Start date: May 8, 2026
End date: April 22, 2027
Location: Glen Arbor Arts Center Outdoor Gallery
Northern Vignettes is an exhibition of paintings by Beulah, Michigan, artist Colleen Gleason.
The panels are reproductions of original oil paintings. As a group, they capture moments and activities that are flashes of light, color, and life. Gleason depicts the ephemeral now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t moments that create this region’s character: the configuration of human bodies in the waves that change when the waves crest and break; a beach campfire the burns brightly but will burn down as the night wears one; two canoes that slip along a small, secret lake; a tree that comes to life when the wind moves through it; and an orchard ready to explode with color and flavor. They’re paintings of quiet things that feed the spirit and delight us.
Northern Vignettes comprises the 7th edition of the GAAC’s Outdoor Gallery project, a year-long, invitational exhibition that turns the GAAC’s exterior walls into an outdoor exhibition space.
Annually, an artist is invited to put together a body of work, which is then printed onto five, 5 ft x 5 ft metal panels, and installed on the GAAC’s exterior walls. The gallery is a venue for the exhibition of visual art, and features the original work of a single artist. The winning artist receives a $500 prize. The panels featuring Gleason’s work will be installed in May 2026, and remain on display through April 2027. The panels may be viewed at any time. They are [pictured above, left to right]: Lake Pines, Peninsula Vineyard, Two Canoes, Lake Swim, Beach Bonfire.
In April 2027, the GAAC will offer the Northern Vignettes panels for sale in an online auction.
END NOTES: Want read more about Colleen Gleason process, practice and focus? Enjoy our January 2026 Creativity Q+A conversation with Colleen.
THANKS: The remarkable and eye-catching printing process used to create the panels is the work of IMAGE 360 of Traverse City, our partner in this project.
