Local artists will showcase their “floral” talents during the Arts and Flowers event on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 in downtown Albion.
The pop-up art event will be at Superior Arts at 302 S. Superior St. Store hours are Friday 3 PM to 7 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.
The spring art show was planned by art-lover Mary Slater and Albion women business owners Jenny Risner Wade of Yellow Bird Chocolate Shop, Anna Merritt of Anna’s House of Flowers, and Sue Ott of Jolly Green Junction. Contributing edible cookie art will be business- owner Emily Verbeke from Foundry Bakehouse & Deli.
Artists will display their works, and the venue will offer two demonstrations. Friday at 4 PM, Susan Heisler will demonstrate how to make paper flowers. On Saturday at 1 PM, Fang Wang will show the crowd the art of Chinese ink drawing.
In addition to the two artists presenting demonstrations and their art, other artists include Deborah Erlandson with acrylic paintings, Richard Lewin and Robert Erlandson with photography, Mary Habicht with watercolors, Joan Larsen with flower monotypes, and Diana Wade with flowers on the farm.
Risner-Wade will showcase chocolate roses, while Merritt will feature silk and live flower arrangements.
Ott will be located in the alley near Yellow Bird Chocolate Shop and display garden art and outdoor flowers.
This downtown venue will gather Albion and local area artists to highlight their talents.
According to Slater this downtown venue will gather Albion and local area artists to highlight their talents. During limited weekends throughout the year she hopes to continue to feature rotating artists displaying different media.
Slater and her husband Richard Lewin operated the former Albion Heritage Bed & Breakfast. During that time they hosted the annual December “Cozy Up With Art” which gave Slater the inspiration for Superior Arts.
“Albion is the type of community that will support the arts in all forms.”
“So many people have contributed to making this downtown art venue a success,” Slater said. “It just shows that Albion is the type of community that will support the arts in all forms. I hope that this is just the beginning of being able to showcase the incredible variety of artistic talent in our community and surrounding areas.”
The pop-up shop will feature different types of art with rotating artists displaying their talents for limited weekends throughout the year.
The Superior Arts idea, according to Slater, is to bring in Albion and local area artists to highlight their artistic talents at this storefront venue. She hopes to feature different types of art with rotating artists displaying their talents for limited weekends throughout the year.
Cozy Up with Art in earlier days
Slater, and her husband Richard Lewin, moved to Albion in 2004 to open the Albion Heritage Bed & Breakfast which closed in 2019 when the couple retired. During that time they hosted the annual December “Cozy Up With Art.” After closing the B& B Slater said she missed hosting people while they enjoyed local artists’ work.
“Art is essential to who we are as a people,”
“Art is essential to who we are as a people,” Slater emphasized. She continued, “With cuts to art education in our public schools we are saying that art is not as important as other areas of learning. We need to continue to offer ways for all community members to appreciate the arts and showcase the variety of talented artists in the Albion area.”
The Arts in Albion
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