Category: Arts

SC4 Gallery Exhibit to feature works of former Professor David Korff

St. Clair County Community College is presenting “Timelines: Progression of a Vision,” a memorial exhibition of works created by SC4 Professor of Visual and Performing Arts David Korff, who passed away in January 2021.

David was a 30-year professor at the college before retiring in 2011. The galleries will feature 44 works including 10 watercolors, 14 drawings and 20 collages. As Chairman of Visual and Performing Arts at Lambton College in Sarnia, and later, the same role at SC4, he followed his Plan A for 45 years. There never was a Plan B. The blue water between Canada and the United States ran through his veins and influenced much of his work, which has been featured in many galleries and museums, as well as private collections.

His wife Katherine shared the following, “We are all given time and purpose, but time is less important if the purpose is a life well lived. If you really care about the world you live in and the space you inhabit within that world, you may have been a student of David Korff.”

David was an art advocate not only with his students but in the local community and beyond. He was a founding member of the Port Huron Art Initiative, served on the Art Committee for the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and was a board member of the International Symphony and Port Huron Museum.

Korff was an integral part of Patterns, a magazine of SC4 student literature and art that has been published annually for more than 60 years. The memorial dedication in the 63rd edition of Patterns states, “David was a teacher and artist of diverse talents and tastes. When it came to music, the graphic and plastic arts, literature, dance or theatre, he dedicated himself to supporting all of them and seeing them flourish on our campus.” There is no part of our community connected to the arts that has not in some way, been touched by David’s presence. “It is his lasting gift to us.”

Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from Nov. 15, to Dec. 17, in SC4’s Fine Arts Gallery. Extended Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20, 27, Dec. 4 and 11. The gallery is closed Nov. 24 to 26.

Community members are encouraged to visit campus for a stroll through the galleries to view the works of David Korff and share their thoughts in an Exhibition Journal, which will be kept by the family.

SC4 sets fall schedule for art and performance events

St. Clair County Community College has released its fall calendar, which includes the popular Free Thursday Concert Series, gallery shows and a theatre production.

The concert series kicks off Thursday, Sept. 16, as the Lexington Bach String Quartet returns to campus for performances at noon and 7 p.m.

In addition, the fall schedule showcases two Fine Art Gallery art shows and a November theatre production of Vintage Hitchcock: A Radio Play.

All Thursday concerts are free admission. Seating is limited and tickets are required to reserve seats. Entry to performances is reserved by ticket until 15 minutes prior to showtime at which all individuals are admitted until the theatre is at capacity. Visit sc4.edu/arts to reserve tickets or call (810) 989-5709.

Tickets for the November theatre production are $10 and available for purchase at sc4.edu/arts.

All performances take place on campus in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre. Masks are required inside campus buildings.

Thursday, Sept. 16
Lexington Bach String Quartet
Noon and 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 20, to Friday, Oct. 15
Collectively Independent VIII by SC4 Art Faculty
Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

Thursday, Oct. 7
David M. Fisher, pianist
Noon and 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 4
Steve Wood Quartet, jazz
Noon and 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Nov. 20
Theatre: Vintage Hitchcock: A Radio Play
Performances at 7:30 p.m. each night

Monday, Nov. 15, through Friday, Dec. 17
David Korff Timelines — Progression of a Vision
Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
Gallery closed: Nov. 24 to 26

Thursday, Dec. 9
Moxie Strings, Celtic and Americana
Noon and 7 p.m.

College celebrates new edition of ‘Patterns’ magazine

St. Clair County Community College recently released the 63rd edition of Patterns magazine, Michigan’s oldest literary and arts publication aimed at showcasing student writing talent and works of art.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions during the 2020-21 academic year, traditional activities surrounding the creation and publication of the magazine were delayed.

“Patterns is an opportunity to celebrate being creative and to recognize the unique talents of our next generation of artists,” said Sarah Flatter, professor of fine arts at the college. “We’re excited to honor students and their success while at SC4.”

A digital version of Patterns is available on our website at sc4.edu/patterns.

The following students received awards:

Special honors

  • Eleanor Mathews Award, literature — Makenna Joppich
  • Patrick Bourke Award, visual art — Brandi Schmitz

Essays

  • Kathleen Nickerson Award — Thomas Short for “A Father’s Love: Rejection from the Beloved”
  • Second-place — Samantha Kicinski for “Another Day at the Office”
  • Third-place — Rebekah Delmedico for “Advertisements and Persuasion: Manipulating our Wants into Needs”

Poetry

  • Blanche Redman Award, — Lindsey Sobkowski for “Rainy Day Villanelle”
  • Second-place — Makenna Joppich for “Living Room Windows”
  • Third-place — Patricia Jo Bowman for “Eli”

Short stories

  • Richard Colwell Award, — Emily Kean for “Pareidolia”
  • Second-place — Natalya Reid for “She Strings the Beads to Make a Brighter Day”
  • Third-place — Makenna Joppich for “Brother”

Visual Art

  • First-place — Skylar Aleman for “New View”
  • Second-place — Doug Penrod for “Strange Medicine”
  • Third-place — Heather Brassfield for “Snowy Dirt Road”

Merit awards also were provided to students for having their work chosen for inclusion in Patterns.

