Grand Rapids 'Pure Michigan' Poster Looks Familiar

They say 'great minds think alike', but what if one of the minds ain't so great?

A series of new posters released to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the highly successful "Pure Michigan" ad campaign have been released. The posters feature six iconic Michigan locations including this one of Grand Rapids.

When I first saw the poster, it was instantly familiar to me. It is a very popular view of the waterfront and the downtown skyline, and the angle is from Ah Nab Awen Park in front of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and Library.

I want to reiterate that this is a very popular view of downtown. I don't own it, I don't claim it. It's there for everyone to enjoy.

But...it is also the exact same cropping of that view that I based a painting on five years ago as part of a campaign to beautify waste receptacles throughout the Division Street/Heartside neighborhood. The painting I did was on a trash can at the corner of Division and Cherry for a couple of years, right in front of DeGage Ministries.

As I said great minds think alike. The thing is, I don't consider my mind to be that great when it comes to my art hobby, so I'm just happy that another artist saw that view of the Grand Rapids skyline and was inspired as I was.

Jojo Girard/TSM

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