In addition to purchasing gourmet food and Craft Michigan beers, Broad Street Downtown Market & Tavern customers can now pick up a piece of local literature. A children’s book called, “What Does The Monkey Know?” by local artist and author Rhonda Peters is on sale.
“We are about all things local at Broad Street,” marketing manager Cindy McCoy said. “We support all things Michigan, and we are a family- run business that wants to support the hidden talents and treasures in the community. We had been selling local author Dan Bisher’s book in the store for some time, and when Rhonda came in, we began talking about her book, and we decided to offer it here.”
The book is inspired by Peters’ polymer clay artwork that she entered in the 2012 Grand Rapids ArtPrize competition.
“I began working on a piece for the ArtPrize competition in Grand Rapids that was an entire jungle scene out of clay, displayed on an old door,” Peters said. “With each scene of the jungle I sculpted, I wrote a corresponding line of a poem. Then, each part of the scene was photographed as a various page in the book. After about 250 hours of work, the piece was completed and so was the book.”
The piece gained recognition at the competition, and it is now on display at Gallery 49 in Reading, Michigan. The book takes children on a journey through Peters’ colorful, clay rain forest and shows the importance of preserving it.
“The book provides an open-ended question and lets the children ponder on the importance of the rainforest,” Peters said. Ten percent of the proceeds of each book sold go to preserving the rain forests.
The display in the store showcases the colorful copies of Peters’ book, and each one is personalized and signed by the author.
“It’s a really special product we offer,” McCoy said. “It’s so sweet that she personalizes each book. I even bought one for my granddaughter and Rhonda took the time to write a birthday message for her. It really shows that she cares.”
Peters, who was born in Hillsdale, is an artist, teacher, and contributor to the community art co-op at Gallery 49. At a young age, she specialized in oil painting but discovered a unique quality in polymer clay.
“I tend to see things in 3-D,” Peters said. “Once I saw that I could give more depth to my work with the clay, I began using it all the time. I love the way it feels in my hands and I like leaving my fingerprints behind in the pieces I make. It’s like etching an itsy bit of my soul into each work of art I create. I’ve been working with clay for over 30 years now.”
Peters has travelled to elementary schools across Michigan to discuss her book, and teach students art. She encourages children to be spontaneous and creative in all their work.
“My personal philosophy is that art knows no age,” Peters said. “In art, you can have a commonality with everyone no matter how old or young, it’s a great experience for all.”
In addition to visiting schools, Peters teaches classes at Gallery 49 and offers corporate team building exercises, retreats, and birthday parties for the community.
“Although I enjoy creating art, I also find great joy in sharing my knowledge — not just within my art medium, but what I have learned through my career in the corporate and service industries,” Peters said. “As a long-term manager in a medical office and then the cable industry, I learned a great deal about team building and out-of-the-box thinking. Now, I share my knowledge through the Creative Experience program I have developed.”
Now, Peters is working on another children’s book, entitled “Into The Depths” which will have another corresponding art piece showcasing the mysteries of the ocean, to be released in the next few months. For more information on classes, artwork for sale, or books, visit Peters’ website at www.laffingart.com.