Some of the places that are always on my never miss list.
When we go out to the Sleeping Bear Dunes natural area there are places I just have to stop. In every little town in Northern Michigan there are places that tourists will love. My personal favourites are ones that sell and display hand made items made by people who live here in Northern Michigan.They sell art by local artists, photography by local photographers and pottery and garden things. I can't afford to spend much ever but I do buy small things when I can, I get much pleasure from looking at what people create. I get inspiration to do things myself. I like the simple things too and have often found a piece on the beach that is beautiful just as it is. I surround myself by these things that I love.
The first place I will show is is called
"WildFlowers" of Glen Arbor. Its a garden shop and much much more, in fact they have expanded and grown. Yes expensive, but what isn't these days. They are beautiful from the outside in.
The whole of Glen Arbor is an art colony of sorts. On the main street are art galleries galore that feature local artisans and craftspeople. Unique things in each store. I don't often get time to browse there but I always make time for Wildflowers.
Going in the opposite direction towards Charlevoix is another place I seldom miss is the
Bier Gallery
This wonderful place exhibits all the things I love from sculptures to glass, to all kinds of hand made items.
I have collected a few of the froggy sculptures. I also have some of the cats. I would love some of the bigger things but its an expensive choice and so far anything I have bought and spent money on has been damaged by small kids one way or other. SO now I limit myself to smaller items that I can still enjoy without the disappointment when it gets broken.
Now I have been visiting and collecting small things for many years and I have always assumed these things will always be there. Not so..........one local artist who I loved retired. WHAT? the nerve so the last time I stopped at his studio he was not selling. So the small things I now have will be it. No more. He carved Sumac into little creatures that were very simple but that I really liked. These are two I own.
Another that I miss is Norman Brumm. I have several small pieces of his. Norman died in 2008 and did many wonderful things. His gallery was full of amazing things besides his own work. That's all gone now. There are places that still sell his work but its not the same.
I enjoy the shop or studio as much as seeing the things they sell. One of my favourite stores that I dare not visit often is Pier 1, if you go there you know what I mean. Its a place that is dangerous for me. I am sure a lot of people can relate to that.
Another gallery in Leland is fascinating and the sculptures are recognizable when you see them.
Main Street Gallery Leland.
The sculptures are lifelike even though they are metal. No small things there.
I would love some of the other things like the giraffes or horses, but well, I can only admire them for the beautiful work that they are.
Then there is the
Twisted Fish Gallery that I wrote about on our last trip north. I often stop there just to look at the gardens. I have also bought a few things for the garden too. The art gallery inspires me and all the other lovely things.
Well I could go on and on, we have such wonderful things here in Northern Michigan that inspires creativity. We have famous authors who live around here and of course such people as Ernest Hemingway was inspired by Northern Michigan. If I can not live in England this is the place I love to be. So much to see and do, one can never be bored. Now if only we could have shorter winters.
