Pouring His Heart Out: An American Painter  With excerpts from an essay by musician and artist Angelica Hay  “Perhaps what draws me to Nuel Friend’s work is the same relatability that draws me to listening to and making instrumental music. Artists like Nuel are similar to musicians whom are able to make work that acts as emotional mirrors and landscapes. Their works are both intimate and vast.  Ambien Dream by Nuel Friend, Grand Valley State University Museum Collection Nuel Friend strives to create works that are not only an outpouring of his own emotions, sometimes literally with polyurethane, but that...

Bioforms: Art down to a Science “What compels me to continue to work on creating wonderful things…It is as regular a part of my wellbeing as food, sleep, love, and exercise. It’s a continuous urge that needs to be fed regularly. Without it, I am incomplete.”  Kelly Allen has a BA in Painting from Humboldt State University, in Arcata, California, an MFA in Drawing from Kendall College of Art and Design, and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University.  Her influences are many. Kelly is strongly inspired by and enamored with Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, and...