Farming Agriculture Rural Life "Then and Now"
See the latest edition of our quarterly newsletter for the most up-to-date information on events and exhibits at the Farm Museum. PDF Format. More Coopersville Links: Find Coopersville Farm Museum listed in these online directories: The Art List - Art Contests, Art Competitions, and website for visual artists and photographers Grand Rapids Business List	GENERAL EXHIBITS SPRING PETTING ZOO BLACK HISTORY MONTH (ea. February)  ALL ABOUT APPLES (October) PHOTO CONTEST GINGERBREAD HOUSE DISPLAY VISIT CANDY CANE LANE SPECIAL EXHIBITS (rotating collections) FEATURED ARTISTS (Art of Rural Life & Chicken Wire Gallery)       GENERAL EXHIBITS  GENERAL OVERVIEW Ever changing John Deere & Farmall Tractors from the 1930's to present View the Feed sack Collection of Corky Pals as well as his wonderful assortment of Antique Farm Tools, corn huskers, barbed wire & wrenches Rural Landmarks of Muskegon, Ottawa & Kent Counties "Then & Now" 100 year old Barns reconstructed inside the building Ottawa County Farming "Then & Now" Coopersville History Wall Handicapped Accessible Interactive Kids Area Minneapolis Moline Museum Gift Shop Educational Tours Rental Facility Kid Friendly Group Rates Quilts and Their Stories Exhibit every August & September Photo & Art Contest & Exhibit Every November to January Learn All About Apples each October Ongoing exhibits include the facility itself, with the unique Silo entryway and the beams & walls from the 100 year old barns which have been reconstructed inside this modern building. Various representations of John Deere & Farmall tractors of "Then & Now" from the private collection of Ed Hanenburg, founder of the museum, are always on display. The KIDS AREA includes one tractor for children to climb on and pretend to plow the corn fields. Other hands-on items in the KIDS AREA may include corn shucker, corn grinder, tractors in the sand box and more! Comparison charts showing farming in the 1950's to agri-business in the year 2000, Coopersville History Wall, Rural & Agricultural Landmarks of Ottawa, Muskegon, & Kent County, and the ABC's of CORN & SOY are just some of the other interesting permanent displays.   Call 616.997.8555 or e-mail info@coopersvillefarmmuseum.org for further information. Group Tour Rates. Handicap Accessible. Museum Hours: Hours and Fees may vary by season and/or special event(s). Please call 616.997.8555 for current hours/fees. Closed Major Holidays   back to top SPRING PETTING ZOO (ANNUAL EVENT) SPRING PETTING ZOO Each Saturday in April, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (dates may vary, please call to verify). Local residents & 4H members bring in their small or baby animals to teach visitors about them! Additional photos of the 2006 petting zoo may be found by clicking HERE. (Opens a new window outside the Farm Museum Website) back to top BLACK HISTORY MONTH Each February Barbara Flowers-Taylor of Muskegon Heights has a passion for collecting dolls. Every February, Barbara shares her collection of dolls in a beautiful exhibit at the Coopersville Farm Museum. Her display represents people from all around the world.   ANNUAL EXHIBIT OF QUILTS ANNUAL QUILTS AND THEIR STORIES EXHIBIT August - September (General admission fees apply. See admission fees page.) An annual exhibit held every August & September, usually displaying more than 140 quilts along with stories of people who made the quilts. Old and new alike are intertwined throughout the museum in venues that remind us of visiting grandma's farmhouse. Different quilts & textiles are displayed each year. Brought in by local residents, family & friends, as well as professionals from all around the world. Workshops & classes are scheduled during the exhibit. Please contact the museum staff for details of this event or for admission fees, event dates, quilt display forms, volunteer registration forms or the latest schedule visit the Quilt Show page by clicking HERE. Special dates, Quilters Room Rates at Rodeway Inn - Coopersville Call 616-837-8100 and ask for Quilter's Special Rates!     back to top ALL ABOUT APPLES (ANNUAL EVENT) ALL ABOUT APPLES October During the month of October you will find an interactive & educational display to help you identify and learn about apples grown in West Michigan. Sample locally grown products & witness how apple cider was made 100 years ago! Demonstrations & activities available with advance reservations (group fee applies).   back to top PHOTO AND ART CONTEST (ANNUAL EVENT) ANNUAL PHOTO/ART CONTEST & EXHIBIT From preschoolers to seniors, from beginning artists to professionals, classrooms, families, everybody welcome to enter this contest. Entries are accepted mid-October with the entries displayed mid-November through mid-January. The subject matter for the 2008 contest will be Windmills, Weathervanes and Lightning Rods. We want photos, paintings, drawings & three dimensional creations of images that you might find of this subject matter in West Michigan's rural communities. Bring your work or old piece of art (framed & ready to hang) to the Coopersville Farm Museum, 375 Main Street, Coopersville, MI 49404 - October 16 - 20, 2008. There is a $2 entry fee for each item. