Michigan Roots: The Places That Shaped the Art of Stoney Bend Prints
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Where the Michigan Art Prints Began
A pen, paper, and infinite subjects. Our built world is the canvas and the stories behind the structures give meaning to every place.
The beauty of drawing is tied to this unique ability to capture those places, and their stories, as seen through the eyes of the artist.
For me, that perspective is shaped by the place I call home. Michigan.
Michigan has over 3,000 miles of coastline and over 120 lighthouses standing along the shores of the Great Lakes. From working ore docks in the Upper Peninsula to quiet chapels, and weathered boathouses, the state is filled with structures shaped by water, industry and time.
A few of those structures would eventually shape the philosophy behind Stoney Bend Prints.
These places aren’t just landmarks or tourist stops. They are reminders of how people work, travel and built communities along the edge of the lakes.
This is Michigan, and it is the home where the idea behind Stoney Bend Prints first took root.
Shaped by Structure: Michigan Architecture and Place
Places like Grand Traverse Lighthouse on the Leelanau Peninsula in Northern Michigan— steady, functional, and shaped by time — formed the foundation. The foundation isn’t about postcards or tourist symbols, but about working structures and the stories built into their walls.
As a Michigan-based artist, I’ve always been drawn to the relationship between land, water, and structure. With miles of coastline and water wrapping around both peninsulas, Michigan creates a backdrop that is beautiful, industrial, and deeply woven into daily life in the Mitten State.
Boathouses and lighthouses, weathered by long winters and standing the test of time, has shaped my approach to art. Capturing these buildings on paper as hand-drawn Michigan architecture prints with a restrained style is less about decoration and more about honoring structure. All grounded in the understanding that every place has a story worth remembering.
Over time, early drawings became a focused exploration of Michigan architecture — the forms, lines, and quiet strength found in places that weren’t designed to impress, but to endure. What started as sketchbook work gradually grew into a body of Michigan fine art prints, now featured in the Michigan Collection at Stoney Bend Prints.
Each piece reflects the same belief that shaped the beginning: structure matters, history matters, and the places we return to — again and again — are worth remembering.
Drawing Michigan Architecture by Hand
I grew up in Northern Michigan, spending many summers along the shores of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay. Far from the big cities and congestion, the pace is slower and shaped by the connection to water and land. It became clear early on that this landscape is the perfect backdrop to build a body of work.
Many of the buildings in the Michigan Collection — from working fishing shanties to a family cottage or local chapel — weren’t built to be admired architecturally. They were built to do work. That quiet functionality is what gives them character, and it’s what I try to preserve on paper.
The intention is simple: to honor the places that quietly shaped Michigan’s identity and ensure they are remembered not as background scenery, but as part of the story itself.
A Michigan Trio Built to Endure
A few places within the Michigan Collection reflect this approach perfectly.
The Old Art Building, Leland Michigan
The village of Leland is probably most known for Fishtown — a real-life, working fish dock on the shore of Lake Michigan. Rustic weathered and still active, Fishtown is like stepping back in time.
Around the corner, quite literally, sits the Old Art Building.
Located a stone's throw from downtown, along Northern Michigan’s famous M-22, sits the Old Art Building which was constructed in 1922. It actually became a summer art school for Michigan State University (Go Green!) in 1939.
What makes this place so special isn’t just its architecture, the distinctive center chimney, or the park-like setting or the simple, classic design. It’s what this building represents that makes it so beloved.
It is a community gathering spot as well as the art and cultural center for the entire region. Like many places on the Leelanau Peninsula, Leland and the Old Art Building exist within the fabric of the community and give the region its character. A drive along M-22 makes that clear.
It’s this sense of place more than the structure itself that makes it worth drawing.
The Park Place Hotel, Traverse City Michigan
The heart of Northern Michigan may well be Traverse City. Set between East and West Grand Traverse Bay, the city is the largest in the region, and its downtown is known for its quaint storefronts, restaurants, and ever-present views of the bay.
In the center of town stands the iconic Park Place Hotel, which has graced the city “skyline” since 1930. While Traverse City has many hotels, none capture the same sense of history and presence.
It’s architecture is defined by strong vertical lines and a distinctive roof. Features that have made it recognizable for generations.
In drawing it, my goal was to capture that vertical presence rising up above the surrounding tree canopy. Although only 10 stories high, it’s vertical shape over the base of foliage gives it a sense of scale and permanence.
It’s a building that has long been part of the visual identity of the city.
Mission Point Lighthouse, Old Mission Peninsula
Head north from Traverse City and you’ll find yourself on the Old Mission Peninsula. A narrow stretch of land that divides East and West Grand Traverse Bay. A drive along the OMP (as the locals call it) is a rolling trip through vineyards and cherry orchards, dotted by turn-f-the-century barns and working farms — with Lake Michigan almost always in view.
Known for its slower pace and simple structures, the OMP is like a trip back in time. At its northern tip stands the Mission Point Lighthouse. Since 1870 it has been a local landmark guiding ships safely in and out of Grand Traverse Bay.
Certainly, some lighthouses are taller, or more imposing, but Mission Point is defined by its understated charm and restraint. It fits the OMP perfectly, and it sits within the landscape as opposed to overpowering it.
The focus for this drawing was capturing the crisp white siding and clean lines, but at the same time keeping the structure clearly a part of its surroundings — rising from the beach, but still held within the tree line, it reflects the way many Michigan structures exist shaped by place, not separate from it.
It’s the relationship between structure and place that makes it worth preserving.
From Michigan Places to Fine Art Prints
Stoney Bend Prints began with a simple, grounded belief that places matter because of the stories behind them. Some are shaped by time. Some by shared experience. Others remain with us simply because they became part of who we are.
The goal isn’t to recreate every detail, or to turn a photo into a picture-perfect replication. Each print begins the same way by understanding the structure first. The weight of a roofline, the rhythm of windows, the balance between negative space, lighting and atmosphere. Using black and white allows for all of the elements to exist together as opposed to seeking attention.
Those early sketch-book Michigan drawings ultimately shifted to become a complete collection of Michigan art designed to live in homes. Both as images of place and reminders of the connection people have to them.
Every Place Has a Story Worth Remembering
While Michigan is where the work began, the idea extends beyond any one place.
That belief continues to guide my art work: start with structure, understand its purpose, and preserve what makes it meaningful.
Because every place has a story worth remembering.
Explore the full Michigan Collection at Stoney Bend Prints.
Thanks for reading.
Scott
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