Liz Merriman, whose first degree and career were in welding, is used to working in a male-dominated field. As a graduate of Compass College of Cinematic Arts, the producer and production manager is on set with mostly men. But that doesn’t intimidate this go-getter,...

Everyone has their own traditions like favorite holiday pasttimes and secret family recipes. These legacies are threaded through the generations, and although some traditions might change, there are others that can stand the test of time–taste test, that is.Bisera...

In the United States, there are organizations set up to help those in need, and whether families be lacking food, health care, or diapers, the compassion of those who ban together makes communities stronger, and the country a better place to live. But outside of our...

There are certain necessities of life that get taken for granted. It is natural to put personal hygiene products on the shopping list when we're close to running out–most of the time. But some young families in West Michigan have financial hurdles to consider when it...

Grand Haven native Cyndi Casemier hasn't lived in her hometown forever, but it took going away and coming back for her to see that the city is evolving for the better–particularly when it comes to the local art scene. Cyndi is a potter, a hobby she picked up in...

It's elephants and primates, birds of all kinds, plants and buildings growing from unexpected places. It's a representation of familial lines and the joy and pain of living. And it's all in pencil. According to those who voted during ArtPrize 2012, and especially from...

As her name was called and the crowd erupted in applause and cheering, all Mindy Castañon could think was "Why did I wear this? How's my hair?" She may be career-driven, philanthropic, and influential in her community, but she's still a woman. Mindy was named the 2012...

The sound of battling in the name of style is stiletto heels clacking on a hardwood floor and the whir of aerosol cans of industrial strength hair spray. It's a low bass beat and the buzz of electricity, and for the winners of Style Battle 2012 This is Art, it's the...

What mask are you wearing today? This is precisely the question painter Kathleen Putnam asks with her 2012 ArtPrize entry Who Is the Person You Hide? Behind our daily politically correct, people pleasing demeanor, there is a true emotion hiding, and Kathleen dares...

The opening of ArtPrize may have been yesterday, but the season of creative expression started months ago for artist Barb Schilling. With a dozen blank canvases and paints of varying hues, Barb painted the progression of spring and summer as flowers opened their...