Col. Frank J. Hecker House

The Col. Frank J. Hecker House or "Hecker House" is located on Woodward Avenue at the corner of Ferry, in Midtown Detroit.  I have driven passed this mansion many times without knowing what it was, until now.  The Hecker House was built in 1888 by Louis Kamper.  It is 21,000 square feet and in the French Chateauesque style.  Hecker used his house to host parties, where William Mckinley and Rutherford B. Hayes were said to have attended.  The exterior of the home has large turrets(towers coming out of the wall of a building such as a medieval castle) at the corners.  The interior has 49 rooms, including a large oak-paneled hall designed for parties, a mahogany oval dining room, an English oak lobby, and a white and gold music room.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.  After Hecker's death, the family kept it for another twenty years.  During this time, it operated as a boarding school for single college students.  I couldn't even imagine living in a place like this, it looks like a castle.  Eventually the Hecker House was sold to Paul Smiley, of the Smiley Brothers Music Company.  When Smiley died in 1990, the building was sold to Charfoos and Christensen, P.C.  It currently serves as their law offices and the Royal Danish Consulate in Detroit.

The Hecker House definitely sticks out from its surroundings.  One second you could be on a street with a bunch of burned down and abandoned buildings and the next second be in front of this beautiful mansion, its crazy. I love this building and the beautiful architectural details it has, I'm glad it's a part of Detroit.

Renaissance Center

The Renaissance Center, nicknamed the RenCen, is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers in Detroit.  It serves as a hotel, offices, restaurants, clubs, and retail shops. It is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters.  The center tower, the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, is the tallest all-hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and also the tallest building in Michigan.  It was built in 1981 and then restored in 2005.  The RenCen is designed in the Modern architectural style and made primarily out of glass.  The architects that restored it were Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, SmithGroup, and Ghafari Associates.

When I was a kid, I remember coming to the Renaissance Center on New Years Eve with my family and my neighbor's family(my dad managed to arrange this because he was working here at the time).  I remember hanging out in a conference room, high up in one of the towers, celebrating and waiting for the clocks to hit midnight.  I was so excited to see the ball drop on T.V. and watch the fireworks from the window.  The view was amazing.  Being so high up, made the fireworks seem so close and made it an unforgettable experience.

Cadillac Square Park & Hurlbut Memorial Gate

Cadillac Square Park is a re-established park in downtown Detroit.  It is immediately east of Campus Marcius and was created to increase the park space.  It was opened in the late summer of 2007 and the city moved the Bagley Memorial Fountain to Cadillac Square.  There have been plans for a new Cadillac Centre by architect Anthony Caradonna, to pattern it after the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao but the plans have been postponed.  Every workday from noon to 1 p.m. the French sport of Petanque and Italian sport of bocce are played.

Hurlbut Memorial Gate is a monumental structure at the entry way to Water Works Park, located at East Jefferson Avenue at Cadillac Boulevard in Detroit.  It is named after Chauncey Hurlbut, a 19th-century Detroit grocer, president of the Board of Water Commissioners, and philanthropist.  The monument was built in 1894 by Brede and Mueller and restored in 2007.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and is of Beaux-Arts style.  The Hurlbut Memorial Gate is a three tiered arch, over 50 feet high, built in limestone.  It is decorated with carved garlands, water fonts and roundels, and an American eagle with its wings spread out on top.  It originally had a statue of Chauncey in the middle of the dome and an iron gate but they were both removed.

Campus Martius Park

Campus Martius Park is a public park located in downtown Detroit, where Woodward Avenue and Michigan Avenue intersect.  It was first built in 1850, but then in the 1900's it was lost as the city's downtown was reconfigured due to the heavy traffic.  It was rebuilt in 2004 with a Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, two stages, an ice skating rink, sculptors, and public spaces.  This park is 1.2 acres and is open all year round.  The ice skating rink is operated by Magic Ice USA and designed to resemble the one at the Rockefeller Center in New York City, but it is actually larger than that one. I have never walked through Campus Martius or have gone ice skating at the rink there but I plan to in the future.  Campus Martius is a beautiful, well known place to go for Detroiters or anybody visiting the Detroit area.

Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a Civil War Monument created to honor those that were killed in the war.  It was sculpted by Randolph Rogers in 1867 and is of a Classical Revival style.  The design consists of octagonal sections that rise up from the base of the monument.  The lowest sections have eagles on them with raised wings that guide your eye upward to the next section which has four males symbolizing the Navy, Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery branches of the U.S. Army.  Above the male statues are four women on pedestals that represent Victory, History, Emancipation, and Union. Victory stands at the top of the monument with a sword and a shield prepared to attack. This monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.  I love the different levels of this monument and how it builds up.  The design of it makes you look at every aspect of it not just the top of it.  This statue has great history and meaning to it.

Grand Army of the Republic Building

The Grand Army of the Republic Building(GAR) is a historic building on West Grand River Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.  It was built in 1899 by architect Julian Hess and Richard Raseman.  It was originally built for the Grand Army of the Republic club members in Detroit.  The building included thirteen shops and a bank on the ground floor, office space on the second and third floor, and a small auditorium on the fourth floor.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.  In 2007, the GAR Building was sold to the Ilitch family, who had planned to renovate it.  The renovations never happened.  In 2011, it was sold to Mindfield USA, a Detroit-based media company. The plan was to use the building as their headquarters.  The building is still currently undergoing renovations. The plan is for the top two floors to be used as the headquarters, the ground floor to be used for retail, a restaurant, and a Civil War Memorial.

The GAR Building is triangular in shape because of it's lot size and it is of Romanesque Revival style. This building makes me think of a castle because the sides of the triangle are connected by tower-like structures.  I love all the red details on it and the arch windows and doors it has.  The GAR Building is really old and charming and it is a great piece of history in Detroit.

Detroit Artists Market

The Detroit Artists Market, or DAM, was founded in 1932, in the midst of the Great Depression.  It is a nonprofit organization that aids local artists by giving them gallery space to exhibit their artwork. "DAM has a history of creating a lively culture and characterized by experimentation and artistic creativity."  It was started by a group of local art patrons led by Mrs. H. Lee Simpson.  The DAM is located in the cultural Midtown neighborhood on Woodward Avenue, near the Detroit Institute of Art and Wayne State University.  It is the oldest continuously running nonprofit gallery in the Midwest. Originally, it was named Detroit's Young Artist Market and just served artists under the age of 30, but in 1936, the gallery and organization changed it's name and decided to serve all artists no matter the age.  Not only does DAM help artists out, but it also educates people about art by letting them view artwork by the finest local artists.

I think it is great there are many organizations out there to help people showcase their talent and passion.  Putting people's talent out there helps to make connections and possibly get a jump start on a career.  I just recently discovered this organization, so I haven't had a chance to check out this gallery yet, but I hope to in the future.

Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central Station, also known as Michigan Central Depot or MCS, was built in 1913 for the Michigan Central Railroad.  When it was built it was the tallest rail station in the world.  It is located in Corktown, Detroit near the Ambassador Bridge, southwest of downtown Detroit.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.  The building is of the Beaux-Arts Classical style of architecture, designed by the Warren and Wetmore and Reed and Stem firms.  The MCS is a 500,000 square foot building.  The main waiting room on the main floor was designed to model an ancient Roman bathhouse with vaulted ceilings and walls of marble.  The MCS was designed to include a hotel, offices for the rail company, a large hall that contained the ticket office, and arcade shops. Currently, Michigan Central Station is in ruins.

Even though this building is in ruins it is still really beautiful.  It also has a lot of history in it. Michigan Central Station symbolizes the rise and fall in Detroit.  For 75 years, the depot shipped people off to war, brought them home, and took them on vacation.  "It was Detroit's Ellis Island, where many generations of Detroiters first stepped foot into the city for factory jobs."  It was filled with the sounds of hellos and goodbyes. Now, after its been out of use for nearly 25 years, it has been a place for vandals and the homeless.  The only sounds heard are the spraying of paint cans, dripping of water through the holes in the ceiling, and the whistling of wind through the broken windows.  There has been some talk of renovation but nothing has been finalized.