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: preschool photo, preschool art, lower elementary photo, lower elementary art, upper elementary photo, upper elementary art, junior high photo, junior high art, high school photo, high school art, adult photo, adult art, digitally enhanced photos (no matter what your age - all digitally enhance photos will go in this category), professional photo, professional art & 3-D farm layouts (if there are more than 3 - otherwise they will go into the appropriate age category for "art"). Sponsors of this contest include many area businesses (to be determined). Past support has been provided by: Family Fare Spartan Stores, Valley Ridge Bank, CCS Technologies, Coopersville Variety, Coopersville Hardware & Farm Services, Merinos Inn, All of Country's Glory, Kritter Sitter, McDonald's, Arby's, Coopersville & Marne Railway and the Coopersville Farm Museum & Gift Shop. Total value of prizes is approximately $1000. For registration forms see the link in the adjacent column, call the Farm Museum or email info@coopersvillefarmmuseum.org to request one. Photo/Art Contest Exhibit will be on display from mid-November through mid-January.       Contest Guidelines: Click HERE for MS Word® contest outline, click HERE for PDF outline. Entry Form: Click HERE for MS Word® contest entry forms, click HERE for PDF entry form. back to top  ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DISPLAY ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DISPLAY Friday, December 5, 2008 5pm - 7pm Special Hours from 5-7 pm, before the Santa Parade on the first Friday in December (visit www.coopersville.com), come in and view all the locally made Gingerbread Houses! Entries accepted Tuesday through Friday, 10am - 2pm. Call the museum if you need to make other arrangements to have your entry in by 2pm on Friday for judging. All participants are recognized and certificates presented to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category. No fee to enter . . . all entries must be picked up Saturday by 2 pm or they will be disposed of. For more information, contact the museum at (616) 997-8555 or email info@coopersvillefarmmuseum.org. 2008 Gingerbread House entries may be dropped off on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday between 10am - 2pm, December 2 - 5, 2008.     back to top  ANNUAL VISIT CANDY CANE LANE VISIT CANDY CANE LANE Every December Mrs. Claus visits the museum and fills us in on what Santa had been up to. She and her helpers invite visitors to decorate Christmas cookies and enjoy making Christmas crafts. Candy Cane Lane is open December 2 - 20, 2008. Enjoy decorating Christmas cookies and making Christmas crafts in Candy Cane Lane. Mrs. Claus is available for groups with reservations by request (fee applies). Her helpers will assist you with projects when she's not available. Great outing for groups of all ages. Meet old friends at Candy Cane Lane or get together with family and friends. (Groups of more than four may want to call ahead!) Get in the spirit of the season while listening to Christmas carols and taking a stroll through the beautifully decorated museum. General admission fees apply ~ for group rates and workshop fees (if any) contact the museum. LUNCH WITH MRS. CLAUS - $7.50 per person (reservations required). Lunch includes prepared sub sandwiches, chips, a side dish or soup, cookie & beverage. For reservations, please contact the museum at (616) 997-8555 or email info@coopersvillefarmmuseum.org.     back to top   SPECIAL EXHIBITS - Rotating Collections 03/25/08 – 07/19/08 Jim Ponshair of Allendale, Michigan Media: Carved Wood I can’t remember when I wasn’t fascinated by the beauty of birds. My interest in them grew when I was in grade school. Our elementary teacher in Grandville brought in the Junior Audubon Club to our class, where we received from the National Audubon Society six bird leaflets, telling about them. Our teacher was great in getting us to love the world of nature. As the years went by, I became a life member of the Michigan Audubon Society, and a charter member of the Grand Rapids Audubon Club, where I later served as president. I began keeping bird records from our area since 1951 and was the bird record chairman for the Audubon Club for over 30 years. I later published a book on “Birds of Ottawa County.” (1998) As I watched and recorded different species of birds in Michigan, I thought it would be fun carving some of them out of wood, so 45 years ago I started making my first bird out of pine, later out of basswood. I now have 190 Michigan birds in my collection. James Ponshair 65 of his hand carved birds will be on exhibit at the Coopersville Farm Museum from March 25 – July 19, 2008. Jim Ponshair's exhibit was featured on the cover of the Friday, April 11 issue of