Orion Art Center opens newest exhibit, Celebrating Humanity

By Georgia Thelen
Staff Writer
The Orion Art Center opened its newest exhibit, Celebrating Humanity on Feb. 16.
Through the end of March, the Orion Art Center will have dozens of art pieces on display carrying notes of genocide and persecution through the years. Lake Orion community members and Lake Orion High School students created all the collections of artworks on display.
The exhibit is an all-media presentation that celebrates original art featuring the progress of human conditions, including Genocide, Civil Rights, Suffrage and the LGBTQ community in today’s society.
Orion Art Center Operations Director Heather Muzzy presented four awards to first, second and third place winners, as well as an honorable mention award. Pastor John Ball of the Lake Orion United Methodist Church judged the artworks.
“Genocide is kind of the ultimate persecution of people that are not like yourself, so I wanted to talk about how we’re still persecuting people that aren’t like ourselves, sometimes in today’s world and right here in this community… This is mainly about acceptance,” said Muzzy.

‘Turn a Blind Eye” by Lake Orion resident Carrie Gerdeman took first place at the new Orion Art Center exhibit, ‘Celebrating Humanity.’ Crafted with acrylic paints and glass pieces for the eye, judge Pastor John Ball spoke of the painting saying, “It also speaks with much hope as well that in fact if we were to put the pieces of the lense back together, we just might find ourselves having the privilege of seeing the world for the beauty for which it is.” Photo by Georgia Thelen.
‘Turn a Blind Eye” by Lake Orion resident Carrie Gerdeman took first place at the new Orion Art Center exhibit, ‘Celebrating Humanity.’
Crafted with acrylic paints and glass pieces for the eye, judge Pastor John Ball spoke of the painting saying, “It also speaks with much hope as well that in fact if we were to put the pieces of the lense back together, we just might find ourselves having the privilege of seeing the world for the beauty for which it is.”
Photo by Georgia Thelen.

“Turn a Blind Eye” was awarded the first place ribbon and was crafted out of acrylic and glass shards by Lake Orion resident Carrie Gerdeman.
Celebrating Humanity will be on display at the Art Center during open business hours.
The Orion Art Center is at 115 Anderson St. in the downtown area.
For details, call the Art Center at 248-693-4986.

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