Lincoln Street Art Park

Lincoln Street Art Park is a green program based on recycling and restoring, meant to inspire, bring joy and creativity.  It is known as the Ghetto Louvre.  Their montra is, "If you build it they will come, if they build it they will stay."  James Willer and Matt Naimi took a trashy area of land that wasn't serving much of a purpose and made it into an art park.  Lincoln Street is a small side street named after president Lincoln, that runs parallel to Trumbull Avenue and is used as a safe route by bicyclists.  This art and sculptor park is meant to brighten and enrich the way for these travelers.  The art in the art park is mainly created out of recyclable goods and is always changing and growing.  "New generations are attracted to the opportunities to explore and to learn from their predecessors, to build upon those experiences, and to create new ones."  This program is constantly inspiring people all around, not only through art and music, but also through words.  One example would be the quote the program shared, "It is always good to look back at the road traveled to see just how far you have really come."

Recently the program added an addition to Lincoln Street Park called Fischer Canyon.  This used to be a forgotten railroad alleyway but then was turned into vibrant street art.  During the Detroit Design Festival, Fischer Canyon was revealed, and it displayed work done by Lincoln Street Art Park, Blue Cross Blue Shield volunteers, and environmental education group, Green Living Science.  Fischer Canyon showcases paintings by local Detroit Artists and was named for its views of the Fischer Building.

I heard of Lincoln Street Art Park in the past, never knowing what it was.  I was happy to learn that it is another program, like the Heidleberg Project, working to restore Detroit and make it a better and safer place to live and learn.

I love the idea of taking something that was abandon or forgotten and repurposing it into something eye- catching.  This program is making Detroit a more vibrant place.  Before the transformation, the area that is now Lincoln Street Art Park and Fischer Canyon had few people passing by, but now there are always people there checking out the artwork, therefore making it a safer place to be.

Here is a link to a video about Lincoln Street Art Park.                                                         http://www.detroitnews.com/videonetwork/1281770008001/Lincoln-Street-Art-Park

                             
                                                                   Fischer Canyon

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit(MOCAD) is a museum located on Woodward Avenue in Detroit between the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Institute of Arts(DIA). It allows people to explore emerging ideas in contemporary art. This building is a 22,000 square foot building that was once used as an auto dealership, that has been renovated to keep its character. The architect is Andrew Zago.

From the outside this building doesn't look too great. This museum has graffiti written across the whole building, therefore when you look at it, unless you've been there before, you probably think it was just another trashy building in Detroit.  But, if there was to be a museum anywhere displaying graffiti on its exterior it must be in Detroit.

Until recently I had never heard of this museum before. It probably goes unnoticed because of the way it looks; it doesn't stick out as a place of importance. I am looking forward to checking it out in the spring when the weather gets nice.

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is the world's largest institution dedicated to the African American experience.  The museum houses over 30,000 artifacts and has seven exhibition areas devoted to African Americans and their stories.  It is located in the heart of Midtown's Detroit Cultural Center, right next to the Science Center and a block from the DIA.  It was founded in 1965 by obstetrician Dr. Charles Wright and is 125,000 square feet.

I have never been inside the museum, but I heard that there is a form of a slave ship with slave owners making trading deals to sell the slaves and other things from that time period.  My grandparents visited the museum before and said that it is really well done and moving.  I drive past this museum many times when I go visit my brother at his apartment in Detroit.  I love the architecture of this building with the dome made almost entirely of glass, the ringed columns, and the bronze front doors.  It is really unique and intriguing.  I hope to visit it in the future and learn about the history of America.

The Qube

The Qube is a high-rise office building and Quicken Loans operation center on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.  It is part of the Detroit Financial District.  This building was built in 1959 by Albert Kahn.  It has fourteen floors and it is composed of a lot of marble.  This building is of the modern architectural style.  I think this building looks really cool, the pattern of it reminds me of a checkerboard.  This building really stands out because of it's bold design.

