ART ON THE LAKE

Every year, on the August weekend following the Woodward Dream Cruise, the Troy, Michigan community of Northfield Hills has been host to a cherished event, Art on the Lake.    

This was the 40^th gathering of various Michigan craftsmen and artisans, who converged along the lake, proudly displaying their wares.Despite Mother Nature’s attempt to literally put a damper on things, the tents were raised on Saturday evening. 

 On Sunday morning, Boy Scout Troop 1701 was stationed at their checkpoints once again to handle the parking and traffic.  One of their crew was a grandmother of one of the scouts who proudly volunteered to assist.

As I meandered down the path, all sorts of delightful creations greeted me - garden and patio decorations shone brightly.  Weavers of hats and jewelry provided many one of a kind items.  Photographic prints for the walls and note cards captured the beauty of nature.   Beautiful ceramic bowls, statues, and accent pieces for the home lined the shelves and tables. 

 I was drawn to the display of Sue Tragar.   As her website indicates, Sue was raised in Thailand where her intrinsic appreciation of orchids was fostered by her father who used to grow them.  When she came to the U.S., her creativity produced some of the most beautiful and delicate orchids done in clay.  The process used to fashion the various colors and hues of the flower petals is time-consuming, but her patience is rewarded with these floral arrangements.  Sue asked that I not photograph her masterpieces, but you may view them at www.touchoftropic.com.  Her story and photo gallery is there, and Sue will soon have a Facebook page as well.

Another merchant who caught my eye was Mr. Edward McCauley.  Mr. McCauley was such a delight!  This U.S. Army Veteran of WWII proudly wore his veteran’s cap.  His daughter shared that he was in the Philippines with the Pacific Campaign.  What impressed me most was that this charming gent is a woodcarver.  He builds wooden trucks from poplar wood.  They are smoothly sanded to perfection, while allowing the natural wood hues to be the center of attention.  The love and detail that inspire him is refreshing.  Mr. McCauley’s efforts are reminiscent of an era where wooden toys were the norm, although they no longer dominate the playrooms of young children.

The aroma of culinary delights drew me to other tents.  Freshly roasted cinnamon almonds permeated the air.  Freshly baked pie slices were available for purchase, along with pizza.  One vendor was even making fresh batches of freshly squeezed lemonades!

I heard music in the distance and gravitated toward the sound.  Here was a woman playing soft, soothing music on a Celtic pipe.  She is one of many cancer survivors and a member of Gilda’s Club, founded by the late comedian, Gilda Radner.  As their website states “Gilda Radner’s dream was to create a free cancer support community for people with cancer, their families and friends.”  

 http://www.gildasclubdetroit.org/our-organization/about-gildas-club/

Events like Art on the Lake require the assistance of many volunteers.  The staff of Northfield Hills is to be commended for their dedication to this annual event.  From folks like Hansen Lee, Scoutmaster, Troop 1701 to the Troy Fire Department who gave folks a ride high above the lake, they all have played an important role in making this annual event a success.
 

This year we were also privileged to have our local cable TV company, CMN-TV onsite to provide some video of the event.   We support our local artisans and our cable TV station.

NOTE: CMN broadcasts locally on Comcast and Wow on channel 18.