Current Gallery Artists

Ralph 'nunzi' Annunziata

‘. . as i ponder thePresence withIN abstracted exercises

& distinctive figurative explorations - i realize,

anatomical understanding for me is clarity & authenticity of existence -

awareness withIN understanding of the beauty IN every human,

their purpose in time & space,

& the abstraction ‘withIN’ - one word with many implications as to suggest the unexplainable or making no sense

yet somehow quite pleasing to the eye or aesthetic_an attraction to some-thing that is AWE inspiring -

for me, simplicity in the tools i engage & the mediums applied are paramount in my journey withIN each piece,

raw or primed in acrylic polymer pigment, glossGel, conteStick & ebonyPencil’ - Ralph

Ralph Annunziata

Chris Blank

Painting and creating have always been a part of my life. Mixed-media on canvas is my passion. Beginning with an underpainting I build up texture and movement. Each brushstroke leads me to the next, letting the canvas my emotion guide me.

Chris Blank

Juanita Baldwin

Juanita is a Chilean artist based in Okemos, Michigan, who primarily uses oil and acrylic paints to create colorful, slightly abstracted landscapes. She enjoys both plein air painting, and creating works in her studio at home. Juanita has worked and taken classes with a number of artists here in the United States, and also in Chile and England. Although she enjoys photography as well, her main focus at the moment is her multimedia paintings. She says, “although her paintings are rather small, she pours her passion or art and creativity into every one of them”.

Juanita Baldwin

Zoe Beaudry

"My practice uses the language of traditional painting to examine contemporary disturbances to the bounds of the self. Taking inspiration from bodily transformation, spiritual experience, and the increasingly ubiquitous use of online avatars, my current work interrogates what human beings are made of in 2018; are we flesh and blood or systems and ideas? As technology becomes an increasingly essential extension of our biological existence and the 'self" becomes an even more fluid concept, how can art continue to contribute to individual and collective consciousness?"

Zoe Beaudry

Christine Beals

Christine Beals is a local artist who utilizes geometric designs, quilt patterns, and the beauty of nature as inspiration for her work. She meticulously maps out on a wooden board, carefully paints and embellishes it, and finally varnishes it to give it a protective coating. The finished product is very similar to examples of folk art, in that it features bold, clean lines and vibrant colors.

Christine Beals

Metal can be hard and unrelenting, yet with fire, it becomes malleable and transformative. The journey the metal takes through multiple processes, intrigues me. Working with recyclable and scrap items often finds a presence in my practice. I enjoy working in the moment, letting intuition lead, using a number of different mediums and experimenting in color and texture, letting the materials guide me in the creative process. The ability to choose any material to create a piece of art that someone could wear is a huge invitation to a big world of possibilities.

I find that it is important to me that things are not thrown out, especially if I can give it a new place to live. Rocks, wood, tiles, broken vintage jewelry have all found a way into my art. My inquisitive need to see “what if” gives me a no boundaries approach to my art. Allowing the materials to direct the steps to the final piece is my favorite way to work. The desire not to limit what materials or processes are part of my practice, allows me to push into new areas of work, while letting the materials talk to me as I create.
My continued investigation of different forms of casting with crystals and stones in place provides an exciting direction for me to experiment with materials and processes. The anticipation of seeing the final piece and how wonderfully it survived the heat of casting is almost addicting. Working in larger scale for my work is part of the plan for this journey of manipulating metal.

Lori Brauer

Metal can be hard and unrelenting, yet with fire, it becomes malleable and transformative. The journey the metal takes through multiple processes, intrigues me. Working with recyclable and scrap items often finds a presence in my practice. I enjoy working in the moment, letting intuition lead, using a number of different mediums and experimenting in color and texture, letting the materials guide me in the creative process. The ability to choose any material to create a piece of art that someone could wear is a huge invitation to a big world of possibilities.

I find that it is important to me that things are not thrown out, especially if I can give it a new place to live. Rocks, wood, tiles, broken vintage jewelry have all found a way into my art. My inquisitive need to see “what if” gives me a no-boundaries approach to my art. Allowing the materials to direct the steps to the final piece is my favorite way to work. The desire not to limit what materials or processes are part of my practice, allows me to push into new areas of work while letting the materials talk to me as I create.

