Artists | UP Arts & Culture Alliance

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Sol Anzorena

Illustrator; Jeweler; Mixed Media Artist; Muralist; Musician; Painter; Photographer; Vocalist/Singer

My name is Sol Anzorena, and I’m a visual artist, artisan and musician from Argentina, now living in Wakefield, MI. My work is principally inspired by the work of that greatest of artists, Nature Herself. For years I’ve been exploring the method and philosophy of creating art not just for the sake of aesthetics, but out of deep respect for the natural world, and so I use only sustainable and eco-friendly materials. I hope to inspire others join me on this journey, so that we all might reconnect with Nature and the peace that She brings.

Jax Caligula

Artist of Color; Author/Writer; Illustrator; Maker; Musician; Painter; Poet; Storyteller; Vocalist/Singer

I personally study a ton of esoteric knowledge and will recall myself as a fellow yogi. I enjoy creating psychedelic and otherworldly creations that bring you to a whole different universe. I enjoy exploring with many different colors as well. Though sketch and comic art is what started me I enjoy painting just as much and I do in fact play guitar and have always been a fan of claymation.

Maren Doughty

Musician; Vocalist/Singer

My name is Maren and I am an aspiring singer-songwriter in the Upper Peninsula! I play guitar and sing acoustic covers, including some of my own work. I take vocal lessons for classical vocal performance as well, so my background includes group choral and solo performances.

Troy Graham

Actor; Author/Writer; Composer; Musician; Performance Art; Performer and Writer; Poet; Producer; Teacher/Instructor; Vocalist/Singer

Troy Graham, otherwise known as Great Lakes Graham, is a folk singer-songwriter, poet, and children’s entertainer from Marquette, MI. Musically, Troy is most recognized for his original foot-stomping Irish and folk music and as a storytelling songwriter with a flare of bluegrass, old-time and gospel roots. Troy is always creating and has independently recorded over a dozen plus different music albums and has published poetry in four books. Most recently his book, “Freshwater Mermaids,” can be previewed on Amazon. His passion is encouraging youth and leading interactive poetry workshops along with musical performances for all ages. You will find him playing at libraries, schools, festivals and other concert series.

Niikah Hatfield

Artisan; Author/Writer; Ceramist; Dancer; Maker; Mixed Media Artist; Multiple Art Forms; Musician; Performance Art; Vocalist/Singer

Emerging from the wilderness, Niikah is an artist & singer-songwriter from the north woods of Michigan. Dancing between reality and the ethers, her work is in constant conversation with the world. She grew up on a small family farm near the coast of Lake Superior, and between homeschooling, wandering through the woodlands, and working in the fields, she gained a deep appreciation for the cycles of life, hard work, and a deep connection with nature. After studying Ceramics at Northern Michigan University and abroad in Romania, Niikah started Niik Creative Co. in 2020. The small studio, located on Presque Isle in Marquette, is the heart of a thriving business with a mission to bring unique and creative home goods that inspire presence in everyday life. The thread that emerges amid the breadth of her creative endeavors is one of deep inquiry into the interconnectedness of all things. Laced with a desire to better understand the world we live in, her creative expression becomes a way of life. Leaning into the experiences that make up life is the nectar of living, and art is the medium.

Stephen Hooper

Musician; Poet; Vocalist/Singer; Songwriter

Under This Cold Sky is the songwriting moniker of Stephen Hooper. His music spans a broad range of styles from folk and Americana to modern rock. His lyrics are just as diverse and have been included in publications such as the Walloon Writers Review (“Cold & Free”) and American Songwriter as a lyric contest finalist (“Five Until Forever”). Most recently, his 2021 album Summer ’97 was released everywhere music is streamed.

Phil Lynch

Composer; Musician

“Songs that hit your heart!” is how one festival organizer described Phil Lynch’s joyful mix of life-affirming music. With a style similar to James Taylor and a voice often compared to Randy Newman, Phil’s songs about life, love, and time are proven to make audiences think, laugh . . . even cry. Hailing from Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula, Phil is widely known for his ability to both entertain and inspire. Delighted listeners often remark on the personal connections Phil makes through stories and anecdotes, ranging from thought-provoking to downright funny. Well-known throughout the upper Midwest, Phil has received standing ovations not only from his audiences, but also from festival organizers, theater managers, even the host of Nashville’s famous Bluebird Café, who exclaimed, “You can’t help but sway to his infectious, smiley groove!”