the Grand Haven Tribune in an article written by Peter Daining. back to top of page – return to Artists schedule April – June 2008 Sonya VanDongen - sampler exhibit Media: needlework During the months of April - June, the Coopersville Farm Museum will be exhibiting a collection of antique reproduction samplers on loan from Sonya VanDongen of Coopersville. All of the samplers were stitched by Sonya over the past fifteen years. Back in the early 1800s, school girls would practice their alphabet and needlework with silk floss on linen. They would often add other items to their samplers to make them unique and to practice other types of stitches. Stitching on these samplers vary from simple patterns to more intricate and detailed designs. Some would include a biblical verse or simple quote along with the date and name of the person. The samplers in Sonya’s collection were purchased as reproduction kits and range in size from 5”x 5” to 16”x 20”. Sonya enjoys recreating these artwork pieces and learning the history behind each one of them. Stop in today to view her collection and possibly learn a little history yourself! back to top of page – return to Artists schedule FEATURED ARTISTS - Art of Rural Life & Chicken Wire Gallery JAN 08 FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN 09   Helen Hill                       Jim Ponshair                   Alan Adsmond                       Sonya VanDongen                       Jerry Johnson                           Nancy Fuller                           Mary Modderman 01/26/08 – 04/29/08 Helen Hill of Grand Rapids Media: watercolor and oils Helen's work encompasses a wide variety of subjects - landscapes, seascapes, old barns, florals and children. Describing her techniques, she feels that she has "tried and done everything!" Also a gifted culinary "painter," Helen creates desserts that are nearly too beautiful to eat! Her time is divided between painting, gardening and trips north to the beloved family cabin, her time is spread quite thin. Not one to miss a beat, her paints are always along….just in case there’s a minute to spare. Helen finds painting with a private group of artists to be a good influence on her work; as they share tips, tricks and encourage one another. Helen is a faithful yearly supporter of country fairs winning numerous blue ribbons including the coveted Best of Show Gold Ribbon from the Berlin Fair's Fine Art Department. She has also had the honor of receiving the Irma Ladewig Memorial Trophy in 2003, from the Ottawa County Fair in Holland, Michigan. This silver cup, a traveling trophy, is inscribed each year with the winner’s name and date. In 2001, she received a Purchase Award from Mercy Hospital of Muskegon for one of her paintings when it became part of their permanent collection. Helen is a charter and Active member of Rivertown Artists Guild, a group that began in 1990 to harness the talents and friendship of other artists. back to top of page – return to Artists schedule April – May 2008 Alan Adsmond Media: watercolor/pastels Alan’s love of nature and people sparkles from his work. His well-crafted landscapes incorporate figures and architectural subjects that reflect his background in design and his skill with loose watercolor washes. His love of faraway places has led him to conquer the entire Appalachian Trail, from its beginning in Georgia to its end in the state of Maine. Alan’s work has been featured in several 2006 Rivertown exhibits: Artbeat Gallery in Big Rapids, MI, the Annual Bishop Hills Exhibit in Rockford, MI, and at the Wyoming Library, in Wyoming, MI. back to top of page – return to Artists schedule 04/26/08 – 07/26/08 Jerry Johnson - Hopkins Area Media: photography www.JerryJohnson.com Capturing moments in nature. Some know me as an equine photographer, while others know me as the guy who rides a mule (Future Hope) in dressage competitions. Many also know me as a teacher and author. While equine and nature photography is one of my passions, my real "day job" is at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids Michigan, where I teach graduate social work with a doctorate in sociology. So, what does this have to do with equine and nature photography? Plenty. It’s what got me started. When my wife bought her first horse, I became fascinated by the herd hierarchy. Like a good sociologist, I sat for hours observing horses interacting in their pasture and around the barn. Before I knew it, and with the help of a mule named Future Hope, I was hooked. Within months, my wife and I left the city and bought a farm. For a life-long city boy who didn't own a hammer, this was a major culture shift. Immediately after relocating, I began soaking in the beauty and peace that surrounds us every day, things I took for granted for most of my life. Beyond building fences, horse chores, and riding my mule and horse, I searched for ways to capture those moments in nature that left me awestruck. That’s when I began taking my photography more seriously. I love the creativity