My continued investigation of different forms of casting with crystals and stones in place provides an exciting direction for me to experiment with materials and processes. The anticipation of seeing the final piece and how wonderfully it survived the heat of casting is almost addicting. Working in larger scale for my work is part of the plan for this journey of manipulating metal.

Lori Brauer

K. W. Bell

Bell has a degree in Commercial Art and Layout and has studied watercolor in various workshops. Her art varies from formal to experimental and from serious to rather humorous. Speaking art in a language of her own, while respecting proper technique, K.W. Bell endeavors to be true to an inner vision.

K.W. Bell

Bookend Candles

Bookend Candle Co is a one-woman business operating out of a home basement candle studio in Ypsilanti, MI. 

The candles are 100% soy without dyes or phthalates and with cotton wicks. Each candle has been lovingly hand-poured, and each fragrance has been personally curated and blended (so please allow for small inconsistencies!). All of the products are vegan and neither we nor any of our direct vendors test on animals.

Bookend Candles

Jodi BurtonItem

Jodi Lynn is an illustrator from Detroit MI, whose whimsical drawings are inspired by science, pop culture, and nature.

Jodi Burton

Debbie Carlos

Debbie Carlos was born in Los Angeles, moved to Manila and now based in the Midwest. Carlos fist studied psychology at Clark University and then went on to get a degree in photography from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Debbie Carlos

Ben Chamberlain

I make functional stoneware and porcelain pottery, fired in gas soda-glazed or wood fired kilns to cone 10-12. All of my pots have a liner glaze on the interior and are left unglazed on the exterior, allowing the vapor and ash in the kiln to glaze the surface. These pots are microwave and dishwasher safe. My pots are utilitarian vessels, rooted in my experiences working in production pottery. I often begin with simple wheel-thrown forms and alter them to create more fluid, organic vessels. Firing my work in atmospheric kilns allows for spontaneity in the surface that enhances these forms. The practices of wood firing and soda vapor firing are important to my work. Through engaging the fire I feel a closer connection to the process and a greater sense of satisfaction with the finished pots.

Ben Chamberlain

Mark Chatterley

"Everything is either moving toward or away from nothingness. Life, death, creation and destruction, this is the world I find myself in. I want my art to echo these thoughts. Everything in a state of flux, changing and reforming. A sense of decay along with life. Nothing is permanent and nothing stays the same. I also try to show thoughts and feelings of the human condition. Beauty in the malformed, acceptance of the inevitable. I am doing work of our time for our time, even though I look to the past, the dead, for inspiration."

Mark Chatterley

Leslie Cieplechowicz

"As an artist, I seek beauty in decay. People’s gazes tend to pass over the abandoned, the ruined, the damaged, the dark, and the gritty. I create art that illuminates the splendor of the forgotten, giving a new vision to the old and showing the allure of the dingy gray day."

Leslie Cieplechowicz

Deb Cholewicki

Deb is a self-taught sculptural fiber artist with a passion for creating (large) works that combine unusual “finds”—like a funky piece of driftwood or a gnarly, twisted piece of vine—with other natural plant materials including willow, natural vine, yucca, inflorescence, and philodendron. In recent years Deb has incorporated hand-spun/hand-dyed art yarns and copper into her work to create a visual fiber feast.Deb has taught sculptural weaving and basketry for more than 15 years and has been a teaching faculty member with the Visual Arts Department at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for the past three years. Her work has been exhibited at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA) in Grand Rapids, Ludington Area Center for the Arts, Lansing Art Gallery (City Streets Exhibit) and at the Ecumenical Center for Arts and Spirituality in DeWitt. In 2014, Deb was one of four Michigan artists featured in the documentary, “The Art of Art” which explored the creative process of each artist. For Deb, the “process” of creating one-of-a-kind works, and allowing the work to evolve naturally, is what motivates and excites her the most.

Deb Chloewicki

Carolyn Damstra

Nature, Michigan (especially the Sleeping Bear Dunes area), and the interplay of patterns, color and light are the inspirations for my acrylic paintings. Carolyn has a BFA in studio art and a MA in Art History from Michigan State University. Carolyn has shown extensively locally and regionally.

