Scenes from Lowell: Favorite Photos from 2018 Edition

This Love Week photo gets honorable mention as one of our favorite photos of 2018. Not only is it fun (check out that turkey and goat!) but it also represents the selfless service that makes Lowell so special.

We’ve previously told you which articles Lowell’s First Look readers liked best in 2018 as well as our favorite stories for the year. Now it’s time to take a look at our favorite photos from 2018. Here are the images we loved best.

Amanda’s Favorite Photos from 2018

First up is this photo of library director Heather Wood-Gramza dressed as a t-rex to celebrate 600 Lowell residents completing the KDL Summer Reading Program. It was such a fun event that we did entire Dino Edition of Scenes from Lowell. Amanda picked this photo not only for its fun factor but because it exemplified the passion Wood-Gramza had for both reading and for Lowell. She was all in for the community, and it was our loss when she moved to a new position in Zeeland.

Up next is the photo of this 4-H pig. It was taken as part of an article about all the work families put into getting ready for the annual fair. Amanda picked this photo because it represented a behind-the-scenes look at everything that leads up to happy kids and proud parents showing off their animals each August.

Amanda’s final pick is this image from the demolition of 512 E. Main Street. It’s a dramatic image of something we don’t see every day. While there were mixed feelings in the community about taking down this home, FROM hopes this is the start of a new chapter of affordable housing in the city.

Maryalene’s Favorite Photos from 2018

This photo isn’t actually a scene from Lowell. However, it is a scene of community members representing Lowell in the big city. Students, parents and staff from St. Patrick School walked in the Grand Rapids St. Patrick’s Day parade to bring a little Parnell pride to the festivities. The little school north of town has gone through tremendous transition in the past few years and hit record enrollment in 2018. There are many reasons I love this photo, not the least of which is that my kids are among those decked out in green.

Prairie Bison by Randall Nyhof

This is actually a photograph of a photograph. Prairie Bison was on display at LowellArts during the Captured exhibition along with about 150 other images in July. We try to do a Scenes from Lowell for every LowellArts exhibit, but that really is no comparison to seeing artwork in person. I remember studying art in high school and being so very unimpressed with much of what I saw in our textbook. Then we took a field trip to The Art Institute of Chicago, and I discovered why many were masterpieces. Art takes on a whole new dimension when you see it in person. Lowell is fortunate to have LowellArts bringing so much great art to the community. The best thing about their gallery is that it is free. You walk in, a worker says hi and you are free to roam for as long or as short as you want. No one is hovering over you to ensure you “appreciate” the art in the proper way. If you haven’t been to a LowellArts exhibit, make it one of your New Year’s Resolutions for 2019!

 

This photo was taken by Amanda in November (when we actually had snow), and I love everything about it: the lights, the snow, the blue-grey sky. I think it’s possibly the most perfect photo of the Lowell Christmas Tree I’ve ever seen.

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