There were two WOW events in Northport this past week. A unique and very special art exhibit opened last Thursday at the Village Arts Building in Northport. The Origin and Echo exhibit is the brainchild of Northport Public School(NPS) art teacher, Jennifer Evans. A total of 117 NPS students, grades K – 12, created a work of art. Many were paintings and drawings, but they also included some ceramics and some fiber creations. Those pieces were then distributed to 117 area adults who had volunteered to produce their own creation, inspired by the student’s piece. The adult did not know who their student was. The adult participants ranged in age from young adults, not too long out of NPS themselves, to grandparents and even great grandparents, including nine residents from Northport Highlands. They also ranged from some of the area’s professional artists to people who don’t, or didn’t consider themselves artists at all. But all were amazingly creative and well done.
Each piece of art is exhibited with a write-up by the artist. The students explained what their piece meant to them, and the adults wrote about how the student’s piece inspired them. It is an exhibit well worth going to see. It continues through Sunday, May 11, and is open from noon to 4 p.m. each day.
The exhibit is the product of a collaboration between NPS and the Northport Arts Association (NAA), and a tremendous amount of work by many, but especially Jennifer Evans, Elizabeth Wodek, Heidi Hammond and Meg Jean from NPS; Robb Stander who coordinated the artwork from Northport Highlands; and NAA volunteers Linda Bayer, Kay Pentzien, Jayne Robinson, Brigitte Weller, Lisa Westling, and Chris Woomer. Congratulations to all on a wonderful experience.
The second topnotch event was last Sunday when the Northport Performing Arts Center (NPAC) hosted a wonderful concert by the Northern Michigan Brass Band. It was an incredible performance, with one attendee calling it a “dynamo” concert. The band is comprised of 30 members from all over northern Michigan, many from the Gaylord and Petoskey areas, so rehearsals require travel for many of them. As a result, they make the most of four rehearsals for a performance. The conductor shared with Sunday’s audience that, because of the recent ice storms in part of the state, they were only able to have two rehearsals. You would never have guessed that from the quality of the performance. Many thanks to the Northport Lions Club for sponsoring the concert.
On the subject of local creativity, John Mitchell has been busy with his YouTube channel, Follow the Fishing. His love of fishing – all over the world – led to an amazing series of video programs. His program “Inside Carlson’s Fisheries” is all about our local Leland fishing enterprise. Be sure to check it out on youtube.com/@Follow the Fishing.
Also, be sure to click on Subscribe. There is no cost for this, but it makes it easier for you to follow John’s channel. Lydia Woodruff is his production guru.
Happy Birthday this week to John Ray, Dan Duffiney, Bruce Balas, and Adam Smart. Happy Anniversary to Bill and Susan Krusel, Greg and Marcia McMorrow, and to Ralph and Nancy Kalchik.
