The internet is an incredible place. I first saw Melanie Whitson's art on facebook, in a Scotland group. Her clean, beautiful drawings truly capture the essence of place. My favorites? While they are all so evocative, her Leanach Cottage at Culloden has grasped my heart. I feel the wind blowing across the battlefield, smell the smoke and humanity, and remember moments of history, both large and small. 

Nora Martin Hall is a contemporary representational painter working primarily in oil paintings, and utilizes a wide range of techniques, from classical painting methods to photorealism, creating trippy, large-scale portraits and installations. Requiring thousands of hours of focused training and dedication to execute, she blends the innate need to be spontaneous and reckless, too. 

Today, I'm so very happy to bring you the beautiful, interesting, creative, and playful art of a longtime friend, Hannah Miller.

Extraordinary! The light. The colors. The vibrancy of life...it's JUST what we need right now. Luckily, global photographer Mathias Falcone is here for us. He is a master at sharing essence of people, and place.

Rounding the corner at Grand Rapids Comic Con last year, we stopped in awe. In front of us was extremely whimsical, playful, creative art that made me smile with pure joy.

The artist? Kat VanderWeele, whose art makes us happy.

One look at the extraordinary photos from our featured photographer, Aaron Cooper, and you'll do as I did: fall into his landscapes, a bit like Alice. He perfectly captures the essence of place and spirit. 

Portage, Michigan. Boat Dock ©ACD&M 2019

We first met our friend Lara Smith at Grand Rapids Comic Con, at Artists Alley. After falling into discussion about her playful, creative art, we KNEW we had to share her work with our wandering educators. 

Wandering the aisles at Grand Rapids Comic Con, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the goodness. But as we walked by Corinne Roberts' booth, we did a full stop (don't worry, no one crashed into us). Her art drew us in with its playfulness, creativity, and intelligence. Once we started talking with her, I KNEW our Wandering Educators would be interested in her art...and books.

We first met our Artist of the Month, Jessalyn Kline, at the 2018 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts High School Art Show. She had a gorgeous embroidered piece of art, full of meaning, color, and beauty. Of course, I asked her to share it with our wandering educators. You, too, will be amazed at her range of creativity, her eye for detail, and her passion for creating. Without further ado, the art and words of Jessalyn Kline...