Joanne Peltz – Multimedia

Joanne Peltz is a visionary artist whose contribution to her world has been to reflect it, to distill its essence, to visualize its season, moods people and peculiarities. In her own way, she has expressed her vision of the world, her idea of the purpose of art and her belief of art’s value.Her business, Joanne & Company, markets products for the art industry. She serves as a consultant for corporate and private art investors. Joanne also enjoys teaching multimedia classes in her studio.

Time is energy. It enables us to refine our creative powers.  All life is dependent upon cycles of time.  We and everything are continuously moving through time. It is the perpetuator of illusion of all things dependent upon it. We are temporary. To flow with life is energy of time to the fullest.  We are interdimenisional beings unlimited by time when we understand our higher nature. Joanne Peltz – December 2011

Lucianne Siers, OP – Stone Sculpture

As an artist, I see shapes and movement in rock. Carving out these shapes with tools gives me life and energy. I do not really know where these ideas or figures come from, but somewhere inside me there are rivers of ideas and hopes and dreams that somehow emerge and I allow them to become carved and molded into the stone.

Art finds it way in me and I am so grateful, because it also brings to me such wonderful, creative people who are also engaged in the process of making and expressing what is deep in our spirit. The creative dimension of the Dominican family has broadened my understanding of the importance of art in my spiritual life.

As I have begun to look to the Rock from Which I Am Hewn, I invite you, the viewer, to walk with me into the feelings carved into stone which I have discovered and now share with you.Lucianne Siers, OP – December, 2011

Jim VanBeek – Glass Sculpture

Thirty years ago in the middle of winter I saw an advertisement in the Grand Rapids Press for a stained glass class. After the first class I was hooked. I love working with stained glass, there are so many colors of glass and there are unlimited possibilities of what you can make. A lot of stained glass artists work with patterns, but I prefer free form creations.

My wife of 45 years, Susan and I have three children and eight grandchildren. Over the years I have had pieces of my work displayed in the local art galleries, in various art shows and I was featured in the Grand Rapids Press. My works have been sold in shops in Saugatuck, Frankfort, Charlevoix.

My proudest achievement was the Christmas after 9/11. Michigan artists were invited to submit decorations for the National Christmas Tree which had been provided by the state of Michigan. I had the honor of having my piece being chosen for the tree. I had a vision of what I wanted the piece to represent, and that vision was of an Angel ascending to Heaven with the Twin Towers in her arms. A local television station asked if they could come out and film me in my studio and then they broadcast it on television. December – 2011