Carolyn Damstra

Jim Davis

Inspired by African patterns, James creates sterling silver jewelry, which captures the concept of imagery through simple, classic lines. James works with primarily sterling silver and semi-precious stones, applying his own specialized techniques to his handcrafted jewelry. His work is both functional and beautiful. A Lansing resident, James' original artistic expression has matured through over two decades of craftsmanship.

Jim Davis

Dear Ollie

Dear Ollie is a line of illustrated goods made by hand in the mitten state. For all paper goods, each design is drawn by hand, then digitally reproduced on to Michigan-made paper. An avid pop-culture enthusiast, I often find my illustrations inspired by tv-shows, cult cinema, and other forms of media. Ultimately, my hope is that my illustrations will make you smile. If I can bring you even a small portion of the joy I feel when creating, I think that’s pretty rad. - Sara Bishop

Dear Ollie

Doug DeLind

Doug is a ceramic artist from Lansing, Michigan. He has a BFA in sculpture and an MFA in ceramics, which are both from Michigan State University. He has been a professional artist for about 35 years, and his work is shown through the United States and Canada. Doug is currently a ceramics professor at Michigan State University for the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities. He often creates totems and human figures in many sizes from clay and with Raku firing.

Doug DeLind

Laura DeLind

Laura resides in Lansing, Michigan. She works mainly in linocut printmaking, since she loves the boldness of black and white design, as well as the shapes defined by pattern. “I love playing with balance and the interactions of positive and negative space. For me, the linocut is a perfect medium through which to explore these visual and conceptual challenges.” She has taught as a professor and Michigan State University, and she is an instructor at Ghost Ranch, in Abiquiu, New Mexico, where she offers week-long relief printmaking workshops.

Laura DeLind

Michele Detering

I am a painter and photographer residing in Lansing, Michigan. I work primarily in watercolor and digital photography. I have been drawing, painting and taking photos ever since I was young. In addition to art, I love to travel which greatly influences my art! I see my photography as a way to document my travels and capture moments in time that can transport a viewer to that place. With my watercolors, I like to paint what I can't capture with photography. The whimsical nature, colors, and abstraction of animals and the places I visit. Watercolor is traditionally a difficult medium to work with and control which is one of the reasons I like it. I enjoy the spontaneity of watercolor and working with the beautiful flow of the medium to create something that captures the essence of a place or being. It is my hope that through my art I can provide other people with the same sense of inspiration and happiness I receive from traveling and the beauty I find in the world around me!

Michele Detering

Ruth Egnater

Ruth Egnater was born in Detroit, Mi. She has been creating art since her first memories. Currently working as a full time printmaker she has been accepted into exhibitions and competitions in the United States and abroad. Nearly all her prints showcase her passion for animals, nature, life’s precious moments both good and bad and often her sense of humor and whimsy. Ruth believes in practicing "Tsedakah", a hebrew word that encompasses the idea of giving back to the community or paying it forward. She rarely refuses to donate her time or art and volunteer for causes and groups she believes in.

Ruth Egnater

Sue Hale

"Felt making is alchemy for me. I have been involved with fiber art in various forms for 35 years but nothing has intrigued me the way that felt making has. I am inspired by the versatility and resilience of felt, as it lends itself to the decorative and functional alike. I choose to work mainly in three dimensions and enjoy the sculptural aspects that can be achieved by using multiple resists. Exploring and pushing boundaries, using a medium that seems to have none, keeps me motivated - and I am continually excited by the endless possibilities that felt making presents."

Sue Hale

Tony Hendrick

Tony Hendrick currently resides in Grand Ledge. His large-scale paintings feature diverse imagery, dancing color and a touch of the fantastic. Hendrick says of his own work, “Creating art is a magical act of healing, change and personal growth, revealing the often unexpected dealings of the heart, mind, and soul.” Hendrick received a B.F.A from Kansas City Art Institute and has since showcased his work in solo and group exhibitions throughout the nation. A muralist and educator, Hendrick leads mural creation throughout the state and has a mural featured in the Guinness World Records.

