Eaton Rapids, MI (population: 5200 or so), holds a unique place geographically: it’s further from any great lake than any other city in the state of Michigan. So it wasn’t inevitable that Bryanna Manning, who was raised there, would grow up to paint Lake Michigan.
Still, there were family camping trips to the lake, and that helped plant the seed. But it wasn’t until she attended Hope College, located near the lakeshore, that she fell head over heels for it. She scheduled her classes in the morning so she’d have time to hit the lake in the afternoon.
She was at Hope to study art; in time, though, she found herself getting disillusioned. “I didn’t think I’d ever sell my artwork,” she said. “I didn’t see a way to make my living selling art.” She put down her paintbrush and entered the adult world. She married. She had kids. And, 10 years or so after college, she found herself picking up her paintbrush again.
She decided not to overthink it. She’d paint what she loved, and if it sold, it sold; if not, not. Gratifyingly, the work did find its audience, and she began to make a name for herself. Now through September 4th, her exhibition Mother Lake can be seen at Saugatuck’s Center For The Arts.
Twenty-two paintings, all created within the past two years constitute the exhibition, tracing a journey to the lakeside. “I wanted it to feel like this journey. You’re walking through the woods down to the lake. Throughout, I’m drawing on childhood memories, an age when you’re still exploring, discovering, making core memories.” Having children of her own allowed her to view the lake both from her own vantage and that of her children.
The paintings have been compared to Monet’s haystacks. The comparison makes sense: there is an impressionistic quality to the paintings, a capturing of light and color quite distinct from what a photograph can do. And, as with Monet’s work, there’s an acknowledgment that time of day and of year impact how the lake is seen. Things look different at noon than they do at dusk, and different in February than they do in September.
“It’s always beautiful,” she said. “And it’s always a little different. I feel endlessly inspired to keep trying to capture these aspects.” In making these paintings, she often traveled to the lake, coming at different times, soaking up the experience. Often, she would work from photos she had taken, but being there to take them, and experiencing the lake in person, was a key element.
Part of the joy of her work is that they’re committedly paintings; there’s a texture to them, discernible online but better experienced in person. “I like seeing the work of actual hands in art,” she said. “I like the physicality of it. I include a lot of texture, very layered textured. Yes, these things we’re seeing are in nature, but there’s also the hand of an artist behind it. I think this is even more important now. There’s so much talk about art produced by AI, but AI can’t do this.”
The work evokes memory. And there’s a peaceful, even benevolent quality to the paintings. (One painting is titled “Peaceful Love,” a reference to Bon Iver’s song “Everything Is Peaceful Love”). The word viewers keep using with Manning is “warm.” “‘It feels really warm,’ they tell me. That was by design. We even painted the walls creamy white. There’s this hint of goodness.” She hopes that the work inspires a feeling of gratitude in the viewers for all that the lake provides.
Asked why people should bother seeing this work in person, she says, “To me, it’s the same question you could ask about anything. Why go and do anything in person? Why go outside? Why not just look at pictures of mountains on your computer? Because in person, you can actually experience something. You can actually engage with it.” When she looks at paintings in person, she’s thinking about the artist: how did they do it? How did they come to that decision? She’s reconstructing the journey of a mind as the canvas was filled.
Regardless of whether viewers of the exhibition takes the time to think about why Manning made the decisions she did, they’ll find themselves transported into a slower, more peaceful world, the dreamlike, beautiful world of Lake Michigan.
SC4A SUMMER EVENTS
sc4a.org
August 7th-30th, Once
A Dublin busker meets a Czech woman come together over a shared love of music in this Tony Award-winning musical based on a beloved 2017 film. As with Into The Woods, the production will feature professional actors and will be brought to life here in West Michigan.
Artist-Led Classes and Workshops
Bryanna Manning and Artist in Residence Jaer Medina will conduct upcoming classes and workshops at the center. Check them out at sc4a.org/adult-programming.
Center (On)
On the fourth Friday of each month, SC4A hosts a breakfast centering on exhibitions, performances, markets, and more. The cost is $10 for non-members, free for members. Details can be found on the center’s website.
