South Haven Center for the Arts' staff, Noelle Ringer, Sarah Rydecki, Sophie Burton and Kerry Hagy, will be exhibiting their work in the Pocket Gallery through 29, 2023. Please see a sample of the exhibition below with photos by Trenton Trim, read staff artists statements, and learn more about the pocket gallery at the Center.
Kerry Hagy’s Artist Statement
Always an arts administrator, never an artist. Maybe I like it that way. In fact, I usually am making things, even if not bringing work to completion. So perhaps, always an artist, even if I am spending an inordinate amount of time with budgets and writing. I so appreciate this opportunity to show work beside the talented other perpetual-artists-of-the-Center: Noelle, Sarah and Sophie. The fact that we, the artists want to play, explore, discover, understand and do is part of what brings this Center for the Arts to life!
These works are sketches that explore color, composition, and light. This series emerged because yellow compelled me to study and play with it. I collaged found materials and a variety of paint, marker, pen and office supplies. The drawings are made ever sweeter to me because of the help I got from friends including Carol Myers’ assortment of interesting pens and markers to experiment with, the Heaton’s vinyl sign scraps, and Katrina Jones’ careful matting and framing.
Noelle Ringer’s Artist Statement
My work is deeply inspired by our Lake Michigan shoreline. Everything is hand thrown on the potter’s wheel and no two pieces are alike, giving individuality to each piece. I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in ceramics from Western Michigan University in 2016 and I have been working in clay since 2013. In 2019, I joined the South Haven Center for the Arts staff as the Exhibition Coordinator and have enjoyed connecting to the community through the arts for the past 4 years.
Simple lines and textural elements of my work are inspired by spontaneous and flowing movements that happen organically in nature. The edge of the tide flowing along the shore, or the intricate grooves and patterns of a rock ignite discovery within my work. Studying color, texture, line, and form has opened new avenues to create for me using clay, paper, and paint. My work is ever changing as I navigate new experiences and stages of life.
Sarah Rydecki’s Artist Statement
When I was a newly hired South Haven Public Schools art teacher in 1994, I first walked through the doors of the South Haven Center for the Arts. I have been involved on and off ever since and am currently working as the Education Coordinator. Here, I feel inspired as an artist and very grateful as an art educator to be able to continue my love for sharing the joy of art with others.
As a collector of found objects, art supplies, and words, I find joy in playfully bringing parts together in ways that express ideas inspired by connectedness, nature, memories, and stories. I believe that the act of play and creating is a thread that connects us; past to present and person to person. So, five months ago when I discovered needle felting with wool, that idea of the fibers as threads opened a new door to combining bits of my collections. I look forward to exploring more possibilities as I continue to work with this medium.
‘My Wish…’ is inspired by a piece of my life and from some song lyrics and the images they evoke in my mind.
‘Tumbled and Settled’ comes from the wonder I feel for those things that get beaten and battered by waves and end up being shaped, smoothed, and made uniquely more beautiful.
In ‘Merge’ I fuse natural and human-made objects to express the idea of balance between the two in our world.
Sophie Burton’s Artist Statement
I am Sophie Burton.
I started working at the South Haven Center for the Arts in November 2021, as Arts Coordinator. I’ve worked a lot of jobs consistently since senior year of high school. Working at the Center has been the most nurturing workplace I’ve worked in, and I’m happy to exhibit my art alongside my wonderful coworkers.
I am an artist, a creative soul. Animation, digital art, traditional art, oils and acrylics, watercolors and pencils, micron pens and markers, I could go all day listing the art formats and mediums that inspire me to create, but it’s a never-ending list, one that will continue to grow with me as I continue to experience life. I hope to keep my innate curiosity forever, to be just as passionate about learning new ways to create as I am today, as I was as a child. I do not know where life will lead me, I do not know what profession is right for me; but, I know I am an artist and always will be, that will never change.
About the Pocket Gallery at the South Haven Center for the Arts
The Pocket Gallery season is typically from May until October feature artists of the South Haven Center for the Arts, and occassionally we will have a display in April along with the student exhibitions - this year staff are looking forward to sharing their work with our members and friends! We are currently accepting applications for the 2024 and 2025 pocket gallery season.
Registration form here. The pocket gallery is a volunteer coordinated program- and we are grateful to Katrina Jones, pocket gallery curator for all of her work and for installing this staff exhibition so beautifully (and thank you to Doug Jones too!)
Coming in 2023 in the Pocket Gallery:
May: Sara Youngman May 5 - May 27 Opening Reception Thursday, May 4, 4-6pm
June: Ron Richardson June 2 – July 1 Opening Reception Thursday, June 1, 4-6pm
July: David Baker July 7 – July 29 Opening Reception Thursday, July 6, 4-6pm
August: Sheryl and Steven Drenth August 4 – September 2 Opening Reception Thursday, August 3, 4-6pm
September: Carol Jeffers September 8 – September 29 Opening Reception Thursday, September 7, 4-6pm
October: Dorris Akers October 6 – October 28 Opening Reception Thursday, October 5, 4-6pm