In Mary McKSchmidt’s latest book, “Uncharted Waters: Romance, Adventure, and Advocacy on the Great Lakes,” she’s sailing with her husband on Lake Michigan, taking a view of its eastern edge, when she’s overcome by a nearly spiritual wonder. She’s scanning the shoreline for the spot she stood as a girl — recalling a vibrant springtime that left her in love with the water she sailed.
Selina Parks remembers her first steps into a Grand Rapids homeless shelter in vivid detail.
The first thing you notice about Dylan Miner’s new exhibition is the smell. The gallery at the Grand Rapids Art Museum has a sharp, almost sawdust-like aroma — the first taste of a gallery that explores the relationship between the rocks, trees and water of Michigan and its native peoples.
On the second floor of the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), there is a photo of the 1966 NBA finals. The Boston Celtics’ Bill Russell is guarding the Los Angeles Lakers’ Elgin Baylor. The two are suspended in midair; floating toward the rim, the stadium lights illuminating their teammates and the countless, pinpoint faces of the crowd.
It’s not hard to find Tami VandenBerg’s house. Set in a cozy part of Eastown, her front yard is the only one on her street littered with yard signs. “Black Lives Matter,” and “Science is Real,” reads one; another backs a Democrat for state attorney general.
The sidewalk crates at Bridge Street Market—each wooden, weathered and about the size of a golf cart—were empty last week, but labeled with playful drawings in advance of the store’s grand opening, which was held on Wednesday.
Mark Washington, Grand Rapids’ next city manager, is a busy man.
