Features

The comfort of winter art

ESCANABA -- Nothing soothes the body and brightens the soul like a little artwork on a cold winter's night.

The Upper Peninsula is a masterpiece in itself.

Art in nature is all around us. The amber sunrise over an icy, white lake or balsam fir branches donned in lacy flakes of snow are winter art in action.

Most U.P. homes are decorated with artwork of some kind. From rustic chain saw wood carvings to stained glass mosaics, and basswood baskets to watercolor paintings, art is in vogue in the Northwoods.

Art history is everywhere.

The prehistoric rock drawings on Brunt Bluff on the Garden Peninsula have made history books.

The "Face in the Rock" sandstone carving along the Lake Superior shoreline near Munising was created around 1820.

Porcupine quill adorned baskets and the intricate beadwork of native peoples are treasures to behold.

Famous American artist Robert Addison (married an Escanaba woman) painted scenes of homes and buildings in our area. A deer sculpture welcomes people to Ludington Park and Sedna "goddess of the waters" is on display outside the library and near Little Bay de Noc.

Someone in almost every U.P. household does some kind of artwork. My dad had an artist's touch when it came to woodworking. Many of his cabinets, picture frames and furniture are works of art. My grandmother had a photographer's eye. She experimented with some early cameras and developed her own pictures.

My oldest brother, a retired math teacher makes beautiful designer quilts. All those geometry skills did pay off.

Some people paint, some people carve wood others decorated cakes, some sew, do pottery or wood burnings, but almost everyone finds some relaxation in their art or hobby.

When we were kids, we were always encouraged to color, draw or make our own greeting cards and gifts. Doodling on a scrap piece of paper was a pretty common thing at our house. Making little cartoon characters or nature journaling was just plain fun and calming.

In our modern world today it is often sad to see computer generated drawings and the clip art found on line replacing good old old-fashioned hand drawn or uniquely humanly created artwork.

We are so fortunate in our area to have the Bonifas Arts Center where we can view a wide variety of artwork year round. We can also take an art class or two to learn something new and exciting during the winter doldrums.

Making something with your hands makes your mind smile. Creativity is comforting.

So let the snow fly and the cold winds blow. Grab a pen, paints, and some tools and relax.

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.