Amusicment by artist Ronaldo Byrd from Burlington, New Jersey, is about the joyful day-to-day activities of young people of all backgrounds. The paintings emphasize the fact that we are more alike than we are different. Ronaldo has exhibited at Michigan Medicine before, and he believes his bright colorful paintings are universal and can be relatable to many. Ronaldo is a full-time artist with many other interests who happens to be on the autism spectrum. 

Celebration of Calligraphy is Salma Arastu's ongoing series of paintings that seeks to illuminate and awaken the spiritual interconnectedness of humanity through the lyrical flow of Arabic calligraphy and the intricate beauty of Islamic patterns.

 

In this body of work, Arastu explores the infinite expressive possibilities of the lyrical line on large canvases. Immersing herself in the rhythmic movement of flowing forms, she creates abstract compositions where line, space, and color become meditative expressions of harmony and contemplation. Each painting is a visual prayer, and through the energy of calligraphy and the resonance of these positive messages, Arastu conveys the joy and spiritual fulfillment she experiences in the act of creation. She hopes these works invite viewers into the same space of reflection, peace, and celebration.

Kolams are traditional temporary floor drawings made by Tamil women every day at sunrise and sunset in front of their houses using rice or rock powder that embody the cosmos and are embedded with philosophy, life lessons and math concepts. They serve as a reminder of impermanence and the importance of non-attachment at all scales. 

 

Shanthi Chandrasekar, a Maryland-based multimedia and multidisciplinary artist with an academic background in physics and psychology, juxtaposes traditional Kolams with concepts from cosmology, math and neuroscience along with underlying cultural significance. She explores abstract science concepts such as energy, fields and information through Kolams while bringing out mathematical aspects in geometry, prime number patterns, and combinations through drawings and paintings. Making art is a thought-provoking, contemplative and meditative process for Shanthi.

Ceramic artist, John Good, presents an exhibition of sculptural work that explores the universal experiences of relationships, loss, resilience, and the hidden stories people carry through life. Working primarily on the potter's wheel, Good combines thrown forms with altered construction, expressive surface treatments, and symbolic elements to create vessels that blur the line between functional pottery and sculptural narrative. 

 

Influenced by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi and the expressive traditions of artists such as George Ohr, Ken Ferguson, Paul Soldner, and Peter Voulkos, his work seeks to preserve the movement and energy of clay while inviting viewers to discover their own meanings within each piece. Based in southwest Missouri, Good is also the founder and owner of Adelmo Family Care, where his work serving older adults and their families has deepened his understanding of the relationships, struggles, and resilience reflected throughout this exhibition. Life Vessels invites visitors to consider not only the stories held within the clay, but also the stories they carry within themselves.

Each year Gifts of Art presents an in-person exhibition of artwork by Michigan Medicine faculty, staff, learners, volunteers and family members. It showcases the exceptional talent, creativity and accomplishments of artists in the extensive (~30,000+) Michigan Medicine community. There are artist-juried ribbon awards for Best in Category, Best in Show, and a People's Choice award determined by online voting. This entire show is not for sale.

This year there were 86 submissions of art by 60 different artists, 14 of which were family members, with the youngest artist being 4 years old!. 

Instructions to vote for the PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD.
VOTING IS ONLINE ONLY!  To cast your vote:

  1.  View all the artwork in the online gallery.

  2.  Click the piece you like best and select “INQUIRE” to the right of it.  

  3.  Type “VOTE” in the message field. Please vote only once!

  4.  Feel free to also share your thoughts and feelings about the piece, or the show as a whole, in the message field if you’d like!  

For more information about Gifts of Art and our programs, please visit Gifts of Art.

Whimsical Gardens come from a place of joy and wonder, inspired by the natural world yet not confined by its physical boundaries. The paintings evolve, grow, and exceed into space in all kinds of ways. The combinations of hues of nature are simplified and reimagined, resulting in a palette that is both familiar and fantastical. Endless possibilities will arise when we allow our creativity to move beyond the physical world. 

 

My artworks are explorations that closely examine acrylic paint's materiality and its endless visual potential. Playfully, I convey a narrative deeply intertwined with the artistic medium itself. Each stroke, a new layer of the chosen color, and the decision to create transparency of those layers culminate in works that resonate with both my intent and the serendipitous fate of the creative process. This collection of works highlights the role of paint not just as a tool but as an essential element of each piece's story.

                                                                   – Carin Kulb Dangot

Mike Nathal is a retired NASA engineer specializing in metallurgy, with projects that included the development of new materials to improve jet and rocket engines, solving problems to enable the Space Shuttle to return to flight, and improving the reliability of robotic deep space probes. He started teaching himself wood carving in 2008 and wood turning in 2011. 

 

Each piece of wood has a unique collection of features, including those that many people consider to be defects, such as knots, cracks, or voids. He is always amazed at the variety of colors, patterns and fine details that are revealed after shaping and polishing the wood to a high luster. He strives to enhance the natural beauty of wood with classic shapes borrowed from sources ranging from ancient Greek to Native American pottery. The forms are deceptively simple, yet the details in the wood make them fascinatingly complex.