Tag Archives: lake

Apr11

Lake Michigan Series: An Artist’s Statement

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In Michigan, growing up is very much about “the lake.” Memories of childhood are deeply ingrained with details of time spent on the shores of our jewel, Lake Michigan. Summers spent camping on the beach with Grandma and Grandpa and Mom and Dad. Two older brothers, equal parts tormenters and protectors, alternately teasing relentlessly and shielding me from the largest waves. It all runs together, and it’s summed up with a smile.

That magic does not fade with age. Lake Michigan has the power to take one’s breath away every time. That lake seems to do something to the setting sun that is a spectacular visual feast; it truly leaves its admirers breathless.

It is in that spirit that I’m exploring, with paint, the place where the sky meets the lake at the horizon, and all the many ways the sun transforms this into something different every day as the light bounces around the landscape. It is very much a study of what paint can do, and it is deeply tied to memory. I hope you add your own memories to this series, and together we can be transported to that magical place through art any time we desire.

Click here to view the Lake Michigan Series on my website. 

Jul31

Painting of the Week: “The Road, the Lake and a Vineyard”

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“Traveling with my grandparents in their classic Buick from Grand Rapids to Manistee to go camping every summer is my earliest memory of road trips. With the radio tuned into something like ‘Cruising to the Oldies,’ the beauty of the open road stretched before us, the enchanting scenery passing by us on our journey.

“In my home state of Michigan, this scenery is often strikingly beautiful. I remember these early trips to be just that. Heading to the lake, enveloped in the sense of safety and joy provided by my grandparents’ company. Admiring the layering of summer greens, trees that formed a canopy over the road without a house in sight. The destination was their Airstream trailer — where campfires, s’mores, beaches and board games were sure to be on the agenda — but while on the road, that all remained just anticipation.

“That is the joy of the road to me. It’s so beautiful as a destination in and of itself, and yet, it also holds the anticipation of where you are headed. As I grew older, there were many other road trips, each extraordinary in their own way. The areas of Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas have become very special destinations for me, and I love the roads that take me there. It is that area that inspired this painting. This is about the road that leads to the lake and the vines, and the joy of catching the sunset on your journey.

“Cheers to your own path, and the roads that take you there!”

“The Road, the Lake and a Vineyard”

Size: 20 x 20 x 2
Medium: Mixed media
Price: $320

To purchase Stephanie’s artwork, click here.