Tony Hendrick

Sonny House

For years the tree stood in the sun and enjoyed the wind that gently swayed it back and forth. It provided shelter to the birds when the rains came. Growing tall and strong while firmly planted in the ground below. One day, men with chain saws came and sliced through the majestic trunk. The ultimate thud was felt as the tree slammed to the ground. It was cut even more and stripped of its bark and laid bare. Beautiful furniture was to be the end product that people loved. All domestic wood used for these products were originally rejected by furniture companies as not being good enough. Sonny House makes beautiful work out of something that once no one wanted.

Sonny House

Andrea Jeris

"There are times when I see something that makes me go "OH!" It gets behind my eyeballs and it's like when you get a song stuck in your head that won't go away. Like when your cat or dog is hungry and wants to be fed and they sit and stare at you so you might as well feed them or you will go crazy. Well, I have to paint that image. I just do. I love to paint. But really, I have to paint. There is energy in all things in the universe. When you look at something long enough that it is looking back at you, you may see the glow of that energy. I want to put that glow into the paint so I can feel it again and again. I am a studio painter and I paint en plein air (outdoors), but I am a fair-weather painter so my time outdoors is precious to me. What a joy to connect to the earth, to be serenaded by birds, frogs, crickets, to be swept away by a river, to be uplifted by the trees, and to see the universe in the sky. With my paintings you can see what I see, stand where I stand, and maybe, just maybe, feel the wonder of what I feel."

Andrea Jeris

Karyn Konkel

Karyn is from Davison, Michigan. Her ceramic designs feature organic shapes and natural elements. Creating tiles, handbuilt platters, butter dishes and wheel thrown functional wares from raw clay to finished product, Karyn draws upon extensive experience as a professional ceramic artist and educator. Karyn holds a B.F.A with a concentration in ceramics from Siena Heights University in Adrian. In addition, Karyn boasts over 20 years of experience from the Ann Arbor Art Center, Pewabic Pottery, and currently the Flint Institute of Art.

Karyn Konkel

Susan Kieffer

Susan is a Michigan native whose work is influenced by life-long memories of water, sky, and woods. Her jewelry features beach stones collected along the shores of the Great Lakes that imbue each piece with their unique energy. These stones are combined with semiprecious gems, freshwater pearls, and sterling to create adornments that are distinctive - both elegant and organic. Susan crafts her jewelry with the intention that the wearer feels empowered through a connection to the pure energy of nature and spirit. Each piece is a tangible, wearable reminder of Michigan’s treasure trove of natural gifts.

Susan Kieffer

Jessica Kovan

Jessica currently lives in Beulah, MI. Her journey includes years of working in the field of philanthropy, a doctorate in education, directing a small environmental action group, and teaching at the college level. Jessica’s art is deeply influenced by a strong desire to connect her head with her heart and her passions with action. Through her work she tries to communicate the power of relationships at all different levels. “I love working in mixed media because of the meanings that can evolve out of the layering as well as the richness of color, patterns and texture that help to tell a story. Combined together they make my heart sing.

Jessica Kovan

Ruth Koelewyn

Ruth Koelewyn holds a BFA from Syracuse University and an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her work investigates the moments when distance, separation, and space are the necessary components for meaningful connection to others. By identifying those moments in everyday activities, such as looking out the window, her works aim to give the viewer new ways to use familiar experiences with intentionality toward the specific goal of new understanding and connection with the world. Her practice has included curatorial projects, collaborative projects, and her individual studio work. These practices have been supported by regional, national and international organizations such as the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Lackawanna County Department of Art and Culture, the Mondriaan Foundation, and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts among others.

Ruth Koelewyn

Little Flower Soap Co.

The Little Flower Soap Co.is a Michigan based small-batch, body care company established in 2010 by husband/wife team Holly & Justin Rutt. Their mission is to design products that become must-have, can’t live without favorites. Perfecting completely natural, healing recipes that smell amazing, really work and are cutely packaged. Little Flower Soaps are cold-processed in small batches using heirloom techniques perfected and polished with time. They use only the best essential oils, botanicals, and minerals including organic rosemary leaf, organic lavender flowers, organic cocoa butter, Shea butter and many more. Holly & Justin work joyfully from their small, Michigan studio.

Little Flower Soap Co.

Dace Koenigsknecht

I’ve created a wide array of functional and artistic metal pieces, finding pleasure in the process of creation – plan, sketch, fabricate, and deliver. The intellectual exercise and challenge is motivating, and the craftsmanship of handwork is very rewarding. I enjoy creating unique objects that are used or encourage interaction. I like abstraction because of the mental engagement required of the viewer. Their past and present experiences will ‘personalize’ what they see.

