Holland Friends of Art

03/12/2026

Hello, everyone..
Just wanted to pass this info along, to you all, from the city of holland about the upcoming Holland Farmers Market, gearing to start up, this year.......even as we are NOT a functioning art organization, since we have disbanded, which means that we are not meeting or sponsoring art shows, anymore,... we still want to help promote other events, in the community.

Greetings from the Holland Farmers Market!
The Holland Farmers Market is excited to announce that our 2026 Poster Design Contest is launching this Friday! Both professional and amateur artists ages 16+ are invited to submit their design(s) for this year’s contest. The winning artwork will be featured on posters and merchandise to promote the 2026 season of the Market and the winning artist will receive a $500 cash prize. In addition, the winner of the People’s Choice social media contest will receive $100 in Market Bucks gift certificates.

We are excited to share that for the first time ever, we are waiving the contest entry fee for college and high school students currently enrolled in a graphic arts program to encourage talented young artists in our community to participate in the contest! Students may now submit one (1) design for free, while adult artists may submit up to three (3) designs for the $10 entry free. You can find the contest details on the online entry form linked below.

We would be so grateful if you would pass this exciting opportunity along to any artists or students you know! I’m attaching a social media graphic as well if you want to post the opportunity on your social channels. Please feel free to reach out with any questions! Thank you in advance for your support!

Thanks so much!
Kara

2026 Holland Farmers Market Poster Contest: https://downtownholland.wufoo.com/forms/2026-holland-farmers-market-poster-design-contest

Kara de Alvar
Marketing Coordinator
Downtown Holland
Holland Farmers Market
150 West 8th Street
Holland, MI 49423
O: 616.796.0472
C: 616.403.3211

The Holland Farmers Market is excited to announce the return of our annual Poster Design Contest! We're excited to select another incredible poster this year...designed by YOU! Whether you're young or old, an amateur artist or a professional, you're invited to submit a poster design! The winning art...

12/23/2025

Hello and Happy Holidays, to all,
As we approach the end of the 2025 year, we, also, approach the end of HFA, unfortunately.
It has been a hard decision to make and we have mulled it over, for the last 2 years, with an announcement being made, back in June, of this year.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the folks that had volunteered throughout the decades,of this fine organization and it's members, who helped facilitate the support and soul that was the base and mission of this organization, from the start.
Never fear, though, HFA has established high school art scholarships, with Holland/Zeeland Community Foundation.
This endowment will last, at least, for the next 10 yrs, as we established it.
Having said this, the endowment is open to receive donations and further details will be made available, in the next few weeks, on our website, FB page and through email.
We have, also, made a considerable donation, to Holland Area Arts Council, to be used in sponsorship of the annual High School Debut show, for the next decade, as well.
Again, I cannot express the honor to have been of service, to all of you and the art community, as a whole and the great appreciation I have for those that had established this organization and all those that helped steer it, through the years.
Speaking of the history of HFA.....We are gathering whatever recorded hard copy history is available to us, in order to present to the Holland Museum, to see if they would be interested in adding it to the archives.
If any of you have any printed history, of HFA, that you would like to share, please, email us and we can compare that with what we have, already.
Also, one last thing, if any of you have any uncashed checks or reimbursement requests, please, cash those checks and get those requests in, so that we can clear the books, going into the next year.
Thank you, so much for all the support, all these years.

Holland Friends of Art

Holland Friends of Art is a non-profit community arts organization serving the Holland, Michigan area. Founded in 1963 our goal is to stimulate community awareness of the creative talents in the area through programs, scholarships and exhibits.

11/11/2025

Results from our last award show.
Anne Corlett was our juror and we would like to thank her, for a job well done.
Thank you, to everyone that submitted art and to our volunteers.
In fact, HFA would like to thank all of our volunteers, from the board to the committees, all of which were volunteer positions, over the past decades, since 1963. We could not have done it without you.
We will be attempting to record our history and submit it all to the Holland Museum, for posterity.
If any of you have any history, of HFA, that you would like to share, please, let us know.
Now, without further ado, here are pics of the many talented artists and their winning pieces.

First Place Old Man River by Melanie Mason / Second Place Sands of the Meadow by Erin Mullis / Third Place Hidden Innocence by Sue Frederick.

Honorable Mentions: Lynn Boezaart / Stephanie Vandeven / Holly Wilson / Doug Lowe / John Allen / Cindy Bender / Agnes Fisher / Joy Richmond / Sue Frederick / Maria Cottrell.

09/29/2025

Hello,everyone, this is just a reminder of our upcoming fall awards show...
details and prospectus, can be found on our website, but here is the gist of it...
HFA Fall show reminder
HFA 2025 Juried Fall Art Show
150 E. 8th St. Holland, MI 49423
Presented in Lievense Gallery
Show: October 23rd - December 20th
Intake/Drop-off:
Oct. 16, 10 am – 2:30 pm
Oct. 17, 10 am – 2:30pm
Oct. 18, 10 am – 1:30 pm
Pick up: TBA
Opening Reception: November 6, 2025 5:30 pm to 7:00 P.M. Holland Area Arts Council
Juror: Anne Corlett

Also, we could still use a couple of helpers, on the intake dates.
If you think you would be interested, in lending a hand, please contact us.
Thank you.

