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Like so many who love this area, Jenny Robertson and Anne-Marie Oomen claim a kinship of place with Leelanau County and the Glen Arbor area—no matter where they happen to be living. In addition, both have entered literary spaces with great passion and dedication. The two authors are teaming up for a celebratory launch of their latest books at the open yard of Lake Street Studios in Glen Arbor on Thursday, August 24, at 7 pm.

Susan Yamasaki has been a Leelanau County resident for 18 years. Like many people here, she loves to walk in the woods. She lives on a hill up the road from Big Glen Lake and her home was in the line of devastation from straight line winds in the storm of 2015, when so many trees were downed. One of the trees was a very old birch tree. She began collecting bark from the fallen trees. Birch bark is naturally waterproof and does not rot easily. “They give and have given us so much in their lifetimes,” she says, “Their last stage is to decompose into the soil, providing nutrients and shelter for other living things. She decided she wanted to make something from that bark that honored the life of the tree. Come see Yamasaki’s birch bark assemblages at Lake Street Studios from Aug. 4-10. A reception for her will be held 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 4.

To enhance its presence and augment its own legacy, the Glen Arbor Arts Center has developed a new program, Late Night Fridays (LNF). Designed to facilitate further creative engagement with the community, the GAAC Main Gallery will be open to the public every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., June 9 through Aug. 25. Additionally, LNF includes four events this summer: two opening receptions for art exhibitions and two Front Porch Concerts. “We’re keeping the lights on a little longer on Friday nights this summer during Light Night Fridays,” shared Sarah Bearup-Neal, GAAC gallery manager.

Friday night art openings at Lake Street Studios Center Gallery were the ingenious creation of venerated Glen Arbor artist Suzanne Wilson who conceived of them back in 1990. Allison Stupka, Wilson’s daughter and owner of LSSCG, recalls that Glen Arbor based artist, Greg Sobran, was the very first artist ever featured at these summer openings. To commence the 2023 season, Northern Michigan artist Wendy McWhorter’s work will be on display from Friday, June 30 through Thursday, July 6. Her body of work is entitled: Lost and Found Landscapes which is comprised of 20 oil paintings of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District and the surrounding area. “These paintings portray my vision of what the original homesteaders planted, which no longer blooms, but through the poetry of painting is reimagined,” said McWhorter.

The farms of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offer sweeping views of land, barns, farmhouses, and various outbuildings. They have interested painter David Giordan for decades. Driving up from their Lansing home, he and his wife would see the farms on their way to Lake Leelanau. One day they stopped and fortuitously met a park ranger who told them about the rich history of the Port Oneida farms. At that time, the National Lakeshore’s plan was to let the farms languish and be removed.

Lake Street Studio Stage in Glen Arbor is delighted to announce the next performance in its ongoing Studio Stage concert series featuring Red Horse Recording artist, Drew Nelson. The show is set for Wednesday, August 4, at 8 p.m. at Studio State, located at 6023 South Lake Street in Glen Arbor.

Lake Street Studio stage will welcome Mulebone for a blues concert on Wednesday, July 14, at 8 pm—the first in a series of concerts this summer.

Northern Michigan Painter Mary O’Neill will show her latest works at the Lake Street Studios Center Gallery from Aug. 30-Sept. 12, with an opening reception on Friday, Aug. 30 from 6-8 pm. (Center Gallery is open daily from 11 am-5 pm. For information call 231-334-3179 or visit LakeStreetStudiosGlenArbor.com

Painter Jeff Condon will show his latest works at Lake Street Studios Center Gallery from August 16-29 with an opening reception on Friday, August 16, from 6-8 pm. The gallery is open daily from 11 am-5 pm. For information call 231-334-3179 or visit LakeStreetStudiosGlenArbor.com.

“I was impressed with how personable the Governor was,” said Cherry Republic president Bob Sutherland after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spent Thursday afternoon, August 8, on Lake Street—first at Cherry Republic, then at the Glen Arbor Arts Center (GAAC), then on Lake Street Studio Stage where she spoke to the public about Great Lakes issues.