Dace Koenigsknecht

Littlewings Designs

Littlewings Designs is a handcrafted lifestyle brand of playful and practical goods and accessories, dedicated to small production, artisan details, and timeless quality. Founded in 2010 by me, Elyse Marie Welcher, Littlewings Designs is the distillation of my style via the things I like to make and use every day; a combination of fun, useful, and built to last goods, all of which make life a little more comfortable, a little more playful, and always a bit more colorful.

Littlewings Designs

Sarah Lyons

Celebrating Place, Passion, and Nature through Unique Handmade Jewelry LettersToSarah Metalsmithing is internationally known for unique and original designs, nothing like what you'd find in a traditional jewelry store. I make jewelry that is simple, with a vintage-rustic flair and a little shine, to make you feel a little more earthy, cozy, connected, and proud. Because each piece is individually made by hand, each one is a bit different from the rest, united by design, but still as special and unique as it's wearer.

Sarah Lyons

Janet MacFarlane

I am a nature enthusiast and backyard naturalist. I enjoy capturing the beauty of the natural world and all of its incredible creatures, small and large, in the world around me. Most of my photos are taken in my backyard in Haslett. Just by slowing down and taking a closer look there is so much to see and discover. I seek to share the beauty and intricacies of life, as well as information. The intersection of art and science is a powerful force. Building awareness and changing perspectives is just one step. Through my photography, I seek to promote and foster a culture of habitat conservation and environmental consciousness. We can all enact change on a small scale as individuals. Together, we can make a difference.

Janet MacFarlane

Nancy McRay

"Weaving is in my blood and is my primary mode of expression. I employ several different techniques, including Tapestry, Theo Moorman and Complex Multi Harness weaves to create imagery that communicates my intent. What I want to express most often is appreciation, a sense of awe, or a response to my environment. I weave in response to my world, in recognition of what I encounter, and in acknowledgment of what stands out."

Nancy McRay

Mark Mehaffey

Mark is a nationally recognized artist from Williamston. His artistic endeavors include teaching; writing and producing nationally recognized watercolor statements. His subject matter ranges from tight representational still life and landscape to a personal visual language. Texture and color are important elements in Mehaffey's creations. Mark’s book, Creative Watercolor Workshop, documents many of the activities he teaches in his water media workshops. Mark's work has appeared in many publications including Water Magic Magazine and Watercolor Magazine. Mark Mehaffey was honored to be an award winner in the Shanghai Zhujiajiao Watercolor Biennial 2010.

Mark Mehaffey

Lynn Mossoian

I have designed and made jewelry for over 20 years. However, my retirement as an educator afforded an opportunity to pursue my passion to create contemporary jewelry full time. My experience combined with mentorship and classes by master silversmiths, continues to bring depth to my work. I draw inspiration from nature's textures, shapes, and movements, as well as architectural elements. Designs move from paper to my bench where they are hand fabricated with the traditional techniques and tools of metalsmithing jewelry. It is my hope that the deep satisfaction and happiness that handcrafting each piece brings to me, is shared by those that experience and wear my jewelry.

Lynn Mossoian

Anne Nolan

"I received a BFA and an MFA from Michigan State University. My emphasis was Graphic Design and Printmaking. I did my graduate work as a screen printer and some of this work contains snippets from prints done during graduate school and soon following. Reuse. Recycle. My current work uses acrylic paint and decorative papers on cradled board. The panels are free from framing and the paint goes around the edges. The designs are based on concepts or inspirations that I might pick up until a series leads me off on another tangent. I am a straight edge person until I try circles. I am a color and texture person and play with the patterns of the decorative papers and the stroke texture of the paint. Overlapping areas within the panel add depth and a sense of playfulness along with the feeling of dimension."

Anne Nolan

Richard O’Malley

An architect by trade, Richard received his Bachelor of Architecture, Cum Laude, from the University of Detroit. His work in architecture was the impetus for his interest in drawing and painting. His medium of choice turned to watercolor painting with a particular interest in felines. Residing in Okemos, he is known as the “catman” by many, his works are very popular with cat aficionados. Focusing on their beauty and grace, he has painted hundreds of feline portraits over the years. His painting technique blends representational and abstract modes enhancing his excitement of the media.

