Joel F Ellis Art Web Log: Hoffmaster State Park on Great Lake Michigan

Sand Dance, 9x12 oil on board

June 5 - We just might get our first trip to Lake Michigan in for this year. The blankets and picnic supplies are beginning to be found. The maps and G P S ready for use. The next step is where to? The shorelines are calling to us, “We are beautiful!”

Morning Shadows 18x24 oil on linen
We nestled in to this welcoming slope
at Hoffmaster State Park

We stifle a little laugh at our childlike giddiness as we go through the process we know so well. Will the sun be out to bake us or just warm the dunes? Do we need all this food? ... And what about eating out? Should we leave at dawn like the many times before or let the morning sun sneak in and wake us hopefully in time to beat the morning rush hour traffic?

All this planning is just to see the beautiful Great Lake Michigan. My family has been doing this for low those many years of my childhood. The family albums are full of little children, including me, sitting on a blanket trying to sit and smile at the Kodak camera. At least I didn’t say Kodak box camera. Well, any way, you get the picture the dunes are calling again and with a lot of driving and a little luck my batteries will be charged for another painting season.

June 11 - P.S. Well, we did go the lake and yes we did get the weather report: a cool day in the mid 60’s, so we planned sweatshirts and jeans. As we got near the lake the sun came out shooting the temp up to the low 80,s! What happened to the mid 60’s? If you know us you know we don’t give up, so we did get to the sand and water dressed for cool weather as other beach goers were in more comfortable swimming attire. The sand was hot as the morning sun beat down. We made our beach blanket nest and settled in for a little surf sound nap.

Cooling of the Dunes award-winning 24x20
oil sold during busy month of May.

Soon we were aware of the increasing sounds of happy children swarming the sand playing beach games. A few teacher types stood guard as the end of the school year party blasted into full swing. A wet boy, arms out stretched yelled, “Free hugs” as he flew by. His friends ran from him howling back, “yuk, change your wet shirt.” The hunger for a hugs boy retorted, “Here? in front of the girls? No, I’ll change in the bushes.” We watched the kids just be that great preteen sub set of the human family. The most memorable moment for me was not so much the beautiful sandy beach but how we all lived that day in our own special way enjoying Lake Michigan.

Spring Marsh Song 36x36 acrylic, sold
through Shiawassee Art Center

It sure was a surprising and fun way to recharge the creative batteries and we got a chance to peek into the funny lives of those free and happy children on their end of school year treat at the beach.

We are taking a bit of a rest from the current exciting art show season. The winner at Shiawassee Art Center for Best Abstract is still on display until June 30 (see last blog, May 17). Rise Up was a joy to paint and even more exciting to receive a thoughtful judge critique for the win. We had excellent experiences with both the SAC member show and the Riverwalk Theatre show including positive responses and some sales.