November 5, 2003
Historic night for center
Heritage Center Donor Appreciation event features art show
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
What do a plastic action figure, rocks, a piece of tartan and a Detroit Tigers cigarette lighter have in common?
They are artifacts adorning commemorative tiles at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center. These tiles, plus each strip of grout in between, serve two purposes: one short term and one long term.
In the short term, their $50 purchase prices goes into the coffers of the center's Capital Campaign, which has $280,000 left of its $1.5 goal.
In the long term, the tiles - which will line the wall at the top of the stairs leading into the Con Foster Museum - provide a window into each donor's life. The tiles will become a permanent part of the area's heritage, a reflection on the spirit of Traverse City, said Peg Jonkhoff, chair of the Capital Campaign for the Grand Traverse Heritage Center.
"I am so impressed by the tiles," Jonkhoff noted. "It is really limited only by someone's imagination, what they can imbed on the grout or draw on the tile."
The tiles were on display Thursday evening during a Donor Appreciation party at the Center, thrown to thank the many supporters and contributors who have made the facility a reality. In addition to the standard, good food, wine samplings and great conversations, the party also featured an art show by six area artists.
Organized by Jim DeWildt, other artists included Glenn Wolff, Dave Speckman, Chuck Forman, Charles Murphy and Don Rutt.
DeWildt approached the Heritage Center about the show after he had participated in a two-person show at Building 50 in July. Well known as an illustrator and graphic designer, DeWildt has been focusing again on the fine arts after a decades-long hiatus.
He talked to Dan Truckey, executive director of the Heritage Center, about having a one-person show to both benefit the center and get the word out about his artistic endeavors. The concept quickly expanded to include other artists, all of whom agreed to donate 40 percent of each sale to the Capital Campaign.
"It was really fun and quite an honor to be hanging with those guys in the show," DeWildt said. "They've all talked about trying to do something like this again."
For Truckey, to have people contact him about organizing a fund-raiser and art show is proof that the 18-month-old center has arrived.
"Considering that we've been open now a little more than a year, it has taken time to let people know that we exist and know what we actually do," Truckey noted. "We're getting more people coming in and other people throughout the community who want to do certain events are coming to us, too."
"We are building a network of people who want to work with us," he added.
The Grand Traverse Heritage Center houses six area organizations: the Maritime Heritage Alliance, Friends of the Con Foster Museum, Grand Traverse Pioneer and Historical Society, Traverse Area Rock and Mineral Club, Railroad Historical Society of Northwest Michigan and the Women's History Project.
In addition, the facility hosts a variety of events ranging from the Leelanau Furniture Show and a Friendly Garden Club flower show to the Festival of Trains and the Festival of Trees.
"For us, it is all part of our mission, to be spreading the culture of the region," Truckey said.