Honors Familia is an affinity group that hosts events with the representation and education of different Latinx identities in mind. Throughout the event, students were encouraged to ask questions about piñatas and the Mexican tradition they were participating in. The session provided an opportunity for all students to explore a recognizable tradition, whether they came from a Latinx background or not. 

Melanie Hernandez, the group’s president, has first-hand experience making piñatas and wanted to share the cultural tradition with other GVSU students. 

“At first, I hoped to bring in a professional in piñata making,” Hernandez said. “But (then) I remembered I made them when I went to elementary school in Mexico. We wanted to allow our members to remember these (cultural) roots and learn the ‘how to’ so they could continue creating these memories.”

The origin of the tradition, hitting a brightly decorated piñata with a stick until it breaks open and treats spill out, dates back hundreds of years and was brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Many scholars believe the tradition originated in China, with hanging paper dolls that were hit and crushed, spilling seeds and then burned for good luck. 

Drawing from her experiences and knowledge of the craft, Hernandez planned the session for students to appreciate part of Mexico’s cultural background while upholding the mission of Honors Familia. 

Hernandez prepared the piñata bases in advance, making them out of balloons, colorful paper strips and glue. She prepared cones made of thick paper that were glued to the piñatas’ bases, creating an animal shape. Students had full creative freedom with decorating the piñatas by using strips of tissue paper that could be stacked or cut into specific designs.

“Students had the opportunity to collaborate and have fun, all while getting to know our group’s mission,” Hernandez said. “Honors Familia is dedicated to fostering community and support with the Latinx population. (We aim to) embrace the values of academic excellence, cultural celebration and camaraderie.”

By creating their own piñatas, students were given the opportunity to appreciate the rich history of the art form and its cross-cultural reaches in a way that Honors Familia members will remember. As students created the craft, members of the group shared their own personal  experiences regarding piñata making.

Honors Familia hosts various events throughout the year that feature speakers and activities. The group invites students to attend events in an effort to immerse themselves and learn more about history and traditions.

Eight participating students created musical compositions based on artwork, which were then performed by the New Music Ensemble in front of a panel of judges. This year’s guest judge was Cindy Meyers Foley, the director and CEO of the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM). The original compositions were inspired by two art pieces from the museum’s exhibition “Climate Matters: Our Changing and Resilient Planet.” 

GVSU senior Joy Anderson submitted two, 60-second compositions for the ensemble to perform.

“I was so happy to hear my work being performed, and so incredibly excited and proud to hear my classmates’ and friends’ pieces,” Anderson said. 

Anderson added it was both fun and nerve-wrecking to be part of the competition, as the premiere of new compositions have the ability to make for an exciting performance.

“For these two compositions, I took the approach of creating a story in my head behind each artwork, (and) came up with a pre-composition plan about what I wanted the piece to sound like,” Anderson said. “After I had a clear picture of (the) form and mood of the pieces, I started putting notes on the page until I came up with something I liked.”

Noah Seim, a pianist in the New Music Ensemble, said it was an interesting experience to play music without knowing the composers. 

“As performers, we don’t know who the composers are, even though we’re playing their music,” said Seim. “We’re as oblivious as the audience.”

Having received composers’ submissions a number of weeks ago, the musicians had time to prepare for the performances. Seim felt there was a great amount of pressure on the ensemble to perform well because the pieces are entirely new compositions. 

“There’s a ton of pressure on the group to play because it (the event) carries the weight of being the first time the work has been performed,” Seim said. “I was really nervous about the resonance in the space.”

The judges choose the composition they felt best fit the exhibitions’ two pieces, with a cash prize being offered to three winners. The audience was also allowed to vote, with an additional prize handed out to the audience’s favorite pick. 

“My favorite part of the night was the time in between the final piece and when the judges finished their deliberation, while the audience’s votes were counted,” Seim said. “The air was really quite electric, as everyone was talking (and) excitedly discussing the pieces in anticipation (of) the final results.”

The first place award was given to Adam West, while the second place winner was Zach Haverkamp. Third place was given to David Grimard, who was also the Audience Favorite. A bonus award was given to Anderson for composing the 300th piece of the event’s history.

