Local woman curates exhibit at Clinton Arts Center

Manchester’s own Sybil Kolon, a member of The River Raisin Watershed Council’s Executive Committee, was recently asked by the Clinton Arts Center (CAC) to create and curate a display about water quality. This exhibit was designed to go along with other water-related exhibits on display in the Art Center’s gallery during the month of September. 

The display is now running, and can be seen on the mezzanine level at the Center, where it will remain open until September 29. The official opening event was held on Saturday, Sept. 7.

“We named it: Raisin Expectations – Healthy Lands = Healthy Waters,” Kolon explained. “I had lots of help pulling this together. We highlight the work of 19 groups whose work positively impacts water quality on 75 feet of wall space.”

Kolon continued, “I had connected with the CAC and its founder, Ruth Knoll, a few years ago in my role on the executive committee of the RRWC. Ruth is very environmentally conscious and in June asked me to do an exhibit about water quality.”

Over the next several weeks, it developed that Knoll’s focus was on facts and pollution, while Kolon’s vision was to encourage everyone—especially young people—to get outside and connect more fully with nature, improving their mental and physical health as well as learning how better to take care of our earth overall.

“Most people don’t really understand water quality,” Kolon said. “Water quality is the result of everything we do on the land. There are no easy or short answers to maintain and improve water quality in our lakes, streams, rivers, groundwater and water supply. We each make decisions every day that have long-term impacts on water quality.”

The compromise they reached was to highlight the work that RRWC and its partners are doing to improve both land and water quality in this area. The displays highlight the work of 19 partner organizations whose missions may not be focused solely on improving water quality, but do have a positive impact. Some of these partners provide access to natural areas and opportunities for people to get out to learn about and experience nature first hand. These efforts can have an indirect, positive impact on water quality by helping people appreciate and respect our natural resources, thereby raising awareness of the need to care for our lands and waters, wherever they live.

With a 50-foot long wall on the mezzanine originally designated for the exhibit, Sybil had to get to work quickly, so she and her aides cast a wide net. Contacting about two dozen groups with which she has worked, most of them agreed to participate—and then she began to be concerned that there might not be room for all the exhibits. Knoll subsequently dedicated another 25 feet of wall space to accommodate the displays, which helped greatly.

With so much information packed into this exhibit, Kolon realizes that most people will not take the time to try to absorb everything. She hopes, however, that they will take away a better awareness that healthy lands equal healthy waters, and that everyone has a role to play—both in our daily actions and by supporting the groups whose work positively impacts our local water quality.

“We invite you to get to know our partners better. There are many other groups and individuals working in the watershed to help improve water quality,” Kolon concluded.

Downstairs in the gallery, Michigan artist Brenda Oelbaum creates a beautiful, but staggering, display that portrays plastic pollution in the ocean. “Living in Michigan, the issue of plastics in our oceans might seem a distant issue … Being in such proximity to the Great Lakes, the largest bodies of fresh water in the world, we need to be aware of what we are doing here as well,” states Oelbaum.

Along with Oelbaum’s artwork, Ruth Knoll created beautiful glass net pieces that seem to be floating on the wall in the gallery. Knoll also made different pledges people can sign to help reduce plastic use in their everyday lives.

Hours for the exhibit are 11 am to 9 pm, Tuesday-Thursday, and 11 am to 10 pm, Friday & Saturday. The Clinton Fall Festival runs from Sept 27-29, and the CAC (along with its partner business, 12 restaurant) will also be open that Sunday.

Participating organizations include River Raisin Watershed Council, RRWC Farmer-Led Watershed Conservation, Lenawee Conservation District, Michigan DNR, Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (formerly DEQ), The Stewardship Network, Jackson Lenawee Washtenaw CISMA, The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Nature Association, Legacy Land Conservancy, YMCA Storer Camps, Hidden Lake Gardens, Clinton Community Schools, Grand-Raisin Conservation Community, Iron Creek Land Community, Open Grown School, Lenawee County and River Raisin Watershed Area Parks, Oh These Irish Hills!, and Visit Lenawee.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.