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Art is where it's at over the next couple of weeks in Leelanau!

Empire's galleries and artist studios kick things off next Thursday evening (July 28) from 5-9 PM with the “Empire Art Encounter” where you can wander the village of Empire and for a wide variety of fine art, including painting, various works on paper, photography, furniture-making, weaving, and jewelry. You can also enjoy the the Empire Summer Music Series that night with the folk duo Emma and Will. They play on The Green next to the post office and you can get maps to galleries are available at Ripple Effect Studio & Gallery and Miser’s Hoard Antiques and Art. Call 231-326-6081 for more information!

Next up is an evening of art & music the Leland Art Walk held on Friday, August 5th from 5-9 PM. Participating stores & galleries will be serving hors d' oeuvres and refreshments. Contact Roxane Langner at 994-2707 for more information.

Then on Saturday & Sunday (August 6 & 7) it's the annual Suttons Bay Art Festival. Held every year on the first weekend of August at beautiful Suttons Bay Marina Park, the festival draws one hundred artists along with community groups and food vendors for an art-filled weekend at the beach. There's also a children's area where young artists can sell their work and a Sunday morning pancake breakfast in the park!

The opening reception for the 19th annual Art Leelanau benefit art exhibition and sale for support of programs at the Old Art Building in Leland takes place Friday, July 22 from 5-8 PM.

The exhibit promotes the artwork of more than 100 Leelanau artists, with 40% of art sales to benefit the LCCC operating fund. Tickets for the event are $25 if purchased in advance or $30 at the door. Hors d'oeuvres and one drink are included in the ticket price, and there also will be a full cash bar with live jazz by the John Lindenau quartet.

For additional information, call the Old Art Building at 231-256-2131.

Ohio artist and art professor Taimur Cleary will be the Glen Arbor Art Association's second artist-in-residence for the 2011 season. His presentation for the public will take place this Thursday (May 26) at 7:30 at the Art Association's building in Glen Arbor (opposite Cherry Republic – follow the sign to GAAA). The program is free and light refreshment will be served. Cleary is an adjunct professor of art at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio. Prior to that he taught art as an assistant professor in Lahore, Pakistan. He has lived and worked in New York City and Denver among other places, but he always returns to northern Michigan in the summer where he is captivated by the landscape and has a "deep spiritual connection" since childhood summers near Frankfort.

Cleary will use his spring residency to depict the wildlife and "dramatic weather" of the season. He explains, "Migratory birds will be returning, and the beaches, rivers, forests and towns will have yet to meet with the traffic of those on summer vacation. I generally prefer to depict landscapes as free, or mostly free of people. This choice is made to highlight the relationship of the viewer to the canvas, the scene depicted and the viewer's own environment."

To learn more about the artists and their residencies visit www.glenarborart.org.

The Downtown Traverse City Association will host the spring Downtown Art Walk this Friday (April 29). Enjoy an evening of art, refreshments, food and music with 16 art exhibits along Front, State and Union St.

As part of the festivities of Art Walk, the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival will be offering wines from Leelanau & Old Mission for tasting from 6-9 PM at the grand opening of the Good Work Collective at 417 South Union in Traverse City. In addition to art for display and sale from many area artists including Glenn Wolf, Eric Daigh and Kaye Krahpol, the evening will feature an Indian theme with appetizers from the Cook’s House and live Classical Indian Raga music with Sitar and Tabla as well as a remarkable 12 string jazz and world guitarist from Detroit. Enjoy regional wines along with IPAs from regional breweries and stay around for the afterglow to Art Walk with more fun on tap!

Speaking of artists and the Wine & Art Festival, there is still time for artists to apply for the 2011 Festival - all the details and application can be found right here!

