Exhibit showcases artist’s relationship with nature

A new exhibit featuring two and three-dimensional art that have undergone a series of transformations is now on display at Northern Michigan University’s DeVos Art Museum.

“Mariel Versluis: Be Here, By Me” showcases the Michigan-based artist’s symbolic narratives for life’s transitions.

The Ferris State University Professor portrays her intimate relationship with nature through a wide range of media, including painting, print making, drawing, and sculpting.

“I really enjoy the connection she has with nature and with horses and dogs,” DeVos Art Museum Curator Melissa Matuscak said.  “She has a farm and so she’s horseback riding and she’s a skjor racer.  So she uses her skis and her dogs to pull her, and she competes nationally, so I was really fascinated in the way that her relationship with these animals show up in her work.”

Versluis will demonstrate her race-ready skijoring techniques during a special reception, Sunday January 26.  The demonstration starts at 2:30 p.m., and is free and open to the public.