Local Art Wall at Scheurer Health
Local Art Wall at Scheurer Health
With our lengthy Lobby-to-Lobby renovations now complete, one of the new features to come out of the project was a dedicated space for our “Art Wall.” Located on our main campus in Pigeon, the Art Wall has
quickly become a canvas for creativity and inspiration thanks to local artists willing to showcase their finished products.
So far, the Art Wall has featured three local individuals: Kris Leipprandt, Nancy Knapp and Drew Deming. Each artist brings their unique perspective and style to the Art Wall, creating a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for patients, visitors and staff on their way to the Dining Room. In the next few pages, we will dive into each of their inspirations for their artwork.
Kris Leipprandt, who was featured for three months starting in January of 2024 has always been drawn to color. As a child, she was the one with a box of crayons in hand, exploring the vivid hues of the world around her. Her love of color inspired her to start experimenting with paint and found a particular affinity for acrylics due to their versatility in texture and style.
“Art for me has always been about my journey inward,” says Kris, “It allows me a time of self-reflection to become my truest self by sharing it with the world.” Kris has been painting full-time and selling her work for the past two years and recently announced the opening of a studio in Caseville. She draws her inspiration from the beauty of the Thumb’s shoreline, capturing the essence of lake living, sunsets, wildlife and the tranquility of nature.
“The last two years I started painting full-time and selling my work. I’m inspired by all the beauty of the Thumb’s shoreline and how many people have fond memories of summertime at the lake, myself included. In hopes of connecting with people locally, I have been painting several series related to the lake, sunsets, wildlife and the joys of lake living.”
Influenced by impressionism and abstract expressionism, Kris aims to convey a sense of peace and connection to nature through her art. “I love how the artists like Monet and Renior used strokes of color to merely hint at the scene or subject, leaving the viewer to look closely to interpret what it is the artist is trying to convey,” she explains. “Impressionism gives the viewer only part of the information and leaves us to bring our own interpretation, our own meaning.”
In terms of what Kris would like her audience to take away from her paintings, she states, “Each piece of art is unique but mostly I hope to convey something beautiful from our surroundings that give viewers another way to interpret nature, its beauty and essence, and to transcend the everyday busyness of life by conveying a sense of peace in my work.”
Pastels are the medium of choice for Nancy Knapp, allowing her to achieve vibrant colors and textures and were on display in the hospital starting in April of 2024. Nancy's paintings often have a fantasy feel, with exaggerated colors and invented landscapes. Her favorite subject is landscapes, particularly trees, which she paints from both memory and observation.
“I started with oils and watercolor but quickly found that pastel was the medium for me. I could achieve the sparkling color and texture I wanted with them, and there was no color mixing like with oils, so I could complete a painting in much less time. Using pastels, which resemble sticks of chalk is a lot like drawing – no paintbrush – just sticks of compressed pigment applied to paper. Pastels are very direct and expressive.”
“My work is all about capturing the beauty in the mundane,” says Nancy. “Simple things I see, and hoping others enjoy them as well.” Inspired by artists like Tom Thomson and Robert Glenn who use bold brushstrokes, simplified shapes and striking colors, Nancy's work celebrates the beauty of the natural world, inviting viewers to appreciate its commonplace and find joy in its simplicity.
Nancy’s artwork was an avenue for her to connect to the local area, having moved to the Thumb in 2020,
“When we first moved to this area, I didn’t know anybody that wanted to go out painting, so I forced
myself to go and I had a wonderful time; now I don’t think anything about it. My first winter paint out here was at Port Crescent State Park. That snowy day comes right back to me every time I see that little
painting.”
Our very first artist to be featured on the Art Wall was Drew Deming, whose wife, Christina is a registered nurse in our Infusion Therapy department. Inspired by the beauty of Michigan, Drew Deming found his passion for painting as an extension of his childhood love for drawing and coloring.
“It seems that painting is one of the more accessible artistic mediums. It’s a natural extension of drawing and coloring from when we were kids,” stated Drew. “My interest in painting started in high school and I owe a lot of credit to my art teacher, Sean Gallagher at Unionville Sebewaing Area High School. He gave me plenty of freedom to explore all types of mediums and encouraged my interest in watercolor when that was the one I enjoyed best.”
Influenced by artists like Bill Watterson, the author and illustrator of Calvin and Hobbes, as well as Charles Schulz, the author and illustrator of Peanuts’ Charlie Brown and Snoopy, Drew aims to capture the essence of life and emotion using simple lines and vivid colors.
Drew explains, “They both (Watterson and Schulz) do so much with so little. They use simple lines and squiggles that express so much emotion and life in their work. I aspire to do the same. A good example is Woodstock from Charlie Brown. If you really look at him, he’s really only a couple of marks with a pen and yet conveys so much expressiveness and life.”
One of Drew's significant projects was creating a children's book with his wife, Christina called Scurry
and Scoot. Their collaborative process was filled with laughter and creativity, resulting in a whimsical and
joyful story.
“The entire experience of creating our children’s book, Scurry and Scoot was enjoyable. The best part was coming up with goofy stories with Christina. We would bounce ideas off of each other and just try to make each other laugh.”
When asked how Drew handles creative blocks during the painting process, he explained, “Both my wife, Christina, and my mom, Pam, have good artistic eyes. When I’m having a hard time seeing what’s wrong with a painting or drawing, they are good critics. They’re honest and don’t shy away from telling me if something isn’t working or if I’m headed in the right direction. Their honesty is always kind and always appreciated.”
These three artists have brought beauty and inspiration to our newly minted Art Wall, creating a space of joy and reflection for all who pass by. Their unique styles and perspectives remind us of the beauty that surrounds us and the joy that art can bring to our lives. Whether it's the vibrant colors of Kris Leipprandt, the fantastical landscapes of Nancy Knapp or the simple, joyful scenes of Drew Deming, each painting invites viewers to pause, reflect and find joy in the beauty of the world around them.
To view more of our artists’ work:
Kris Leipprandt // krisartist.com
Facebook & Instagram: @krislart_
kris@krisartist.com // 989.280.4753
Nancy Knapp // NancyKnapp.weebly.com
Lemon Tree (Caseville) PAK’s Garage (Port Austin)
nknapp4@hotmail.com
Drew Deming // etsy.com/shop/DrewDeming
Facebook: @DrewDemingWatercolors
Instagram: @deming.paint
