The Public Gallery Program (The Program) is a partnership between the City of Marquette Office of Arts and Culture and Peter White Public Library aimed at providing inclusive and accessible exhibit space for both artists and audience. Bi-monthly exhibits rotate within two galleries; the Deo Gallery and the Huron Mountain Club Gallery. Exhibits feature fine art created by local and regional artists and curated exhibits that explore locally inspired themes.
Gallery spaces are free to visit during Library hours. Opening reception events offer an opportunity for connection between artist and audience and a deeper cultural experience. The Program serves as a valuable educational resource, fostering an appreciation of the arts, local culture, and encouraging lifelong learning.
Deo Gallery
Current Exhibit
Portraits of Contradiction
Oil pastel portraits by Antony Aumann will be on display at the DEO Gallery through the end of September. The
Dec/Jan
Painting the Seasons of the Wild U.P.
Julie Highland – Acrylic
February/March
Lake Superior Art Association
April
NMU Graphic Design
May
High School Art Show
June/July
We Make Our City, Our City Makes Us
Amber Dohrenwend (Art Week Artist in Residence) – Cardboard Installation
Aug/Sept
Inner Turmoil, Outer Beauty: Portraits of Contradiction
Antony Aumann – Oil Portraits
Oct/Nov
Inside/Out
Carol Phillips & David Schmitt – Acrylic
Dec/Jan
Color Memories
Ginnie Cappaert – Oil Paintings
Feb/March
U.P. Denizens and Debris
Michael Letts – Acrylic Monotype on Canvas
April
North Country Images
John Hubbard – Oil Paintings
May
The High School Art Show
June/July
The Bee Oracle Project
Ona Martin and Jackie Rushton – Mixed Media
Aug/Sep
Alchemize: On Bodies & Clay
Niikah Hatfield & Marissa Marquardson
– Porcelain Ceramic, Projection, Dance
Oct/Nov
Lake Superior Art Association Curated Exhibit
Dec/Jan
Winter Work
Pier Wright – Acrylic on pieces of Duralar, polymer
Huron Mountain Club Gallery
Current Exhibit
Cell Phone Photography
Artist Daric Christian carries his phone everywhere with him and often photographs the environments he experiences. Christian’s exhibit, Cell Phone
Dec/Jan
Holiday Trees
February/March
Winter Charm
Lake Superior Art Association
April/May
Your Mind Matters
West End Suicide Prevention
June/July
Pandemic Hobby Gone Wild
Jody Trost
Aug/Sept
Cell Phone Photography
Daric Christian
Oct/Nov
Artful Yoga
Steven Leuthold
Dec/Jan
Holiday Trees
Feb/March
FOCUS
Maarten Vermaat – Photography
April/May
NMU Art & Design
June/July
thread.
Lisa Colwell – mixed media
Aug/Sep
Wimmelbilder
Elijah Haswell – digital illustration
Oct/Nov
Chiseled and Inked
David Berg – Linocut reduction printmaking
Dec/Jan
Holiday Trees
Deo Gallery
Information
Operated by the City of Marquette Office of Arts & Culture
Sponsored by Lake Superior Art Association
(Deo)– A fine art gallery that features notable works of all mediums.
The Deo is in the City Arts and Culture Center, located on the lower level of the Peter White Public Library.
This gallery aims to host exhibits featuring artwork created for its aesthetic and intellectual content. The artists and curators shown in this space should be highly skilled and experienced artists in their chosen medium.
Applicants are expected to share their Artist CV and have a well-developed exhibit statement describing the works, artistic process, inspiration, and intention.
Annual Exhibit Schedule:
Jan/Dec: Curated Exhibit
Feb/Mar: Curated Exhibit
April: NMU Student Exhibit – rotating disciplines
May: High School Art Exhibit
June/July: Art Week Inspired Exhibit
Aug/Sept: Curated Exhibit
Oct/Nov: Lake Superior Art Association Curated Exhibit
Huron Mountain Club Gallery
Information
Operated by the Peter White Public Library
(HMC) – A community art gallery that features locally curated collective displays, local and emerging artists, and educational exhibits.
The HMC is on the main floor of the Peter White Public Library.
This gallery aims to host exhibits featuring community-oriented artwork and displays. This space provides a space for local curators to display collections of artworks of any level or medium and a platform for local and emerging artists to share their work. The gallery also serves as a valuable educational resource by offering a large venue for travelling or locally curated culture and heritage exhibits.
The HMC Gallery has two distinct spaces allowing for smaller, side-by-side exhibits or one large exhibit.
Annual Exhibit Schedule:
Jan/Dec: Holiday Trees
Feb/Mar: Curated Exhibit
April/May: Youth Arts Exhibit
June/July: Art Week Inspired Exhibit
Aug/Sept: Curated Exhibit
Oct/Nov: Curated Exhibit
THE POWERFUL FORCE OF A SHARED RESOURCE
The Formation of a Public Gallery Program
Written by Andrea Ingmire – PWPL Director
The Public Gallery Program is a wonderful example of the power of shared resources, both creatively and administratively. This partnership between the Peter White Public Library and the City of Marquette Office of Arts and Culture provides inclusive and accessible exhibit space for artists and audiences in our community. The program’s bi-monthly exhibits offer fine art created by local and regional artists as well as curated exhibits that explore locally inspired themes.
The Program is a new collaborative approach to two separate exhibit spaces. Up until this year, the Huron Mountain Club Gallery (main floor of PWPL) and the Deo Gallery (Lower Level in the City Arts and Culture Center) have been separately curated and operated. By partnering with the City, we are able to maximize staff time, operational resources, and make the curation process simpler for both administrators and applying artists.
Now, a curatorial committee annually selects the exhibits from a pool of applicants. This leads to a more cohesive exhibit season and ensures a variety of artistic techniques and content throughout the building. Allowing artists to apply for both gallery spaces creates a more transparent and accessible selection process. The application is free and open each February for the subsequent season.
Promotional efforts are now combined as well. A webpage on the MQTcompass.com is being developed to catalog past exhibits and host current information in one location that the community can more easily find. The Deo Gallery also transitioned to a bi-monthly exhibit schedule which allows for opening receptions to align. Now, the second Thursday of each exhibit guarantees an evening of art throughout the whole building.
By working together, the City and Library have been able to provide inclusive and accessible exhibit space for artists and audiences alike. The program fosters a sense of community, promotes lifelong learning, and provides a unique opportunity for artists and audiences to connect.
Application Information:
Artists and Curators of all ages, mediums, and backgrounds are encouraged to propose exhibits. The call for exhibits opens annually each February for the following exhibit season. There is no application fee, but artists are asked to only submit one exhibit proposal.
Proposals are reviewed by a volunteer selection committee made up of local professional artists, art educators, an LSAA representative, and City residents. For more information about the application and selection process, please email tmorin@marquettemi.gov
