Friday
November 21 from 6 - 10pm
MEET
THE ARTIST Friday December 19 from 6 - 10pm
NANCY BYRUM PRESENTS NEW WORK
On
the first floor of River's Edge Gallery in downtown Wyandotte
Nancy Byrum continues her series of endangered species
paintings. One of her newest depicts Polar Bears resting
in full view of the Northern Lights. The endangered species
series so far has included realistic hand painted oils
of a Spotted Leopard, a Grizzly Bear and a Gorilla.
Byrum’s
award-winning images of wildlife have shown all over southeastern
Michigan. She specializes in natural wildlife of the Midwest
, various creatures that dot our landscape. Nancy Byrum,
Allen Park native and now resident of Wyandotte and mother
of two, began painting animals as a hobby. She painted
dogs on ornaments and progressed to oil on canvas. Viewers
will often times ask if Byrum's work if is photography
due to her distinct realism. Most of her images show the
animal in their element: A heron in a pond, cardinals
exploring newly fallen snow, or squirrels in a tree. Her
show features original paintings as well as her highly
affordable, gift-able prints often framed by the artist.
This is her fourth annual Christmas show at River's Edge
Gallery. "We booked for every Christmas," stated
gallery owner, Patt Slack. "Her work is much in demand
and she is hard to pin down due to the demand for her
work and her busy family life."
Leo
Kuschel is also showing on the first floor. He will be
unveiling his Downriver Series. This series highlights
landmarks that are distinctly Downriver such as the Water
Mill or the Church in Heritage Park of Taylor or the Electric
Train Arches. All scenes were painted on location, some
in sun shine some in rain, but all in Kushel's signature
impressionistic style. Leo Kuschel is usually known as
the painter of Great Lakes lighthouses. His iconic images
of the Great Lakes signature lighthouses have been widely
shown and noted for their exact details and a color palate
that brings the viewers recognize as the Great Lakes.
Leo
is probably one of the most versatile artists in the Metro
Detroit area. He began his career with large abstracts
and layered acrylic paintings and sculptures. He was so
well known for these that he even landed up in the collection
of Vincent Price, a well known actor and art collector
whose collection landed up in a museum. He never gave
that up but became famous for his lighthouse paintings,
which have also gotten in major collections. This "Plein
aire" painting (in the air or on location) has also
been a favorite of his. These images are more impressionistic
as he plays with the light and color he is seeing at that
very moment. This was a favorite technique of the impressionists.
On
the third floor, Patricia Izzo is taking time to feature
herself in the Patricia Izzo Fine Art Photography Gallery
where she oftentimes features work by established and
emerging fine art photographers. She has new work to feature
and a collection of her favorite works from 2008. Izzo's
book, Fragile Awakenings, comes out December 3rd and Izzo
will include images from that book. Izzo has had a banner
year having her work featured on the cover of 3 nationally
circulated books and now having her own coming out.
"The
gallery is always changing on all three floors,"
says Jeremy E. Hansen, Gallery Director. "We are
expanding the photography section on the third floor to
better highlight our highly revered metro-Detroit photographers
and we are highlighting that other Metro Detroit artists
who are making headway on a national level and international
level. " Hansen also stated that he has taken into
account the Holiday gift shoppers and has included many
affordable items by these and other artists starting at
$20.
The
opening is Friday, November 21st 6pm-10pm.
THROUGH
JANUARY 3RD.
WYANDOTTE
GREETS SANTA WITH A NEW HOME
The
Third Friday in November traditionally kicks off the Holiday
Season in Wyandotte. This time there is something
big to celebrate. Santa has a new home. Those who grew
up in Downriver will remember Santa’s Victorian home
on Biddle Avenue or the winter wonderland created on the
golf course. Unfortunately, due to decay of the Victorian
house and conflicting schedules at the golf course, Santa
has been homeless or wandering for the last 3 years.
This
year the Downtown Development Authority along with the
Wyandotte Recreation Department have built Santa a new
home; all part of an overall plan to create a real old
fashioned Christmas atmosphere in Wyandotte. The corner
of Elm and First (many will remember it as the location
of the now defunct Wyandotte Movie Theatre) has been designated
as the new Winter Wonderland. The new Santa house and
the official Wyandotte Christmas tree is already in place
and will soon be joined by a community ice rink.
The
celebration begins at 6:30 PM on Third Friday when the
lights on the tree will be flipped on accompanied by the
sounds of Christmas Carols. The crowd will then be invited
to wander the newly decorated streets in the downtown
area where the Wyandotte Soup Kitchen will be selling
goodies in various businesses with proceeds to go to the
soup kitchen. Other merchants will be serving coffee,
cider and hot chocolate asking for a $1 donation with
the proceeds going to the Goodfellows-No Child Without
a Christmas program. There will also be a Holiday Greens
and Flower Market in the lobby of city hall on Biddle
where you can buy white pine, cedar and fresh balsam door
size wreaths as well as poinsettias and other holiday
plants.
While
all this celebration is going on so will the usual Third
Friday fanfare including free horse and carriage rides,
free trolley tours, special merchant sales and events
and an art crawl. Merchants will also be decked out in
their door wreaths trying to win a contest hosted by the
Wyandotte Business Association.
The
town is then ready for Saturday November 22nd when Santa
arrives in town during the Annual Christmas Parade. This
year Honorable Randy L. Kalmbach of the 27th District
Court will be the Grand Marshal. The parade starts at
10 AM.
Gallery
hours are 10-7 Monday-Thursday, 10-8 on Friday and 10-5
on Saturday.
3024 Biddle, Wyandotte 734-246-9880
