We’re very pleased to introduce a long-time friend of the Glen Arbor Arts Center and accomplished plein air painter who will judge our Paint Out entries, Barbara Cochran.
In addition to everything else in his busy life, Nik Burkhart 38, maintains a studio practice focused on painting, drawing, making marks on wood — as well as on the usual suspects [paper, canvas]. “I’ve been drawn to working with wood because it allows me to engage directly with a natural material, and embedded in […]
Well into his career as an advertising executive, Hank Feeley, 84, wondered if he’d taken the wrong fork in the road. Wonder led to action: He hung up his business suit and enrolled in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A painting hobby became a professional practice. Making, he said, is “what human […]
“Place has become the bedrock of my work — ‘place’ meaning Michigan, where I was born and raised,” said Boyne City painter Dani Knoph Davis. “Learning about the wildlife of a place is so important, but has been swept under the rug over the last 50 years.” And so, with every brushstroke, Dani, 39, makes […]
Jil Johnson, 63, is an outsider artist: no formal training, works in a naive style, wants to make beautiful things by hand. She lives in Traverse City. She wants “to live to the fullest, and that means being authentic, and that means knowing who you are.” She does. This interview was conducted in December 2024 […]
Traverse City painter Katherine Corden, 33, has “a short attention span when it comes to [her] painting.” Hard to believe given the extensive, practical evidence of her steady focus: on her process, her making, and the many ways she lets the world know about it. In depicting her favorite subjects — groups of people gathered, […]
Jan Johnson Doerfer, 73, feels better when she is creating, when she can go down to the beach and watch the water, or connect with the birds, or add to a collection of sticks that are “art waiting to be made.” Creative work has been a constant thread throughout her adult life. Now, this enduring […]
Deep Wood Press is situated on four acres in Antrim County, surrounded by 450 acres of land under the protection and stewardship of the Michigan Nature Association. This is Chad Pastotnik’s home, backyard, place of work, and shelter from the storm of contemporary life. This maker of hand-built, hand-crafted fine press books, age 56, bought […]
Frankfort artist L.C. Lim feels her way through her work. “Once I get a feeling from a place, then I’ll use whatever medium will make that feeling [visible],” she said. “That’s how I always go about it. I never think about the medium.” Instead, she think-feels the places that bring her joy: the view through […]
Fleda Brown, 80, is so much more than her resume: author of 12 poetry books, and four memoirs; Professor Emerita at the University of Delaware; recipient of many awards including a Pushcart Prize. This plain-spoken writer is a fan of Elvis, and wrote a book of poems about him. Water recurs [“There’s so much water […]
We’re very pleased to introduce a long-time friend of the Glen Arbor Arts Center and accomplished plein air painter who will judge our Paint Out entries, Barbara Cochran.
Fresh off the 18th annual Plein Air Weekend, August 1-2, 2025 — artists, buyers, lookers-on, event volunteers are abuzz with delight and gratitude for the highly successful event. Friday and Saturday evenings the town hall was packed with appreciative audiences and happy creatives who painted 2, 3, 5 paintings over the course of the two-day event. 112 artists participated and a record number of people came to see their works.
I started as a front desk volunteer in July. Being accountable for my time, joining a stellar group of people, and giving back by welcoming new visitors to the Arts Center is what I was looking for.
Julie Avery, a Leelanau County resident, has been an avid volunteer since 2013.
The Glen Arbor Arts Center is a happy stew of stimulating ideas and opportunities. It’s a treasure and gratefully, on it goes better and better.
I think what makes the Glen Arbor Arts Center such a special place is the dedication to making art accessible to all and fostering a sense of community.
We consider the arts to be an important aspect of any community because they inspire reflection and form connections that bridge differences.
Supporting and volunteering at the Glen Arbor Arts Center has been such a rewarding experience in so many ways. It strives to fulfill its mission to provide art everywhere. I love being a part of that process.
Sharing my 50 years of pottery experience is very satisfying. Seeing my students' “AHA moments” as each step of the making process clicks for them, is exciting. The sense of place the farm provides and the accomplishment of making that students experience will stay with them.
My greatest success at the Arts Center are my student’s accomplishments. Artists I teach exhibit in group and solo shows, succeed in painting sales, participate in painting competitions, win awards, paint with joy, and share the love of art with others!
As part of it’s mission to instill a sense of art into the community the Arts Center maintains a solid program of art classes throughout the year. I am proud to be associated with such a program.
I love volunteering and meeting the artists involved in our Plein Air Weekend, or a gallery show. Surrounding and immersing myself in art, whether by purchasing art or volunteering for an event, makes me a part of the creative community.
From sculptors to printmakers, from fiber artists to photographers, from painters to potters, from illustrators to makers of all types … there are more than 100 professional artists who are members of the Glen Arbor Arts Center. Click on the links below and explore their creativity.