History of Industry Sculpture Series (2018) Forestry, Timber, Lumber, and Paper

Timber, lumber, and paper production played a significant role in Alpena’s economic development from the mid to late 19th Century and into the present, morphing as required to meet market demands. The forests of Northeast Michigan helped build numerous communities, including Detroit and Chicago, and still provide lucrative raw material and recreational opportunities for locals and tourists alike. These 36 tiles in one mosaic represent the forestry, timber, lumber, and paper industries emerging from the forests of the region and how lumbering, water, transportation, and industry are integrally intertwined in an ever-evolving economy with firm foundation in the woods of Northeast Michigan. The White Pine, the Thunder Bay River, and Lake Huron are iconic images of interrelated economies of past, present, and future.

Sculpture height 4′ – width 3′

Stone height 9.5′ – width 4′ – weight approx. 7-8 tons

Winter Solstice Sunset – 245 degrees (Azimuth)

Artist/Design – Sharon Smithem, Charlevoix, MI (mosaic). Thomas Harmon, Alpena, MI (frame)

Medium/Material – Mosaic of white pines along the Thunder Bay River – Clay tile; Frame – Cedar

Information provided by Thunder Bay Art Council & Gallery, Tim Kuehnlein

Photo courtesy of Thunder Bay Art Council & Gallery