Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Printmaker Nicholas Hill Posted September 22, 2021 2017 Guggenheim Fellow Nicholas Hill will use a small printing press to create printing plates based upon on-sight drawings that he’s created at various sites on the island. His printmaking processes are environmentally-friendly and water-based. He also looks forward to open studio sessions where visitors can come to his studio to see the printing process as he would use hand-made papers and demonstrate a variety of printing techniques with each plate. The press is small enough and portable and he plans to offer these demonstrations at other sites or even out-of-doors in good weather. Printmaking history is rich and complements the historical periods of the history of the island, so he plans to share these parallel histories during his demonstrations. The primary demonstration will take place at the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. The entrance is located to the rear of the building. Admission to all events are free.
Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Photographer Raymond Gaynor Posted September 8, 2021 Photographer Raymond Gaynor will lead a presentation/workshop on the images he’s taken while in residence. He’ll provide a detailed explanation on what drove him to take that particular shot, what he saw, and what he felt. Additionally, he will also discuss the technical aspects and processing workflow for each image. This is a free workshop presented in the Station 256 Conference Room located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. Entrance is to the rear of the building. #thisismackinac
Movie in the Fort Posted August 29, 2021 Presented by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Settle in under the stars at Fort Mackinac and enjoy Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on the Parade Ground. Bring a blanket or a chair and a snack. Part of the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival. This is a free event. #thisismackinac
Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Woodcut Artist and Printmaker Benjamin Bohnsack Posted August 18, 2021 Woodcut artist and printmaker Benjamin Bohnsack will present a continuous demonstration of block printing during his residency, so keep an eye open for him while on the island! For his scheduled workshop, he will showcase a half hour presentation about the story of literacy and printing, with a visual description of what he does to create his art. He’ll also do a brief show and tell of the work he’s done while on the island, leaving time for questions at the end. This program will be presented in the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. Entrance is located at the rear of the building. Admission is free. #thisismackinac
Mackinac Associates Annual Meeting Posted August 14, 2021 Mackinac Associates, the friends group for Mackinac State Historic Parks, will host their annual meeting on Mackinac Island. This is a private event for Mackinac Associates members. For information on how to join, please visit the Mackinac Associates website.
Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Constructed Watercolor Artist Elizabeth Spitz Posted August 4, 2021 Constructed watercolor artist Elizabeth Spitz will demonstration how her artwork is made, showing the technique of constructed watercolors. Sheets of solid watercolor paper are painted, then cut and glued in layers to create dimensional images. She will have examples in many stages of completion, to show how the process works from start to finish, because it is a very time consuming series of steps. Having the examples will allow her to talk through the process, illustrating the kinds of questions that arise. This presentation will take place at the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. Entrance is to the rear of the building. Admission is free. #thisismackinac
Vintage Base Ball Posted July 24, 2021 A vintage game of “base ball” as it was meant to be played, barehanded and by gentlemen’s rules on the old Fort Mackinac ball field behind Fort Mackinac, the oldest continually used ball field in Michigan! Learn an old-fashioned cheer, watch players fined for smoking cigars on the field, and enjoy a good old-fashioned rivalry! We welcome back the Rochester Grangers for the 2021 match! Sponsored by Mary’s Bistro and Draught House. Admission by donation. #thisismackinac
Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Poet Elizabeth Klein Posted July 21, 2021 Writer Elizabeth Klein will present a reading of her poetry collection titled Upon a Shoreline Exile. The pieces include: “Bench at Marquette Park,” with context on how Pere Marquette influenced the poem; “Night on Main,” which includes a brief anecdote about the poem’s origins as a scene in one of her fiction pieces; “Freighter at Windermere Point,” with mention of the poem’s connections to Somewhere in Time; “Arch Rock,” with comment on the Native American legend which served as an inspiration for the poem. Workshop will take place at the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. Admission Entrance is located to the rear of the building. Admission is free. #thisismackinac
Movie in the Fort Posted July 18, 2021 Settle in under the stars at Fort Mackinac and enjoy Ghostbusters on the Parade Ground. Bring a blanket or a chair and a snack. #thisismackinac
A Star Spangled Fourth of July Posted July 4, 2021 The historic island fort is decked out in patriotic finery with banners, flags and bunting. It is an 1880’s Independence Day, with 38-gun salutes honoring the states of the period, performances of patriotic music, and Victorian children’s games. Guests join the party and participate in games on the fort parade ground. Included with regular admission to Fort Mackinac. #thisismackinac