Richard O'Malley

Ashley Pahl

Ashley is an artist residing in East Lansing, Michigan. Formerly a stationary designer, she is currently working as a self-taught painter and portrait artist. Her work is exhibited in stores and galleries throughout the world, as well as in books, magazines, and websites. She is known for her paper cut greetings, hand-painted lettering, and a DIY home blog, She Makes a Home. Ashley seeks to connect art with nature, geology, and the universe around us.

Ashley Pahl

Bonnie Palutke

"For me, life as an artist is rich beyond rewards-painting is complete abandonment & i am in 'my' world. My expertise is capturing the emotion from within, with total abandon in acrylics, gel, varnish & pencil in no particular order- but quickly- employing a very loose brush & speed of execution- a freshness embodied in my heart. my exploration of art consists quite simply of figurative applications, a love of urban and plein air landscapes through the guise of abstract expressionism" says Bonnie when speaking about her work.

Bonnie Palutke

Regina Pericini

Regina Pericini's latest design venture is Flock Home, line of home decor and linen tabletop accessories as well as children toys and clothes features hand-printed and eco-friendly cotton dinner napkin sets, and tea towels. Nearly 20 years after cutting her first pattern, she continues to be inspired by vintage textiles and illustrations.

"I love studying natural history," notes the chic, outdoor-loving designer, whose clothing and millinery lines as well as home and baby goods have been covered by Design Sponge, Instyle magazine, Martha Stewarts Whole Living, 7x7 Magazine, the San Francisco Bay Guardian newspaper, the East Bay Express newspaper, and fashion bible Women's Wear Daily. "I draw visual cues from vintage textiles, turn-of-the-century renderings, 1970s prints, and modern line drawings," she continues, "But a simple trip to a favorite spot in nature can be hugely inspirational, too."

Regina Pericini

Pewabic was founded by Neighbors Mary Chase Perry, a successful china painter, and Horace Caulkins, a dental equipment supplier, and kiln manufacturer came together to build pottery in turn-of-the-century Detroit. Ultimately, it would outlast all the other tile and pottery producers of their time.
 
Pewabic is a National Historic Landmark pottery manufacturer founded in Detroit in 1903. Today it continues to be an architectural tile studio and educational space that remains a vibrant cultural destination attracting visitors from around the world.

Pewabic Pottery

Luzhen Qiu

My mini abstract drawings are mixed media collage with color pencil, pastel, ink, gouache, paper, birch bark, tread on yupo paper. The size of each one is 7”x7”. I deal with colors, forms, texture, spaces. I build up layers of colors by using brayer printing colors, then mapping the shapes from one to another. The process of my artwork may various for each drawing. Some of them I experiment media mixture affect, such as the mixture of ink, water, and alcohol. I want to show images with narrative ambiguity by juxtaposition of layers of shapes and the texture from shapes.

Luzhen Qiu

Jane Reiter

Jane is an artist, teacher and librarian residing in Lansing, Michigan, since 2000. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees focused on weaving and textile design. As a mixed media collage artist, Jane enjoys combining various materials, text, fabric, paper, and fiber. She uses stitching, drawing and painting along with color, texture, and pattern to create vibrant, lively works. As a teaching artist, she loves to impart a spirit of play, discovery and experimentation in students. As a librarian, Jane often reuses books and incorporates words into her art.

Jane Reiter

Revisions Design

Revisions is a Designer/Maker studio located in the heart of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Most of their inspiration comes from finding beauty in old objects of years gone by. Through a series of revisions, they're able to take something once discarded and breath new life into it to be appreciated in a different way.

Revisions Designs

Young-Shill Roberts

Ms. Roberts is an artist who has lived in the Lansing area for 40 years. She is a member of the Mid-Michigan Art Guild and Working Women’s Artist Group. She has displayed works at Delta Township Library, LCC, several galleries in the Greater Lansing area, the Orchid Art competition, at which she won first place. Her works consist of beautiful emotionally filled watercolors, etchings, acrylics and oil paintings. Many of her works are inspired by the beauty of nature, color, and everyday life. Being one who never limits herself she also creates extraordinary portraits as well as abstracts.

