Can you believe it’s July already? We sure can’t! It just seems like summer started, and now it’s already mid-summer.

Make the most of your summer vacation with a trip to Meijer Gardens. We’re not short of things to keep you busy! Here’s a short list of events happening here in July.

Neko Case in concert
Thursday, July 16
Member: $30, Public: $33

Singer/songwriter Neko Case’s trademark vocals, stark imagery and non-standard song structures won her the honor of 2006 Female Artist of the Year at the Plug Independent Music Awards. With roots in punk, her music has since been described as indie-rock, alt-country and “country noir,” and her sixth studio album, Middle Cyclone debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts.

Keb’Mo’ in concert
Thursday, July 23
Member: $40, Public: $42

Singer-songwriter Keb’ Mo’s musical roots embrace pop, rock, folk, and jazz while wrapped up in Mississippi blues. His slide guitar and acoustic mastery tell a story full of soul, human experience and emotion. The three-time Grammy award winner has collaborated with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Brown and Elvis Costello, among others.

Alexander Calder: 1969 – The Fortieth Anniversary of La Grande Vitesse
Through September 7, 2009
Alexander Calder (1898-1976), the pre-eminent sculptor of the 20th century, profoundly changed the course of modern sculpture and notions of public art. “La Grande Vitesse� in downtown Grand Rapids dates to 1969 and is among his masterworks. The colossus was America’s first public sculpture project funded by the National Endowment of the Works of Arts in Public Places program. The exclusive exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Calder Foundation, focuses specifically on work from 1969, an incredibly prolific year for the artist. Works related to “La Grande Vitesse,� such as the artist’s rarely-seen large-scale maquette on exclusive loan from The Calder Foundation and original drawings of the colossus will be on display. Mobiles, stabiles, ceramics, and prints will also be featured.

• Curator’s Choice: a Calder Lecture with Joseph Becherer
  July 21, 12 PM
  Learn the “inside scoop� from our Director of Exhibitions and Curator of Sculpture about Alexander Calder and his works from 1969, the year of La Grande Vitesse. Walk through the exhibition for a 30-minute tour, and then ponder the colorful and whimsical art over lunch on your own at Taste of the Gardens Cafe.

The great outdoors!
Select days and times through August 30

• Kids’ Tram Tours are an entertaining and interactive way to discover
  Meijer Gardens. Two different tours, “I Spy in the Sculpture Park” and
  “Alphabet Adventure” will allow kids to investigate and think about
  sculpture and gardens. Rides are held Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
  through August 29 at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 1:30 PM. Each
  ride is $3 for adults and $1 for kids.
• Fun at the Farm brings visitors back to the 1930s at Michigan’s Farm
  Garden. Children of all ages will have farm-time fun “chore-challenges”
  like gathering eggs, hanging laundry and “painting” the barn. Enjoy farm
  pastimes like old-fashioned music, toys and relays. Also, work together
  on a cooperative quilting project. The farm is fun for everyone! Fun at
  the Farm activities are held Fridays and Sundays at 1-4 PM until August
  30. Free with paid admission to Meijer Gardens.
• Birthday fun all summer long in the Children’s Garden! The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden is always an interactive and fun place
  for children to explore, but this summer, the Children’s Garden turned
  five! So we’re celebrating our birthday with a summer full of birthday
  fun! See more details on Story Telling times and Daily Challenge activities.
  Activities are all-ages and free with paid admission to Meijer Gardens,
  through August 30.

Meijer Gardens recently installed a second glass sculpture by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly. In May, “Lena’s Garden” was installed in our newly renovated cafe. It is 60 ft. ceiling sculpture made up of hundreds of glass elements in vibrant colors.

Here’s a snapshot of just a small piece of the sculpture:

The installation took over a week to install. Check out our Flickr photostream for a visual walk-through of the installation.

View the entire photostream here.

We know we’re a little biased when it comes to how great Meijer Gardens is, so it’s always reassuring when someone gives us wonderful accolades. Today, we got just that.

Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, recently wrote an article titled “30 Must-See-Museums in the World.” Much to our delight, Meijer Gardens was named number 13 among many other great museums all over the world, including the Guggenheim Bilbao, Van Gogh Museum, The Barnes Foundation, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Out of the thirty, we are the only institution to focus and sculpture and horticulture. It’s a proud honor we will happily cherish. After just 14 short years in Grand Rapids, we are excited to see what we will become in the decades to come.

If you’d like to see the entire article, visit the magazine’s web site here: http://budurl.com/vl4z. Look for the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the page titled “Read the Magazine.”

By Joseph Antenucci Becherer, Director of Exhibitions and Curator of Sculpture
Guest Column in the Grand Rapids Press

ArtPrize, an international initiative announced Thursday by Rick DeVos, has captured the attention of the local art world and beyond. This is a guest column by Joseph Antenucci Becherer, Professor of Art History at Aquinas College, and Director of Exhibitions and Curator of Sculpture at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

ArtPrize. What it is? Do we need it? What do you mean no one has ever done this before? In recent days, I have heard these questions with frequency and intensity. The actual event does not occur until autumn, so specific answers are in the future. However, take solace, I know we have asked these questions in the past.

Believe it or not, 40 years ago when asked “What is it?” the answer was a stabile by one of the world’s foremost artists, Alexander Calder. The national art community took note. In the early 1970s, when colossal abstract sculptures were showing up across downtown, the exhibition “Sculpture Off the Pedestal” forced many to ask “Why do we need it?” The answer proved the need for and power of public art, and the national cultural community was hooked. More recently, no one ever imagined combining botanical gardens with masterpieces of Modern and Contemporary sculpture. The international community tuned in.

