The Shiawassee Arts Center (SAC) is excited for the opening of its first exhibit of 2018 featuring the works of artist James Fagan of Okemos, Tom Tomasek of Ovid and the Michigan League of Handweavers. The exhibit, which opens Tuesday, Feb. 6 and will run through Sunday, March 11, is generously sponsored by CLH Insurance Agency, Alan and Julie Sorenson, Todd and Shelly Sydow, and Joy Welty. The public is welcome to attend the opening reception to enjoy good food and drinks with the artists on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 2 to 4 p.m.
James Fagan received his BFA from Bradley University in Peoria, IL in 1962 and an MFA from the University of Illinois in Urbana, IL in 1967, where he then taught painting and drawing. In 1967 he joined the Art Department at Michigan State University, where he has taught Advanced Drawing and various printmaking classes ever since. His source of inspiration for his paintings comes from the recognition of a frequently overlooked beauty and a certain dignified quality – even elegance – that occurs within the aging process, which is continuously occurring all around us. His vision of human existence is reflected in his paintings, which attempt to synthesize the experiences of a lifetime.
Tom Tomasek is an award-winning pastel artist whose focus has been on painting landscapes. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout Michigan, as well as a 2014 exhibit in Japan. In August of 2016, Tom was honored to be an Artist in Residence at the Golden Apple Art Residency located in the Down East Region near Harrington, ME. The pastel work in this exhibit showcases that experience and documents not only work that was completed at the residency, but also newer paintings that have been produced from sketches and other references since that time. During his exhibit, Tomasek will be presenting a pastel workshop entitled “Land, Sky and Water” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 10. Call ahead for reservations.
The Michigan League of Handweavers is a group of approximately 21 weaving guilds with 260 members from all over the state (and northern Ohio and Indiana) that have a long history in Michigan. Michigan was the weaving center of the United States in the ‘30s and ‘40s, with loom factories and production weaving being done. MLH has existed since 1959 to promote hand weaving and fiber arts, with education and exhibit opportunities for its members. Recent venues that showed their works have been the Ella Sharp Museum in Jackson and the Dennos Museum in Traverse City. This show, which is their 20th Biennial Fiber Exhibit and was juried by Michigan Artist JoAnn Bachelder, will have 48 pieces represented by 23 members.
The Shiawassee Arts Center, located at 206 Curwood Castle Dr. in Owosso, is open from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The SAC features the artwork of local and statewide artists in eight galleries, including the Frieseke Gallery and a specialty gift shop. The public is welcome and there is no admission charge. SAC, which is celebrating its 46th anniversary in 2018, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage participation and appreciation of the arts. For more information, call the SAC at (989) 723-8354 or visit www.shiawasseearts.org.
