Simple shapes, large swaths of color and quasi-patterns dominate the abstract landscapes of Jeff Kraus’ canvases. 

But the 31-year-old Grand Rapidian doesn’t want to tell you how to interpret his work. Rather, Kraus enjoys “the fact that each person can look at it and associate different things from their life onto it.” The art, which has been shown in galleries from Los Angeles to New York, is meant to be experienced rather than deciphered.

“The UICA has been a major reason why I enjoy living in GR, as it has been the most professional, inspiring, forward-thinking art institution outside of Detroit, as far as I’m concerned.”

Way back in 2007, a group of sculpture students at Kendall College of Art & Design embarked on a project that’s since grown faster and larger than they ever could have expected. 

That project, first known as ACTIVESITE and later called SiTE:LAB, has been making a name for itself in the local arts scene (and beyond). Revue talked with Amenta about plans for the future, why SiTE:LAB is important, and what the general public should get out of it all.

Rust — a notorious destroyer of aged bikes, pipes and cars, takes on a new meaning at the superusted exhibition, opening August 18 at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) in downtown Grand Rapids. 

Drawing on her experiences living in the Midwest — also known as the “Rust Belt of America,” exhibition curator Cheryl Wilgren Clyne focuses on the transformative nature of rust in superusted, which runs through Oct. 23.

Bursting with star power, the Grand Rapids Symphony kicks off its 2016 Picnic Pops series with another explosive Classical Fireworks show on July 14.

The season, which runs mid-July through early August, also includes performances showcasing the music of legendary rock musicians Queen, The Beach Boys and David Bowie. Then, R&B superstars Boyz II Men join the symphony live onstage Aug. 4 for a one-night-only event to cap off the series. 

With summer in full swing, the air-conditioned confines of a local theatre house makes for an artsy escape from the humid heat. Check out some productions happening this month and mark your calendar. 

Emma Ward, aka Emma Loo, doesn’t make weird music just for the sake of being weird. She makes it weird because she is too and she likes it that way. This month the singer-songwriter releases her first solo album, Ancient, at the Tip Top Deluxe. The set list is years in the making for a performer who finally found the tools to make the songs in her head a reality.

Shortly after rising Motown star Little Stevie Wonder found stardom in 1963, he discovered early on that hitting the textbooks was just as important as hitting the stage.

Amidst a string of now classic R&B singles, a teenage Wonder was enrolled at the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing. While he graduated from the now defunct school in 1968, Wonder would pen some of his biggest hits while earning his diploma.

ONCE is the epitome of a true complex romance, as a Dublin street musician, debating on giving up his singing dreams, meets a beautiful young woman who takes strong interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights, but their unlikely connection turns out to be much deeper and more complicated than expected.