Artwork and Award

Have to get in a quick post before I am back on the road tomorrow morning for a show in Saint Joseph, Michigan. Krasl on the Bluff is a great show, one of the best in Michigan, and I am proud to have been accepted for the second year in a row.

First, a new piece of artwork. Quite a departure for me, this one has very little detail. It's based on some shots I took of Sandhill cranes a few years ago at the Baker Sanctuary in Bellevue when we were there for CraneFest. We are afforded the luxury of camping on site so I got up early and went down to the marsh to watch the cranes. What a sight, watching 8,000--10,000 cranes take to the air in pairs or in large groups. Not the Platte River in Nebraska, perhaps, but still pretty darned awesome.

"Calling the Dawn", colored pencil and ink on artboard, 18 x 34, framed to 24 x 40

Another quick note to pass along, I was honored with an award at the Saugatuck Invitational Waterfront Art Fair on June 30th. Cora Bliss Taylor, for whom the award is named, was an artist and teacher in the Saugatuck area for 50 years, and was instrumental in helping establish Saugatuck as an artists' haven. Thanks to Krista for choosing me for this award, and thanks to Jim and Bonnie for putting on a high quality, well-run show.

Me with Krista Reuter, a judge with very good taste. 

The Big Lake's Fury

A few weekends ago we took an overnight trip out to Lake Michigan. I had never seen the big lake in the winter so was eager to get to the beach.

We stayed in a cute little log cabin motel a few miles outside of the Saugatuck/Douglas area. After breakfast at the Kalico Kitchen we drove down to Oval Beach. It was a windy day, sustained in the 20's with gusts near 30. Snow flurries driven on the wind bit into my skin as I walked to the top of the dunes.


Within minutes my fingers were numb, but I hardly noticed when faced with the raging waters of Lake Michigan. I have never seen breakers this high on the big lake--my guess is the crests were 8 to 10 feet or more. The roar of the surf drowned out all other sounds.


Once down on the beach I could barely see the lake itself for the giant piles of ice, some of which were well over my head. Only the biggest waves were clearly visible.


The huge waves slammed into the frozen wall of ice at the shore, sending water, sand and blocks of ice high into the air.


The sound made me think of a semi full of stemware slamming into a bridge abutment over and over again.


Here's a three frame sequence:




We weren't the only crazy ones out in this weather. Small flocks of Goldeneye flew up and down the shore. We even saw a few land in the towering waves.


We stayed at the beach for 45 minutes or so, then drove up to Saugatuck. A charming town even in winter, we did a little shopping and had a wonderful lunch at the Pumpernickle Cafe, where I had one of the best chicken quesadilla's I've ever had, made with a tomato/basil tortilla. Yum!


If you are ever in this part of Michigan I highly recommend a visit to Saugatuck/Douglas. Lots of art, great food, and a state park just north of town with wonderful hiking trails through the coastal dunes of Lake Michigan.