Over the past 20 years, Greg and Wanda Sobran of Sobran Studios, have become fixtures of the Glen Arbor arts scene — if two inveterate, peripatetic adventurers could be described in such stationary terms.
Duane Campbell, a civil engineer turned brat entrepreneur, serves up these delicacies at the Foothills Café in Burdickville on Thursday through Saturday evenings. “I try to make inspired brats. Anyone can go to the store and buy a package of Johnsonville Brats,” he says. “Compare those to a handcrafted raspberry chipotle brat, or one with turkey, feta, tomato and fresh basil.” Duane often uses local ingredients, and always a better grade of meat than run-of-the-mill bratwursts.
Some people might say that artist Lynn Uhlmann can’t see the forest for the trees — and the painter, whose affiliation with Leelanau County’s beautiful wooded places spans nearly three decades, would happily agree with that notion. Each of her landscapes, inspired by a deep familiarity with places such as Good Harbor, Shalda Creek, the Crystal River, and Port Oneida, depicts “the trees, light, and colors of small, intimate settings,” within the forest wilderness now enveloping the former farm fields, coastline settlements, and lumber operations of an earlier era.
Just don’t be surprised. Say you’re with your family and some friends on the sun deck at Boonedocks. It’s a Tuesday night, and Emma Cook and the Goodboy! Band launch into a sexy version of “Summertime”. You are ready to order, and the pretty blond server is smiling and nodding as everyone takes a turn asking for the perch dinner, or the burger with bacon, or the maple-flavored pork sandwich. But she isn’t writing anything down. Don’t worry! It’s just Kasey Klumpp, the girl with the perfect memory.
Glen Arbor artist Kristin Hurlin’s illustrations appear in the new children’s book Michigan Fruit: An Artful Coloring & Activity Book (Artful Educators, 2011). Hurlin co-authored the book with Susan Briggs. Michigan Fruit is filled with history, lore, recipes and beautiful pictures to color, including thematic farmscapes of strawberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, apples, grapes, favorite fruit recipes, and a map and list of Michigan fruit festivals.
When Frank and Beryl Skrocki packed up their three tiny kids to start an unknown life up north, they never imagined their family would own and operate one of the only surf shops in Michigan just a few years later.
A graduate student in architecture at the University of Michigan, Keenan May has created an unassuming, simplistic space to show off his printed canvas photos and to disseminate his passion for Leelanau County. While most graduate students choose to celebrate the end of their first year with friends and brews, Keenan wasted no time converting the garage and designing the layout of the empty space for the Memorial Day gallery opening.
What’s remarkable about the Baremans’ work is that, wherever possible, they’ve used reclaimed and refurbished materials to improve their home, which they call the HalSeaOn House. Mark, who together with his brother owns a commercial construction business called Bareman & Associates, believes he’s saved 75 percent of the cost of buying new materials. Using reclaimed materials has cost him time, but that he writes off as a hobby.
The venerable Duneswood resort, snuggled up against the towering majesty of the old Dune Climb on M-109, has taken on a new shine, as second-generation owner Debbie Rettke renovates and rejuvenates in time for high summer season.
Fuzz Foster, along with original Beach Bards Bob Sutherland, Anne-Marie Oomen, Les Dalgliesh and me, and long-time Bards Bronwyn Jones and Joe VanderMeulen, kicked off the 23rd season of by-heart poetry, storytelling, and music on The Leelanau School beach on Friday, June 24.