Guardian Building

The Guardian Building, nicknamed the Cathedral of Finance, is a large skyscraper in Detroit.  It was built in 1928, by the Union Trust Company and serves as the Headquarters for Wayne County.  This building has forty floors and leases rooms out for events to accommodate for big crowds.  Besides offices and auditoriums, this building also has retail shops in its lobby and a bank of america.

Walking in to this building you first notice the large three-story vaulted ceiling made up of Pewabic tile.  If that doesn't capture your attention then one of the next things you would see is a large mosaic located in between the elevators.  This is so beautiful and intricate that you can't help but admire their talent.  The elevator lobbies display stained glass works of art, as well as it's ceiling.  This helped to give the building the "cathedral" part of it's nickname.  These are just a couple of the elaborate designs you would see if you toured the Guardian Building.

Detroit Opera House

The Detroit Opera House is a historic theater located on Broadway Street in Detroit.  The Detroit Opera House puts on plays, concerts, and many other kinds of productions.  It seats 2,700 people and is in the style of a European Opera House.  It was first built in 1922 and then renovated in 1996 by Eric J. Hill.

I remember when I was a kid coming here to see many different shows.  One memory I have in particular is when my family, my cousin's family and my grandparents all came here to see Topol's last tour of Fiddler on the Roof.  My family has a tradition of watching the movie Fiddler on the Roof at least once a year when were all together.  We love the story line, the fact that it is something the whole family can watch, and that it is a musical.  Because we had all seen the movie hundreds of times, we had really high hopes for the play.  Hearing that Fiddler on the Roof was coming to Detroit was exciting enough, but then finding out that Topol was going to be in it, the same man that played the lead role in the movie, put our excitement over the top.

The day that we chose to go to the play there happened to be a horrible snow storm, so a lot of people ended up not going.  The ushers then allowed people to move a few rows closer to the stage, so although at first my family was seated in the nosebleeds we were then able to get decent seats for about half the price.  I remember first walking into the theater and gazing up at the beautiful ceiling and being in awe of it all.  It was breathless.  The designer did a really good job of creating a warm sophisticated environment where people could go for a night out to enjoy a show.

My family was very pleased with the show.  Topol did an amazing job playing his character and what was even more amazing was the fact that he was 73 years old.  The way he moved around, you would have never known.  He was jumping around, dancing, and singing just like he did in the movie that was filmed about forty years ago.  Overall, it was an unforgettable performance and experience that I got to share with my family and have as a memory.

Masonic Temple

If you were to drive down Temple street in Detroit you would see a large Neo-gothic architectural building known as the Masonic Temple. This building is located in an area called Cass Corridor. The Masonic Temple was created by George D. Mason in 1922 and is the world's largest Masonic Temple. It has fourteen floors and stands 210 feet tall, with 1,037 rooms. It is used for a variety of different masonic organizations but also has a lot of public spaces. It has three theaters, three ballrooms, banquet halls, a swimming pool, gymnasium, racquetball court, bowling alley, and a pool hall. It also has lodge rooms, dining spaces, and offices.

The architecture in this building is amazing. It has beautiful arches and sculptures. The vibe this building gives off is importance and power because of it grand size, its architecture, and the way it dominates the skyline. I love the detail worked into this building. I also love how big it is, it has everything someone would need or want all in one area.

Beauty in Belle Isle

The James Scott Memorial Fountain is located on the western end of the island, Belle Isle and was created by Herbert Adams(sculptor) and Cass Gilbert(architect). It was built in 1923 and has a circumference of 510ft. It was made out of white marble and shoots water 40ft into the air. During the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day at dusk the fountain puts on a light and water show. I like the look of this fountain, it reminds me of the fountains that you'd see in Italy.

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory was built in 1904 and designed by Albert Kahn. Kahn modeled this house after Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. This conservatory houses over 600 plant collections and is divided into five sections:The Palm House, Tropical House, Showroom, Cactus House, and the Fernery. I love the design of this building and how it has a huge dome made out of some type of glass that reflects the sunlight. If someone were to see this building from a distance they would be intrigued by its architecture and want to go inside of it.

