When taking a day trip out to East Lansing, this is always a favorite place to stop and take in…read moresome fantastic art. While the museum is small, they pack several meaningful and amazing exhibits in the halls each time we visit. I am a fan of contemporary vision. This place typically has a lot of work to reflect on and I love the multimedia displays. The kids have grown up coming here to reflect on their own interpretations of the displays and what it means to them. The staff and volunteers are friendly. They also have a cute area for gifts. I love he building architecture. And, if you are a fan of Batman, they did film some scenes in front of the museum, and being a fan of pop culture, that is pretty cool too!

This is a free and small art museum on the MSU campus. It's fine and a decent way to waste 45…read moreminutes. The design of the building, by Zaha Hadid, definitely provides for a good photo op and sticks out among the brick buildings nearby. The first floor exhibit, featuring Syrian-American artist, Diana Al-Hadid, was gorgeous and engaging. The basement was called the "CORE" and was a Hodge podge of random art. I wasn't fond of how this was set up at all. I love art but other than the featured exhibit, we weren't engaged. The upstairs Mekong art exhibit was pretty cool but small and scattered. I am used to museums having places for students to research and study in. There's not a lot here. Also, there's not really a cafe and the shop is small. Cute stuff in the store though. Overall, the museum was worth checking out in the area but there's no need to make a special trip.

I approached this small museum with no real expectations. I left pleased and perplexed…read more Some of the labeling could be improved. For example, a small 15th century Italian bust of Saint Veronica of Binasco is not identified as a reliquary. (A reliquary is a container for the purported or actual physical remains of saints, such as bones.) Leaving out that small detail is a big deal. A Jordan Valley Glassworks chandelier titled 'Calypso Reef' owes way too much to the ouevre of Dale Chihuly. It could almost be considered a copy. There are a surprising number of John Rogers 19th century plaster genre sculptures. The kitschy Hummel or Lladro figurines of their day, they were incredibly popular. Most museums put these off in a corner somewhere; here, they have pride of place in very nice hallway gallery. Quibbles aside, this little museum is a very cozy environment to meander about. There are two interesting Corot landscapes, a soothing 8th century Chinese stele of a Buddha, a sculpture of Psyche and Eros has them smack in the middle of an intense kiss and they'll probably be getting a room soon, Nell Witters two etchings of trees are beautifully delicate, and a temporary exhibition of automotive art features some skillfully-executed images. One work made the entire visit worthwhile: Warren Sheppard's 1904 painting titled 'The Trackless Sea.' Simply, ocean waves fill the lower half of the canvas; an orange sky with a small sun in the distance fills the top half. It's stunningly realistic and a photo just doesn't capture how seriously good this painting is. Stare at this every day and it's an instant stress reliever.

Very nice, newer art gallery in Flint…read more This gallery is focused more on African American history and art and other ethnic minorities, displaying some powerful and eclectic pieces, including some very well known artwork by some of the country's most well known artists, plus lesser known or up and coming artists. They run a new art installation every several weeks and have a video display, too, featuring a short film or a video art piece. As with other galleries in the area, they are now part of the city's monthly art walk and they have a reception and usually jazz music or some other instrumental music during the festivities. I've been to this gallery several times and signed up for the E newsletter, too. It's one of the nicer, more intriguing galleries around and it's never the same dull art twice. They have everything, including paintings, multi media, videos, clay, installation art, and more. I try to make sure my family drops by at least once every month or two.

What a great addition to the downtown arts scene…read more This museum/art gallery is the new permanent home to the Mott Warsh art collection. It displays artwork crafted in a variety of mediums (paintings, fabric, charcoal, photography, mixed media, sculpture, pen & ink drawings, etc) primarily by artists of the African diaspora, showcasing the history and culture of African American artists and their legacy upon the art world today. Some of the work is infused with political statements, historical narratives, etc. It's all pretty interesting stuff and most of the pieces give one pause when thinking about how they came to be. I'm glad there is a newer voice in the local fine art scene and MW Gallery seems to be evoking necessary conversations about art, history and multiculturalism, opening a new dialogue about racial issues, too. The gallery, which opened in 2016, is a regular participant in the city's Second Friday Art Walk now, along with other galleries, shops, street artisans, and "pop up" galleries located along the Saginaw Street corridor. I try to hit the MW Gallery every month during Art Walk because it's a refreshing change of pace from some of the "watered down" art forms at some of the other galleries, yet is more serious and often significant than some of the installation art exhibitions found elsewhere. Overall, the museum is a great addition to the Second Friday Art Walk scene, filling a huge void that desperately needed satisfying. It's too bad it took so long to do so, but now there is a gallery more reflective of the city's urban roots. The collection comprises work by more than 125 different artists, most of which dating from after 1940. Some pieces in the collection are temporarily on loan at other locations, including Applewood Estate, Flint Public Library, Genesys and many more. The gallery, located in the Phoenix Building on Saginaw Street in downtown Flint, is not a large museum per se, but it does include some truly significant works of art, carefully straddling the lines between entertainment, culture and education remarkably well. I've been here several times now and I feel that the artwork shown is usually highly significant and seems to have been curated to pack the most visual and emotional punch. The gallery's small "black box" theater offers a new short film regarding art/history of the African diaspora every month as well. In short, this gallery definitely is pulsating with beautiful, thought-provoking art. Is some of it "controversial?" Perhaps to some people, but not really. I've been pretty impressed with the collection ever since I first toured the gallery last year. Now, I made a point to stop in every time the city-wide art walk is on, at the very least, just to see the latest exhibition, occasionally popping in other times as well. If you're interested in something other than "cookie cutter" style art and crave something more thought-provoking, then you might want to check out the MW Gallery. If I wanted to look at a pretty, nineteenth century watercolor, I'd go somewhere else. If I want to look at something more thought-provoking, then this is the place.

I don't think I'll ever be able to find a framing store with as friendly staff, professional…read moreframing service, and great selection as Bird's. I have gotten a lot of artwork and memorabilia framed at Bird's and I refuse to go anywhere else. Each job is meticulous crafted with the care and affection. They treat my cherished items as if they were their own, ensuring that they are properly preserved. Unlike many framing stores, they don't try to upsell you on certain frames or mattes and listen to your tastes and preferences creating a truly customized experience. I've lived in 9 different locations throughout the country and have never (and probably never will) find another framing store that I trust more than Bird's. A true Bay City treasure!

From the owner: We provide the highest quality Custom Picture Framing and Fine Art Supplies in the area. Our staff…read morehas at least 50 years of combined Custom Framing experience and can offer unique framing solutions for a wide array of items. We can frame virtually any object, so if you have something you would like to showcase let us help you come up with that perfect design for your project. Even if you think it can't be done bring it in...we may just surprise you!