Local artist expanding horizons of creativity and leadership

As the founder of StudioBeerhorst, Rick Beerhorst has all the credentials of a influential visual artist. However, new muses are calling.

Beerhorst has been interested in music since his days at Calvin, but he is now exploring this creative outlet with a more serious approach. His band, The Wealthy Orphans, recently released a well-received album and played a show at local venue The Pyramid Scheme. Now, they are looking to become more active in the local music scene.

But that is just step one. Beerhorst also wants to amp up the dialog on how the area can be more supportive of professional musicians so they can be financially successful. He explores this sentiment in his blog about the early days of The Talking Heads, where a model existed that was a win-win for venues and the band.

The second muse that is pulling Beerhorst in a new direction is economic development. Beerhorst is a member of the Leadership Grand Rapids class of 2011, and although he half-jokingly wonders if he is the token "artist" in the group, he is very serious about the role that artists need to play in the community and plans to be a vocal advocate for more inclusiveness of artists in the region's economic development activities.

"To change the cultural DNA of Grand Rapids, you need to make innovation its core," says Beerhorst, citing Richard Florida's belief in the importance of "super creatives."

Beerhorst points to ArtPrize as an example of the potential of what artists can contribute. "What is significant about ArtPrize is that it is two weeks where artists take leadership and all heaven breaks loose," Beerhorst says." It's sloppy, messy and at the same time, very compelling and powerful."

Acknowledging the critical debate over ArtPrize, he takes the long view on its significance. "As it happens year after year, it will change the culture," he says. Using an analogy of a river that overflows in the spring leaving behind fertile sediment, Beerhorst believes that ArtPrize will leave more than murals behind. Hopefully, it leaves a "deep cultural soil."

Although his new muses are pushing him out of his comfort zone, Beerhorst is embracing the new opportunities, open dialogs and healthy relationships that transcend socio-economic and cultural classes.

Source: Rick Beerhosrt, StudioBeerhorst,
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Job News Editor