From the Grand Rapids Press

Last November, Richard Sweet, one of the creators of Marushka, passed away.

From the Grand Rapids Press:

Richard L. Sweet, the former Grand Haven Area Public Schools art instructor who went on to become a leading producer of silk screen graphic art, died last Thursday at the age of 68.

Sweet quit his teaching position in 1971 to found Marushka, a Grand Haven-based producer of affordable silk screen graphic prints that came stretched, framed and ready to be hung on the wall. The prints retailed for about $24 and were popular in condominiums and college dorms.

At its height, Marushka was known throughout the United States and its prints were distributed in several foreign countries, including Australia. The prints were so popular that Marushka attracted its share of imitators. In the mid-1980s, Grand Haven was home to four other firms offering wholesale silk screened prints.

"Rather than being silicon valley, Grand Haven was silk screen valley of the United States," recalled Randy Smith, former Marushka co-owner and now owner of The Michigan Rag Co.

"We figure we produced 1.68 million Marushkas."

After the market for Marushka prints began to dry up in the late 1980s, Sweet and Smith, started The Michigan Rag Co., which produces an extensive line of silk screen clothing and apparel. Sweet sold his share of the business to Smith about three years ago.

Although the last Marushka was produced in 1989, Michigan Rag Co. continues to screen a limited number of the Marushka prints. Smith said Marushka prints are collectible among college students and often can be found auctioned on eBay.

"It was a gutsy thing he did -- quitting his job to start a business," Smith said. "He was quite a guy."

Sweet was born in Lansing and received degrees in fine arts and graphics from Michigan State University. Sweet and his wife, Mary, both worked at Grand Haven Area Public Schools -- he as an art teacher and her as a librarian.

Sweet said many of his friends questioned his decision to quit the school system to start a silk screening business called Marushka, a Polish form for the name Mary."

"A lot of people said I was crazy to give up a permanent sure thing," he said in 1982. "But I don't feel guilty at all. I love what I'm doing."

Marushka originally operated in the former Grand Haven Board of Education administration building at 734 Park, and a building on West Spring Lake Road. In 1984, Sweet announced plans for a new headquarters and retail center in the former Vandervelde's Furniture building in downtown Grand Haven.

As the business grew, Marushka had more than 3,000 distributors and four factory outlet stores in Spring Lake, Muskegon, Rockford and Lansing.

Sweet credited his success to the affordability of Marushka prints.

"Silk screening makes art affordable to everyone," he said of the success of Marushka. "We can offer the same design and quality and make it affordable."