Goodrich – Caren Huizenga is beautifying the community one brush stroke at a time.From local businesses to churches to schools, Huizenga has palette and will travel.
So when Cranberries Cafe owner Patty Plant needed some remodeling at her restaurant recently, she chose Huizenga to paint the mural on the wall. ‘Patty and I talked about it first. Because I have painted two other walls in the restaurant with a wine theme, we decided to choose that same theme for the new wall,? said Huizenga. ‘I have always been inspired by the vineyards in Northern Michigan, particularly vineyards in the fall, when the grapes come in around Mission Point in the Upper Peninsula.?
Other murals Huizenga has painted in the Goodrich community are three murals at the Goodrich United Methodist Church. She said one room has cartoonish animals all singing with a caption, ‘All God’s creatures have a place in the choir.? In another room she painted more animals to the theme, ‘All creatures great and small, the Lord God made them all.? The third mural she said depicts Jesus in the three phases of his life.
Brightening up the walls at Reid Elementary School with big graphic designs has also been one of Huizinga’s projects.
‘I also enjoy painting murals in my grandchildren’s nurseries. In one room I did a mural with wild animals so I painted a giraffe, some monkeys and elephants. The other room was an underwater theme with fish, octopus and dolphins.
Huizenga has taught art at Goodrich High School for six years and is currently teaching art in Flint at Valley School, a pre-kindergarten through 12 grade school. She is also the art show coordinator for FAME (Fine Arts: A Mainstream in Education) that provides galleries of art for patrons who go to the Raymond C. Green Theater. ‘This year one of the art shows I am going to coordinate will be the art of Vincent Van Gogh,? said Huizenga.
Because she likes to garden, Huizenga said her favorite artist is Georgia O’Keefe. ‘She is an American painter that paints huge flowers that fill up a canvas.?