“The Freedom Anthem of Your True Self,” which inspires powerful life change and incorporates a photo of ABC Good Morning America’s ‘Most Beautiful Place,’ is being given as a free gift in association with International Self-Awareness Month.
It all begins with a photograph for Maple City painter Don Drabik. The camera is the tool he uses to record scenes of unexpected, overlooked settings that become his watercolor paintings. An exhibition of new work opens Aug. 24, 6 p.m. at Center Gallery, 6023 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor.
The Leelanau Press is searching for artists who painted the Sleeping Bear Dunes and surrounding landscapes before 1970 for possible inclusion in the historical preface for its 2013 publication, The Art of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Several artists known to have painted in the area include Frank Dillon, Fred Dickinson, Mathias Alten, Charles Vickery, Charles Hetherington, Mary Moore, Kit Miller Knowles, Harry Weese, Sue Frank, Clarence Brower and Kay Smith.
This painting is an imaginary place, based on an adventure at Good Harbor Bay with my friend Marilyn. Years ago, we were having a hot, dry summer similar to our present conditions. We hiked for miles down the beach under sunny skies, while a dark cloud appeared in the northeast above the Whaleback. The storm moved in so rapidly we were engulfed long before we expected, far from our cars. Lightning and thunder crashed down all around as we ran for the relative shelter of the fore dune pine copes. We could just feel the great joy of all the plants as the heavy down pour washed off the dust and filtered down the root zone. Marilyn and I however had to run two miles through the violent storm, covering each lightning strike, and reaching our car, soaking wet. We laughed all the way home.
Ever wish you could own a private slice of Pyramid Point or Overlook #9 at Pierce Stocking Drive? Well, now you can own at least a virtual piece of it, or any other favorite spot in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — “the most beautiful place in America”. The Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear organization announces a new program in partnership with the National Park Foundation, which allows supporters and fans to claim their very own virtual inch or inches of the National Lakeshore. Just like services that allow people to buy a star in the sky or a pixel, you have a similar opportunity to support the parks through the “My Inch of Earth” program.
The Glen Arbor Art Association’s children’s classes provide a variety of art experiences for young artists. Last summer’s successful Art Studio for ages 10-13 is again being offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. for students who want to learn and expand their drawing and painting skills. Wednesday is Drawing Studio and Thursday is Painting Studio. The classes run for six weeks and students can register for one or as many sessions as they want to during the summer. Different sessions will focus on perspective, contrast, tone, line, color mixing, brush techniques, and other painting skills.
A beautiful summer’s evening at the foot of the Dune Climb in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, hundreds of families enjoying their pre-concert picnics and then a musical program provided by artists of national stature: this is the magical mixture which has filled audiences with warm memories every year since the first Dune Climb concert in 1998.
The Manitou Music Festival concert series kicks off Tuesday, July 3 at7 p.m. with everyone’s perennial favorite patriotic tunes to be performed by the Northport Concert Band, the pride of Leelanau County. This free concert takes place on the lawn of the Glen Arbor Athletic Club at 6363 Western Avenue. Bring your friends and family, lawn chairs and blankets … and patriotic spirit. In the event of rain, the band will perform at the Glen Arbor Town Hall. The Manitou Music Festival is presented by the Glen Arbor Art Association and the entire schedule can be found at glenarborart.org.
At last year’s annual meeting of the Glen Lake Association (GLA), watershed biologist Rob Karner gave a sneak preview of how the dredging of Hatlem Pond was being targeted as one of its major water quality projects for 2012.
Cedar and birch trees lean out toward the light at the edge of the forest as the beach path leads you to Lake Michigan. Along the way, you pass wood lilies and false solomon seal with bright, striped berries. Moisture from the lake bathes the ferns and mosses, and releases the sweet earthy scent of crushed cedar needles covering the sandy path. Turquoise water beckons as you leave the cool forest and walk out into the blazing sun. Swim out into the cool water, float on your back and scan the blue sky for eagles and terns. Now this is living!