creativemorningsgrandrapids

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Photos by Cassie Kieda at Midtown GR on July 18th

Ken Heffner worked at Calvin University for 26 years, mentoring college students and producing concerts. He has worked with thousands of students and produced 1,000 concerts over 45 years. His first big concert was with an up-and-coming artist named Billy Joel in 1977 when he was 22. His last concert was Over The Rhine in 2019. Mentoring and being mentored continue to be an important part of his life.

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Photos by Cassie Kieda at Four Star Theatre, June 20th

Ken Heffner worked at Calvin University for 26 years, mentoring college students and producing concerts. He has worked with thousands of students and produced 1,000 concerts over 45 years. His first big concert was with an up-and-coming artist named Billy Joel in 1977 when he was 22. His last concert was Over The Rhine in 2019. Mentoring and being mentored continue to be an important part of his life.

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Alison is a lifelong builder of meaningful projects rooted in connection, purpose, and joy. After selling her real estate brokerage in 2024, she turned her attention to Happy People Hike and a growing collection of retreats, publications, and workshops that explore the intersection of nature, wellness, and soul work.

Happy People Hike is an outdoor lifestyle brand committed to preserving both people and the planet. Through events, gear, and community outreach, the brand shares the healing power of nature while making the outdoors more accessible and proving that caring for the planet can be fun. Locally, the brand is known for its Keep the Mitten Clean initiative—trash cleanups at parks and beaches that feel more like a celebration than a chore.

Alison’s work invites others to slow down, reconnect with themselves and the Earth, and find joy in the simple, meaningful moments that make life extraordinary.

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How far can we push regenerative thinking?

SUSTAINABILITY pushes us to design responsibly. COMMUNITY pushes us to design relationally. It’s through CREATIVITY that values become actionable — turning care for people and planet into real strategies, products, and experiences.

About the speaker

Fernando Ramirez is a designer exploring the intersection of sustainability, community, and the systems surrounding objects to create meaningful impact. As co-founder of Common Object Studio, he collaborates with companies and communities to take steps toward sustainability through regenerative thinking and material exploration. His work spans furniture, industrial, and interior design, with a focus on creating experiences that consider both people and the planet. Through Common Object, he continues to push the boundaries of design, creating beautiful, functional, and responsible products that strive for a world where people thrive, ecosystems are balanced, and beauty is common.

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Aileen Strickland McGee is a constantly curious creative who seeks to better understand the interaction and experiences between humans, our environments, and the systems we create + operate within. She is passionate about the power of design, cooperation, systems thinking and presence to create more just, equitable, and regenerative futures. As Director of Impact, People + Planet at Steelcase, she leads a team catalyzing collective action by reimagining systems and designing strategies that center the wellbeing of people and the planet.  Aileen earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Interior Design, with a focus on the relationships between identity, belonging and our environments. She is a designer, researcher, futurist, and strategist – and has always spent her days asking big questions.

More: https://creativemornings.com/talks/parallel-with-aileen-strickland-mcgee

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Scoob the Artist, whose real name is Terrell Foy, is a multidisciplinary artist and creative visionary based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is best known for leading “The Trauma Project,” a powerful artistic endeavor that addresses themes of trauma and healing through a combination of visual art and music. His project, which won the Grand Prize at ArtPrize, features collaborations with over 20 local artists.

Aside from that he lives a double artist life as The artist behind Custom Steppers. a prominent custom shoe designer known for his innovative and artistic approach to footwear. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he has gained international recognition for creating one-of-a-kind, hand-painted sneakers that blend street style with artistic expression.

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Throwback Thursday to our February event at the Wealthy Theatre with Aleka Thrash! We loved this talk on “Monumental” and all left feeling so inspired. Thank you to Leigh Ann Cobb for the photos, Madcap for the coffee and GRTV for the videography.  Save the date for our next event, April 15th!

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Check it! This month’s Procrastinate playlist is LIVE. Let’s kick those Monday blues and get hype for Fridays #MidwestLove event.

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Ope! It’s the #MidwestLove Event! Tickets are LIVE! Join us for a super spring mixer, as we dig in and collaborate with creatives from eight major Midwest cities! Let’s radiate some love from the middle! Meet people from other chapters. Learn about each other’s communities. Tour a unique hotspot in one of our Midwest cities.

