Northwoods Art Tour 2025

 

The Northwoods Art Tour is just around the corner, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it! This self-guided tour is your chance to step into working studios, meet local artists, and see creativity come to life across the Northwoods.

From painting and pottery to sculpture and more, each stop on the tour is filled with inspiration—and maybe even that perfect piece you didn’t know you were looking for.

You’ll find me at Stop #13 in the brochure. I’d love to show you what I’ve been working on and chat about the process behind it. Hope to see you there!

Learn More HERE.

Why Do We Need Art

 

Featured work: Why Do We Have Art

There are many ways to be creative. The beauty of creativity is that there is no right and wrong way. Creativity begins with abstractions that need to become – to become visible, to become an idea – just to become to become.   Creativity is unique to the one who is creating – defined by spirit, the heart, and the soul of that individual.   

Scientists are creative. Da Vinci knew that. 

“To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.“

Artists are creative. Da Vinci knew that too.

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.”

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”

It takes a creative mind to see a concept from an abstraction – to understand what it is. As children, we all begin with a creative mind. Creativity stops when we put limitations on that creative spirit – we teach them to color in the lines, teach how to find the one “right” answer. Whether the creative mind is nourished or stifled happens along the path to adulthood. We stop playing. We stop imagining. We stop exploring other pathways of “what” and “way” and questioning why certain truths have come to be.  

Imagine a child’s endless creative spirit – and then imagine limiting that spirit. Limit how they color. Limit how they see the world. Tell them what they see, how they are expressing it, is wrong. Choosing to color outside the lines at that age takes a powerful creative spirit that cannot be squashed. Is your creative spirit like that? I'm excited to share a preview of my second 3D sculpture from my new studio! My first sculpture won't be revealed just yet, as it's headed to the Manito Art League's Art Show, and their guidelines prevent any prior public display. I encourage you to attend the 60th Annual Art Show from July 17-20, 2025, at the Manitowish Waters Community Center.

This new piece is tentatively titled "Why Do We Have Art?" It was created to emphasize the pivotal role of "idea" in artistic expression and the indispensable nature of freedom, without which the generation of ideas would be impossible. You can view this piece at the Campanile Center for the Susan B. Smith Art Gallery.

The sculpture is constructed from repurposed and found objects that I have meticulously assembled, objects that would typically have been used for different purposes and conveyed different messages.

Creatives

 

Featured image: The Creative

I believe mystery is at the heart of creativity. Surprise is too.

All too often, we call ourselves creatives, but what we really want is to feel like artists—productive, inspired, original. Yet if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t always feel that way. I include myself in that truth.

There are so very, very few times I feel like an artist, like I’m truly creating—but when I do, I know it. I sense the mystery, I feel the surprise. And I know those of you who long to be artists, who long to create, feel it too. It’s glorious, isn’t it?

I often ask myself how I can feel that way more often. The answer is always the same: trust the process, not the product.

And that’s hard—because there’s pressure coming at me from so many directions.

Fences and Freedom

 

 Featured image: Fences

“FREEDOM lies just beyond the fences we build around ourselves.”  James Nathan Muir

Our Histories

 

Featured image: We Are Connected

The stories we, as artists, tell when we create and the powers we release during the process are our unique ways of interpreting the world. Each interpretation is a one-of-a-kind history we leave behind; no one else has a history like ours. Our personal experiences in the world belong to us alone. We create our good, and yes, we also make our own bad. If we align with the creative spirit within ourselves and allow ourselves to share it with others, it can be a daunting and intimidating thing to do. Why? Because we became very vulnerable at that time. If we create our good, we can trust in our authenticity and that of others. 

I believe that when a viewer evaluates a completed piece of art, they are seeking some spiritual connection with another, and then another, and then another; the process is fluid. The fluidity is the spiritual connection to the artist's spiritual power. And this spiritual power is only felt by an authentic artist.

The Creative Divine in You

 

Featured image: White Road - A Creative's Journey

The divine within you is there for you to awaken and discover. And when you travel your unique creative journey, it will be joyful, wonderful, glorious, and fulfilling.

Sacred Space

 

Featured image: Sacred Places

My studio is a sacred space for me—except for my office area. Every morning, I wake up early, make coffee, and walk into my studio. I walk into this sacred space and find a wonderful, sacred silence that I look forward to. This room is mine—with its playful toys, neon lights, positive energy, and endless possibilities. It's filled with the outdoors and the seasons, thanks to its numerous windows. It is where I am at liberty to be myself, where I can explore and take risks. It’s a safe space for me—non-judgmental and full of possibilities.

I know not everyone can have a studio—and if you’ve visited my studio, you know it’s quite small—but a studio can be built almost anywhere. I just created an additional studio in the garage; it’s my new 3-D studio where I’ll be making sculptures out of repurposed antiques. I’m so pumped for this that I had to create a space for it.

I’ve been collecting objects for a couple of years now, simply because I found them interesting, without knowing what I would do with them. Now, they have a purpose—and it will be fun. I’m excited!

What will happen with the studio when the cold weather comes? I don’t know—I’ll worry about that later. This is now.

Anyway, back to the beginning. Everyone needs a sacred space to be creative and to create. Let me say that again: to create. We are creative people; we need to create. We are happy when we create. When we create, we fill ourselves with all kinds of happiness and possibilities.