Dennos Museum Summer Exhibit

As a History of Art major, it should come as no surprised that I'm a big fan of Traverse City's Dennos Museum Center (housed on the Northwestern Michigan College campus). And, even though I technically studied the "history" of art, I'm a big fan of art in the here and now. New artists and fantastic pieces are popping up all the time, and whenever I get the chance to wander about and admire some awesome artwork, I'm all over it. 

The Dennos has two great exhibits going on right now: Sideways (which explores skateboard art and culture) and Perimeter (a photo story filled with portraits taken around the perimeter of Lake Michigan. The high-quality visual images in these two exhibits greatly compliment each other.

 As someone who knows absolutely zero about skateboarding (and probably couldn't make it down a straight road on a board without falling over), I found this exhibit to be so fresh. It's bold, colorful, and rooted in a culture I know nothing about but am now totally enraptured by. 

The Dennos put out a call for skateboard art submissions to the community at large, and in return they received a wide array of clever, original, and downright awesome designs. Artists range from all ages and locations, and there are some really beautiful works on display. I have a few favorites myself, but I don't want to ruin the fun for everyone else, so you should go see it for yourself!

Professional artists are also represented. There's a gorgeous mural covering an entire wall in the gallery room, detailed screenprinted works, plus stunning photographs from Michigander Mike Blabac. Honestly, though, nothing took my breath away like the simple yet powerful works of Aaron Draplin, an NMC alum who is absolutely slaying the graphic design world. There's a whole wall of his latest and greatest designs, and he'll be in TC this Friday giving a special presentation as part of the Dennos' skateboard weekend extravaganza (June 20-21). A few of my favorites from Draplin:

 Skateboarding not your thing? Well, it's impossible to not be a fan of the Great Lakes, and Kevin Miyazaki's portraits taken from all around the border of Lake Michigan remind us just how many people love and live around the majestic Michigan. The portraits hug the whole gallery. It's great to see the lake personified in the faces of all these people: young, old, working, vacationing, in groups or all alone.

 My personal favorite part of the Perimeter exhibit is the wall of pictures depicting Lake Michigan from different points around the lake at different times. The entire wall engulfs the viewer in sky and water, and it creates a really intriguing geometric pattern.

 Both exhibits are on display at the Dennos until early September, so go and check it out! Don't forget about the fun and festivities for the TC Park Jam this weekend, too!

You, Me, and NMC! - Annual Drive

Hi everyone! Sorry for the short hiatus on my postings (thank you to John for being a trooper and getting content out this last month! You're the best!). I was pretty busy getting married, which was fantastic, beautiful, and also something I am very happy to tuck away in the "memories I will keep forever" file in my brain instead of stressing about it. But, now I'm back!

Last year I had the opportunity to participate in the Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) Annual Fund donation drive through my employer. Essentially it's a time when community members come together and gather funds through a series of telephone fundraising nights. We reach out to former NMC alumni and people in the area to give to NMC and help bolster scholarship funds, make higher education more affordable, and retain valuable educators in our town.

I am excited to be apart of my employer's fundraising team again this year for the 2013 annual campaign, called You, Me and NMC! My Northwestern Bank colleagues and I were invited to an campaign kick-off event this week at NMC's Great Lakes Maritime Academy. I was already excited about meeting other campaigners at the kick-off event, but I truly relish any chance to visit the Maritime Academy. I mean, look at this place!

The NMC Maritime Academy sits right at the base on West Bay, close to downtown and shining like a true gem. If anyone else who's lived in TC for many years remember the old Maritime Academy building (essentially a giant beige brick that sat, literally, right alongside the road and obscuring the panoramic view of the water), then I hope you feel the same pride and awe that I do every time I pass the Maritime Academy now. It is positively breathtaking. As a resident of TC I am thrilled that so much consideration was given to the beauty of the views and scenery of this prime location in TC. Don't believe me? Check out these views...straight from Lobdell's restaurant where we had dinner for the kick-off event.