What will this event be like? CreativeMornings is all about inspiration and community. This event is special - it’s CreativeMornings/Midwest! We’re joining up with seven other chapters from around the midwest to celebrate creativity in a new way. You’ll have chance for you to interact with others from around the Midwest, and select from several different experiences or activities hosted by each chapter. Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids is awarded the title Beer City USA year after year, and for good reason. It only makes sense that the Best Beer Label in the country comes from a can of “Prague Underground” - a refreshing Czech Pilsner brewed by City Built Brewery in the heart of GR. In this virtual tasting event, City Built owner Edwin Collazo will walk you through their best brews, the art behind them, and what makes Grand Rapids the best place in the Midwest for a cold pint (or two) Omaha: Matthew Shrader is a glass artist whose talent will literally blow you away! First, visit the glass blowing studio inside the Hot Shops Art Center. Hear how this creative pillar of the Omaha community – born out of a need for affordable studio space and desire to collaborate – is now working space for 70+ artists. Then watch as Matthew demonstrates how he uses hot sculpting and breath work to manipulate 2000 degree glass into a work of art. Cincinnati: Molly Wellman is a self-taught mixologist born and raised in Cincinnati. She spent 12 years living and working in San Francisco and returned to her beloved hometown to be closer to family. Since her return, she has shaken up the classic cocktail scene not only in her hometown but also across the nation. In this session, Molly will teach us the history of and demonstrate how to make the classic cocktail Corpse Reviver #2. Chicago: Option #1: Defying the Monolith: Representation and cultural nuances found in the Chicago Asian arts scene: Kiyomi Negi-Tran is a multidisciplinary designer and artist from Chicago. Her arts organization Asian Improv aRts Midwest will be hosting their annual exhibition 思考回路 • Shikoukairo III: Patterns of Thought at Zhou B. Art Center in Bridgeport from 4/16-5/31 as a continuation of their efforts to reframe the conversation around AAPI cultural diegesis in the arts. Join her to learn more about what goes into curating an exhibition that redefines public perception and celebrates the community. Option #2: 📸 Join our breakout room to discuss everything photography with KEH Camera: Photography is a wonderful way to express yourself and capture the world around you. The KEH Camera team is excited to answer your questions and share how photography is about more than capturing the perfect photo. Whether you’re a hobbyist using your smartphone or professional using a high-end model…bring your favorite gear for a fun show and tell. Option #3 Visual Notetaking with the Ink Factory: Ever wonder how Visual Thinkers come up with the icons they draw? In this quick illustration demo, we’ll show you how to draw some staple visuals that we use the most often for visual note-taking. ✍️ Grab your favorite black pen, sketchbook, and join us!

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Hey Morning People! We’re so thrilled to announce 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 — an easily consumable Instagram live series that simplifies connecting with creatives without having to log onto (yet another!) Zoom meeting. Join us as we virtually sit down with Kristin Zuller on 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟵 am on Instagram Live!

Kristin is a multidisciplinary artist from Grand Rapids. Obsessively curious, much of her work is based on exploration of different mediums and creative expression. As the artistically-inclined child, drawing and painting were her first love, which created her path to over 15 years of experience in graphic design, identity and brand-building, and a full circle return to illustration and mural work. The recurring theme in her art is the power of the divine feminine rooted in nature and self-empowerment.

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Aye, Morning People! Did you check out our awesome March monthly playlist? Caleb Dillon, podcast guru, operations manager and general theatre know-all at Grand Rapids Community Media Center pulled together an awesome playlist that certainly passes the vibe check. “Maybe we need to unplug for a hot second and just let it happen? The 'ripple effect', the moment of clarity, a splash of hot water on your face. A small idea could someday change the fabric of life for us all...but the "ripple" can’t happen until the water is still. Let it happen!” - Caleb T. Dillon

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Create symmetry between the world you image and reality

Matthew Warner

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Avocado Toast YUM! 

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We loved hearing about Symmetry from the Warner Brothers!

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Thank you for your honest talk at this intimate art gallery Carrie Burch! 

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