Michigan Harbor Studios
My Own Story
I believe in the power of art and music to bring a sense of ordered beauty to the world around us. In the midst of often chaotic day-to-day life, the stories we tell ourselves and each other are a kind of thread that keeps us from unraveling. I want to tell stories of home longed for, and the memories that hold the smallest sliver of home found. As an artist and songwriter, I created Michigan Harbor Studios as a space for those stories to take shape, through words, music, and art. Here's a bit on how I found my way to creating Michigan Harbor - and why I believe in the power of this work.
Creative Beginnings
Growing up on a small farm in Iowa, my parents were pretty supportive of most things creative. I built forts in the woods. I learned to play several instruments. I wrote stories and filled notebooks with drawings. I made short films with friends. If there was a story to be told, no matter the medium, I was there for it. But I never gave a second thought to what that had to do with my identity. I created for the joy of it, and enjoyed the act of artistry.
Somewhere in early college, I was introduced to the idea that a person’s professional identity needed to be defined and limited to a specific occupation or skillset. The same people who had encouraged my early artistic pursuits had a hard time seeing how it could be a viable career path for me. So for the first 10 years out of college, I had a respectable career in things like retail management, financial analysis, and even church ministry. In the meantime, my creative life thrived on the sidelines.
In my days off I wrote, recorded, and released multiple albums as a songwriter. On the weekends I designed logos, merchandise, websites, and packaging for clients of all sizes. During my kids’ naptime I painted commissioned ink and watercolor portraits. I made short films to advertise my own art and music.
Moving From the Sidelines
It all worked and everything had its place, until I attempted to pull it all together. In 2021, I went through some serious upheaval personally and professionally. It was a moment in which pivoting was the only option, because there wasn't any way to stay where I was. I decided it was time to pull these separate parts of my creative life together. I wanted to build something new. Here’s where Michigan Harbor comes in.
It took me a while to find the common thread in this work. It wasn’t as easy as choosing a genre of music, or a style for art. Instead, my work as a graphic designer, illustrator, musician, and film maker, all centered around a desire to tell a story.
Sometimes mine, sometimes someone else's, and sometimes stories that didn't exist yet.
I discovered the deep longing for home I shared with people, as I painted portraits of their family homes. I discovered shared memories with othersas I wrote songs about my own childhood. I discovered surprising connections with strangers over my art influenced by things like Star Wars and Zelda.
The Theme of My Work
What seemed like disconnected art forms, were all connected by stories. If art is about expressing an idea more clearly without words, music completes the connections where the lyrics fall short.
In each of these things, my aim is to point people to beautiful things, and the stories that connect us.
Since the world can be a pretty disordered and disconnected place, that means art has a vital application in the life of every day people! I believe the creation of art and song, and the stories they tell, deserve more than a place on the sidelines. This is also a work that can't be done alone, and I hope you’ll join me.
When I’m not in the studio, you’ll find me enjoying life with my wife and five kids in Council Bluffs, IA. We're usually busy homeschooling, going on walks, reading, gardening, baking, eating, and introducing my kids to 90s cartoons. I also serve as a pastor in the local church, and as a social media strategist with SEMbyDesign.
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Have a question about a particular piece? Or interested in commissioning one of your own! My most popular commissioned work is house and building portraits, but I've also done work with illustration and other custom artwork.
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