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The Saginaw Art Museum

© Judith Stock

The Saginaw Art Museum in Saginaw, Michigan, housed in the Clark Lombard Ring Italian villa family home designed by Charles Adams Platt, has been the cornerstone of cultural life in Saginaw for the past 50 years.

C.L. Ring was a successful lumber businessman, civic leader and philanthropist. His wife Elizabeth (Lizzie) Palmer Merrill was active in several charitable organizations in the community. 1904 saw a new home for the family built by Charles Adams Platt in a Georgian Revival style. The plain, symmetrical exterior of the house featured red brick and white pillars. The grand living quarters included a music room, a drawing room, and solarium with a breakfast porch. Platt also designed the formal geometric structure of the gardens with small ponds, fountains, an artificial stream, and outdoor sculptures.

Opened to the public in 1948, it hosts an active exhibition schedule producing more than 25 to 30 shows during the year. Exhibits range from contemporary painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography to the classics. Regional artists are frequently on display along with featured artists of international acclaim. Nationally recognized touring shows and significant museum-organized exhibits round out the museum programs. The museum's main focus lies in 19th and 20th century American art, containing the works of a native Saginaw artist, E. Irving Couse, prints by Charles Adams Platt, sculptural groups by John Rogers, and works by Michigan artists. Of interest are Japanese prints and decorative arts that celebrate Saginaw's sister-city relationship with Tokushima, Japan.

There is a charming collection of 43 illustrations by children's book illustrator James McMullan depicting the many facets of cats from a former exhibit. Animal Tales of Michigan by Kalamazoo artist, Todd Zimmerman is also from a former exhibit. This show is a series of 36 watercolors, exploring the history of the State of Michigan from Colonial times to the present day portrayed in the form of animals native to the Great Lakes region.

A smaller museum with regional appeal well-worth a visit, particularly if you harbor any Michigan roots.