Every year the fire department in Belle Isle create an ice tree during the winter months. This tradition dates back to the 70's and consists of Christmas trees piled together with pipes running through them and a spout on top that continuously sprays water. After the weather gets cold enough it eventually freezes over and becomes a beautiful work of art. People from all around the area go to see it and take pictures of its natural beauty. I have never seen this before but from what I read it wows people with its beauty and gets people to keep coming back each year to see it. I am really excited to visit it this year.

Old Main Building

Old Main is a an academic building on Wayne State University's campus. This building is a prominent part of the University and is located on Cass Avenue. Old Main was built in 1895 and is of the Classical Revival style. This building was originally built as Detroit's Central High School and served as that until 1926 when it became too crowded. The Central High School then moved to a new location and the building was turned over to Wayne State University (WSU). Old Main is widely seen as the symbol of Wayne State.

I love this building because of the history and character it has. You can tell it is old by the architectural details. I see this building whenever I go visit my brother at Wayne State and love the impact it makes on its surrounding. This building represents some history and beauty in Detroit.

Fisher Building

The Fisher Building is an Art Deco style building built in 1928 under the ownership of the Fisher brothers. The architects involved with building it are Albert Kahn Associates with Joseph Nathaniel French as the chief architect. It is located in the heart of the New Center area in Detroit and is considered Detroit's largest art object. The whole interior of the building is decked out in marble, mosaics, and frescoes. After it was built the Detroit News stated, "The Fisher Building is to Detroit what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris." The building houses not only offices, but shops, restaurants, banks, services, art galleries, and the Fisher Theatre.

I love this building and think it's one of Detroit's gems. It's definitely something you have to see if you've never been. It so large that it's easy to spot it whenever you go downtown. This building is not only beautiful to see during the day, it's also very beautiful to see at night because the top of it lights up.

Heidelberg Project

The Heidelberg project(HP) is a Detroit-based community organization that improves the lives of people and neighborhoods through art. It was created by Tyree Guyton in 1986 and it is basically an ongoing outdoor art project. After Guyton came back from the army, he saw his childhood neighborhood of Detroit in ruins. He wanted to change that in a way that would restore hope and pride in Detroit. The HP took an area where people were afraid to walk, even in daylight, and transformed it into one where neighbors took pride in and where visitors were welcome.  The Heidelberg project is great because it takes old discarded items and turns it into beautiful artwork. It also teaches children about art, community, and the environment. Like the Red Bull House of Art, the HP helps to open the door for emerging artists by showcasing four artists' work in the HP gallery per year. 

I love the Heidelberg Project and think that that neighborhood is so cool. I love how vibrant and creative the work that has been done is. It is very complex; you could look at it multiple times without noticing everything in it. I also love that its bringing more people to the area and improving the lives of those that live nearby or who are taking part in it.

Red Bull House of Art

The Red Bull House of Art is a gallery and residential program that supports local artists from Detroit. This program began last year and is located on 1551 Winder, Detroit, Michigan. What it does is it gives eight selected artists studio space to live and work in for several months, giving them the freedom to create whatever they want with the resources and encouragement. The director and creator of Red Bull House of Art, Matt Eaton said, "The mission here is to give people wings. It's not a matter of finding the coolest artists. It's a matter of finding the most passionate artists with the most to lose if they take any risks, and giving them an opportunity to really take risks." When the session ends there is a gallery viewing open to the public, where people come to view the works of art, listen to great music, socialize, get inspired, and have fun.

I just recently found out about this place so I haven't gotten a chance to go to a gallery viewing yet. However, just researching about this gallery and program I am really intrigued by it and I am excited to check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm4y04N58eo

Fist of a Champion

Fist of a Champion is a monument in Detroit dedicated to Joe Louis. This monument is a 24-foot long arm and fist suspended from a pyramidal support of bronze poles. It was commissioned by Time Incorporation and created by sculptor Robert Graham in 1986.