“This is such a unique experience that I am so grateful we have been given here at Grand Valley in our Music Department,” Anderson said.

The fourth graders at GRCDC are an incredibly creative group of artists, and are always exploring new ways to express themselves. Their first project of the winter semester was to create superhero self-portraits, where each student illustrated themselves as both their everyday self and their superhero counterpart. This project was an exciting way for students to tap into their imaginations while also reflecting their own identities. Through these portraits, their unique personalities and art styles were able to shine brightly. 

Their superhero self-portraits were then selected to be part of the Art Education Showcase at Grand Valley State University’s Calder Fine Arts Center. The showcase highlighted the work of teacher apprentices and interns by featuring student artwork generated from lessons they had taught. It was a fantastic opportunity for my fourth graders to have their work displayed in a professional setting, and for me to showcase their talents. 

After the showcase, students built upon the skills they developed in character creation and design to begin a new project: a short-form, three-panel comic strip. With this project, they explored visual storytelling. I guided them through understanding the parts of a comic and emphasized how the elements work together to create interesting stories. The panel comics created by fourth graders at GRCDC will be posted for viewing here.

The experience and knowledge that students developed from making their three-panel comics will serve them well as they transition into their next project: team comics. In this project, each student will become part of a collaborative team responsible for creating a full-page comic. This exercise is designed to simulate the comic creation process, where artists work together to create a final product. Within their teams, each student will be assigned a specific job title and a set of tasks, encouraging them to focus on different parts of comic production. Whether they are in charge of story writing, panel layout, character design or background art, each team member will play an important role in bringing the team’s vision to life. 

The fourth graders at GRCDC are incredibly dedicated to their artistic vision and work with meticulous attention to detail. I have been consistently impressed by their ability to think critically and find creative solutions when faced with challenges. While I’ve been teaching the them about comic creation, they have been teaching me too. They consistently demonstrate fresh perspectives, unique storytelling approaches and an eagerness to push artistic boundaries. This exchange of knowledge has been a rewarding aspect of my student teaching experience, always reminding them and myself that learning is a two-way street.

This semester at GRCDC has been a truly memorable experience, filled with creativity, collaboration and inspiration. The fourth graders have shown just how much heart and dedication can go into comic creation, proving that storytelling through art is not only fun, but also deeply meaningful. As they move forward with their artistic endeavors, one thing is certain: these young artists have a bright and imaginative future ahead of them. 

I want all GRCDC students to know I have loved every moment of student teaching; I am so proud of the artwork and growth that I was lucky enough to witness.   

Medley was originally conceived as a collection of French performances and presentations. Carol Wilson-Tiesma and Séverine Collignon, senior affiliate professors at the University, took over Medley’s organization four years ago, and expanded the number of languages celebrated at the event. This year, seven languages were represented by 31 participating students and professors: French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Latin, Arabic and Hindi. Performers spotlighted the art of language through singing and piano, recitation, artwork and the interpretation of poetry and prose.

“When Carol and I took over (the event, we) decided to celebrate all languages, not only French,” Collignon said. 

During Medley, prose and poetry recitation were popular acts across all languages, and the various musical performances showcased talents across genres, such as opera, gospel and pop. While visual artwork was less popular, an Italian cultural piece presented by the artist in Italian stole the show.  

“The artwork (stood out to me) because it was the first time a student presented their original artwork to communicate their love for (Italian) language and culture,” Collignon said. 

It was not only students who had the chance to show their appreciation for language. Visiting professor Arya Jadhav, an educator, data scientist and artist, shared her poetic work in Hindi.

“We were thrilled that our Medley event gave (Jadhav) the unique opportunity to share her native language,” Collignon said. “A Hindi poem written and performed by (her).” 

While many performers shared their native language and cultures, the event also saw participants sharing works written by others that they admired, and wanted others to appreciate as well. 

Three students interested in Latin studies performed a section of Ovid’s poem “Metamorphosis” in its original language. The 15-book poem, which was originally published in A.D. 8, is considered the Roman poet’s magnum opus.

