Framed prints of well-known artists adorn our walls, giving you a taste of what they would add to your own home's decor. Artists such as Jim Hansel (often mistaken for Terry Redlin's work), Rick Kelley, and Jon Wright, offer classic works depicting many northern themes. A few examples include a secluded campsite on the lake at sunset, a bald eagle soaring over the pine forest, or the smooth textures and colors of shore stones.

     The contemporary and intricate style of Jody Bergsma in her "Natural Elements" artwork gives us a new way of viewing the world. With a strong Native American influence, she blends the grace and beauty of forest animals with a message of spiritual connection to our earth. Her work is available in framed prints, matted prints, shadow boxes, gift cards, and even three dimensional magnets.

     EROS Art, wildlife art portrayed in the medium of metal by Shawn Schultz, is definitely a must to see. The hand drawing and masterful cutting of each original piece, followed by an eight step brilliant coloring process, creates an attention grabbing work of art. EROS Art offers table top pieces as well as the larger wall pieces, providing us with a choice for at home display.

     Living up north in Minnesota seems to inspire many local artistic talents as well. Silver Creek's Gallery is pleased to offer the work of two such gifted watercolor artists, Nikki and Susan Pavlatos.

     Nikki, who was raised on the land where the shop now stands and still living in the area, has provided us with a variety of work that illustrates her lifelong connection to the North Shore. As a child, after asking her father where the northern lights come from, she was told that the bears come out at night and dance with candles! This childhood memory has resulted in one of our most popular prints, "Northern Nights". The tall and colorful lupine flowers ("Lupine"), prolific along our roadways in June, and dandelions gone to seed and ready to be blown into the wind ("Wishes in the Wind"), give us lovely reminders of this area's beauty. Others, including one of Splitrock Lighthouse and another of a humorous group of snowmen are examples of Nikki's awareness of North Shore attractions in both summer and winter! All of these watercolors are available in matted prints. In addition, we are fortunate at times to have more of her work, both prints and originals, as she continues in her love of painting. (Visit our online shop for three selections from Nikki.)

     Susan Pavlatos focuses on local scenery when working with watercolors to create her well-known series. "Lighting Lake Superior" gives us a view of our lake's lighthouses, "Guiding the Lakes" depicts several types of boats journeying on the lake, and "Growing Wild in Minnesota" shows us the beauty of our state's favorite flowers. Each of these series, as well as individual views from each of them, come as matted prints, can be special ordered as a framed print, and some are available as bookmarks.