The Infinite DiscA sculpture by Charlie Hall

What the Sculptor created:

The gate the disc lives in is in the shape of “pi” (as in “pi r squared”) which is a common designation for the concept of infinity. The disc itself is a representation of the Universe. The hole in the “Universe” is a reference to the infinite void.  The cracks in the rose-colored glass disc represent all the mysteries of the Universe.

The rose-colored glass is actually a “billet” from Schott Optical Glass and is used in the making of rose-colored lenses for eyeglasses. This particular billet did not pass muster and was therefore simply taken to the yard. It was not annealed, and I picked up the glass while still in its casting mold. We assembled it, cut the “void” hole, polished it to optical surface standards, placed a stainless steel perforated band around it, and suspended the piece using high-strength stainless steel fittings. It is actually suspended with a fitting that allows it to move on its vertical axis.

Artist
Charlie Hall I designed and executed this piece in the mid-80s while still living in Fort Wayne, IN. It has been at my residence in Rochester, outdoors for about 15 years. I do art for numerous reasons: full self-expression, investigate mysteries, enrich my life and the life of others, as well as it helps me understand and appreciate all the art I encounter. And maybe it’s an itch that needs to be scratched. Life is a mix of facts (truth) and fiction, real and theater. My ART allows me to investigate these realms both when they are in opposition and when they are in tandem. This does not solve the problems of living in our dualistic world, but it does make it easier. I think “Art” should speak for itself, for everything else there are academics, gallery personnel, museum curators, critics, and “Artist’s Statements.”
Location
Old Art Building X111 S Main St, Leland, MI 49654, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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Up to the LightA Song by Joshua Davis

What the musician saw in the sculpture:

The sculpture drew me in. The cracks resonated and I felt a kinship.  I’m going through a phase of self-discovery that has revealed some internal cracks. 

It was only when I looked at the sculpture from a certain angle that I even saw the cracks.  From one side it looked whole and fully intact but on the other, you see all its cracks.  Suddenly you understand its vulnerabilities are what make it beautiful.  Its beauty is in its flaws.  There’s beauty in the way things that are shattered get put back together.   It felt like a really revealing and brave piece of work; that huge heavy thing hanging out there for all to see in its broken beauty.  The sculpture reminded me of a musician on stage.  From afar a performer looks whole and put together.  it’s only when they open their mouth to sing they show their brokenness, their heartache, and their humanity shining through the lights of the stage for all to see.

The melody came first;  a simple plain offering.  My lyric represents the heart of the sculpture for me.  I used a metaphor of a vase dropping and shattering.  I liked the idea of trying to put it back together but it never being the way it was before.  There is magic and grace in vulnerability.   Being flawed and transparent about it is what the sculpture is about for me.  

 

Lyrics:

It slipped from my hands

Or maybe I threw it down on the tile

Either way, it’s been broken awhile

And it won’t hold those lilacs anymore

Pieces under the couch

Found some shards on the dining room floor

Getting under my skin, I’m gonna put it back together, just to see what kinda shape it’s in

Oh oh

Hold it up to the light

But you can see the cracks in it

Go on,

Tried making it right

I know it’s never gonna be the same again

All of these flaws

you always saw the beauty in em and I’ve

Taken it for granted so many times

How can I ask you to trust me now

Lying awake

Walking the same weak lines

Woke up suddenly in sunrise

Reaching out my hand to stop it all from crashing

It looks good dressed in shadow,

Looks solid as a silhouette

Looks fine reflected in the river

Leaning over the parapet

It looks whole by the light of the moon

Or in the darkness before dawn

But when the sun comes up behind it

You can see exactly what’s going on

 

Artist
Joshua Davis JOSHUA DAVIS WAS RAISED IN THE FOLK TRADITION: THE MUSIC, THE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, THE LAND. Speaking or singing, the voice of Joshua Davis is a disarming instrument: weathered and warm, as capable of conjuring confessional intimacy on a global stage as it is of making a small room, well off the beaten path, resonate with startling urgency and power. Couple it with an earnest poetic sensibility, a boundless work ethic, and an uncanny gift for connecting with audiences spanning generations, and it’s no wonder that Davis is now poised at the brink of the sort of widespread recognition that typically passes right over such a humble troubadour. Over the past twenty years, Michigan-based Davis has honed an impressive range of skills – songwriter, bandleader, guitarist, and vocalist among them – in the most honest possible fashion: night after night, song after song, show after show Davis simply delivered every performance as though his life depended on it. Investing himself in the American musical diaspora, he has explored the common thread connecting folk, blues, jazz, ragtime, and country forms – discovering his personal perspective as a composer in the process. “My sound is rooted in the folk tradition,” Davis explains, “but it’s not folk music. Terms like Americana, roots rock, and heartland rock come up, but there’s so much more to it than that. I’m not a purist: I play with that American folk lineage, I play with those metaphors.” His versatility and ravenous musical curiosity has resulted in a divergent and fervent output. Since his appearance as a finalist on Season 8 of NBC’s “The Voice”, Davis has been churning out an album a year and has plans to continue to do so. His sensibilities shine brightest on his latest trio of solo releases, each a thoughtful dispatch on life, love, change, and growth. He’s currently touring in support of “Live From The Robin.” His first solo effort captures his essence in a way that pares his songs down to their emotional, musical and lyrical roots. Recorded over the span of two nights, this documents a raw and revealing glimpse of an artist who has his finger on the pulse of a culture, a culture that lives, loves and laughs, cries, mourns and heals. Joshua’s authenticity plucks all of the right heartstrings, soars on the updrafts, and plumbs the depths of the human experience. This is a deep and warm conversation with a room full of old friends. “I’ve wanted to make this album for years” says Davis. “And I’m so excited to share it. I love playing solo shows. It allows me the freedom to dig deep into my songs and really be in the moment with the audience.” Learn More
Location
A quiet bench from which to listen to the music and observe the sculpture111 S Main St, Leland, MI 49654, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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Beauty in the BrokennessA Painting by Kristin Mackenzie Hussey

