Words ruled at the Grosse Pointe ART Center Friday night, June 10th at the opening of "Word Play." This show celebrated the merging of artistic expression and language. Each piece of art incorporated letters, words, or phrases, or, was inspired by a literary work. Carole Harris, renowned Michigan fiber artist, jurored the event and was pleased with the variety of interpretations of this theme.

Best in Show went to Larry Zdeb of Troy, for his mixed media box entitled "Popular Leaders." The piece featured old newspaper articles of several big band leaders, wire and reclaimed wood illuminated with small electric lights. Larry also won Honorable Mention for his large encaustic and mixed media piece entitled "Emotions." When asked which emotions this piece meant to convey, the artist replied "mixed." This piece combined old piano pieces, molds, reclaimed wood, house paint and a picture of Gene Autry.

Amy Wolfe took home Second Place for her clay and mixed media piece, entitled "Real Men". Third Place went to Michael Calligan of Grosse Pointe Farms, for his acrylic painting entitled "Stand Up".

Honorable Mentions went to Mary Aro, of Grosse Pointe Park, for her pencil drawing entitled "Radiation", Loralei R. Blyatt of Detroit, for her digital print entitled "Conversation #1" and Gail Sina, of Rochester, for her embroidery/calligraphy piece entitled "Needles & Nibs".

The show was an eclectic mix of mediums, including photography, encaustic, pastels, sculpture, wood block prints, embroidery, hand made paper, calligraphy, pottery, collage, book making, just to name a few. One of the pleasures of the Center is that it attracts a wide variety of artists for their all-media shows.

Also opening June 10th were two shows "Best of Show Winners of 2010" and "Circus". Each Best in Show winner from last year displayed recent work. Lin Viglione, the winner of the 2010 "Pottery, Prints and Photography" show, displayed a painting, and two pottery pieces, one revealing a hand emerging from a ceramic block. She stated it represented escape, but from what, could be anyone's interpretation.

For more information, please visit the Grosse Pointe ART Center’s website www.grossepointeartcenter.org or call 313-821-1848.

article by: Jacqueline Beer