Oceana County Economic Alliance Executive Director Curtis Burdette contributed to this story.
A growing collection of murals, sculptures and installations is adding new energy and visual appeal to Hesperia through HesperiART, a community-driven public art initiative.
The latest has been the addition of a large mural designed and painted by Hesperia native Olivia Prado. The two-month project includes a montage of life in Hesperia, such as cross-country runners, mushroom hunting and fishing at the dam. The unique creation completed in June is located on the east side of Ed’s Orchard Market grocery store, ready to greet residents and visitors to the area for years to come.
Prado, who graduated from Hesperia in 2017 and the University of Michigan in 2021, drew from her many personal memories and experiences growing up in Hesperia to come up with the design for the mural, her largest to date. Since college, Prado has been involved in a number of art exhibitions and projects. She is already hoping to have the chance to do another mural.
“With all of my work I battle figuring out how to narrow my focus. I like to make my work about a lot of things. In college, my professors were always telling me I needed to narrow down my work, but with this mural I was able to make it about a lot of things. I was able to capture so many parts of Hesperia. It came down to what I know about our town, but really everything on the mural is what we are known for,” Prado said. “I found out I really like doing murals.”
The effort to bring more art to Hesperia began following a 2021 community assessment conducted in partnership with the Oceana Community Foundation, where residents expressed a strong desire to see more public art and improvements to downtown aesthetics. Out of that assessment, HesperiART, a volunteer-led group, formed and made plans for how to meet those goals. The group has since secured funding, gathered community support and completed multiple art installations. The group continues to move forward and has plans for future installations that celebrate the community, its natural surroundings and its small-town character.
Committee members include Russell Baker, Curtis Burdette, Julie Burrell, Vicki Burrell, Monica Grimard, Sara Kraley, Mark Kraus and Scott Rumsey.
“HesperiART reflects what the community asked for and continues to be shaped by that input,” said Mike Farber, Village of Hesperia president. “Each project adds to the story of Hesperia and creates spaces people can enjoy and take pride in.”
Scott Rumsey, owner of Ed’s Orchard Market and a HesperiART committee member, said the impact is already noticeable.
“It’s exciting to see these projects come to life right here in Hesperia,” Rumsey said. “Public art brings people into town, creates a sense of place and gives residents something to feel proud of.”
Farber said the initiative is rooted in community input and collaboration, “They wanted to see more beauty and creativity in our public spaces, and HesperiART is delivering on that vision.”
Completed projects across the village include "River Vignettes," a mural by Renae Wallace located near the Hesperia Dam; "Reclaimed Beauty," a student-created installation let by Monica Grimard, located at Vida Weaver Park; "Bambi," a public sculpture created by Newaygo County Career Tech Center students and located near the dam; "A Walk in the Park," another mural by Wallace located at the park pump house; "Northern Michigan Vacationland," a mural by Chris Garcia in downtown Hesperia; and now Prado’s “Greetings from Hesperia,” the sixth art installation in the village since the initiative first began.
Each of these projects was made possible thanks to significant volunteer time, as well as support from Ed’s Orchard Market, Shelby State Bank, the Oceana Community Foundation, the Fremont Area Community Foundation, the Oceana County Economic Alliance, TrueNorth Community Services, the Hesperia Area Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Hesperia and many individuals who made contributions.
“We’ve been able to bring multiple projects to life in a short time, and we’re excited to continue building on that success,” Farber said. “There is strong community support, and more opportunities are ahead.”
For more information about joining HesperiART or to donate towards this group’s artistic endeavors, please contact Mark Kraus from the Newaygo County Economic Development Partnership (powered by The Right Place) at krausm@rightplace.org.