 

Watercolor Gouche on Arches Coldpressed paper 11X14 (8×10 and 11×14 prints for sale)

What the artist heard in the song:

The lyrics in the song talk a lot about pieces being broken, held up to the light, and never being the same again. While listening, I imagined the songwriter looking at his kids and thinking about how fast childhood passes, and the bittersweet realization that nothing lasts forever. The feeling of wanting to capture a perfect moment and hold onto it, but realizing that even the most beautiful, innocent things will grow and change and break and end.

I painted an arrangement of flowers leaning toward the light, wilting. The vase is broken but it still has the capacity to hold the bouquet together, as a beautiful arrangement. When you first see the painting, you don’t notice the imperfections, it’s simply a bouquet of flowers in the sun. It’s only when you look closer that you see the brokenness of the vase and the wilting flowers. It’s only when you look closely that you see the beauty in the brokenness and the actual authenticity of living. 
I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect. I wanted to create a piece showing that it doesn’t matter if you have imperfections. Things can be broken AND beautiful. 
There were certain words from the song that I translated into my painting:
Vase= you can pretend to be perfect but when people look closely and see the authentic you, they can see your imperfections and begin to appreciate your true beauty.
Light= continuing to have hope through difficult situations and letting your authentic self shine through
Flowers= growth that comes from moving through difficult times while focusing on hope and authenticity, while bearing the scars of the past

The big takeaway: nothing is perfect, and everything is impermanent, but that realization can inspire you to treasure authentic beauty before it is gone. The most beautiful things in life are imperfect and fleeting.

Artist
Kristin MacKenzie Hussey Leland, Michigan follow: www.instagram.com/kristinmacdesign Learn More
Location
The Warren106 N Main St, Leland, MI 49654, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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Beauty in the BrokennessA Poem by Michelle Leask

What the poet saw in the painting:

It felt like the painting, woke me and freed me from behind a door I hadn’t walked through in far too long. The poem seemed to write itself and after, I felt lighter and straighter; grateful for the release similar to how it feels after a healing ceremony.

I thought it  (the painting) was a beautiful piece, simple with soft easy colors to keep the eyes flowing. I instantly felt peace in the mix of colors and had a sense of “preparedness” when I saw the cracks in the vase/jar the plants were in. I then noticed that the flowers were wilting and starting to die, a detail that escaped me because of how beautifully the colors of the whole composition grabbed me and settled my mind. I am always inspired by duality and balance which the painting that inspired my poem does really well. The “call to action” in the poem is really raising awareness around self-care and finding balance in our busy challenging lives.

Artist
Michelle Leask I am an Anishinaabe citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas. I love being able to express myself through beading, painting, and creative writing or poetry but right now too much of my focus has been on the work I do in tribal public health/education around reducing the effects of childhood trauma and increasing birth equity. While I am passionate about being able to support my Native American relatives, writing this poem reminded me that I, too, need to re-balance myself and do more self care by carving out more time for being creative and playful. Learn More
Location
Leelanau Books109 N Main St, Leland, MI 49654, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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"Untitled," PotteryA vessel by Benjamin Maier

Specs: 13x13x7

What the potter understood from the poem:

The poem was a call to action “don’t give up” it said, “there is hope in the world if you’re willing to look for it.”  The poem asked me to let go of preconceived judgments.  There is beauty in the brokenness.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  There is no absolute beauty.  It belongs to each person who is willing to see it and let it in.

I created a raw unglazed object straight out of the kiln.  My piece is about the intimate and pure eye one needs to have to the beauty in the world.  If we don’t discredit what on the outside seems unlovely, and are willing to take the risk of opening the lid, we find that there is beauty, and smoothness inside. 

I wanted to create an opportunity to see something rough and unglazed, to go through whatever is necessary; judgment, fear, disinterest, distrust.. to find willingness and curiosity to lean in, go inside and finally to be rewarded with beauty. 