I mean, it's decent (!!!). Oh, yeah, and the food was delicious, too.

Sara Noverr Harding and Bill Marsh Jr., the co-chairs for the campaign this year, spoke about the annual fund and this year's mission to reach out to everyone in the community who has been affected by NMC in some way. As it turns out, this is pretty much everyone in the area. NMC is a school, but it is so tightly woven into our region that it's hard to not have it impact life up here. I volunteer weekly at the Dennos Museum Center, located on the NMC campus; Sam is starting his MBA through the NMC University Center next month; I am looking to take classes on web design and gardening through their Extended Education program. So, NMC certainly makes a difference in my life!

Sara Noverr Harding and Bill Marsh Jr.

Additionally, there was a great video about this year's campaign that highlighted student stories and the mission behind both NMC and the annual fund. It was informative and well-done (I wish I had a link to share it with you). Plus, some of the students that were featured in the video made it to the kick-off event and we could chat with them and hear their stories one-on-one, which really helps put a face to what we'll do during our telethons. Realizing that the small actions we make and the little bit that we can give of our time, money, or resources impacts people living in my hometown is why I participate in the annual campaign. I was glad we could meet some of the people who benefit directly from what we do!

If you'd like to get involved in the annual fund campaign, you can click here and learn more. Or, if you'd simply like to share your story about NMC (if you're feeling creative, see if you can even do it in six words)! I am looking forward to getting to know my Northwestern Bank colleagues through the campaign and helping NMC in the process. Here we go!

Part of my NW Bank team...woo!

NMC BBQ & Guest Blogger Sara Hartley

It was like a Norman Rockwell 4^th of July came early on Sunday at the NMC BBQ. Enough people to populate a small city came onto the college campus for the grub and good times. The mood was inspired by the fair weather and amazing planning that kept the lines moving and friendly greetings hailing. Honestly, had there been a square dance and a barber shop quartet all bedecked in seersucker, they wouldn't have been a bit out of place. There were games for the kids tumbling out of the moon-bounce with cotton candy in their hair and fake tattoos on every limb. There were exhibits of robotics and renewable energy alongside LARPers and inflato-gladiators. This was some four-star people-watching!

Grandparents watched their grand kids making new friends, young couples sat in the grass under the trees listening to local musicians like Billy Strings and Blake Elliot. Every so often a loud “toot toot” came from the boiler room counting off how many thousands of people had come out to be a part of this down-home tradition. While NMC seemed pretty proud of counting up those thousands, you could still see the identity of a small Michigan town on the faces of the stompy-footy kids being dragged away from the cake-walk, the grandparents sitting in the shade ready with the Benadryl and band-aids, the brother holding his little sister’s hand and the parents who look forward to washing the dust and sugar off of these exhausted little feet and hands and knowing there won’t be a fight about sleeping tonight.

But the BBQ isn't just for families. Those of us who are all grown up, with or without kids of our own, got a full day out of our $6 tickets too. We got to remember traditions, smile back at the strangers and feel like we finally opened the windows and got the winter out! This fabulous tradition is just the starting shot for our fun-run through a summer up north.

Sara Hartley

Guest Blogger: Alyssa Irani

Today's guest blogger is Alyssa Irani, an academic advisor for Davenport University. Alyssa offers great advice for people of any age who are looking into go back to school or furthering their education. Thanks, Alyssa!

Have you ever had something you were inexplicably drawn to? Something that is your own personal geek fest? It could be absolutely anything from a hobby to a profession. Mine, for some reason, is higher education. I love colleges and universities. Whenever I’m traveling, I want to know what school is nearby, what do they offer, what is the campus like? When I moved from Plymouth to Traverse City in 1997 I was concerned about not being near big schools - which didn’t make sense because I worked in the automotive field! I grew up very near EMU and U of M and spent time on and around those schools, feeling the energy and watching the campus life. You can imagine that I was happy to find a beautiful community college in NMC (Northwestern Michigan College) and then thrilled to learn of the University Center. My need to work in this field overrode any other logic and I left the car business, completed my bachelor’s degree and found the job I wanted at the UC. Thirteen years later, I am a seasoned academic advisor for Davenport University.

