In a remarkable collaboration between local business and the arts community, Alex Fonseca, owner of Fresh Coat Painters of Muskegon, Michigan, partnered with the Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) through the Fresh Coat Cares program to revitalize one of the museum's galleries. This initiative coincides with the MMA's significant $15.6 million expansion, a new pavilion that nearly doubles the museum’s size to enhance its role as a national arts destination.

"I'm a big fan of the Muskegon Museum of Art,” Fonseca said. “It's crazy because we're a small community, but we have an amazing museum of art. People travel from all over the country to come visit.”

The Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion, named for art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, adds four new exhibition galleries, including a 5,000-square-foot space for major touring exhibitions, two classrooms, a new museum store and a public sculpture garden. This development allows the MMA to showcase more of its permanent collection and host larger, rotating exhibitions.

Fonseca's involvement focused on repainting a gallery designated for glass art. Leveraging the Fresh Coat Cares program — which supports community-focused projects — Fonseca and his team transformed a task that typically took volunteers over a week into a two-day professional endeavor, ensuring high-quality results and minimal disruption to the museum's schedule.

Fonseca’s connection to the project started with a leadership program. "I actually met Ruby Chaise, who is the director of development there,” he said.  “We did a program together this last year called Muskegon in Focus. It's a leadership-building program through the Chamber of Commerce."

Through that program, he learned about the museum’s frequent need for painting as galleries changed exhibits. "That was just something that came up and just talking to them, they do have to do a lot of painting. Every six months to a year, they’re repainting a whole gallery,” said Fonseca. "So that's when I told them about the Fresh Coat Cares program that we have. It's something that we'd love to do for them. Usually, when they have volunteers, even though it's great and they do a great job, it also takes a lot longer and things might not be done the exact way that they want, but it's hard to complain when you're getting free labor, too."

By bringing in his professional team from Fresh Coat Painters, Fonseca ensured the project was completed efficiently. "This is a way to take something that would typically take them a week or more and get it done in a couple of days, and have it looking really good, keeping the space really clean,” said Fonseca. “Being able to have that one-week window and get it done for them in that time I think was very important for them.”

“For us,” he added, “it's just a fun thing to do."

"It was such a treat to meet Alex through the Muskegon In Focus program,” said Chaise. “I never could have anticipated it leading to the painting of our gallery through the Fresh Coat Cares program. We were definitely at crunch time when it came to the deadline we were under for the opening of our expansion. Having Alex and his team take the painting of this gallery off the shoulders of our staff and volunteers was truly a lifesaver! Huge thanks to Alex and the Fresh Coat Cares program for making such a difference. We are so appreciative of the commitment to our community."

The MMA's expansion is set to open to the public on February 6, 2025, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a Family Day Celebration on February 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. These events will offer the community an opportunity to explore the new spaces and exhibitions, including the freshly painted glass art gallery.

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