The lavender inside the container represents the possibility of real love.  It’s a metaphor for my mother.  She loved lavender and taught me to love it.  I have passed that love onto my boys.  I like the idea that it’s the through line of love through the generations of my family.

Poem’s lines represented in pottery

Wilted Flowers point to the exterior finish of my vessle

Brokeness points to the vessle’s lavender which has wilted and died but if you squeeze it and interact with it, it lives on in the fragrance.

 

Artist
Benjamin Maier Working in the studio gives meaning and rhythm to my life. As a potter I am interested in exploring the table as an installation environment. The table offers me a stage to showcase the theater of my work. Tremendous potential for exploration begins as the relationships between pots are examined. I make pottery holding functional qualities, plates, vases, cups or teapots, however, I challenge myself and my audience to look beyond function and use the medium to address artistic concepts including metaphor, perception, and human interaction. I continually question my relationship to pottery in daily life and how it has the potential to impact me and others. The table and pottery have the capability to increase awareness of human interaction and stimulate conversation on a level that is slowly being eroded by the diminished presence of the table in our daily lives. Through my work, I am curious to examine the important role and presence of the table in contemporary society. My work is influenced by architecture and design that reflect qualities of efficient, quiet strength. Atmospheric firing enhances the linear quality of my work, while offering reflections of the natural world. A story is told by the kiln and recorded on the surfaces of pots in atmospheric firings, especially in wood fired kilns. As I examine my own work, I am curious about examining the tension of form achieved not only from negative space around the pot but also by the expanse of volume from within a pot. Correspondingly, as the tension within the surface of a pot is engaged, another avenue for exploration is exposed through surface design and intense flashing . Artists such as Voulkos, Picasso, Brancussi and Matisse mastered these concepts in their work. I am intellectually engaged by these artists, and continually contemplating how they inform my work. Through the engagement and creation of pottery, I strive to raise more questions about my life and existence rather than finding answers. I feel fortunate to have clay connect me to, and engage me in, the present moment of time. Learn More
Location
Benjamin Maier Ceramics104 N Main St, Leland, MI 49654, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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"Infinity"Textile by Maggie Revel Mielczarek

Vynal Canvas & Acrylic

What the Textile Designer got from the pottery

I don’t usually gravitate towards plums and magentas and orange but thats what  I was picking up on from the vessel I received.  What I felt from the pottery was a sense of safety and warmth with a secret hidden inside.  I felt a sense of maternal warmth on the inside contrasted against a grey sort of bleakness on the outside and thought about how two sensations weave together. 

I started thinking about infinity… the round shape…. a never-ending cycle.

In life you’re striving for a balance: Protect what is valuable and vulnerable inside while remaining soft and fluid.  It’s important to have boundaries but you don’t want to be hard.  It’s a constant challenge and balance for the purpose of self-preservation.    

The inside of the vessel represents who I am as a person… the outside is the semi-permeable membrane around me that allows that which is chosen and worthy to be let in.  

The jewels are the magenta.  The orange is what you put out there which is also a choice.  You get what you give.  The jewels are the brightness worth protecting AND worth sharing.

 

 

Artist
Maggie Revel Mielczarek Waiting for content Learn More
Location
Leland Gal104 N Main St, Leland, MI 49654, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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Blue UnicornIce Cream

 

Ingredients: Grassfed milk cream, organic crystal sugar, organic blueberries, Northwood soda’s natural orange cream, organic lavender extract, guar gum, and locust bean gum.

What the iced creamery got from the textile design: 

Looking at the design what stood out most was blue, orange, and lavender.

Blueberries like blue moons, blood red oranges, and lavender flowers immediately came to mind as I imagined strolling with some delicious 100% grass-fed ice cream in hand, watching the sunset over Leland in summer, the day turning to night and the greens settling into the water.

I’ve been in the ice cream world for 14 years.  Early on, I realized that ice cream and togetherness are the same thing.  As I created this flavor, I pictured the woman making this painting.  I imagined giving her a cup of ice cream with a little spoon in it to keep her company as she worked.   I’ve met this woman 1,000s of times.  She is my sister, cousin, and customer… she deserves an intimate offering to eat as she’s making this beautiful textile and that is how I got to the flavor “Blue Unicorn.”

Artist
Milk & Honey Milk & Honey is a locally owned business providing premium-quality food items, desserts, and beverages. Our delightful savories are made of the top-quality products which are cultivated and processed naturally. With our 20 years of combined experience, make sure that you get only wholesome food at our shop. Learn More
Location
PicnicPicnic, North Main Street, Leland, MI, USA Open in Google Maps › Open in Apple Maps ›
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Interpretations

Blue Unicorn

I tasted sweet summer, wild blueberries with a hint of lavender and the close warmth and smoothness of cream.


Janet Ryan
Beauty in the Brokenness

I see green paths and purple destinations. I love green!


Janet Ryan
The Infinite Disc

I am looking thru to infinity. I see beautiful woods, the hint of water - a lake and I hope this is true but fear the cracks will limit us.


Janet Ryan