The Arts Council of Greater Lansing is pleased to announce the selection of four local artists as recipients of the Arts Council’s 2013 Individual Artist Grant program with cash awards of $1,000 each. A peer review panel selected recipients based upon the merit of their proposed project and work samples. Marta Bagratuni and Haobing Zhu were awarded grants for their projects in the Emerging Artist category, and Pamela Timmons and Catherine Tonning-Popowich were awarded grants for their projects in the Established Artist category.
“This is the fifth year of this program and the first program of its kind to support individual artists in the greater Lansing region with cash grants to conduct a public project,” said executive director Leslie Donaldson. “The grants will not only aid our artistic community, but will provide the public with greater access to local, high-quality arts opportunities. We are thrilled to support these talented artists.”
Marta Bagratuni, a Lansing-based cellist, will present “Pieces of the World,” which will include the recording, production, promotions and public release of a CD by Bagratuni and participating Michigan-based artists. The CD will include classical musical works for cello by composers from different countries written within the last 300 years. The public will be invited to attend a free June 2013 CD release event at The Avenue in Lansing, which will include live performances and a talk-back with the project’s participating artists.
Haobing Zhu, an East Lansing resident and pianist, will present “Colorful Cloud Chasing the Moon,” which will celebrate the dynamic diversity of the Chinese culture through music. The project will include the recording and production of a CD featuring Haobing Zhu’s performance of Jianzhong Wang’s transcriptions of Chinese folk music. Free live concerts and interactive sessions will be open to the public and will take place at MSU Community Music School in East Lansing and at Post Oak Academy in Lansing in September 2013.
Pamela Timmons, a Bath resident and sculptor, will present “Bronzed Turtle,” which will include the creation and exhibition of a final work of sculpture along with public demonstrations regarding the process of creating a bronze sculpture. The project will allow Timmons to pursue new work in a new medium and engage the public to witness the creation of a bronze artwork. The exhibition/demonstration events will take place at the Children’s Garden at the MSU Horticulture Gardens during “Camp Monet” from August 6-8, 2013 and on August 13 during the garden’s 20th Birthday Celebration.
Catherine Tonning-Popowich, an Owosso resident and painter, will present “Creative Creature Encounters,” which will include a public exhibition of 10 zoo-inspired acrylic paintings, along with public painting demonstrations and interactive opportunities held with the artist at Potter Park Zoo. The public painting demonstrations will occur June 1 during Be A Tourist in Your Own Town, and on July 19 and Aug. 17. The exhibition featuring the zoo-inspired paintings will be on display in the Safari Room at Potter Park Zoo beginning Sept. 15, and will feature a free reception for the public. The exhibit will continue through Potter Park’s Free Day at the Zoo on Saturday, Oct. 5.
For further information on the Individual Artist Grant Program provided by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, please contact Barb Whitney, Program Manager at (517) 372-4636 x 3 or barb@www.lansingarts.org.
Founded in 1965, the Arts Council of Greater Lansing is a non-profit organization whose mission is to lead, advocate for, and advance arts and culture in the capital region. For more information, visit www.www.lansingarts.org.