Monroe County Community College will host a lecture and month-long public display by Anna Van Schaap as part of its Visiting Artist Series.
The lecture will take place on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 6-8 p.m. in the Atrium of the La-Z-Boy Center on the college’s Main Campus, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd. in Monroe.
Van Schaap’s work will be on public display from Oct. 24-Nov. 22 in the MCCC Library, which is located in the Campbell Learning Resource Center on the Main Campus. The Library is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday – Thursday and from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Friday. Both the lecture and the display are free and open to the public.
Van Schaap grew up in Grand Rapids and attended the University of Michigan School of Art and Design. She graduated with a fine arts degree with a background in painting, art history and curatorial studies, and women’s studies. Since her graduation in 2010 she has exhibited extensively in Detroit and Ann Arbor as well as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and internationally in Germany and Windsor, Ontario.
“My work is about finding the visual language to talk about the intangibility of feelings, experience and their lasting effects,” said Van Schaap. “Depicting human likeness should not stop at just the structure of the body, but should extend to the defining experiences of being human. Painting a portrait is about capturing something that is not just seen, but felt and understood.
“I paint what I paint because it is important to elevate women’s voices and experience in order to create a world where women are allowed to speak their truths and to bring about change,” Van Schaap added. “Ultimately my work is about the power and beauty of recognizing your strength and finding your voice, and making no apologies for it after a lifetime of being told to be quiet.”
The Visiting Artist Series is presented by MCCC and The Foundation at MCCC. It is a component of the college’s 2019-20 Campus/Community Events Season, which is sponsored by The Foundation at MCCC, La-Z-Boy, Monroe Bank & Trust, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, Consumers Energy and DTE. For more information about the Campus/Community Events Season visit www.monroeccc.edu/events.
About Monroe County Community College
Founded in 1964, Monroe County Community College is a public, two-year institution supported by tax monies from Monroe County, educational funds from the State of Michigan and student tuition. The college’s mission is to enrich lives in our community by providing opportunity through student-focused, affordable, quality higher education and other learning experiences. The Main Campus is located at 1555 South Raisinville Road, Monroe, Mich., 48161, with easy access to Toledo and Detroit. The Whitman Center is located in Temperance, Mich., 48182, near the Ohio-Michigan Border. Detailed information about MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu.
About The Foundation at Monroe County Community College
The Foundation at Monroe County Community College was established in 1998 by the MCCC Board of Trustees as the development and enrichment organization of the college. The Foundation at MCCC leverages voluntary support from donors to enhance the educational, literary, scientific, and cultural experience by helping Monroe County Community College meet its mission. The Foundation touches thousands of lives each year through cultural arts programs, scholarships, and educational initiatives. Detailed information about The Foundation at MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu/foundation.