Kathie Kuhn community art exhibit

Local artist, author, musician, dancer and peace activist Kathie Kuhn’s most recent project is quite the undertaking: She’s displaying her art at 27 local businesses that she calls “Refugee Development Center superstars” for their contributions to her silent auctions in support of the center. The art will be on display through Friday (Oct. 4).

“I just recently finished getting most of my original artwork framed, about 24 pieces, and I’ve been wanting to do some kind of exhibit,” she said. “I thought this would be a way to lift up the Refugee Development Center, and that’s vitally important because they’ve been doing a lot of incredible work for more than 20 years.”

The businesses, which are each displaying one piece of art, include Charlie Kang’s; Flat, Black & Circular; Moka & Co.’s East Lansing location; the Peanut Barrel; the Refugee Development Center; Everybody Reads; the People’s Kitchen; Toarmina’s Pizza; Triple Goddess Bookstore; the Record Lounge; Capital Hippie; Devil’s Day Tattoo; A Novel Concept; Nubian; Sahara’s Delight; Summit Comics & Games; Aladdin’s; Marshall Music Co.; Miss Man; Absolute Gallery, Bad Annie’s Sweary Goods; Keys to Manifestation; Metro Retro; Old Town General Store; Sir Pizza’s Old Town location; and Fun with Sticks and Strings.

“These businesses need to be thanked. Even if they’re having a hard time, they still give so generously every time I ask," Kuhn said. "And the list is much longer than those 27 businesses. These are just the places that are hosting my pieces.”

She said most of the pieces are from her art and poetry book, “The Truth for a Change.”

“But not all of it — there are pieces out there that no one’s ever seen,” she said. “The oldest one is at Charlie Kang’s and it’s a small oil painting I did in sixth grade.”

The pieces range in medium, from oil, watercolor and acrylic to ceramic, charcoal and colored pencil.

“It’s my life’s work, really,” Kuhn said.