Public art comes full circle this summer in the Pointes

GROSSE POINTES — Visitors to and residents of the Grosse Pointes this summer have been able to go on a global excursion without ever leaving the east side.

The Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce enlisted local artists to decorate sphere-shaped sculptures, which have been placed in front of participating businesses, schools and the like. The spheres, which will be auctioned off during an event Sept. 18 at The War Memorial in Grosse Pointe Farms, are being used to raise money for the GPCC’s nonprofit arm, the Grosse Pointe Chamber Foundation.

There are 31 total spheres — 17 at businesses and 14 at Grosse Pointe Public School System buildings. They’ll remain on view at those sites until Sept. 17, after which they’ll be transported to the auction site.

“There has been a wonderful response from the community!” said Abigail Turnbull, the GPCC’s membership and events coordinator, in an email interview. “We love seeing people stop in our (office) window to see the Grosse Pointe Time Machine by Daniel Draper, and have heard great feedback from the community on the spheres that are out there.”

Lena Duffy, of Grosse Pointe Park, created a koi pond design for Lifetime Orthodontics in Grosse Pointe Woods.

“Water can be tricky,” Duffy said. “I opted for blue tones (versus) ‘pond green’ simply because it’s more complimentary to the colors of the koi fish. I wanted to make sure they looked like koi from a distance, and a quick read if you were driving by.”

For Grosse Pointe Woods’ 75th anniversary in 2025, Iris Steinberg, of Grosse Pointe Park, combed through historical archives to create her “Rounding Off the Edges of History,” which incorporates newspaper articles, U.S. census data, photos, maps and more from the Woods. Steinberg said she’s very interested in history and lives in a home that’s nearly 100 years old. She said Woods officials and the Grosse Pointe Public Library provided invaluable help in finding materials for the sphere.

“I highlighted key historical moments with local stories, for example there is a picture on the sphere of a local man returning from World War II and seeing his child for the first time and an article about a Grosse Pointe Woods man who created a functioning train display in his backyard,” Steinberg said in an email interview. “Sadly, he died recently, but someone who works for the city, called his son and said ‘your Dad made the sphere!’ and hearing that I teared up, because during my hours of research, cutting and gluing, that’s exactly what I hoped for, people recognizing themselves in the work, whether it’s a familiar face, favorite spot or just imagining their partner coming home to Grosse Pointe and seeing their child for the first time.”

According to the city’s website, Grosse Pointe Woods was originally incorporated in 1927 as the Village of Lochmoor. It became the Village of Grosse Pointe Woods in 1939 and, on Dec. 11, 1950, it was incorporated as the city of Grosse Pointe Woods.

This public art project is in keeping with the GPCC’s unofficial schedule of doing one every three years. Previous projects were heart sculptures in 2021, dog sculptures in 2018, butterfly benches in 2015 and fish sculptures in 2012.

“After many projects with very specific shapes, the idea for the sphere came to allow the artists to have a blank canvas,” Turnbull said. “When you’re starting with a shape rather than an object, there is much more freedom to get creative and make something unique. The spheres are all one size this year. They’re two feet in diameter and sit on a three-foot pillar.”

Artists welcomed this new challenge.

“The sphere concept might be the best one yet,” Duffy said. “It really opened up to tons of creativity.”

For Michigan Home Builders in Grosse Pointe City, Ryan DeMattio, of Grosse Pointe Park, came up with a ribbon design.

“I was interested in the play of foreground to background patterns, from black and white Op Art examples,” DeMattio said in an email interview.

After collaborating with MHB officials, DeMattio created a striking, interwoven pattern of pink, silver and green. Unfortunately, the heat of the summer caused the paint to bubble and melt, forcing DeMattio to start over.

“After stripping the globe to (its) bare form, I began again with upgraded materials, much effort, and came through with a newly minted globe closer to our original design,” DeMattio said. “Art often comes with a great learning process, and this certainly delivered! It certainly has been an exciting opportunity to be involved with for the local community.”

The spheres have encouraged people to visit local businesses, and the sponsorships and auction proceeds will fund future community efforts.

“Projects like this are important because the Grosse Pointe Chamber Foundation gives back to the community with funds raised to support projects like this,” Turnbull said. “The more support we get for these initiatives, the more scholarships and business grants we can award to our community. Seeing our members and the next generation of leaders thrive is a major part of our mission and these projects allow us to see that through.”

Maps with the sphere locations can be picked up from GPCC offices at 106 Kercheval Ave. in Grosse Pointe Farms or on its website, grossepointechamber.com. For auction tickets or more information, visit the GPCC website or call (313) 881-4722.