Summer has officially started with Memorial Day

Yesterday was Memorial Day, a rainy and cold one.  We decided to attend our local Memorial Day Parade, no matter what the weather.  I haven’t been to one in a long time.   The children squealed in delight at the planes flying overhead.  The planes flew in formation several times around the area.

The proud World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Vets rode, marched, and walked the parade route.  Bystanders stood, clapped, smiled, and many were teary-eyed watching these men go by.  At one point, a group stopped, and played “Taps”.  

 Many kids decorated their bikes just so they could ride in the parade was a memory of my past.

It was good to have paused for just a few moments being thankful for those who have fought for this country and

Grand Haven Musical Fountain

 to remember all that is good.

Beginning a New Year, Our Third. Plus a new initiative.

Our website has been redesigned and moved to Wordpress.  This blog has been moved there also. Please check it out:  http://cyndicasemier.com/blog/

The main purpose of redesigning it was to allow for e-commerce.  We are up and functioning.  Not all of my artist's work is on the site, yet.  I will be adding work over time.  You can always send me a note and I will get it on the e-commerce pages so that you can easily purchase art work.  

Bob Walma, one of our photographers, did a super job setting up our first website. I hired Anita Yoder, Designs on the Grand, to re-design our site.  I think she did a great job.  Now, I have to learn the new format.  But, I will get there.  

Bob has been focusing on his new venture - raising dollars for the restoration of the Grand Haven Coal Tipple.  At C2C, we will be supporting this effort, in the way of donating 5% of all Tipple image sales to the City of Grand Haven.  Friday, May 24 (this Friday), we will be exhibiting his new images of the Tipple.  

Jaclyn Kwiatkowski's ceramic work will be featured this Friday, also.  Jaclyn’s ceramic work is organic in focus.  She considers how humans and the environment interact between one another.   In each of her pieces, there has been a labor.  This labor is to respect the labor that nature often endures, a beautiful pain that is persistent but useful.  Most of the work is hand-built, because it relates to the process of growth. 

Karisa Wilson was our first musician to perform when we opened in 2011.  Karisa will be with us again Friday night.  Please plan to join us and enjoy this talented woman's music.  Karisa will begin at 6pm.  

Karisa Wilson is an award winning singer-songwriter from Michigan. Her debut album "Little Girl" won the WYCE's Album of the Year Jammie, one of Michigan's most prestigious indie music awards. Karisa writes and performs a blend of Indie pop, jazz and blues. She's also a classically trained violinist.  Karisa recently returned from a trip to Uganda where she arranged and recorded the original tunes of orphaned or abandoned children who live in the shelter built by GEO (Grassroots Empowerment Opportunities).  Karisa is donating her time to record an album to raise awareness and monies for this organization.  

Remember, we do have "Art for Your Every Day Life"!

Keeping the Customer Happy

A few weeks ago,  I ran down to Benton Harbor's Water Street Glassworks to pick up a custom piece by Eli and Margie.  It was a beautiful glass vase.  Our customer was very excited to bring it home.  Sadly, it broke on the way home.  The good news is our artisans immediately said, "Don't worry, Cyndi, we will fix it.  What broke?"  The two parts of the vase broke apart.  Sadly, the bottom dropped out of our wrappings on its way back into the gallery.  The good news....Margie and Eli made a new base, reattached it.  The vase has arrived to the client's home and is now properly displayed and being enjoyed.

One of the things that I most appreciate about our C2C artists is that they are all professionals.  The goal is to have happy customers, enjoying their artwork.  Every piece of artwork in this gallery was created by a professional artist. They have spent thousands of hours practicing their craft to arrive at a high level of expertise.

Glass work by Eli and Margie