Celebrating the Artists of Antrim County.
The selected artworks will be displayed in outdoor public locations throughout Downtown Bellaire!
Our Story
This Summer exhibit is our 3rd art installation, and is paid for in part by a Grant from the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, and the Village of Bellaire, Downtown Development Authority. It is also part of a broader,
two-part community arts initiative that also includes historical photo banners curated by the Bellaire Historical Museum!
The Art
"Americano for Americana"
Location: Bellaire Public Library
Artist: Alyssa Gootee
Student: Bellaire High School
My artwork Americano for Americana was mostly inspired by the coffee, ‘Americano’. I wanted to show how, with a history as long as ours, a good cup of coffee is what people would definitely need every now and then. The coffee brought me my inspiration because I didn’t know what to do at first, but the more I thought of ‘Americana’, I eventually thought of ‘Americano’, hence my inspiration. Sometimes people need coffee to get through the day, whether it’s with one cup, or with two. Maybe even three! I’m sure some of the past historians may have had quite a few cups of coffee when they were writing America’s history, and I’m sure some of the present historians still do today.
"American Whimsy"
Location: Bellaire Public Library
Artist: Gail Trumble
Student: Bellaire High School
I created my artwork to show how beautiful America can be in the spring time. What inspired me was the vivid pink of cherry trees in the spring and how they represent Northern Michigan. My artwork represents a mixture of America, with the flag in the sky, and Northern Michigan, with the cherry tree.
"Eagle"
Location: The Flying Pig
Artist: Julia Todd
8 years old
Julia Todd’s artwork connects to the theme Bellaire: Past and Present through her drawing of an eagle, a meaningful symbol of Bellaire’s history and identity. Julia was inspired by the eagle that often perches in a tree on the south end of Intermediate Lake. One summer, while swimming, she watched in amazement as the eagle swooped down and caught a fish right in front of her. Eagles have long been a part of Bellaire’s story, from their presence in the natural landscape to their role as the mascot of Bellaire Public Schools. Julia’s piece celebrates how eagles continue to represent both the past and present spirit of Bellaire, Michigan.
"Forth Of July"
Location: The Flying Pig
Artist: Lilly Augenstein
Student: Bellaire High School
My main message I wanted to convey in my art is the beauty of Michigan's lake. The calm beauty scene is truly what I want everyone to see. My inspiration was mainly the cherry fest, it's right by the water with trees that line the shores.I used colored pencils, water color, and a pen. I used blending in the Mitt because I'm good at that, then in the back I wanted the fabric feel for the background so water color was the best choice. My favorite thing about my art is the sun. I wanted it to look like an eye but not look out of place, In the end I was super happy with the mix of the two.
"Bellaire, Michigan"
Location: Corner Village Lot
Between Short's & Ruthie's Dairy Twist
Artist: Amanda Deyonker
"Sunset on Torch"
Location: Bellaire Bar
Artist: Julian Bamberg
Student: Bellaire High School
My idea was I thought of the first thing that reminds me of Antrim County. It also helped that I saw a boat on the lake by my house. I saw it heading home one day. I wanted to make the art feel hopeful to others.
"Majestic Courthouse"
Location:
Crosshatch Mercantile/Emma's Way
Artist: Michelle Perkins
I am an (almost) life-long resident of Antrim County. I grew up in Bellaire, and returned to the area after accepting a teaching position. Being a long-time resident, I have always loved the majesty of the Antrim County Courthouse. As a
very little girl, it was the largest building I had seen. My dad worked in the Equalization Department and visiting him in that beautiful building was always awe-inspiring to me.
It was this reverence that I have always held for this building that inspired me to paint it. This building began as the seat of our county’s government. After being unused for many
years, it was restored to its past grandeur. Today it houses our courts and for many people it is the first image they think of when they think of Belliare.
"Night Inn July"
Location: Stone Waters Inn
Artist: April Delange
Student: Bellaire High School
What inspired me was the idea of having a big banner on the deck of the Hotel and also wanting to incorporate something in the town of Bellaire. I wanted my artwork to show comfort and relaxation because it is a Hotel, and take away from the chaos that comes with tourism during the summer months. The materials I used to complete this piece were both water-color pencils for the color and a Thin-line Sharpie to outline that color. I practiced using water-color pencils more and worked on adding the right perspective with depth and texture.
"The House"
Location: Frontier Building
Artist: Ryan Putz
Student: Bellaire High School
I called it that because I feel like that it is the main building that people know in Antrim County. I tried to express Antrim County and America with the color on the building. I tried to make the color pop, like the red for the stripes and silver for the windows.
I tried to make this feel patriotic and prideful, and put a lot of detail in it.
"Berg Family Farm"
Location: Frontier Building
Artist: Ben Berg
Student: Bellaire High School
In my artwork, Berg Family Farm, I used the idea of my family’s real farm, which has existed for a long time in Antrim County, as my inspiration. I was inspired by the fact that I knew most of my family’s history had been based around this farm, and knew it could be used as a way to express the past of the U.S. It portrays the farm in a strong winter surrounded by snow. The truck is at rest, signaling the end of the work day. I used mainly water color pencils, combined with a sharpie outline to help make bits and pieces stand out individually from each other. The first step for getting everything right was figuring out the angle of the barn, using a photo to get it right. The contrast of color between the barn and everything else around it was used to make it stand out the most, and the snow, the truck, and the sign to get red, white, and blue in order to get the colors of the American flag.
The barn is my personal favorite part of the artwork, as it is the most important part of the art, as it is the centerpiece of everything, and pulls it all together in my opinion.
"Peak of Antrim County"
Location: Outdoor Adventures at
Paddles & Pedals
Artist: David Mwai
Student: Bellaire High School
The main idea of my artwork,¨Peak of Antrim County¨ is how beautiful the scenery of Antrim county looks. I was inspired by the greenery of Antrim County, my artwork shows the story behind the Antrim County. To create this piece of Artwork I used markers majority to make the color green to pop out and I used colors for the boat, compass to make the curves and the pencil to make the sketch. When using the materials I practiced how to lay colors and make the sunset appear like it is glowing and also how the boat stand out against the water.
"Bald Eagle"
Location: Community Hall
Artist: Samantha Hall
Professional Artist
This drawing captures a bald eagle in flight carrying a fish from the waters below. As our national symbol, the eagle connects to the United States’ 250th anniversary, while its interaction with the landscape reflects the natural heritage of Antrim County. The lakes, rivers, and streams are an essential part of the region’s ecosystem and community life.
Samantha Hall is a professional artist specializing in colored pencil drawings. With a deep appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of nature, capturing and highlighting these qualities is at the heart of her work. Originally from the east side of Michigan, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2015.
"A Band at Richardi"
Location: Bee Well Mead & Cider
Artist: Laura Busick
Student: Bellaire High School
The main idea of my artwork, A Band at Richardi, is that people can enjoy nature, art, music and culture in Bellaire. The pavilions at Richardi Park and my love for music inspired my art. My artwork shows a folksy scene of a traditional bluegrass band performing in the signature pavilion and beautiful nature of Bellaire. I used watercolor paint and pen in my artwork. I painted the background wet-on-wet. Then I added colored details and shading with darker paint. I put more details and outlined the pavilion using ink.
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