Welcome to ArtPrize, the festival that turns Grand Rapids into a city wide art gallery, and it’s back in swing for its 16th year. It’s one of those festivals that can’t be enjoyed for just a weekend, in fact, the city of Grand Rapids holds this exciting festival for three weeks, with this year having a “Preview Week” from September 12-15. Overall, the main dates in which everything is installed and ready to be voted on is September 17 – October 3. ArtPrize is currently in its second week, and it’s already showing to be a huge success.

What makes ArtPrize so memorable is that you’re not just exploring the art through a single giant gallery, you’re literally walking through every part of the city. Through shops and restaurants to hotels and churches. These businesses bring in artists with open arms, letting the community take their time sauntering through their establishments, enjoying the pieces made by these incredibly talented artists. One of these venues that I had the pleasure to talk to- as well as actually be an artist for this year- is none other than Periwinkle Fog, a local artist boutique in Downtown Grand Rapids.

Lisa Radeck, co-owner of the shop alongside Susan Coombes, sat down with me to talk about their history with ArtPrize and how the shop came to be. Before owning Periwinkle Fog, Lisa and Susan both worked at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (also known as the GRAM), a gorgeous place that in itself deserves a whole day to walk through and appreciate. The GRAM always held a big role in ArtPrize, so when the ladies bought the boutique in 2022, they immediately volunteered to be a venue and be a part of the festival.

When it comes to the kind of artwork that Periwinkle Fog displays, you’ll happen to find that the pieces are all created by women. Lisa said they’ve always done this, even though it started out as a “happy accident,” as she called it, due to hosting all women their first year, and then keeping the trend for the following years. They wanted it to be a way to represent more women artists and give them the attention they deserve.

This year, the venue is holding 23 women artists, and what’s unique about this particular year is that there is an extended gallery along with the artwork in their shop. After a company left a next door storefront, the two women were given the opportunity to add more artwork and create a space for people to walk through easily and enjoy each installation. They also had advertisements for anyone looking to lease the storefront afterwards, and Lisa told me someone did! So not only did this create an extra artistic space, but it also helped an entrepreneur find their new home.

As you walk through Periwinkle Fog’s venue, be prepared for an array of color and mixed media. You’ll see photography, sculptures, quilting, macrame, paintings, and even an immersive gallery where you can walk through portraits hanging from the ceiling and have ten-word stories written on them. There even is an artist who wrote a novel and has it for sale at the shop! Every wall displays creativity and individuality at its finest, so make sure to stop by, take your time, and meet some of the amazing artists and learn about their passion.

Periwinkle Fog will have its doors open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM – 8 PM and Sunday from 11 AM – 6 PM and you can find them at 125 Ottawa Ave NW. Feel free to check out all their amazing local art you can purchase as well. Make the best out of your ArtPrize visit and check out as many local venues as possible!