly the art and artists. That’s particularly true with regard to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore area. It serves as a source of inspiration for so many artists, from the dunes and the lakeshore to the towns, lakes and artifacts nearby. After all, it was named the most beautiful place in America by viewers of Good Morning America.
“We have a unique opportunity to showcase art depicting the area by Michigan-based artists, many of whom are based in this region,” Kuras added. “We are simply doing our part in recognizing that beauty with our new lobby gallery and partnership with Oliver Art Center.”
Oliver Art Center executive director Tamara Hoffbauer said the collaborative effort is a great example of the way businesses and cultural institutions can work together for the betterment of both. “Partnering with The Homestead will allow us to further our mission of advancing the arts in northwest Michigan,” Hoffbauer said.
The installation in the lobby gallery will include a watercolor of Fishtown by Gene Rantz, a pastel by Mary Fuscaldo entitled Autumn at the Dechow Farm, a watercolor of Point Betsie Lighthouse by Kathleen Chaney-Fritz, and other works. In addition to displaying art depicting the area, high-quality prints of the images will be available for purchase.
A separate display in the lobby showcases the awards and recognition the Glen Arbor resort and the region have received. They include being named One of America’s Favorite Family Resorts by Better Homes and Gardens, one of the Top Five One-Of-A-Kind Beaches in the world by Trip Advisor, and The Most Beautiful Place in America, courtesy ABC-TV’s Good Morning America.
Kuras said he is excited to work with Oliver Art Center, a sentiment Hoffbauer echoed. The art center on the south end of the Sleeping Bear Coast will provide a rotating exhibit at The Homestead featuring a different member artist. “It’s a perfect collaboration, as we know how dedicated The Homestead is to promoting the beauty of our region,” said Hoffbauer. “What better way to showcase that than through original art by our talented regional artists.”
In addition to the lobby gallery, The Homestead will showcase the art at various locations throughout its 500-acre property, including its restaurants, Manitou Passage Golf Club, its Arnold Palmer-designed public golf course, and other locations. “It will be our own art trail,” said Kuras.
The gallery and cooperative effort with Oliver Art Center will open with a reception from 4-6 p.m. on Aug. 12. Later that night, Seth Bernard will perform at Music On The Mountain. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show, as well as the Aug. 19 performance by Joe Taylor and Sept. 9 with East Bay Drive, are $22 and available at tinyurl.com/Tickets-MOTM.
The two organizations are also working on plans for the plein air event to take place on the grounds of The Homestead in October to coincide with autumn’s changing colors. “There are so many scenic places at The Homestead that it’s perfect for a plein air event,” said Hoffbauer. The exact date for the event and its parameters are still being determined.
