Steve French Art Exhibit
The Works of Watercolorist Steve French Return to the Fennville Goose Festival
ART EXHIBIT IS LOCATED ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 10AM - 3PM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 11AM - 3PM
Written by Susan Park-Mason, 2018
While planning the first year of the Fennville Goose Festival in 1984, then school board president Cliff Paine Jr., approached Fennville High School art teacher Susan Park-Mason about organizing a student art show. Mr. Paine requested that Ms. Park-Mason ask her students to create art pieces using the subject of “Birds”. That year the first annual Goose Festival Student Art Show was held at the Middle School library, which was a fair distance away from the downtown Goose Festival traffic. Even the featured local artist, Bruce Matteson of Glenn, could not convince the crowds to leave the downtown area, and while it was determined that the show was a success, the traffic to the show was light, due to its location. After that first year, Ms. Park-Mason was invited to set up the next years’ art show in the lobby of the Chemical Bank, which put them much closer to the festival activities for many years to come.
The move to the new location also included a change in theme, which was expanded to include all wildlife. Once the art show became an established Goose Festival event Ms. Park-Mason added a second professional guest artist, selecting watercolorist Steve French of South Haven. Through a grant funded by the Michigan Council for the Arts, these artists would work with the Fennville High School students assisting with motivation and inspiration.
Traditionally, on Friday evenings before the show, the artist and their parents, as well as community members were invited to an official opening reception to celebrate the student artists’ works, as well as the work of the featured local artists, Bruce Matteson and Steve French. Bruce and Steve worked together for only two years at the Goose Festival Student Art Show. Mr. French continued to work with the art department after Mr. Matteson died in a tragic hunting accident. During these years Chemical Bank would subsidize Steve French by purchasing the original watercolors, which he started on-site as public demonstrations and then completed after the Festival was over. These works have been on display, at various times, at the bank ever since.
Many people, teachers and alumni alike, would join Ms. Park-Mason and Steve French over the years by volunteering their time and talents to create a more professional exhibit space, saleable merchandise, all while providing the manpower to set up and run a very successful art show. In 2005 Ms. Park-Mason put her heart into running her final Goose Festival Student Art Show as she entered into retirement. This would be the final year Steve French participated as well. The tradition of the student art show has been carried on by the Fennville Public Schools Art Department and features work by Elementary, Middle and High School artists.
When the decision to close the Fennville branch of Chemical Bank was made, then branch manager Erica Ramos, contacted Teresa Kline, the director of the Fennville District Library, with an offer. Stored away in the bank vault were the 14 one-of-a-kind original framed Steve French watercolor paintings in need of a new home. With the intention of keeping these paintings in Fennville, Mrs. Kline knew the library would be very fortunate to add these paintings to their local history collection. When word got out that the library had obtained this wonderful piece of Goose Festival history, Ms. Park-Mason, and longtime friend and Goose Festival Student Art Show volunteer, Jackie Ladwein were overjoyed and immediately started collaborating about how they might share these paintings created by their dear friend, with the public.
“We feel very blessed to still have these original paintings, as there seem to be none remaining anywhere for public viewing. As soon as Steve would finish one, it would get snapped up by a private buyer, who certainly enjoys the work in their own home, but that unfortunately puts it out of the public eye” says Ms. Park-Mason. “This was truly a beautiful and amazing gift to the Fennville Community from Chemical Bank.”
Steve French passed away in November of 2013, and it has been 13 years since his work has been part of the Goose Festival. This year his art will once again be on display during the festival weekend. Ms. Park-Mason and Ms. Ladwein will be setting up and attending this special exhibit so art lovers and friends alike can come, sit and remember Steve French’s long and wonderful connection to this community.