Anthropology major Olivia Savage shared that she admires the French poet Arthur Rimbaud, who is best known for his unique creative style that influenced modern literature. Savage recited his poem, “Chanson de la plus haute tour,” which translates to, “The Song of the Highest Tower.” Rimbaud inspired Savage to study French because she wanted the ability to appreciate his writing in its original language. 

Since Medley has been extended, the event has allowed for a more expansive celebration of languages, and encourages students to explore and appreciate a diverse group of cultures. 

Block printing began as an art form in ancient China as an efficient way of reproducing and sharing information about medicine and agriculture. Now, the medium is mostly used to create artistic images. Block printing originally began by utilizing wooden blocks, but since rubber is easier to carve into, rubber blocks are commonly used at present.

At the workshop, students drew a design on paper before transferring the graphic onto a rubber block. Once the image was on the block, students began carving out the negative spaces, leaving only the lines. After carving, which was the most tedious part of the process, they applied black ink to their stamps with a small paint roller, and stamped them onto paper. The final stage could be repeated as many times as the artist desired.

ASAP is a branch of one of OMA’s Laker Connections programs. The Connection programs are designed to support and encourage diverse students in an environment where they can be their authentic selves. Laker Connections’ programs are open to all GVSU students.

Anna Miller, OMA’s assistant director, is a firm believer in using art to share culture and history. Miller stated that by learning the practice of printmaking, students can become familiar with new experiences and cultures.

“I had always wanted to pick up printmaking myself,” Miller said. “I spent winter break learning (its) history and techniques so I could share with my ASAP students and interested members of the GVSU community.” 

Miller mentioned that block printing historically played a huge role in the spread of information, literacy and art across the world.

“This (art form) also made books and art more affordable to the common people,” Miller added.

While block printing originated in China, Japan and India also have a rich history in the medium. One of the most well-known woodblock prints, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” is a Japanese print that exhibits several different carving layers. Miller shared that, among other pieces of art, the work best demonstrates printmaking’s impact on the world and individuals like herself.   

“To this day, people still enjoy carving methods of printmaking, and it’s a great way for small artists to replicate their work onto prints or textiles,” Miller said.

GVSU student Malia Tello attended the event and, like many of her peers, experienced printmaking for the first time. 

“I knew (block printing) was going to be difficult, and it (proved) me right,” Tello said.

Tello created a stamp of her initials, and despite difficulty, said she enjoys the art form and loved the design she created.  

Another student at the University, Tessa Brummels, followed Tello’s suit. 

“I did my name, which (had) a lot of details,” Brummels said. “It took me a minute to get it (the carving) going, but it (went) well. I just (took) it slow.”

Brummels offered advice to anyone attempting to block print for the first time.

“When in doubt, start further out, and then you can go back in closer later,” Brummels said. “This (method) prevents cutting away any sections too soon. Once a section of the rubber is gone, that detail is lost.” 

According to a Facebook post by festival organizers on Saturday, Feb. 8, the storied event is “sunsetting,” and ceasing its activities immediately. The announcement of the festival’s closure has triggered heartache among community members who have attended the city tradition. The three-day extravaganza traditionally featured art, entertainment and food. It had become a fun summer staple for the community of Grand Rapids and remained so up until the shuttering of its doors.

To Emily Miller, the festival’s youth art chair and board of directors member, the festival’s ending is a grave disappointment. 

“I (worked) tirelessly all year to make things as they should be,” Miller said. “The average person does not see all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into an event, even if it’s just one weekend a year. We (worked) year-round to try to make it go smoothly.”

Miller says a large part of the event’s success came from the interest and willingness of volunteer workers– a source of labor which has become scarce in recent years.

“At one point, Festival of the Arts was the largest run volunteer festival,” Miller said. “Over the years, the generations have changed and those willing to volunteer have aged out. This upcoming generation seems to not see the value in volunteering as much as it (other generations) used to.”

According to Miller, the volunteer force had been overworked in the festival’s final years. After careful consideration, the board decided to cancel the event permanently.

“You can’t expect a festival with over 100,000 people to only be run by five to 10 core volunteers,” Miller said. “It’s not fair to the volunteers who are exhausted, even though we know the importance of this event. It was such a difficult decision, but we had a lot of things to take into consideration.”

