Rapid Growth photographer captures public museum, which captures $575K

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

Grand Rapids' new JW Marriott is the last joint business venture longtime friends and business partners Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos invested in before Van Andel's death in 2004. Directly across the Grand River from the hotel is the Grand Rapids Public Museum; Van Andel donated $3 million toward its construction in the 90s.

So, it's fitting that the JW's ballroom was the site of last week's gala museum fundraiser 'Lending a Hand Across the Grand.'

To commemorate the event, organizers commissioned local photographer Brian Kelly, owner of The Photography Room and managing photographer of Rapid Growth Media, to capture both buildings in a single photo. The limited edition photo was a thank you gift for each of the gala's 1,000 attendees.

"Everyone was surprised and delighted to receive the photograph entitled ' Across the Grand,'" says Rebecca Westphal, museum spokesperson. "Brian signed every last one, and that made it special."

Kelly spent more than a week shooting in different conditions ranging from daylight, night time and from an airplane before he captured just the right image: an evening shot of both buildings and the river with the museum's carousel illuminated and spinning.

"The spinning carousel and flowing river convey the energy of our revitalized city," Kelly says, "and the JW's amazing architecture speaks for itself."

The fundraiser netted $575,000 for the museum's operating costs, which include educational programs, special exhibits like the upcoming exhibit of the musical group The Supremes, and just plain "keeping the lights on," says Westphal.

The event launched the public phase of a $50 million campaign to create an endowment for the museum. Some $36 million is already committed.

Source: Rebecca Westphal, Grand Rapids Public Museum; Brian Kelly, The Photography Room

Photograph courtesy of and copyright Brian Kelly

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.