Professional Optical

02/07/2026

Nearly 30,000 sports-related eye injuries are treated in U.S. emergency rooms each year, according to the most recent estimates we have.

As we look forward to the Super Bowl and the start of the Olympics, it seemed like a great time to talk about eye safety while playing sports. So many sports related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear. And protective eyewear can be found at our office, Professional Optical. Stop by 560 West Mitchell, Suite 204, Petoskey, MI, 49770 or call for an appointment 231-487-0171.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries-sports

02/07/2026

As we look forward to the Super Bowl and the start of the Olympics, it seemed like a great time to talk about eye safety while playing sports. So many sports related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing protective eyewear. And protective eyewear can be found at our office, Professional Optical. Stop by 560 West Mitchell, Suite 204, Petoskey, MI, 49770 or call for an appointment 231-487-0171.

02/03/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.

Today we will introduce Joe Clark. The following is the bio from his website- "Joe Clark is a photographer and educator whose work reflects a deep connection to the natural world, particularly the coastal landscapes that provide both inspiration and essential respite from his autoimmune condition. Drawing influence from iconic photographers such as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Karl Blossfeldt, Joe’s style merges technical mastery with a reverence for nature, especially the coastal environments where he spends much of his time aboard his sailing vessel, Animaashi.

Focusing on landscapes and the untamed beauty of the natural world, Joe approaches photography as a camera technician first. His goal is to authentically capture the mood and setting of a scene as he encounters it, using his full technical expertise to ensure each image speaks for itself. Like his artistic role model, Ansel Adams, Joe doesn’t manipulate the subjects of his photographs but waits for the perfect conditions to unveil the compositions that nature provides.

Joe’s autoimmune condition, which manifests primarily through severe arthritis and systemic inflammation, greatly shapes both his work and life. He has found that staying close to the ocean is not only a creative choice but also a medical necessity, as the fresh coastal air significantly alleviates his symptoms. This limitation influences the scope of his work, leading him to focus predominantly on coastal regions and maritime landscapes, where he finds healing and inspiration.

Previously, Joe operated a gallery in Downtown Petoskey, Michigan, showcasing his works and offering fine art printing and conservation framing services. Today, his nomadic lifestyle allows him to adapt his art practice to his health needs, focusing on coastal photography and traveling wherever his condition can be best managed. He has exhibited in galleries and consignment spaces across Northern Michigan and has collaborated with non-profit organizations, offering his technical skills and artistic eye to create marketing materials that align with their missions.

Joe extends his expertise to others through workshops and lectures, teaching photography as a technical discipline while sharing insights from his personal journey. His fine art printing experience further adds depth to his educational offerings, making his classes a comprehensive exploration of photography from capture to print.

While Joe believes the emotions behind his images are best left to the viewer’s interpretation, his work carries a quiet power—a testament to the delicate balance between vulnerability and resilience. His personal challenges, particularly the health struggles that have forced him to live a more transient life, have also led him to reflect deeply on the themes of adaptation and survival, themes that subtly resonate in his art.

Looking ahead, Joe intends to continue his journey of travel and photography, using his work to support himself and his family while exploring new landscapes and evolving his craft. As he captures the world’s natural beauty, he invites viewers to see the world through a lens of resilience, adaptability, and reverence for the forces that shape both nature and human life."

Go to his webpage at https://www.joeclarkphotographer.com/ or, come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Joe's work, along with 9 other artists.

01/31/2026

👁 Why are dilated eye exams important? Ophthalmologists explain:

👁https://ow.ly/IWpW50Xx5mQ

01/31/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.

Today we will introduce Mary Bea McWatters. The following is the bio she shared with us- Mary Bea is a professional artist from Petoskey, Michigan. She draws inspiration from her love of the outdoors and a lifetime of artistic experience. After earning a BFA in Art and Design from Northern Michigan University in 2006, she lived and painted in various locations across the United States before returning to her hometown. Mary Bea creates vibrant, nature- inspired works from her studio on the Bear River, sharing her deep appreciation for the Beauty of the Natural World through her art.”

"Creating art is about opening space for the work to come through. If we continually nurture our creative selves, the light reveals itself." -Mary Bea

Go to her webpage at https://marybea-art.com/ or, come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Mary Bea's work, along with 9 other artists.

01/29/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.

Today we will introduce Julie Stratton. The following is the bio she shared with us-” Julie Stratton is a contemporary impressionist painter. Mostly depicting scenes based on local surroundings; she infuses emotion through bold use of color, sparking the imagination of the observer. She is self-taught and comes by painting naturally, as her father was an oil painter as well. Julie was raised in northern Michigan, enjoying its ever-present beauty and inspiration. Her paintings are oil on canvas with a signature style consisting of a bright fauvism color palette mixed with heavily layered impasto effects.

Julie has a background in architecture, but her true love has always been the arts. Her paintings are found in many private collections around the country. She currently resides in Boyne City, Michigan with her husband.

