Rising Stars: Meet Michael Wilson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Wilson.  

Hi Michael, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My creative story began as young rockhound, endlessly searching for unique beach stones along the lakeshores around Traverse City. My formative years were filled with backpacking trips out west and to Isle Royale, along with remote paddling trips in Ontario with my wife, Ellen. It was on these trips that I encountered many rock cairns, also known as hiker-helpers in the backpacking community. These stacked rock structures help guide hikers along the trail above tree line and help mark portages for paddlers in the densely forested north country. It was from these passions, along with my Irish and British Isles ancestry and interest in human cultural symbolism, that my beach stone cairn idea was born on a Lake Michigan Beachwalk in 2010. 

Cairns can convey various meanings by the maker and be interpreted in many ways by the traveler who encounters them. From a simple directional duck cairn to a more complex memorial cairn, the meanings are endless, and it’s one’s individual interpretation that makes them so interesting. This, combined with my deep spiritual connection to Lakes Michigan and Superior, led me to this natural form of artistic expression. 

My first gallery sale was in 2011, and I opened my Etsy store later that year. Since that time, I’ve added pebble cairn pendants, earrings, and ornaments, along with large garden cairns and more, to my collection. To date, I’ve had sales in forty-nine states and thirteen countries. In addition to my website and Etsy store, my work can be seen at galleries in Petoskey, Suttons Bay, and Douglas. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a relatively smooth road. I started with an idea and gradually nurtured it over time. My career job is a Fisheries Technician for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, so my artistic business occupies my nights and weekends. Everything I make is one-of-a-kind, and I take pride in each piece that I make. The balancing of my primary job, family, creating art, and running a business is the hardest thing, as there are only so many hours in a day. It’s a small-scale niche market, though, so it’s doable while at the same time very rewarding. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I make artistic cairns and jewelry from pebbles, stones, beach glass, and driftwood collected from over thirty-five beaches along Lakes, Michigan, and Superior. I’ve found that people who purchase my work usually have a deep connection with the lakes, either from living here or from visiting these beautiful shorelines. I’m most proud of the happiness my creations bring to my customers. Many of the messages and custom order requests I receive are quite humbling. I’ve created pieces for wedding ceremonies as well as memorials for loved ones. I would say that what sets me apart is that I came up with an original idea and saw it through. I was the first Etsy store to sell cairns, and now that site has many shops that mimic my original idea and, in many cases, copy my descriptions. I would say what sets me apart is my dedication to creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind items with attention to detail. Ellen and I travel over two thousand miles a year collecting from various beaches along both lakes. The differing geology of the lake regions gives me the opportunity to create naturally unique and thoughtful pieces. 

What makes you happy?
Creating cairns and jewelry that people love that reminds them of these beautiful shores and the time spent along them. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stonecairns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stonecairns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064009243695
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/stonecairns/