Water Street Glassworks announces the exhibit, “The Glass Garden and Other Whimsies,” by artist Dorris Akers.

The exhibit of found-object art opens 6 to 8 p.m. June 22. Refreshments will be served, and the artist will be in attendance to discuss her works.  This is a free event and open to the public.

Akers, who claims she’s been intrigued by found objects since the 1960s, uses manmade objects of glass, metal, plastic, wood, leather, cloth and other materials as her medium.  Her most recent work features glass as the primary material; some pieces suggest realism and others are purely abstract.

“My fascination began after seeing an exhibition at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago where single objects were presented as art exactly as  found with the evidence of age, treatment and wear having changed them through time,” states Akers.  “I was hooked and began to see the visual world in an entirely different way—especially as it relates to art and aesthetics.  Everything became a potential design element,” she said.

The Glassworks exhibit continues through Aug. 4 at 140 Water St. in Benton Harbor. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.