and expression in photography. I have been a photographer for many years, but found my photographic eye when I began working exclusively with equine, animals, and nature. With mother nature's creations as my subjects, I find an eye for movement, color, natural lighting and just the right angle. My photography is real – nothing is staged. I don’t use special lighting or Photoshop "tricks" to create an image. My work flourishes in natural settings – flowers in a garden bed or a field, horses playing in the pasture and cats and dogs being, well, cats and dogs. Animals and nature drives my artistic energy and enriches my soul. This is the intimacy that I strive to capture, especially through unique close-up photos and in the eyes of horses. I hope you find, through my lens, the same serenity, peace, and glory that I find in nature. back to top of page – return to Artists schedule 07/26/08 – 10/25/08 Nancy Fuller - Conklin Area Media: oil washes & glazes "For me there is a marvelous energy in painting. A tuning in to the creative forces of the universe. And when the muse touches you, it's pure magic. One of those moments when you've stretched yourself to the limit. A subconscious realm where you intuitively do what must be done. It's extremely exciting and without that energy I would be nothing more than a technician. As an artist, I believe that my work should reflect my personal ideals and impressions of life. As an impressionist, my painting vocabulary is limited to essentials, leaving a great deal to personal interpretation. I believe in art as an act of communication. I begin the thought, but it must be seen and understood by others, thus establishing a dialogue not bound by time or place. I have developed a unique style combining oil washes with glazes resulting in a spontaneity usually associated with water color, and a luminous depth of color only possible with oils." Exhibitions and Gallery Affiliations: 3 Knickerbocker Artists' National Shows Salmagundi Club, New York City 2 Annual Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Shows National Arts Club, New York City Woman Art Group Show at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City New York City Art Expo 2007 with Art Exchange One Woman Shows at: Galeria Sigala, Taos New Mexico Dow Chemical, Midland Michigan 5 Shows at the Flower Gallery, Naples, Florida The Raven Gallery, Stuart, Florida 6 shows at the Dexter Gallery, Saugatuck, Michigan Tres Cher Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan Group Exhibitions over the past 35 years at El Presidio Gallery, Tucson, Arizona Art Express, Las Vegas, Nevada, Dallas, Texas, Taos West, San Diego, California Synchronicity Gallery, Glen Arbor, Michigan The Gallery at Northwood Institute, Midland, Michigan back to top of page – return to Artists schedule 07/26/08 – 01/25/09 Mary Modderman - Lamont Area Media: watercolor, oils, photography, collages Animals, children, gardens and rural scenes are favorite subjects of her watercolors, oils and photos. Her collages incorporate handmade paper, photos and snippets of her other interest, writing. Further rounding out her menu are personalized cartoons and sandcast fountains and birdbaths from real leaves. Mary's classes offer students opportunities to try all sorts of media through independent studies. Being able to chose subjects and media that interests them personally allows them to grow their own way, a process called Independent Study. Mary has participated in the Lowell Area Arts Council’s "The Pet Project" in 2007, their 2003 Butterfly Project along with several John Ball Zoo projects: "Grand Rabbits," “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Wild” and their 2006 "Treasures of the World." Active in her community, she has designed and painted chairs, and donated paintings for both Coopersville and Grand Haven fundraisers in 2006, 2005 and 2007. While the Coopersville Farm Museum was being built, she was asked to create a 6' x 12' advertisement on the side of their barn. This led to volunteer duties: on-call docenting and the curator for various art exhibits. She created Marigold, a life size paper mache cow, in 2005 for the museum. A lifelong animal lover, Mary has created 6 special paintings as donations for the 2002 - 2007 “Tails On Trails,” the Harbor Humane Shelter's the annual fundraiser held near West Olive, MI. Her paintings are part of many collections: Burke Porter, Spectrum Hospital, and Metropolitan Hospital in Grand Rapids; Mercy Hospital of Muskegon, the Franciscan Life Process Center of Lowell and many private clients, many of them artists. Both an Active and charter member, Mary has also written and edited Rivertown Artists Guild Directory for 7 years.   back to top of page – return to Artists schedule
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Coopersville Farm Museum 375 Main Street - PO Box 64 Historic Downtown Coopersville, Michigan 49404 Hours vary by season, please call 616.997.8555

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