Miller still stands by the success and positive influence the festival has had on the community, but acknowledges the operation no longer makes sense logistically. The festival was a labor of love for its organizers, but in order to keep the event running, volunteers would have had to make a massive overhaul in labor recruitment.

“Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts was very important to the West Michigan community,” Miller said. “(The) festival was an opportunity to showcase food, dance, performance, and arts of all kinds in our region. We supported so many artists and offered this festival for free.”

The festival also had close ties to Grand Valley State University itself, which provided some of the event’s funding.

“Since I have been involved, I took over youth arts and we have been very connected with the GVSU Community,” Miller said. “(The University’s) Visual Arts Department and Art Museum have been our youth art award sponsors over the years, giving students the opportunity to grow and act as artists. We have been very grateful for the support from each of the departments through the years. (The) Art Museum has also purchased many artworks from the Regional Arts Exhibition to display on GVSU’s campus.”

Nathan Kemler, the director of galleries and collections at the University’s Art Museum, was similarly saddened by the festival’s closure. 

“We are saddened by the loss of this long-standing arts festival for our community, as it has always brought our community together around our shared values in community building, celebrating cultural differences and supporting local economic growth,” Kemler said. “It took a tremendous amount of effort by a dedicated group of community volunteers to plan and run this festival each year and we all owe them our gratitude for this service.”

For Kemler, the festival had great significance to the city of Grand Rapids and GVSU. Kemler believes the event will be sorely missed.

“For the city of Grand Rapids, the festival was much more than just an arts event,” Kemler said. “It was a celebration of local creativity that brought together residents, visitors and local businesses. It helped foster community pride, boosted the local economy through tourism and solidified Grand Rapids’ reputation as a hub for the arts.”

In regard to the University’s involvement, Kemler said the creative partnership will be remembered as a high point in the GVSU’s promotion of new art and community engagement.

“For the GVSU community, the festival provided a unique opportunity to bridge academic pursuits with real-world artistic expression,” Kemler said. “Students and faculty had the chance to engage with professional artists and the broader arts community, gain exposure to diverse art forms and contribute their own creative work.”

Despite many community members feeling saddened by the festival’s closure, Kemler echoed Miller in regard to the vast amount of preparation that went into the operation. He feels casual attendees at the event might not have noticed or completely appreciated volunteers’ hard work.

“It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to create a community arts festival with hundreds of different people involved,” Kemler said. “Having a long-running festival helps to establish expectations, norms and support structures. It (having a long-running festival) also helps to define and celebrate a community. Festival of the Arts did that for Grand Rapids over the past 55 years.”

Still, some students are hopeful the festival’s ending will clear the path for a new artistic tradition in Grand Rapids. GVSU student Nikolas Tompkins understands a lack of funding has the potential to cripple events.

“I believe that as long as there is an audience and enough revenue to keep going, festivals should continue to operate,” Tompkins said. “If there is not a sizable enough audience or enough revenue to maintain operations, then I believe festivals should end and make way for new ideas.”

The museum currently has the second-largest art collection in Michigan, and possesses over 28,000 works of art. Artwork is incorporated into every University building, creating a virtually borderless museum that spans across GVSU’s campuses. 

Nathan Kemler, the director of galleries and collections, initiated the name change after comprehensive conversations with the museum’s team, including its wider community partners and donors. Kemler said the term “museum” better communicates the depth of their collection, educational initiatives and community outreach efforts. 

“The transition to the GVSU Art Museum aligns with our commitment to enhancing the visibility, impact and academic rigor of our cultural resources,” Kemler said. “We believe that art matters because our shared humanity experiences and stories matter.” 

Kemler said the museum’s staff hopes the name change will better convey to students the resources they have available on campus.

“The GVSU Art Museum team empowers our community to engage with visual narratives that align with University values through diverse exhibitions, learning events resources and unparalleled access to art,” Kemler said.

Kelmer added that the name change should help signal to the broader community that the museum is a publicly accessible and open resource for all, not just GVSU students.

