Why Northern Michigan Has My Heart

People often ask why I paint Northern Michigan landscapes — and honestly, it’s hard not to.

Having grown up in Michigan, I’ve always felt a connection to the natural wonders of our state, but it wasn’t until a 6-year stint living in another state did I truly realized the deep love I had for this mitten-shaped gem, we call The Great Lakes State. I began to ache for the lakeshore and long for the forest. Can someone actually miss trees? I did. Oh how I missed the trees.

When my family moved back to Michigan nine years ago, it was like coming home. Literally coming home, but also emotionally and spiritually coming home. Everywhere I looked, I felt this strong desire to paint, and when I started painting, it was like a piece of me that had been missing for a very long time was finally put back in its place. I felt more whole.

So, when I say there’s something about this place, oh goodness, I mean it. The shifting colors of Lake Michigan, the pine-lined trails, the quiet dignity of an old barn on a back road… it all just feels like HOME, and I want people to experience that feeling too. I want people to look at my work and feel the breeze off the bay, smell the cedar, hear the loons.

Northern Michigan has a way of staying with you, and through my art, I try to give a little of that feeling back.