The Shiawassee Arts Center opens its second exhibit of 2023 featuring the work of artists from The Lino Ladies, Ann Lee Merrill, and Shiawassee Artists’ Guild. The exhibit, which runs March 14 through April 23, is sponsored by Daystarr Communications. The public is welcome to attend the ‘Meet the Artist’ reception, Sunday, March 19, 1-3pm.

The Lansing Area Printmakers Collective (Lino Ladies for short) is a group of 11 artists who use the linocut as a starting point for their artwork.  Each artist has her own style and her own way of branching out from there.  Some work mostly in black and white, some in color.  Some use fabric or exotic papers.  Some combine lino work with ceramic, encaustic, or other media. 

Ann Lee Merrill hopes that her paintings will invite the viewer to share her vision and appreciation of the landscape. Ann strives to record the energy of the light and the moods of the day from dawn to dark. Her focus is on the light revealing the color and form.  Working from life or outside, looking out the window, or from her own photographs, Merrill paints with a style of loose gestural realism allowing layers of paint to be revealed. The effects of the color of light, the trees in her yard, the excitement of a sunset or dramatic sky are all asking to be painted. The landscape is always evolving, growing or decaying, being built up or falling down, and like artists for generations before Ann, she finds it all  very paintable.

The Shiawassee Artists’ Guild is an group of artists and art lovers, Bonnie Brown, Dan Chrenka, Marie Gougeon, Linda Justice, Jann Lardie, Regina Moskal, Sue Newcom, Linda Ruehle, Jennifer Ross, Maureen Ryan, Kaci Schwenk, Linda Van Cise and Barbara Walworth, who share a passion for creativity and a multitude of talents. Their theme for the exhibit is called “Potpourri.” 

The Shiawassee Arts Center, celebrating its 51st anniversary in 2023, is located at 206 Curwood Castle Drive in Owosso and open to the public free of charge, Monday through Friday 10-5pm, weekends 12-3pm. The Arts Center features the artwork of local and statewide artists in eight galleries including the Frieseke Gallery and a specialty Gift Shop. SAC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage participation and appreciation of the arts. For more information 989.723.8354 or visit www.shiawasseearts.org.