The Heartbeat of Michigan explores the spirit, energy, and identity of Lansing through mixed media on canvas (48 x 60 inches). This article provides a deeper look at the artwork’s symbolism, creative process, and inspiration, along with reflections on its place within the Lansing on My Mind series.
This artwork will be featured in Lansing on My Mind, a forthcoming book that combines original Lansing-inspired paintings, poetry, personal reflections, artwork, testimonials, and photographs. Together, my works celebrate the people, places, memories, and enduring energy that make Lansing a vital part of Michigan’s story.
The 48×60‑inch canvas is a meticulously crafted mixed‑media masterpiece that fuses traditional painting with tactile, three‑dimensional surface techniques.
I have built up multiple porous and lightweight materials — using acrylic matte gel, gesso, and fabric‑infused medium — to create a braille‑like, three‑dimensional surface* that invites the viewer’s touch, turning the artwork into an experiential political statement.
This tedious process of tactile surface & braille‑inspired texture:
Preparation: The surface was primed with thick gesso, then sculpted with modeling paste into raised, stippled patterns reminiscent of braille dots. This painstaking process gives the painting physical depth, allowing fingers to “read” the civic narrative.
Symbolic meaning: The braille‑like texture symbolizes accessibility and inclusivity in democracy, suggesting that political discourse should be felt and understood by all, especially marginalized voices. It transforms the Capitol into a tactile manifesto of civic participation.
Three‑dimensional effect: The raised relief creates actual optical vibrations when light catches the peaks and valleys, enhancing the sense of rhythmic movement and energy in the political “heartbeat” of Michigan.
Symbolism & meaning (expanded):
Title “The Heartbeat of Michigan”: Positions Lansing as the pulsating core of state civic life, with the textured surface embodying the physical sensation of that pulse.
Kaleidoscopic sky with mixed media particles: Multicolored squares embedded in the textured sky represent diverse perspectives colliding in Michigan’s political prism.
Pink‑red Capitol with gold accents: Warm hues signify passion and prestige in Michigan’s legislative heritage (Capitol completed 1879). The texture adds a tangible weight to the authority and vitality of government.
Optical vibrations & rhythmic movement:The three‑dimensional braille surface generates real light‑play and shadow, mirroring the dynamic flux of policy debates and societal change in Michigan.
Historical & civic context:
The Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, designed by Elijah E. Myers (finished 1879), is a neoclassical symbol of state governance. Its move from Detroit to Lansing in 1847 represented geographic balance and economic strategy, shaping Michigan’s political identity. My mixed media textured painting reinterprets this legacy by making the governmental monument physically accessible, emphasizing democratic inclusion.
Poetic & experiential analysis:
The painting turns the Capitol into a “tactile poem,” each raised braille‑like dot is a syllable of Michigan’s political narrative. The mixed media texture lets viewers “feel” the heartbeat of Lansing, merging visual vibrancy with physical sensation.
The work asks: How does touching the surface of government change our understanding of civic responsibility and inclusion?
Artistic Technique highlights:
This layered mixed media surface combines multiple media such as corrugated paper, strings, wooden clothespins, rope, yarn, buttons, skewers beads, old paint brush to achieve depth.
Braille surface technique: madigra beads dots for accessibility symbolism and physical optical effect.
Three‑dimensional dynamics: Enhances the “rhythmic movement” by creating actual shadows and highlights that shift with viewer perspective.
Interpretive Focus on “Lansing on My Mind” Series:
Though mixed media is one of my signature styles, I strive to use mixed to accentuate the exploration of a personal and collective memory of Michigan’s capital through sensory experience. The braille texture makes the political landscape tangible, suggesting democracy should be felt as well as seen, aligning the artistic process with the inclusive spirit of Michigan’s historic civic evolution.
