Another busy week of travel, adventures, and lovely little side quests. School starts for staff tomorrow, so I spent last week soaking up the beautiful Michigan weather with a short fishing trip with a friend before heading to Alpena for a watercolor workshop with Huron Pines.
Watching someone discover their own creative process and sharing that feeling of joy, growth, and accomplishment with others is sometimes even more rewarding than creating the artwork myself. There’s nothing quite like seeing that spark when someone realizes, “I made this.”
Labor Day’s Art in the Park in Port Austin, Michigan remains as my final outdoor show of the season. I’m also planning for the Chippewa Nature Center’s Nature Art Show and sale in early December which will be the last show of the year.
Phew, despite the short fishing trip and the quick trip to Alpena, I painted like a person possessed this week. I finished the Pumpkin Mouse and have been working through the all the little details that come with completing a piece. Then I completely lost myself in the Keweenaw Peninsula reference photos I took.
I was absolutely captivated by the sense of movement and contrast in those images: the vast, flowing skies above the crisp, sharply defined rocks below. Watercolor feels like the perfect medium for the Keweenaw Peninsula because it captures the character of the place so naturally. It reminds me of the wind sweeping off Lake Superior, the distant calls of ravens circling high above as they ride the thermal currents before diving back toward the earth, the waves roaring and booming against the rocky shoreline, and the quiet trickle of water flowing into a hidden forest pool.
I experimented with the incredible geometric rock formation photo I took and got some pretty good results. It probably needs stronger darks and a little more definition in the colors, but I still love how it came together. There is something special about capturing the feeling of a place, even when the painting isn’t exactly what I imagined.
I was also drawn to the spot where layers of sedimentary rock formed a natural shelf along Lake Superior’s edge. The swirling colors carved into the sandstone told the story of the water’s incredible power as it shaped the landscape over time. I really enjoyed how that piece turned out.
Overall, I found myself completely captivated by those memories. I couldn’t stop painting the colors, textures, and scenes that had stayed with me from being there in person. It felt like I was returning to the Keweenaw with every brushstroke.
Old Growth Forest is officially posted! You can explore where Michigan’s remaining old-growth forests are located, along with a little history about the lumbering era that dramatically changed the landscape of Michigan in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Also, exciting news: An Ogemaw County Year is planned for release on September 1! It’s a collection of previous blog stories from NORDmi.com, refreshed and polished up into a beautiful little book. Each story is paired with illustrations and watercolors that bring the places, memories, and moments to life.
Stay tuned! I can’t wait to share it with you.
If you’re reading this, you’re already where I most like to share my work. Thanks for being here in this slower space. I’ll see you next week. Until then, If you’d like to follow me on TikTok, Instagram and/or Facebook, please do, I post regularly.
Warmly,
Laura
NORDmi.com
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