travel | Stephanie Schlatter Art

“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

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PAINTED-OVER PHOTOS

“When I discovered Gerhard Richter’s over painted photographs, the idea of fusing two artistic passions of mine — painting and photography — fascinated me. Richter’s idea that ‘a work of art must be a bit of an enigma’ inspired me to create this collection. By highlighting the significant aspects of the photographs, I’ve revamped these snapshots in time, much like my mind does with a memory.

“My painted-over photographs explore the layers of a memory. At the base is the photograph, the static documentation of the triggering moment. It shows all that the eye could see in that particular instant, but no more. Next, there’s the layer I have painted over, that attempts to recreate the other, abstract fragments of the memory: the sounds, feelings and connotations, the substance of the moment.