| ‘I came to know northern Lower Michigan when I was invited by artist Suzanne Wilson to take part in an artist residency scheme run by the Glen Arbor Arts Association. Flying out to Traverse City in May 1998 with my wife Alison, we spent an idyllic month exploring the lake shoreline and dune landscape. Things quickly fell into a leisurely routine: breakfast at Art’s or on granola and coffee from the Leelanau store, painting until lunchtime, then a drive or walk somewhere before an early supper and more painting until bedtime. Some of the things that struck me about the lakeside landscape were mulled over and gradually developed into ideas for paintings. The wooden decking and boardwalks that protect the fragile dunescape were an obvious starting point. In some places they are built out over the lake as dramatic platforms or ‘overlooks’ as at Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Another boardwalk at Empire Bluffs we dubbed the ‘circle-walk’ and it became a favourite spot to gaze over the shimmering, bottle-blue lake waters of Lake Michigan. We returned there many times over the years, bringing our baby daughter and renewing our friendship with Suzanne until her death in December 2003. I showed these paintings in a two-venue joint exhibition with Suzanne and Alison at MOMA Wales and the Treeline Gallery, Michigan in 1999.' |
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