Send a message to learn more

09/08/2025

Hi, folks,
Just wanted to remind all about our upcoming show, at the Holland Arts Council, this October. Details can be found, on our website, in the form of our prospectus.Under "Call for Artists" Last link. Just click to download. We just announced our guest juror, Anne Corlet, about 2 weeks ago and there is a 20.00 fee, unless, your membership runs through this year, for up to two entries.
The drop off dates are for the Holland Area Arts Council location. Intake/Drop-off:
Oct. 16, 10 am – 2:30 pm
Oct. 17, 10 am – 2:30pm
Oct. 18, 10 am – 1:30 pm We could use some volunteers, for this intake, as well. Please, contact us, if you can help out. The Council will take care of the hanging, for us.

Holland Friends of Art is a non-profit community arts organization serving the Holland, Michigan area. Founded in 1963 our goal is to stimulate community awareness of the creative talents in the area through programs, scholarships and exhibits.

09/02/2025

Holland Hospital Gallery 602 welcomes photography artist, Glenn Rutgers. Please stop in and see his beautiful works! They say it takes a village and Glenn brought a whole support team to help wire and hang his works!

08/26/2025

Hello, folks. We have selected our juror, for the upcoming show and we would like to introduce, to you, Anne Corlett.
The following is from her own website. To see more on her, go to https://annecorlett.net/

Anne Corlett was graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BS in Fine Art. She continued her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago, The Royal Academy of Art in London, the Kalamazoo Institute of Art and Oxbow in Saugatuck, MI. After raising a family, Anne became a full-time artist, working and showing out of her studio on the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck. She crosses from one medium to another – oil, watercolor, pastel, monotype – in order to tease out new meaning and insight from familiar subjects. Each substance allows her to explore in a different way, discovering aspects heretofore hidden.

“My art is about expressing emotions. Every brushstroke or mark is a word, a phrase, a feeling. How they interact tells a story. Some paintings are like poems, leaving the viewer to interpret the imagery on their own. Some are more literal, expressing my gut reaction to the beach, for instance, while keeping it the primary focus of the work. Landscapes continue to call to me with insistence. Making art addresses my need to communicate the awe I feel about the natural world and my place in it.”

Details for the show can be found at our website, under Call for Artists.

Holland Friends of Art
www.hollandfriendsofart.com

Holland Friends of Art is a non-profit community arts organization serving the Holland, Michigan area. Founded in 1963 our goal is to stimulate community awareness of the creative talents in the area through programs, scholarships and exhibits.

06/24/2025

Hello, everyone,

I have decided to step down as President of H.F.A. after 15+ years of service. Although, it has been an honor and privilege, to serve on this board, having exceeded my term limits, I fear that, unfortunately, I have lost that drive to lead and feel that it is time to let others take over and take this organization to new heights. I don't have to notify the membership/public, but am doing so, as i feel that I should give our membership/community a chance to step up, in hopes of finding someone willing to take the lead.

The PRESIDENT: is a volunteer position, as are the other board chairs/positions and, initially, it is meant to be held for a 3 year term/commitment. Besides the administrative aspects of this position, it does call for being on top of our social media platforms, (such as they are, because I imagine that it could be better), setting up our annual members show (at least one), calling board meeting(s), heading said meetings, and basically, overseeing any subsequently formed committees / subcommittees.

It is important that we find a replacement, for myself…. VERY SOON !
Other Board positions and volunteer opportunities MUST also be filled including:

•Gallery 602- we are looking for a person / people to help run and curate the Holland Hospital Gallery. This position will entail lining up HFA verified members to exhibit at the gallery on a regular rotating basis. This rotation doesn't have to be of just one artist (it can be several, at one time) and on a monthly basis. Bi monthly works, as well. This is a healing environment, so there are some criteria, that has to be followed, as dictated by Holland Hospital.

•Programs and Workshops- this position will consist of lining up guest artists as speakers / presenters at various locations / venues and promoting said programs. These can be at any venue, a gallery, a studio, the local library that will allow us an hour to an hour and a half, to have our members meeting, that can accommodate the needs of our speaker/organization.

•Art In the Park (AIP)- volunteers are need for marking the park during the afternoon, the day before AIP as well as for various jobs on the day of the event. These opportunities will entail volunteers committing their time for 2 hours, to help out.
We have been struggling to find anyone for these and other positions in our organization. It is my hope, along with the rest of the board members, that we find leaders that will take this organization to new heights, given the chance.

WILL YOU STEP UP ? WILL YOU BE A LEADER?

(you would not be alone, current Board and committee members are willing to be available for consultation, guidance, and help)

Thank you,

Noel Castro

Holland Friends of Art

Holland Friends of Art is a non-profit community arts organization serving the Holland, Michigan area. Founded in 1963 our goal is to stimulate community awareness of the creative talents in the area through programs, scholarships and exhibits.

06/01/2025

Gallery 602 at Holland Hospital is honored to share the art of the Monday Masters Plein Air Painting group. Artists on exhibit are Julie Bender, Barri Rosenbluth, Ella Sue Schneider, Marilyn Troutman, Barb Struber, Judi Johnson and Linda Enzinger!

05/24/2025

Website for Zeeland Public Schools

04/21/2025