Young-Shill Roberts

Jenny Schu

Jenny is a local artist residing in Lansing, who is originally from Fenton, MI. She obtained her Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan School of Art and Design in 2004, concentrating in Fibers. Jenny’s signature artwork features dramatic beadwork designs, robust color pallets, and beauty found in nature. Jenny strives to produce unique jewelry pieces that are not only inspiring, but are functional for everyday use.

Jenny Schu

Ranae Selmeyer

Simply put, I paint because I have no other choice. There is a drive that will not be ignored and it is what I was made to do. Edward Hopper said it best: “If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint” My current project is based on the statement “You should smile more” a statement that has been dictated to every female in this country. But we are more than a pretty face and we should not have to diminish our complexity to make another feel more comfortable. There is power in women who are not afraid to speak out and don’t feel the need to shrink to fit the space arbitrarily allotted to them. Be bold, be confident and above all be truthful to who you are. These are the ideas I speak through my portrait work.

Ranae Selmeyer

Kathe Smith

Working in clay has been my passion from a very early age. From sandbox and mud creations to legitimate clay work in high school, college and beyond, I have followed a path toward works of art that are aesthetically appealing yet functional. I enjoy the challenge of using different clay bodies, glazes, and glaze techniques and firing processes. Each phase in creating a piece of pottery holds its own particular intrigue. I am rarely disappointed in the results because each aspect of the process leads to new exploration and perhaps a different end result. That is the excitement for me.

Kathe Smith

Michael Maurer Smith

Michael received a Master’s degree in Studio Art from Michigan State University. Michael’s acrylic works delight viewers with his vibrant, colorful and geometric forms consisting mostly of shapes and lines. Says the artist, “Although my painting is non-representational my sensibility is that of the landscapist. My use of texture, color and shape is influenced by the woods and shoreline of Michigan and the mountains and desert of the American southwest. Likewise, I am influenced by the revelations of modern astronomy.”

Michael Maurer Smith

Shannon Stackhouse

I have been "an artist" my whole life, but fell in love with photography when my dad gave me an old film Nikon SLR in college. I earned my bachelors in biology at Harvard University (my interest in biology no manifests itself in carefully examining through photo all types of natural environments). I also studied photography and painting at Harvard and the Lacoste School of the Arts. I earned a Postbaccalaureate in Fine Arts from the school of Museum of fine arts in Boston, and have continued to refine my skills through classes and self-study at every opportunity. I draw inspiration from the beautiful details hidden in mundane life and love to capture my experiences through photography.

Shannon Stackhouse

Lynne Tan

Lynne resides in St. Joseph, Michigan, where she has been working with porcelain for over ten years. Lynne says “My life is put on hold when I play with clay. It is the one activity that engages me so totally my thoughts are simply unable to wander. I dream a shape, and I have to make it… I begin most of my pieces on the potters' wheel, and then find new ways to subtly reshape them into more fluid and organic forms that fit and flow quietly with each other. Beauty for me lies in undecorated simplicity.

Lynne Tan

Meg Tang

I grew up enchanted by the delicate jewelry housed in my mother's jewelry box. She would take each piece out and let me hold it and inspect it while she told me the story of how they came to her. I can still remember the way her hands looked as she gently tucked each piece in it's place. I knew from a very young age the items in that box were special, treasures that connected her to people and to time.
I studied art throughout my childhood and I made my first piece of jewelry when I was in high school. I was hooked. The concepts came easily to me and I showed an aptitude for metal work. For years after, I wished for a career that could be as fulfilling as my jewelry-making hobby. I began to enroll in more serious jewelry making workshops and classes. Then, in 2003 after moving back to my hometown of Kalamazoo, I fulfilled that wish and became a jeweler full time.

Meg Tang

Bruce Thayer

My work is a form of social commentary in which both images and words interplay. The images are drawn from current events and the irony of life situations. I use and change common expressions to suggest other meanings. I work with watercolor on paper with found graphics and found rubber stamps in the watercolors. Collograph and dry point on plexiglass are printing techniques I use to create my prints.

