"Artifacts from the Schoolcraft Expedition" (detail) Liz Ward
Keweenaw Construct #2 (in center of Store collection) Robert Ziebell
Soup or Juice?
Our first to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was in the late 1980s -- a mad dash northward to flee as far as possible from the intense heat of the Houston summer, and to explore the southern shores of Lake Superior. Of the many pleasures of that first sojourn, we remember the glorious scenery, the booming thunderstorms, the cheap longneck beers from Wisconsin, the modest (and affordable) cottages, and the crystal clear, cold water of Lake Superior, with little fish nibbling at your numbing toes.
We've been coming back ever since.
With one foot stuck in the amazing history of its mining past, life in the U.P. had not quite caught up to the rest of the world, and that was just fine by us. The distinct regional character of the residents was as intriguing as the landscape. Experiencing the local accents for the first time, Liz finally comprehended the bumper sticker Robert’s Honda Civic Wagon had sported for years: "Say yah to da U.P., eh?". We were also amused by one of the more eccentric rituals of restaurant dinners in the Keweenaw: "Soup or juice?" the wait-person would ask, about our preference for the first course. Never salad.
Obviously the U.P. has changed a lot since those "soup or juice" days. Now there are organic farms, coffee roasters, jam-making monks, mountain-bike trails, and fantastic micro breweries. But the the area still retains its unique “yooper” personality, and each year it yields more wonders and courses, a moveable feast to discover and enjoy.
Much like a choice between soup or juice, many two-sided options have inspired us, two artists, two different approaches, but with shared aesthetics. Liz Ward’s fake "artifacts" from the 1832 Henry Rowe Schoolcraft expedition to the source of the Mississippi, are installed seamlessly into the Store's collection. As are Robert Ziebell’s architectural details of the factories and homes of the area, which are reassembled to make unique objects. We never lack for ideas and inspiration rooted in this area. And now we have re-opened the old General Store in our favorite town, Eagle Harbor, to incorporate the present into the past.
Every winter we look forward to returning to the sublime landscape that is the Keweenaw Peninsula to inspire us for another year. Soup/juice, South/North, hot/cold - these are the contrasting dualities that define our days and feed our work.
On to the next course!
Keweenaw Construct #1 (On left) Robert Ziebell