The Grand Traverse Insider reports that the 23rd annual edition of Exposures, the Leelanau student journal of visual arts and creative writing will be unveiled on Friday. The opening reception takes place this Friday (April 29) from 4:30-7:30 at the Old Art Building in Leland. It continues from 10-4 on Saturday, April 30. The opening is free and the public is invited to meet student writers and artists from Leelanau County schools while you enjoy original visual art, poetry and essay readings, along with live music and refreshments.

The first issue of “Exposures” came out in 1988, the brainchild of the late David Viskochil, Lita Coleman, and Laura Quackenbush, all Leelanau County residents.

“It’s since become one of the most long-standing examples of success in the collaboration between school and community in Leelanau County history,” said Freed.

“David wanted to give writing and the arts the recognition that strong academic and sports performance have always enjoyed. He wanted the final product to have a professional look and feel, and to be a journal that would encourage student writers and artists to take their work seriously.

“Ultimately, he wanted writers and artists to enjoy the respect of their peers, school officials, and the community,” Freed said. “I remember him saying that he wanted the final product to look great and be cool enough that it would be like a varsity letter – something the kids could really be proud of.”

Ryan Burgard, Dana Wessels, Julia Paige, and Frank Perkins are a few of the students whose work was accepted for publication. And while they say it isn’t always easy for them to make time for their creative work, each finds that doing so is well worth the effort.

“I believe that everybody spends too much time worrying about being busy and being stressed – they don’t do creative things because they feel they would take up time and leave them feeling even more stressed,” said Burgard.

“What I’ve found is that art helps me escape the stress, and if I can find an empty moment, I usually grab a notebook or sketch pad and start writing or drawing. It helps me clear my mind and get my emotions out on paper. I often do my best poems or drawings when I’m trying to clear my mind for the night and go to sleep after a long, stressful day.”

Read the rest of this excellent article. I have to say that as a parent and longtime school board member, I feel that Exposures is one of the most worthwhile projects I've seen in Leelanau. Do yourself a favor and check out the exhibit - you might well find your faith in the next generation bolstered!

via the

The Glen Arbor Art Association has released its 2011 Artists in Residence schedule and presentation dates. The Art Association is located behind Lake Street Studios across from Cherry Republic in downtown Glen Arbor. For more information call (231) 334-6112 or visit www.glenarborart.org.

Martine MacDonald (April 29-May14) is an adjunct professor of art at Wayne County Community College with a studio practice in Allen Park, Michigan. During her residency she plans to continue her exploration of Michigan’s skyscapes through oil painting. Free Presentation 7:30 pm, Thursday, May 5 at the Glen Arbor Art Association.

Taimur Cleary (May 15-28), recently received his MFA from the Pratt Institute in NYC with a concentration in painting. Despite study and travels throughout the world, his affinity for northern Michigan remains strong. He will use his residency to concentrate on the sights of early spring. Free Presentation 7:30 PM, Thursday, May 26.

Michael Letts (May 29-June 11) is a landscape painter from Marquette where he teaches at Northern Michigan University. His highly detailed paintings often take months to complete and reflect his love of being outdoors. During his stay he will bike and hike the area doing preparatory work that will be the basis for larger paintings to be later completed in his studio. Free Presentation 7:30 PM, Thursday, June 9.

Rachel Meginnes (June 12- 25) will travel from San Francisco where she specializes in creating Works on Cloth and is a designer of one-of-a kind handmade carpets. Having lived in large cities for many years, she looks forward to the opportunity to re-connect with the rural landscape and intends to use her time finding inspiration for a proposed series of mixed media works. Free Presentation 7:30 PM, Thursday, June 23.

Connie Kuhnle (September 4-17) is a plein air artist, studio painter, portrait artist, and art instructor from Rockford. She looks forward to having a concentrated time to focus on plein air oil paintings to describe both the beauty of this area’s landscape and historic architecture. Free Presentation 7:30 PM, Thursday, September 15.

Ellie Harold (September 18-October 1) paints exclusively in oil, outdoors and in the studio. Largely self-taught, she feels that her previous careers as a nurse, minister and author bring depth and spiritual dimensions to her work. Free Presentation 7:30 PM, Thursday, September 29.