Bruce Thayer

Ilene Curts-Thayer

I am a contemporary still-life painter. I use traditional oil painting techniques by stretching and priming my canvases and layering oil paint. My pieces have an organization of color and order that predominates the presentation of the still life. I have a realist approach to the objects themselves but use them freely throughout the composition to compose my painting.

Ilene Curts-Thayer

Typeshy Paper

Type Shy is a line of modern, paper cut goods created in Lansing. Trained as a graphic designer and writer, my work combines an equal love of colorful, minimalist design and sweet, but not too sappy, sentiments. By using high-quality materials, I aim to create keepsakes that are beloved long after they are opened — in fact, many people say they frame my cards with photos and other mementos. Most of my text-based work starts in my writing journal and eventually makes it’s way to a die-cut printer, where each piece is individually cut. This method of production is very tactical and reflected in the textured layers of the finished pieces. Items that use vintage paper are all one of a kind.

Typeshy Paper

Whistling Frog Tile

Whistling Frog Tile company was created in 1993 by Rick Pruckler. He specializes in creating handmade gift tile and architectural installations. Other artists soon joined in with their own unique styles: Susan Cassabon created a softly stylized line of florals and Tonya Lutz explored exuberant narratives with her 'Birds & Cats' line. Everything is done by hand, one at a time. Our tiles begin with the sculpting of original designs, which are cast into individually crafted molds. Clay impressions are made and fired in our kilns using custom glaze formulas.

Whistling Frog Tile

Jon Whitney

Jon’s artfully hand crafted ceramic ware is both decorative and functional. His style of pottery reflects the natural components of clay, as he draws his inspiration from nature itself. Originally from the Upper Peninsula, Jon currently works and resides in Mason. Jon received a B.F.A. in ceramics from Eastern Michigan University and moved directly into the world of ceramics at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. Jon’s extensive experience includes education, production, and exhibition.

Jon Whitney

Kate Wilcox-Leigh

"You could describe my jewelry as classic with an edge. I use an array of metals and materials including sterling and fine silver, gold, iron as well as leather and various fibers. I apply traditional hand fabrication techniques like cutting, forming, joining and stone setting processes along with fiber techniques to my materials of choice. You will see earrings, pendants bracelets and rings that can be enjoyed casually everyday; along with jewelry that is perfect for that special occasion."

Kate Wilcox-Leigh

Jim Wolnosky

"My work is best described as abstract expressionism, as I love to dabble in non-ordinary reality. Working mostly in wood, metal, and stone, I design & produce contemporary studio furniture, sculpture, & mobiles. The work I produce references that of Henry Moore, Joan Miro & the great jazz artists of the 50s & 60's." "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing." - Duke Ellington

Jim Wolnosky

Worthwhile Paper Co.

We handcraft goods that bring happiness, cultivate deep relationships and inspire uplifting energy.

Our thoughtfully-crafted products are designed and handmade in Ypsilanti, Michigan using eco-friendly materials and processes. We aim to nourish your love for the Earth, foster the connections in your circle and inspire the path of discovery within.

Worthwhile Paper

Stephanie Yaklin

Yaklin currently works out of Detroit, Michigan. She is a designer and printmaker and makes modern objects out of paper. She adores design that is inked, stamped, pressed, sketched, cut and folded. She started making books in 2014 with test prints from a screen-printing class in college. She taught herself different binding techniques from YouTube videos. Learning the binding came naturally to her because she was the one who would make everyone’s friendship bracelets growing up. Her block print designs are inspired by Native American beadwork, African American quilt patterns, and mosaics.

Stephanie Yaklin

Ai Yamamoto

"I am inspired by traditional patterns in Japanese crafts that have been carefully preserved within its culture for centuries. Textile design portrays unique social and cultural characteristics. I am fascinated by finding points of similarity between Japanese social habits and the designs in Japanese crafts. Being a small island nation with areas are high population density has imposed a complex system of acceptable social interactions on Japanese people. People follow strict social manners in order to avoid interfering with others. I find that this kind of behavior and mindset relates to the well-defined and repetitive designs in Japanese crafts. They are often condensed and detail oriented. Also, Japanese daily life tends to be stressful and city oriented, nature is a common theme in crafts as a way to remind people of the more peaceful natural environment. I draw slip decoration on my pottery with the traditional Japanese design and hope it creates a cheerful moment for users."

Ai Yamamoto