Literary Selections of Merit

  • Makenna Joppich for “Marred Sky”
  • Zachary Kerhoulas for “Autumn Leaves”
  • Stacy Nichols for “Dinner Bell”
  • William Patterson for “Morning Coffee”
  • Jacqueline Wahl for “The Ruby-Eyed Man”
  • Avery Westbrook for “Espresso Express”

Visual Art Selections of Merit

  • Heather Brassfield for “Cades Cove Barn”
  • Miranda Benner for “Wagon Wheel”
  • Hannah Buckley for “Morning at 40th Street Pond”
  • Alicia Fortuna for “Face off”
  • Vera Klimovich for “Daydreamer”
  • Doug Penrod for “Marine City Throw Back”
  • Brandi Schmitz for “Lucy in the Sky”

Production of Patterns was made possible by the financial support from St. Clair County Community College and SC4 Friends of the Arts.

College celebrates 62nd edition of Michigan’s longest-running, student-led literary and arts magazine

PORT HURON — St. Clair County Community College students are being recognized for their work in the 62nd edition of Patterns magazine, Michigan’s oldest literary and arts publication aimed at showcasing student writing talent and works of art.

Patterns is completely designed, proofed and published by SC4 students. Melissa Dekett, Sophie Steinborn and Emily Swierkosz led the publication’s design team, while faculty members Sarah Flatter, Jim Frank and Gary Schmitz provided direction and support to students.

“Patterns is an opportunity to celebrate being creative and to recognize the unique talents of our next generation of artists,” said Flatter, professor of fine arts at the college. “We congratulate all of those who contributed to the 62nd edition of Patterns and honor their success while at SC4.”

In recognition of student efforts, a rescheduled exhibition is planned as a showcase in the college’s Fine Arts Gallery from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday from Aug. 24 to Oct. 1. Copies of Patterns will be available for the public visiting the exhibition. Masks are required on campus.  See sc4.edu/returning-to-campus for additional safety protocols at SC4.

Patterns award winners:

Special honors

Patrick Bourke Award

  • Sophie Steinborn, Port Huron

Eleanor Mathews Award

  • Mackenzie Hiller, Avoca

Essays

  • First place (Kathleen Nickerson Award) — Remy Reynolds of Port Huron for “A Modern Odyssey”
  • Second place — Mackenzie Hiller of Avoca for “Share It Fairly”
  • Third place — Zacchaeus Gilbert of St. Clair for “Failure Leads; Success Follows”

Short stories

  • First place (Richard Colwell Award) — Rilee Meyers of Goodells for “Bakery Box”
  • Second Place — Mackenzie Hiller of Avoca for “Our Circumstances of Being”
  • Third Place — Skyler Streeter-Fye of Port Huron for “Monday Massacre”

Visual arts

  • First place — Soren Swegles of Port Huron for “Descension”
  • Second place — Vera Klimovich of Smiths Creek for “Change In Climate”
  • Third place — Eva Kue of St. Clair for “Sushi box Packaging”

Poetry

  • First place (Blanche Redman Award) — Brendan Pittiglio of Algonac for “A Walk in the Forest”
  • Second place — Kayla Plenda of Yale for “Bedside Table”
  • Third place — Kaitlyn Ziehm of Memphis for “Keepsake”

Literary selections of merit

  • Breanna Sylvia of Port Huron for “Season of Mystery”
  • Stephen Muzzi of Marysville for “Ballade”
  • Kayla Plenda of Yale for “Romance from a Science Book”
  • Kathryn Oliver of Capac for “My Name is Depression”
  • Kaitlyn Ziehm of Memphis for “Existential Bliss”
  • Makenna Joppich of Kenockee Township for “Remember the Name”

Visual arts selections of merit

  • Alejandro Bueno of Port Huron for “Sadness without Cause”
  • Sabrina Mason of Clyde Township for “By the Docks,” “Lola” and “Island”
  • Rebecca Wend of Marine City for “Untitled”
  • Alexis Scott of Jeddo for “Montage”
  • Katriana DeAngelis of Lake Orion for “Moss Tea Cup”
  • Ann Mole of Marysville for “Peaceful Scene”
  • Emma Thurman of Kimball Township for “Crow of Pride”
  • Melissa Dekett of Fort Gratiot for “New Life”
  • Elaina Penn of Port Huron for “A Study of Fabric”
  • Kirsten Brown of Port Huron for “Muschboghdotlhbech”
  • Virginia Regan of Marysville for “Purple Plight”
  • Soren Swegles of Port Huron for “Self-Portrait”
  • William Patterson of Lexington for “Objects in Motion”
  • Skylar Todd of Port Huron for “Journey”
  • Natalie Loznak of Port Huron for “Untitled”

Production of Patterns is made possible by financial support by St. Clair County Community College and SC4 Friends of the Arts. A digital copy is available to view and download at sc4.edu/patterns.