A Passion for Peonies • Anita McKeith

A Passion for Peonies is a breathtaking photography exhibition by Anita McKeith, filled with rich color, delicate beauty, and striking artistic detail that celebrates the timeless elegance of Saginaw’s official flower through McKeith’s captivating lens.

On display now through July 1st at the Andersen Enrichment Center, 120 Ezra Rust Drive, across from Ojibway Island in Saginaw. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The exhibition is free and open to the public. 

Bursting with color, elegance, and emotion, A Passion for Peonies invites visitors into a visual celebration of one of Saginaw’s most cherished flowers. Through striking photography and artistic interpretation, Anita McKeith captures the peony not simply as a flower, but as a symbol of beauty, history, and community pride. From soft romantic compositions to bold studies rich in color and light, each image reveals a different personality of the bloom. 

The exhibition took root in 2024 after McKeith attended the Art and Garden Festival at Andersen Center. After hearing local historian Tom Trombley share the history of the peony and its status as Saginaw's official flower, McKeith was compelled to begin an ongoing project documenting the blooms throughout the community.

Scouring neighborhoods, gardens, and historic homes, she found subject matter not only across Saginaw, but quite literally in her own backyard. 

“With a tip of the hat to my time spent cruising the streets of Saginaw, the images are titled with the street or road they grow on combined with an image number,” McKeith explained in her artist statement. 

The exhibition features both black-and-white and color photography, showcasing a range of moods from timeless elegance to vibrant movement. Through her use of macro photography and natural light, McKeith transforms ordinary garden blooms into intimate works of fine art.

Now, in a full circle moment, A Passion for Peonies is displayed in the halls of the Andersen Enrichment Center, home to the very Art and Garden Festival that inspired the collection. The exhibition serves as both a tribute to Saginaw’s floral heritage and a celebration of beauty found close to home. 

Art @ Andersen is sponsored by United Financial Credit Union, with support from the John Michael Jefferes Memorial Fund, Jury Foundation, Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation, and the Michigan Arts & Culture Council. Art @ Andersen was established by the Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Commission to give artists in the Great Lakes Bay Region an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work.

For more information call the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission at 989.759.1362.