State of the Arts Exhibition

The Saginaw Charter Township Art In Public Places is proud to present the State of the Arts Exhibition 2024.  This year’s annual event is hosted by the Saginaw Township Art In Public Places Committee.  The show opens Sunday, April 21, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., with awards presentation at 3:00 p.m.  This show is open to the public free of charge.  This is a juried exhibition with cash awards.

The Art Juror for this year's Exhibition is Laura Whitesides Host of Birmingham, Michigan.  A lifelong resident of Michigan, Whitesides Host received a BFA from the University of Michigan Architecture and Design School majoring in painting and ceramics.  She has taught art in Ann Arbor and Birmingham for students from 3 years to High School.   After moving to Birmingham, she discovered the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center and found her art family.   After taking watercolor classes for 13 years, she began to teach experimental water color classes in 1993 and has continued for 30+ years adding monoprints to her teaching schedule.  The excitement of playing with water colors led to fluid acrylic paint and then a class in monotypes enlarged her focus to creating monotypes along with her water media paintings.   In 1987, after a friend decided to change her art gallery to a cooperative gallery, Host joined the gallery roster.   She is the last of the 12 original members still in Lawrence Street Gallery and is currently the president.   Active in the Michigan Water Color Society and the Birmingham Society of Women Painters since 1989, Host has served on their Executive boards for many years.   Host has had numerous solo shows and has been juried into many exhibits both locally and state-wide.

The art exhibit will be shown at the Saginaw Charter Township Hall.