Roo Kee Roo has been a partner brand at Canvas and Paddle since the beginning of Canvas and Paddle, four years ago!
The first piece of work that Canvas and Paddle asked Roo Kee Roo to create was the iconic scene from the Grand Hotel, as it watches over the Straits of Mackinac and greets every visitor that come to the island. The paddle designed prints were inspired by the uniforms that used to be worn at Fort Mackinac, back in the day! Last summer, they created the Arch Rock print, that quickly became a customer favorite!
Roo Kee Roo creates simple, yet powerful prints to serve as reminders of simple days spent on Mackinac Island, Up North or at whatever lake you choose to relax near!
We love working with Roo Kee Roo’s founders and brothers, Forest and Michael. They would tell you that their art serves as a glimpse into their days spent at the water. If you head over to their website, they tell the story of how the name Roo Kee Roo comes from a story their father told them when they were growing up:
“The name comes from a beast that lurked in the shadows of the forest. Our father warned us about the Roo Kee Roo around the campfire; a legend the French brought to Michigan first known as ‘le Loup des Loups’ or ‘Wolf of Wolves.’ He’d tell us ‘After sunset he’ll come to eat you! But if you stick together you can defeat the Roo Kee Roo.’”
We’re excited to be entering another season working with Roo Kee Roo to bring you art that captures a lifetime of memories!