North of 45 Opening - 2015

We were able to attend the opening of this years North of 45 and  I loved the placement of "Our History: On the Table - right near the front, sure to be seen!

I spent quite a bit of time talking to attendees, and was pleasantly surprised at the reception the piece received - it's certainly not a mainstream example of art, but people really seemed to enjoy seeing history shared in an alternative manner.

I had encouraged fellow Mackinac Island artist Jamie Andress to enter - he did and had TWO pieces accepted!

And he sold one - congratulations Jamie!

North of 45 - 2015

The North of the 45th is an annual juried exhibition of artists living in the geographical area north of the 45th parallel in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This line is known as the halfway point between the equator and the north pole, and crossing this line from the south is often associated with being "up north." This exhibition showcases the breadth and depth of artists living in this upper Midwest region from both rural and urban areas. Each year a different juror is asked to select pieces for the exhibition from an open call for entries.


Currently Curator of Exhibitions at the Racine Art Museum, where she oversees the production and implementation of 10-15 exhibitions per year, juror Lena Vigna has a particular interest in the contemporary fields of adornment, sculpture, fiber, and installation. Lena has curated numerous solo and group exhibitions and written several essays that explore issues relevant to contemporary art and society.


A Juror's Choice award will be selected by the juror, with a prize of $500. An Audience Choice award in the amount of $250 will be given at the close of the exhibition, based onvotes by visitors to the exhibition.


Featuring work by: Will Agar, Kjellgren Alkire, Jamie Andress, Ezra Asohan, Brendan Baylor, Julie Benda, Kimberly Benson, Gregg Bruff, Tomas Co, Eileen Cohen, Samantha Corbett, Debbie Covart, Melissa Davidson, Dominic M. Davis, Andy Delany and Lauren Flynn, Gretchen Dorian, Kelly Dorman, Pete Driessen, Michael Eble, Jonathon Engelien, Kiera Faber, Nina Fiorucci, Jessie Fleury, Cynthia Foley, Michael Friend, Stacy Giroux, Greg Green, Mike Hainstock, Lindsy Halleckson, Lindsey Heiden, Matt Hirvonen, John Hubbard, Steven Hughes, Carol Irving, Dustin Johnson, Brian Kakas, Keith Kaziak, Reneé Kirchenwitz, Jim Krausman, Barret Lee, Scott Leipski, Christine Lenzen, Michael Letts, Alex Maier, John McCoy, John McKaig, Renee Michaud, Susan Mikutowski, Jessica Mongeon, Eric Mueller, Craig Neeson, Paul Nelson, Tilton + Oeler, Russell Prather, Kyle Rambatt, Amy Rice, Eileen Rieman-Schaut, Paul Rose, Patrick St. Germain, Alanna Stapleton, Holly Streekstra, M. Parker Stuart, Tracy Wascom, Lyz Wendland.

My piece is "Our History: On the Table; it's a history of the people of Mackinac Island, from the distant past to the present.

For a full explanation of the piece and many more photos, click HERE.

We'll be at the opening tomorrow evening and can't wait to see the entire show!

Seasonal Signs

Life on Mackinac is cyclic - and I don't mean bicycles!

As summer passes and we move into fall, there are certain signs that the season is changing and one of the most telling is the gradual, annual movement of the horses back onto the mainland.

I'm sure these were not the first batch to make the move, but they are the first I've seen. It's a bit bittersweet to see them go, but it's just part of the rhythm of life on this Island.

I recently became aware of a very special program filmed in 1988, When the Horses Leave: Metamorphosis at Mackinac. You can see the online version here.

It was made 25 years ago, but still illustrates the lifestyle of year round Mackinac today and it's great fun to watch and compare how some of our residents looked a quarter century ago!

Silver Birches: A Positive Sign

Most places have one, the intriguing building, closed up for decades that tempts you to trespass and peek in the windows at what may be waiting inside.

On Mackinac, that building was Silver Birches on the north shore of the island. Recently the shutters were thrown open and the new owner invited the public to tour the property before a massive restoration begins.

While the main building is certainly in need of work, it was nowhere as rough as we had been expecting.

It appears the previous owners simply locked the doors and left - all the furnishings were still in place, a curious mix of Victorian and 1970!

 I was surprised at the condition of the vintage furniture, I would have expected the "critters" to have caused significant damage during the decades the house was closed.

I've always avoided Island politics on this blog, there's lots of other places to participate in that conversation.

If you follow this blog, you know that history and original artifacts are very important to me personally and
the recent Mackinac trend of demolishing historic buildings and replacing them with structures more appropriate to Disney World is very hard to watch. However, I do not place the blame on the developer - he has worked within the law. I DO blame decades of city government who refused, until recently, to put in place the regulations necessary to preserve our history. While there are now historic districts in place, it remains to be seen how effective that designation will actually be in preserving our buildings.

So,  I want to offer sincere thanks and good wishes to the new owner of Silver Birches, who is making the massive effort to restore this historic property - and I can't wait for the next open house, in several years to see the final result.