Behind the Art: Chocolate + Trees

The artwork, "Big and Little Glen" has a fun story behind the brightly-colored leaves of the tree and a hidden word that was a happy coincidence that fit perfectly within the piece.

As some may know, I started creating newspaper collages in the summer of 2011 with the local Glen Arbor newspaper to express my creativity, never thinking I would sell my work someday. I guess boredom, no internet, and spectacular views can do us good!

The stacks of newspapers I have are filled with small business advertisements in the Leelanau area. One advertisement, in particular, caught my eye that would be perfect for the leaves of the tree that hangs over Stop #2 on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. The advertisement was for a well-known chocolate shop, Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, in Empire, Michigan. You can’t miss the bright green exterior of the shop as you drive along M-22; the same vivid green was the perfect fit for the leaves within “Big and Little Glen.”

Additionally, the word that was a complete coincidence and I thought was a great fit is “balance.” It reminds me of climbing trees as a kid and needing a good equilibrium and footing as we walked on the tree branches.