Art Association welcomes Marquette, Michigan native son

From staff reports

A native son from Marquette, Michigan, and Art Professor at Marquette’s Northern Michigan University, Michael Letts will be presenting a talk at the Glen Arbor Art Association (GAAA) on Thursday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m.

As artist in residence for the GAAA, Letts will discuss his paintings based on Michigan landscapes. He spends time biking and hiking to forest sites “encountering unique places that are translated into the vocabulary of my art.” Letts’ canvases are large and take months to complete. Working from photos and sketches in Prismacolor pencils, he then creates the large abstract works in his studio. This is a “meditative and slow” process, he says.

Letts received his BFA from Northern Michigan University and his MFA from Ohio State University. He returned to Marquette where he received his teacher certification from NMU and now is Professor of Art Education, “furthering my mission to promote art in the Upper Peninsula.” His paintings have been shown on national and international levels and have won numerous awards.

His work is truly unique and obviously inspired by the north woods. Visit his website for a sneak preview at www.michaelletts.com. The public is invited to his presentation at the Glen Arbor Art Association’s building on Studio Lane across from Cherry Republic on Lake Street. Follow the sign. Refreshments will be served.