Big, Bold, and Full of Life: The Art of Chelsea Bivens
Walk into the Visitor Center at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and you are immediately met with color. Big color. Vibrant color. Paintings that seem to breathe with warmth and movement.
That energy comes from the hands of local Barry County artist Chelsea Bivens, whose work has been on exhibit at the Institute this season.
Chelsea grew up here, surrounded by the same fields, forests, and waters that shape the lives of many in our community. Her exhibit celebrates the many ways people connect with nature in this landscape.
“I wanted to honor the many different ways people connect with nature,” Chelsea explained. “Whether that’s being in the woods, on the water, through agriculture, recreation, education, or stewardship. All of those connections happen here.”
Her paintings reflect those connections through bold color, expressive brushwork, and familiar scenes that feel both playful and deeply rooted in place.
Children in Nature
One theme appears again and again in Chelsea’s work: children.
Before joining the team at the Institute, Chelsea worked at a nature-based preschool in Hastings. Every day she watched children explore the outdoors with curiosity and joy.
“That experience was really powerful,” she said. “Watching kids fall in love with being outside every day.”
That influence carries into her art. Faces of children appear throughout the exhibit, reminding young visitors that this place belongs to them too.
“I want kids who come through this space to see themselves represented here,” Chelsea said.
But the message is not just for children.
Chelsea hopes adults rediscover something as well.
“My hope is that if my work speaks to anyone, especially adults, it’s saying: Go play outside.”
Making Time for Simple Joy
Chelsea’s style reflects that philosophy. Her paintings are bold, fast, and expressive.
“If you sit and think about inspiration too much, you’ll think the fun right out of it,” she laughed.
For Chelsea, painting is a kind of freedom.
Nature allows people to be quiet and calm, but also big and wild. Her art mirrors that emotional openness. The brushstrokes move quickly, the colors are unapologetically vibrant, and the results feel alive.
“There’s not a lot of subtlety in my work,” she said with a smile.
And that is exactly what makes it powerful.
The Story Behind the Blueberries
When asked about a favorite piece in the exhibit, Chelsea hesitated.
“My favorite piece is always the next one,” she said.
But one painting does carry a special meaning: a simple sprig of blueberries.
The inspiration came from her father.
In the summer, he picks blueberries several times a week and drops them off at her house. It is not a sentimental speech or grand gesture.
Just blueberries.
Chelsea calls it a “Michigan I love you.”
It is the quiet language of care that exists in many Midwestern families. Fresh fruit on the counter or in the fridge. A reminder someone thought of you.
Those simple moments are the heart of her work.
Looking Ahead
Chelsea is already thinking about future projects.
Some of her next pieces may explore Barry County’s blue-collar roots, including a painting inspired by muddy work boots left in a hallway by a father rushing from work to coach his child’s basketball practice.
“That moment was beautiful to me,” she said. “Just everyday life. Showing up for your family.”
She is also exploring community collaborations with the Hastings Public Library and the Ability Collective.
For Chelsea, art is not just something to hang on a wall. It is something that connects people.
A Perfect Place for Big Art
The Visitor Center at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute gave Chelsea something special: space.
“There aren’t a lot of places where you can exhibit big paintings,” she said. “But this building can handle big, bold pieces.”
That freedom allowed her to paint exactly how she envisioned the work in her mind.
Loud colors. Large canvases. Paintings that speak with an outside voice.
See the Exhibit Before It Comes Down
Chelsea Bivens’ artwork will remain on display in the Visitor Center through April 28 before the next exhibit is installed.
If you haven’t seen it yet, take a walk through the building and spend some time with the paintings.
You may find yourself smiling.
Or remembering childhood.
Or feeling inspired to step outside.
And if Chelsea’s message lands the way she hopes it will, you might just hear a quiet invitation:
Go play outside.
Chelsea Bivens’ artwork will remain on display in the Visitor Center through April 28.
Nature Awaits
Come see us on the trails.