Joe Louis is known as the greatest sports figure to ever come out of Detroit. He made a big impact not only in Detroit, but in the rest of the world. He is recognized for destroying the Nazi myth of racial superiority by beating German champion Max Schmeling during the rise of Nazism. In doing this he also proved that African Americans should be allowed access to the major leagues in American sports. "He achieved all of this with his fists and determination. Therefore he should be honored and remembered with a place in the center of town, with a monument as powerful and controversial as he was."

I like this statue a lot because of how big and bold it is. This statue stands tall and embodies strength, power, soul, and determination. All of the things that represent Joe Louis. This statue also says a lot about the strength, passion, and resiliency in Detroit and in its people. 

Old Churches

Driving through Detroit you pass many old historic churches. With all the hardships happening in Detroit the fact that these churches are still standing is remarkable. These churches are like diamonds in the rough. The details put into them is amazing, displaying architecture that/like something you would only see in Europe. They show that despite the ruins there is still beauty and history in Detroit.

Some well known historic churches in Detroit are Old St. Mary's Church, Historic Trinity, Ste. Anne de Detroit Church, Mariners Church, Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church, Most Holy Redeemer Church, Central United Methodist Church, St. Paul Catholic Church, Kirk in the Hills, and St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church.

My family and two other families that we know, decided that we wanted to explore the history and beauty the Detroit churches have to offer, so we made it our goal to visit and attend mass at every catholic church in downtown Detroit. Although, we've visited many of the churches, we are still far from reaching our goal. Some of the churches that we've visited so far are Holy Family, Most Holy Redeemer, Sacred Heart, Ste. Anne de Detroit, Sweetest Heart of Mary, Mariners Church, and Old St. Mary's Church.

Holy Family was established in 1908 to serve the Sicilian population in Detroit. The church is full of gold statues and intricate details. The ceiling of the church is painted with Saints and scenes of the Holy Family, it is magnificent.

Most Holy Redeemer was built in 1921 by Donaldson and Meier. It is of late Victorian and Romanesque style. This church was once estimated as the largest Roman Catholic Parish in North America.

Sacred Heart is 137 years old and is primarily a black catholic church. This church offers a traditional service as well as a gospel service. My family and the other two families we journeyed with decided to attend the gospel service. This was my first time going to a gospel mass and I wasn't too sure what to expect. Although we were the only white people there, everyone was very nice and welcoming. During the mass when the pastor asked to offer signs of peace the parishioners got out of their pews and went around the room making sure they greeted and embraced everyone. The music that was played was just how you would imagine it to be, very lively and entertaining. I enjoyed this experience and hope to attend another gospel mass in the future.

Ste. Anne de Detroit Church was founded in 1701, and is the second oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic church in the United States. It wasn't actually built until 1887, by architects Léon Conquard and Alert E. French. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. I attended a service at this church and loved the look of it. This church has the oldest stained glass display in the city of Detroit and is a must see if you haven't been to it already.

Sweetest Heart of Mary is my favorite church I've visited so far. This church was built in 1893. It was created by Spier and Rohns and is of Gothic Revival and Polish Cathedral style. It is one of the largest and most impressive Gothic Revival Cathedral Churches in the Midwest. I love the bold design of this church and how it just stands out from its surroundings. It really catches your eye with its grand architecture.

Mariners Church was built in 1849 and is open to everyone no matter the religion. It was originally established to serve mariners and still holds annual memorial services to those lost at sea. It was mentioned in Gordon Lightfoot's song, The Wreckage of the Edmund Fitzgerald. It has the Gothic Revival style and was created by Calvin Otis and Hugh Moffat.

Old St. Mary's Church was built by parishioner Peter Dederichs and was completed in 1885. The design is a combination of Pisan Romanesque and Venetian Renaissance styles. This church is a Roman Catholic Church and is open to everyone. I have attended a mass here and can say that the beauty really takes your breath away.

