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Turning wooden flowers into art

News Photo by Diane Speer Some of the Alpena High School students who helped make this year’s wooden cutouts for Thunder Bay Arts Council’s fifth annual community-wide art project include, from left, Seth Haugerud, Jared Miller, Chandler Lantz, Anthony Berg, Alex Villarreal, Ben Poli, Kevin Ghidoni, Kara Lewis and Nate Cosbitt. TBAC was able to keep costs of the project down thanks to a donation of plywood from Home Depot.

Expect to see some large flowers blooming all over town in the weeks ahead. These flowers aren’t dependant upon spring weather conditions, however, but upon the creativity of local residents willing to participate in Thunder Bay Arts Council’s fifth annual community-wide art project.

First came shorebirds, then fish and stick people. Last year it was butterflies. Now TBAC offers a chance to embellish wooden flowers as this year’s project. Just as in years past, this latest artistic effort is proving to be the proverbial win-win situation for all involved.

First, students at Alpena High School get to participate in a community service project and practice their wood-working or welding skills by making the flower cutouts.

Then, those who purchase the flowers for $10 each get to use their creativity to jazz them up and place them in a noticeable spot around town, whether it’s in their own front yard or an alternative public location.

Next, local residents and visitors to the area get to enjoy a splash of color and art all summer long. And finally, TBAC gets to accomplish one of its important goals: making art more visible to the public.

“Our goal in this project isn’t to make money from it. The goal is to get art out into the community,” said TBAC board member Clint Kendziorski, who chairs the project along with fellow board member Midge Connon.

The students at AHS already have completed their part of the project. They spent about three weeks cutting out and sanding two different shapes of flowers, cutting metal stock, heating and bending the metal into stakes, and finally, putting it all together.

“We cut out 150 of the flowers,” said Nate Cosbitt, a student in teacher Zach Grulke’s wood-working class. “It’s great to give back to the community and to be doing something we love.”

Jared Miller, a member of teacher Ron Cadarette’s welding class, said making the stakes involved a long process.

“This is probably one of the biggest projects we do all year,” Miller said. “It shows the community the different classes here at Alpena High School. The rest of the year, we do other projects like make firepits.”

As one of the two teachers involved in the making of the cutouts this year, Grulke said it’s been good giving the students a chance to learn about the work that Thunder Bay Arts Council does in the community. The students also enjoy later seeing the finished pieces displayed around town and knowing they had a big part in it, he said.

“It’s amazing how this project always turns out well,” said Grulke, who’s been involved since the beginning. “I think it’s great how the kids get to participate in it. It takes awhile to get going, but a lot of hands make light work as the saying goes. We have so many students helping out.”

Both Kenziorski and Connon indicated people already have been contacting the TBAC office to ask about this year’s project. Those interested in buying flowers should stop by the office at 127 W. Chisholm or call 356-6678 Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon.

“We’ve already sold some, and we already have an idea for next year,” said Connon, adding that anyone of any age can obtain a flower and then use paint, jewels, glass stones, stamps or any other artistic flair to decorate it.

Connon said TBAC also is looking for some volunteers willing to paint a few flowers and then give them to the Alpena Garden Club for placement in their community gardens.

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