Lynn Uhlmann (October 2-14) has a long affinity for the Glen Lake area. She will travel from Shippensburg, PA, to paint a series of plein air paintings. Using Thoreson Farm as her base, she looks forward to painting some of her favorite summer locales with a fall color palette. Free Presentation 7:30 PM, Thursday, October 13.

Another Winter Wine & Vine Experience featuring a unique flight of Leelanau wines paired with local specialty food appetizers will be held at the Old Art Building in Leland on Saturday, February 12 from 5 to 7 pm. Sommelier Becky Hemmingsen of Hansen Foods will speak to the unique characteristics of each wine along with a fun and informative game. John Scott will give a brief talk on growing grapes in Leelanau County.

Tables will be artfully decorated by community members and a fine art exhibit will compliment the event. Gourmet appetizers will be paired with each wine prepared by Martha’s Leelanau Table, Epicure Catering, Ethnic Garden Catering and the Bluebird.

The evening will begin with a new sparkling wine from Good Harbor Vineyards followed by wines from Boathouse Vineyards, Circa Estate Winery, Ciccone Vineyard and Winery and Chateau de Leelanau.

New this year is a Sneak Preview of the table landscapes and fine art from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, February 12. Donations will be accepted for this viewing.

Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased by calling 231-256-2131 or online at www.oldartbuilding.com The Sneak Preview is included with ticket purchase. All proceeds benefit the Leelanau Community Cultural Center programs.

Great art, wine and food are the main events for Art From Michigan’s Wine Country, Friday, February 4th from 6-8 p.m. in the Mountain Flowers Lodge at The Homestead Resort, Glen Arbor. It’s a special evening that kicks off the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association’s Taste the Passion weekend. For a third year, this fun winter event features wine from Leelanau wineries, original art by local artists and a fabulous small plates menu designed by The Homestead’s Chef Piombo.

The price is $20 per person, a portion of which benefits the Glen Arbor Art Association, and includes one glass of wine and food stations with delectable small plates. Additional wine available for $4/glass or three glasses for $10. A coffee tasting will be provided by Leelanau Coffee Roasters.

The invitational art exhibit and sale offers recent original works by nine Leelanau artists including Jane Batteiger, Beth Bricker, Celeste Crouch, Don Drabik, Mary Fuscaldo, Harvey Gordon, Kristin Hurlin, Harriett Mittelberger and Sally Wille. The artists will be on hand to discuss their work. This is a good opportunity to meet local artists and celebrate a perfect pairing of wine and art. A portion of the art sales will benefit GAAA’s summer programs.

Five dollars of each $20 admission will go to GAAA for class scholarships and a free after-school art program for Glen Lake students. Scholarship assistance and the after-school art program provide arts opportunities for those who could not otherwise afford art classes. Please join us on February 4 for a fun winter evening that also supports these worthwhile GAAA programs.

Tomorrow night (Friday, Oct 22) be sure to head to Suttons Bay for the Suttons Bay Area Chamber of Commerce's Fall Finale Art Walk from 5 pm - 9 pm. Visit participating village galleries & shops hosting award winning regional artists, sample wines from Leelanau County's wineries and have a chance to win a $250 village shopping spree!

There will also be a one-night special Leelanau Farmers Market in Suttons Bay during the Art Walk downtown in front of the Ice Cream Factory!

The Leland Michigan Chamber of Commerce hosts their annual Fall Frenzy, a huge, end-of-season sale from participating business merchants held from 10 am - 5 pm this Saturday, Oct 23. Cider, doughnuts, special sales for the end of the season in Fishtown.

A favorite activity this time of year in Leland is watching the fish jump the dam, and if you can't get there, here's a video from Michael Drinian!

Photo: Glow of sunshine and a little dirt by Trish P. - K1000 Gal