Today it is impossible to imagine Grand Rapids without Calder’s La Grande Vitesse. Or the projects of the Women’s Committee. Or Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. Through endeavors such as these, history, patrimony and identity come together; they help us define ourselves and symbolize this community to the rest of the world. There is every reason to hope that someday ArtPrize will join this list.

Still struggling? Then know Art Prize is about Contemporary art. This is rarely the domain of pretty pictures or beautiful objects. This is a world about concepts and possibilities, issues and ideas, creativity and technology, discourse and dialogue. But aren’t these telltale characteristics of a vibrant, if not great, society as well? Know that this is more than an “art scene” but a truly global phenomenon and, increasingly, a community expectation for young professionals looking for a place to call home and tourists in search of a meaningful experience. In tough economic times, it is not about “jobs” in the traditional sense, but furthering a community that attracts and nourishes the creative, the ingenious, the future.

Yes, Art Prize is about the visual arts. It places every school administrator on notice that the visual arts, indeed all the arts, are imperative - keep the budget knife in the drawer. It asks every artist, designer, architect, art faculty member, art student, and arts professional to engage with the community at large - get out of your studio and talk to your neighbors. The populist notion that every vote counts towards the awarded prizes is highly unusual, but it is an opportunity to discuss, to learn and to grow - together.

Let’s celebrate Rick DeVos for this initiative, which is bold and mature in a time of need, innovative and brave in the absence of precedence. These attributes he shares with Nancy Mulnix Tweddale instrumental in the arrival of the Calder, the members of the Women’s Committee, and Fred Meijer. One hopes DeVos follows their examples of informed conversation with art world professionals on their respective journeys. Likewise, one trusts that area donors and businesses will realize sponsorship dollars for ArtPrize in addition to those currently needed by area arts organizations. This said, the monetary awards of ArtPrize may go to a few artists from around the globe, but the true prize goes to Grand Rapids and its future.

It’s almost that time of year. Dust of your lawn chairs and find your picnic basket, because Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is getting ready for the 2009 Summer Outdoor Concert Series.

Meijer Gardens has four concerts of the series confirmed. Checkout the lineup here.

Check back in early-April to see the entire series. And don’t forget to become a member today if you aren’t already. Members can buy tickets before the general public, save up to $5.00 off per ticket, and buy tickets at Meijer Gardens during pre-sale to avoid service fees. Some concerts sell out even before going on sale to the general public!

Say it ain’t so! Our annual Foremost’s Butterflies Are Blooming is now, well, blooming! While we’re not at full bloom yet, our first shipment of butterfly chrysalises arrived yesterday.

The chrysalises arrive in very carefully packaged boxes. Our Horticulture staff and volunteers delicately unpack these gentle creatures and hang them in the Butterfly Bungalow. This photo is just a snap shot of the work that goes into welcoming the chrysalises to their new home at Meijer Gardens.

While the exhibition doesn’t officially open until March 1, you can come get a sneak peek at the chrysalises. You may even get lucky and see butterflies emerge and spread their wings for the first time.

Click here for more photos of our first shipment

UPDATE! Friday, February 13, 2009
Our first butterfly emerged this morning! The award goes to the Postman butterfly. See the photo here.

The Grand Rapids Press published an audio/video slideshow of the Jonathan Borofsky exhibition, opening this Friday.

Watch the video for a sneak peek inside the exhibition. You’ll get a glimpse of the artist while he works to install his newest piece, designed specifically for our gallery space. You’ll also hear what he has to say about Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

“There’s nothing like the sight of clusters of butterfly orchid flowers that sets the new trend of orchid as flower of millennium” - Unknown

Every January, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park celebrates the beauty of the orchid by teaming up with the Grand Valley Orchid Society for a large, two-day show. This year’s Orchid Show will be held this weekend (January 24 and 45). The show features stunning orchid displays and arrangements, collectibles and photography. Learn about these exotic and unique plants by talking with GVOS’s orchid experts and attending the free lectures.

Bringing along the kids? Don’t worry - art activities are available both days at 1-4 PM.

Before you go, brush up on your orchid knowledge by watching FMGSP Horticulturist, Michelle Mucha, on WZZM’s Take Five show. Watch the segment here.

While you’re at the show, be sure to visit our extensive collection of orchids displayed in the Tropical Conservatory.

For more information on the Orchid Show, visit our Events Calendar.

Photo by Thurston De Vos

After your visit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, be sure to post them on Flickr.com and share with all. FMGSP has a Flickr Pool where you can share the best of the best with others who have visited our facility or those who are interested in coming. Whether its the scenery, your family and friends who have visited with you, or having fun in the Children’s Garden, share it all at our Flickr Pool.

It’s cold outside, but Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s indoor gardens are a great place to get away and plan your wedding. Every season highlights the unique character of Meijer Gardens, offering more than ten breathtaking locales for every wedding, from intimate ceremonies to elegant receptions accommodating more than 600 guests. “Couples can choose the perfect ‘I do’ location, indoors or outdoors,� says Stacie Niedzwiecki, Hospitality Director. “Our spectacular locations include the tropical conservatory, quaint waterfalls, private banquet rooms, indoor and outdoor gardens and the Grand Room and Atrium.�

Stunning backdrops for photography, complimentary parking and in-house catering are some of the amenities offered. “Our professional event coordinators can help tailor any special event to your own unique style,� says Niedzwiecki. “Winter is the perfect season to begin planning your perfect day at Meijer Gardens.�

Check out the Facility Rental section of our web site for all the beautiful options to host your wedding.