Please come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Julie's work, along with 9 other artists.

01/28/2026

01/27/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.

Today we will introduce Annie Russel. The following bio is from her website -” Annie Russell currently splits her time between Charlevoix, Michigan and New Orleans, LA. The shores of The Great Lakes, the vastness of the Pine Forests, and the domed expanse of deep blue skies provide her endless inspiration.
Her heart skips a beat when she returns to her beloved New Orleans where music and color fill the air, and the night skies glow soft purple as she strolls the French Quarter. Annie Russell has been painting for private clients and designers for over 30 years. Her work has been featured in Northern Michigan galleries as well as regional publications.”

Go to her website https://annierussellfineart.weebly.com/ #/ And of course, come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Annie's work, along with 9 other artists.

01/24/2026

👁Ophthalmologists debunk myths about blue light and your eyes:

👁 https://ow.ly/pxvQ50XLbpI

01/24/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.



Today we are introducing Mary Jill Lemieur. The following bio is taken from her website - “Hello! I’m Mary Jill Lemieur, a visual artist residing in northern Michigan. I've been doodling, drawing and painting since I was two. As a child I was influenced by the miniatures and animal illustrations of Beatrix Potter, the whimsical art of Paul Klee, Marc Chagall and the wild sixties colors of Peter Max. After earning my BFA (graphic design and multi-disciplinary fine arts) at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan I worked as a graphic designer for twelve years, before embracing fine art and illustration.



Although my work has been exhibited in solo shows, group shows and galleries, I've found my true niche in commissioned work. I've painted hundreds of highly realistic portraits of people, places, animals and beloved pets. These commissions are my most challenging and important work: creating treasured art which has an emotional impact as well as one of beauty. My paintings are created with oil, watercolor, goauche, acrylic and elaborate hand-painted digital media. My intention is that my work will give you the same sense of wonder and imagination I feel when I'm painting!



I have received the award "Featured Artist" for Corel Painter Corp. and my painting "Duncan on the Beach" received second place in the photo art category of Corel Painter's 2021 worldwide digital painting competition!”



Go to her website https://www.maryjill.com/ And of course, come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Mary Jill's work, along with 9 other artists.

01/22/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.

Today we are introducing Cayla Tinney. The following bio is taken from her website - "My home and work are rooted in Michigan's landscapes and the little landscapes on a kitchen table between people having dinner. Through my current paintings, I seek places where we've tied our threads of memory and home to the landscape. Each piece is built and carved through gradual and interwoven layers which, like paint on the side of an old house or days in a life, are in themselves little histories. Throughout my work, there are ecological and botanical interpretations of the landscapes as well as purely personal and poetic strands, each piece holds both of these aspects of understanding as companions in listening to the elemental heartbeats of places and things. Central to all of my work is a deep regard for getting to know things by spending time with them.

a note on process-
Landscapes are carved through history, the continuous process of building up and breaking down. I paint by this same principle. Like forests growing, leaves falling and breaking down into detritus then enriching the soil for new growth; my process of layering, slicing, carving and reworking at different stages of drying with diverse materials becomes the history of a landscape which is the canvas. Responding to both the materials as well as the subject just as plants grow in response to their genetics and environment. Each pieces is a result of a long history in which both long established and newly developing relationships determine my process."

Go to her website https://www.caylatinney.com/ And of course, come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Cayla's work, along with 9 other artists.

01/20/2026

For the next few weeks, we will be rolling out introductions to all of our artists that have their work displayed at Seeing Solutions Art Gallery. These artists donate 10% of each piece they sell to the Seeing Solutions Foundation.

Today we are introducing Meredith Krell. The following is from her bio - "I am a printer/printmaker. I make art from what I see and experience day to day. I really like vintage objects; signs, old cars, and trailers, all of which are vanishing quickly. I guess I prefer the slower, less complicated times. I also paint and print horses, dogs, cats, tortoises and other critters. I do commission work as well (everything from tractors to dogs and boats).
I hope to show through my work a walmness and humor which we all can
use."

Monotypes and Monoprints - description of prints and how I create them.

Monotype: If you look in the left bottom corner, you will find an edition
number such as 1/1 meaning mono or one of one. This one-of-a-kind print
is made by applying ink toa plate and transferring the ink from plate to
paper. Each print is unique and executed separately by hand using a press.
Some monotypes remain the way they went through the press while others
are illuminated with watercolor.

Monoprint: a monoprint is a type of relief print carved into wood or linoleum.
After carving out the image the plate is ready for ink. I ink the plate with a
brayer and roll the ink across the carved plate. It is then run through the
press. Because the matrix is the same, each print is basically identical.
They become unique when each print is hand illuminated. The color will
vary. The edition of the monoprint range is anywhere from 10 to 80 prints.

Please come to the gallery at 4070 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770 to see Meredith's work, along with 9 other artists.