Michigan is home to many talented artists. Featured here are two of our favorites: Char Bickel of Northport, and Kathleen Chaney Fritz of Ada.

Char Bickel has been making collages in her studio in Northport, Michigan since 1991.  She loves combining painting and fiber traditions, joyfully telling her own story about living in Northern Michigan in colors and shapes translated through her imagination, eyes, and hands into an offering she can share with others.    Inspired by the playfulness and flexibility of collage, a typical image is an expressive bear shape cut from red silk, pre-painted with a red brushstroke, and adhered to a painted silk beach and sky. 

Kathleen Chaney Fritz is particularly noted for capturing so beautifully the essence of Michigan as we all enjoy it. Her imagery is timeless; her paintings awaken the senses and allow us to revel in the beauty that is unique to our Great Lakes State. A graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design, Kathleen worked for many years as a free-lance illustrator. In 1986 following the overwhelming success of her first poster for the Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair, Kathleen began to focus on her career in fine arts.