“In addition to our ever-changing exhibitions, every GVSU building acts as a museum gallery venue location, all of which are free to visit and engage in,” Kelmer said. “We continue to be leaders in the museum field by offering full digital access to our collection online and a mobile companion app for helping one navigate and learn more about the artwork they are looking at.”

The GVSU Art Museum mobile companion app, “Art at GVSU,” can serve as a tool for students and the public community to discover art in the University’s collection.

The museum’s current exhibition in the Haas Center for Performing Arts, “Climate Matters: Our Changing and Resilient Planet,” focuses on earth and society’s climate impact. Other museum exhibits opening soon include “Compelling Visions: The Art of Narrative in Japanese Prints” and “2024 Padnos International Center Photo Contest.”

Ed Aboufadel, the senior associate vice president for Academic Affairs and the Art Museum’s appointing officer, said Grand Rapids has a thriving arts community, which is highlighted by ArtPrize every September. Aboufadel believes the GVSU Art Museum is an anchor for the Grand Rapids community, and he welcomes the public to enjoy and learn from the pieces on display at GVSU’s campuses.

“Students should think of all (of) GVSU (campuses) as a thriving art museum,” said Aboufadel. “I would like them to look around when they are on campus and see how art infuses all our buildings. We place works of art in classrooms, hallways, gathering spaces and elsewhere in a way unprecedented at (other) universities.”

Kemler noted that the museum believes art has the power to move people, bridge gaps in understanding and spark collective imagination toward building a better, more equitable world. 

“In support of these outcomes, the Art Museum acquires, preserves, interprets, exhibits and makes accessible a diverse collection of art across all GVSU public spaces for the benefit of faculty, students and community.” 

Each student project contained either digital or printed graphic designs that provided unique solutions to societal issues. Some examples of digital content included social media accounts, videos and functioning apps, with which the exhibition’s viewers were encouraged to interact. Printed content included anything from originally designed posters and banners to books and bookmarks. Many students said they used personal experiences to inspire their designs.

Being the seniors’ work was created with the intention of educating and encouraging others to make beneficial changes in society, participating student designers answered questions throughout the reception, and encouraged attendees to interact with their artwork.

Annika Velduis, one of the graphic design students, took issue with current beauty standards. She created an interactive, digital and print design that focused on breaking the beauty standard by embracing differences.

“(The design’s) aim is to celebrate skin complexions like acne or rosacea by emphasizing your skin with fun and expressive things like eye shadow and colored blushes,” Veldhuis said. 

When she started the project, Velduis researched makeup trends and American beauty standards. She kept these in mind throughout the creative process of designing an original solution.

Many of the other projects also combined print and digital mediums to form cohesive displays. Every student’s work had a curated snapshot of their distinctive vision for change. 

GVSU design student Katharine Rottach created a display focused on apps such as TikTok, which she emphasized have reduced attention spans by popularizing short-form video content. Rottach said this is an issue she has noticed firsthand among peers. As a result, she decided to create a book intended to pique and maintain the interest of those lacking longer attention spans. 

“The type setting in the interior is very different from just a normal book,” Rottach said. “(There) are a lot of different sizes and different fonts.”

In addition to the pages’ dynamic fonts, Rottach added that the book’s content is also important in retaining readers’ interest.

“(The book on display) serves as a legible and readable story that someone could actually enjoy,” Rottach said. “(Readers) won’t know what to expect when they’re turning pages, and that is what will keep them on their toes.” 

Another student, Thu Le, found inspiration for her design within her own closet. She noticed a theme when it came to shopping for her clothes, and felt the need to both emphasize and change the pattern. 

“When I was cleaning out my closet over the summer, I noticed that I was frequently buying stuff without intentionally thinking about it,” Le said. 

Le added that her design was not focused on telling people to change their entire wardrobe overnight. Instead, she aimed to educate people on sustainable fashion so they can incorporate that knowledge into their future wardrobe considerations. 

The event, which was organized by GVSU student Zachary Glovier, provided attendees with hands-on experience of the archaic art form. Participants carved their own stamps out of wood blocks, which they then used to print designs onto paper.