Miles Mykkanen

Actor; Musician; Vocalist/Singer; Opera Singer

A winner of the 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Miles Mykkanen has garnered recognition on the world’s concert and operatic stages for his “focused, full-voiced tenor” (The New York Times). Of his performance in the title role of Candide at Tanglewood, it was reported in Opera, “Mykkanen sang and spoke feelingly and superbly, with crystalline diction, a powerful lyric sound seemingly capable of infinite dynamic gradations.” Mykkanen’s schedule includes return engagements at The Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Staatsoper Hamburg, Royal Opera at Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, and the Opéra de Lausanne. The Bessemer native has sung under the batons of Sir Antonio Pappano, Marek Janowski, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sebastian Weigle, Leonardo García Alarcón, Franz Welser-Möst, Manfred Honeck, Leonard Slatkin, and Nic McGegan in performances at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Carnegie Hall, The Cleveland Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival, New York Philharmonic, The Kennedy Center and the symphonies of Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, New Jersey, Oregon, and Pittsburgh. He can be seen on PBS Great Performances “Renée Fleming’s American Voices” and the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD broadcasts of Boris Godunov, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Wozzeck. Miles Mykkanen is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School. He is the Artistic Director of the Emberlight Festival in Ironwood, MI.

Philip Rice

Composer; Director; Musician; Performance Art; Performer and Writer; Poet; Producer; Teacher/Instructor; Vocalist/Singer

Philip Rice (b. 1988) is a Northern Michigan-based composer, poet, and community organizer. He holds a DMA from Michigan State University and an MM with distinction from Westminster Choir College in Princeton. In 2015 he was a winner in the American Prize for orchestral composition, and a finalist in the ASCAP Morton Gould Awards. He has authored two poetry collections and edited the anthology “Thoreau at Mackinac” in 2017. He founded “Voicing Poetry,” a special collaboration with the Michigan State University College of Music and the MSU Center for Poetry in 2014. He currently serves as the Program Director for the Mackinac Arts Council, and sits on the executive boards for Straits Pride and the Upper Peninsula Arts and Culture Alliance. He lives on Mackinac Island.

Peg Sandin

Musician; Painter

Painting has become almost as important to me as breathing. Watercolor is my favorite medium because of the spontaneity and immediacy that it requires. Living on Lake Superior and observing the play of light off the lake inspire my work. The change of seasons is one of the reasons I live in this area. It provides me with all new color palettes and textures to explore. Winter on Lake Superior is the most dramatic, especially when the lake is almost completely frozen. The light is new and pastel, the lake crunches, and snow blankets the earth and softens the harsh cold. When the little buds of new plants push through the ground, spring is on its way. The wonderful new colors of the buds, the new growth in the woods and the melting of the ice make the blue lake look very welcome. Summer is rich in color and warmth. The lake becomes alive with visitors who play along the shores and fly over the waters. Fall greets me with a burst of color that is difficult to mimic. The spectacular show of color lasts only a few weeks, but remains a favorite time of year for me.

Jalen Sims

Artisan; Artist of Color; Graphic Artist; Media/Visual Communications; Mixed Media Artist; Multiple Art Forms; Muralist; Musician; Painter; Printmaker; Producer; Spoken Word Artist; Vocalist/Singer; Voiceover

Jalen Sims is a multi-talented creative force, excelling as a graphic designer, artist, and musician. With an innate ability to blend visual aesthetics and sonic landscapes, Jalen brings a unique perspective to every project he undertakes. As a graphic designer, his keen eye for detail and innovative design approach captivate audiences and breathe life into brands. Simultaneously, his artistic prowess allows him to express his vibrant imagination on canvas, infusing his artwork with bold colors and thought-provoking themes. Jalen’s talents extend beyond the visual realm, as he also harnesses his musical abilities to create captivating melodies and lyrics that resonate deeply with listeners. With a diverse range of skills and an unwavering passion for creativity, Jalen Sims continues to inspire and push the boundaries of artistic expression in all its forms.

Daniel Truckey

Composer; Musician; Vocalist/Singer; Songwriter

In the fall of 1988, Daniel Truckey played his first solo performance at Whiskers on Presque Isle Ave in Marquette, Michigan. Since that time, Whiskers has been torn down but Dan is still writing, recording and playing his music. Over the past 33 years, he has performed his songs in clubs, coffee houses, bars, festivals and concert halls from Connecticut to Nebraska, and over the past 14 years has made Marquette his home base. Dan grew up in a very musical family, and spent his early years in Flushing, Michigan before moving to Wakefield in the western U.P. at the age of 11. At the age of 17, his family moved to Munising and he then attended Northern Michigan University, graduating in 1990 with a degree in History and minor in music. He then lived in Ohio, New York, Connecticut and Iowa before he moved back to Michigan in 2002. After several years in Traverse City, he made his way back to Marquette, where he runs the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at NMU. Besides his life as a museum curator, Dan is a singer-songwriter and musician who has played in everything from jazz/blues combos to rock bands and most recently with the Celtic trio, The Knockabouts. All along, he has also carved out a life as a solo artist and has recorded six solo albums and one as a duo with his brother Drew Truckey, the 2008 album by The Truckey Boys, “The Family Hour.” His most recent album, “The Incurable Romantic” features 15 songs about the romance of life, in all its many forms. He is also the coordinator of the Marquette Rockestra and has played in two local rock bands, The Geezers and Norwegians Would.