I work with many students who have realized that higher-education will open doors that have previously been closed. Others have always known that a four-year degree would be a part of their life. People go to college for various reasons but aren’t always aware of certain connections. If you are thinking about more education, here are some thoughts to consider:

• Contemplate the idea that we have unlimited potential. Never tell yourself you can’t do something (I’m talking to all of you algebra haters).
• Ask questions until you understand and then answer questions whether you’re 100 percent sure or not. This is how you test your wings.
• Look around at your classmates or engage them online. These folks are on a journey too and can be fellow alums and connections in the workplace.
• Higher education is a process that takes time and energy. Enjoy the process and focus on the positive aspects because you are responsible for what you take from it.
• Remember that you are investing in yourself and that degree completion can bring new opportunities that enhance your life and your family’s.

Traverse City is an engaged and connected community and I’ve seen how important it is to create your own network. This year I had the privilege of connecting two alums that I have worked with. One was looking to hire and another needed a better job. I was able to be a part of a life-changing connection that wouldn’t have happened without local higher-ed. People are completing all levels of education at the UC in Traverse City. As YPs we need to consider this phenomenal resource for ourselves and our employers. We have a very special gem in Traverse City and the tourists don’t even know it’s here!

What Traverse City YPs are Thankful For

When you ask someone living in the Traverse City area what they're thankful for, you're likely to hear the following:

"My wonderful family."
"Being lucky enough to live in such a gorgeous and thriving place"
"To have a job that I enjoy"

While those are all valid and extremely important things to be thankful for (and believe me, none of us take them for granted -- I'm thankful for all of the above every single day), they're, to put it bluntly, expected. So, we reached out to some of our Young Professionals to offer some more personal and creative "things they're thankful for."

So, enjoy the following answers from your local Young Professionals while you spend time enjoying the things you're thankful for. 

"I’m thankful for when I’m transitioning my business for bigger and better things, that other businesses, non-profits, and friends I’ve met through work have offered to step up and help me pack and move KidzArt to our new location over their Christmas breaks. Taking time that normally goes to their family to help their community family. I’m so blessed to work with amazing organizations that believe in what I do and support me unconditionally."
-Kate Daggett, KidzArt

"I'm thankful that each day I get to make an impact on someone's life.  From helping people determine their dream job to giving people the encouragement to finish that last math requirement, I leave work everyday knowing I've made a difference."
-Shannon Owen, Northwestern Michigan College

"I am thankful to have a boss who not only taught me how to use my brakes when driving in snow(after I drifted us into the division of Grandview Parkway and Union...more than once), but also one who has taught me at least six ways to tie my scarves, let me know that I will probably freeze if I did not purchase outerwear that goes down to my knees, that Gobblers are the best turkey sandwich ever and who surprises me with gifts like obnoxious colored nail polish and Hello Kitty Make-up holders."
-Meaghan Jameson, Events North

'I’m thankful for the red-brick paved streets in the old town section of TC.  I just think it’s good character - If it were up to me, all the streets downtown would be brick."
-Warren Call, Huntington

"I am most thankful for three things (in no particular order):

1.       Mary’s Kitchen Port

2.       Frozen yogurt

3.       Meeting Allison Beers when I moved to Traverse City!"

-Kelly Schramski, Traverse City State Bank

"I'm thankful for Shorts microbrews. Where else can you find such unique, tasty concoctions with memorable hand-drawn labels and silly names to enjoy with loved ones during the holiday season?"

-Andrew Kohlmann, Signs Now

Well, there you have it! I hope that your Thanksgiving is wonderful and that you have some great things in your life to be thankful for (whether it be your job or your favorite microbrew)!