Woodcutting is part of the old-fashioned art form of printmaking, where an image or design is carved onto a wooden block, typically made of softwood, and then used to create prints by pressing the design onto paper. It is one of the oldest forms of relief printmaking, and was once used as the primary medium for book illustrations. 

“It (got) people together in a low-pressure environment to do something hands-on and creative,” said Leigh Rupinski, the archivist for public services and community engagement. “That’s just a really nice feeling. The idea (was) to give (students) a break and a little bit of time to do something crafty that (they) might not get to do otherwise.”

The woodcut and block printing event proved to do just that. As the participating students came and went, some put their headphones in and carved solo, while others sat in groups and talked noisily while carving. 

Glovier, a studio art and art history major at GVSU, organized the event with the hope of encouraging students to learn about the art form and relax in a stress-free environment. Glovier noted that in prior courses they’ve taken, students have grown to appreciate the technique of block printing. By organizing the event, Glovier wanted to share the art form with others who might have been curious.

“I think it is important to keep woodcut and relief printing as a continued art form because it has such a rich history,” Glovier said. “It is important to keep these tactile ways of reproducing and creating imagery alive since we (have done) it for a long time.”  

Rupinski said the University Archive’s workshops evolve from the passions and skills that students have and are eager to share.  

“The goal (of this event was) learning about history, and how illustrations and books have evolved over time,” Rupinski said. “Our space is a community space where (students) can come and learn something that is interesting.” 

Rupinski added that keeping an art form like printmaking alive can demonstrate how art has evolved. Even if the medium isn’t commonly used anymore, students can find beauty in seeing how illustrations were made, and appreciate how far art has come. By practicing this art form, Rupinski hoped that students could see why some artists still prefer to use woodcut as their medium of choice. 

On Oct. 29, the New York artist showcased political artwork and explained the concept surrounding his book “Graphic Liberation: Image Making and Political Movements.” “Graphic Liberation” evolved from interviews he conducted with other artists while working in Chicago. Basing his presentations on the book, he brings the conversation of political art to college campuses, where students are often confronted with deep social and political issues.  

MacPhee showed the audience a collection of artwork that has been used in social movements, notably his work in the “Close Rikers” campaign. The campaign was founded by a New York group that has fought against mass incarceration for decades. 

Due to being raised by an art teacher, MacPhee has been involved in the arts from a young age. He became engaged in his local punk scene in middle school. Since he wasn’t a musician, he designed album covers and merchandise designs. From that moment on, MacPhee was engaged in community art, which led to involvement in political movements and their associated conversations.

During his presentation at GVSU, MacPhee explored the history of art and its crucial role in what he called “social movement culture.” MacPhee said that by utilizing art as a tool for social expression, the community can become stronger and initiate important social change. From this idea, the yearslong project and philosophy for “Graphic Liberation” came to be. 

“There are microcosms of the problems in the larger world, and I think these are skills (the making of political art) that are very accessible to students (who) want to grapple with the struggles they’re having on their campuses,” MacPhee said. 

MacPhee added that artwork with a widespread and lasting impact is often collectively owned and authored. This way, art can be distributed and utilized without barriers of pay or copyright, and he encouraged students to explore similar options within independent artistry. 

MacPhee emphasized that students have the power to make collective change.

“Your futures are being decided by a bunch of people that are in their 60s, 70s and 80s,” MacPhee said. “This (sharing his experiences and advocating) is something that I care deeply about.” 

Donovan Anderson, the interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at GVSU, said that MacPhee brought a powerful message with great timing, considering what is happening in the world today. 

“I think this call to action and call to engagement means a lot to this generation of students who are faced with lots of anxiety about the crisis(es) in the world and anxiety around the election,” Anderson said.

Anderson added that MacPhee’s visit curated an important conversation with students about how art is studied and interacted with.  

“A lot of times, we learn about art (and) we study (it as) ‘art for art’s sake,’” Anderson said. “I think what’s really fascinating about the work that (MacPhee) does is (how) he says ‘this art only becomes meaningful in the movement when it engages an audience and forces an audience to create community, and to maybe even lead to action.’”

Both Anderson and MacPhee said that inspiring students to take political action is of utmost importance, and that encouraging them through the medium of art is another way to become involved.