Most Holy Redeemer

Mariners Church

Old St. Mary's

Old St. Mary's

Old St. Mary's

Ste. Anne de Detroit

 

 

Ste. Anne de Detroit

 

Sacred Heart

Sweetest Heart of Mary

Renaissance Festival

Last Sunday, my cousin, Angela, and I went to the Renaissance festival. We got there right before they opened the gate, so we saw them do their reenactment routine. This was the first time I have ever seen this because I usually go later on in the day. It was really cool to see. Hearing the way the people speak and seeing the Renaissance-like garments the people were wearing, really made you feel like you were from the Renaissance period. Although it was raining when we got there, we didn't let that stop us from seeing everything and having fun. After we walked through the gate we heard someone shouting something about dancing. Music started playing and Renaissance workers started dancing. Angela and I decided to stand around and watch them dance. Then after the first song ended the workers decided to grab people from the crowd to dance with them. Me and my cousin had no interest in dancing so we decided to walk around the festival. The festival had many small shops set up all around the area, each displaying a different kind of art or craft. Some shops sold leather goods, some sold corsets and other renaissance garments, some sold candles and body oils, many shops sold different kinds of jewelry,..etc. The festival also had many different shows put on for the crowd. Angela and I saw a show called Tartanic. It consisted of a guy playing the drums, along with people playing bagpipes, and women dancing. It was the last day of the Renaissance festival this year, so it was very bittersweet for all the performers, and you could tell they put all their heart and energy into the show. I found this show to be very entertaining and it ended up being my favorite part of the day.

Going to the Renaissance festival gave me a different kind of experience. It let me experience what it would be like to be from a different time period. The Renaissance festival offers great music, art, food, and shows. This festival is not like any other festival and is really cool to see. If you've never been, I would recommend you going to see what you've been missing.                                                   

 

Artprize

Artprize is the world's largest art competition located all over the city of Grand Rapids. It was started in 2009, and now occurs annually over a three week span. People come from all over the world to compete in it or view all the different artwork. Artists compete for votes and the piece with the highest amount of votes at the end receives $200,000. Other prize values are awarded to the rest of the top ten, best in category, and Juried picks.

This past Saturday I went with my mom and grandma on an Oakland bus to Grand Rapids for Artprize. I was really excited for this trip because it was my first time going to Artprize and because I was planning to meet up with my friend, Kristin, who goes to Grand Valley. Another reason why I was excited is because I wanted to see Grand Rapids and of course, see all the artwork. The bus ride was two and a half hours and when we arrived we were dropped off at a Holiday Inn hotel. This location was right in the center of downtown and was a perfect area for walking the city. We walked into the Holiday Inn to use the restroom before exploring the city and were surprised to see some beautiful artwork from the competition displayed in the lobby. There was a butterfly that looked to be made out of origami pieces, as well as many other beautiful pieces. This furthered our excitement to what we would be seeing the rest of the day. My mom grabbed a map from the concierge and we were on our way. We walked down the street and saw magnificent artwork everywhere we looked. We saw a creative doghouse made from license plates and metal, a panda made out of tires, a dragon blowing fire, and many other pieces. Then we went to stand in line at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, or GRAM, because we were told that there was more artwork from the competition in there. Kristin met us there and toured it with us. Afterward, we ate lunch and then Kristin showed us other pieces we needed to see because she had already toured it a couple of days earlier. It was great because she knew where all the stand out pieces were and knew the Grand Rapids area so we wouldn't get lost. She showed us this beautiful old historical hotel, and inside the old hotel was this exquisite piece of art that ended up being my favorite piece. It was a griffin and is made out of pieces of bamboo hanging on strings. It is insane the amount of time and talent needed to create something like that. Then we continued to walk the streets to see as much artwork as we could in the remaining hours of our trip. When we got tired, we walked back to the Holiday Inn hotel and hung out in the lounge area of the lobby for a little while. Then we ate dinner at the restaurant in the hotel. After dinner Kristin left and my mom, my grandma, and I went back to the lobby to sit down and wait for our bus. After a little while, the bus came and took us back to Oakland. Then from Oakland we went home.

Overall, I was really glad I decided to go on this trip. This art festival/competition was so different than anything I've seen. Usually at art festivals you just walk around and look in the little shops for things to buy, but at this one, you walk around and see people's creativity all over the city. There were even pieces located in the water. I plan on going back next year and would recommend it to people who have never been before because its a great experience and very inspiring.