@MSU JBoots
Dwarf Alberta Spruce - Picea glauca 'Dwarf Alberta Spruce' and any spruce cultivar listed as a "bird's nest spruce" are terrible for bonsai.
Japanese Red Pine is slightly more winter hardy, a much better choice for Michigan.
Chinese elm is marginally hardy in Michigan. I winter mine on the ground, otherwise unprotected, but I am within a mile of "Da Lake" and "Lake Effect" means I can get away with things others a few miles west of me (in IL and WI, or away from the lake in MI. Protect chinese elms like you would Japanese Black pines.
Hornbeam - genus Carpinus, all make good bonsai and all are hardy in Michigan. Pretty easy.
Japanese Maples are an "advanced topic" - but there is no point putting off learning about them. Every beginner needs a couple, to screw them up, and eventually learn to do well.
I suggest Amur Maple - Acer ginnala - it is extremely hardy, difficult to kill. A much better maple for Michigan than the similar but less cold hardy Trident maple.
Get yourself some Cotoneasters, some crab apples (or any apple-Malus), they make great flowering and fruiting bonsai.
If you "go big", the American red maple, Acer rubra, is pretty good for bonsai, and is found in swamps all over MI.
Hinoki cypress do well in Michigan. They look nice and tree like just straight from the nursery. Don't go crazy pruning, and they will make a nice bonsai.
I agree Pinus sylvestris is good. In Michigan it is easy to find Jack Pine, Pinus banksiana. They are excellent for bonsai but they MUST HAVE FULL UNOBSTRUCTED SUN. Too shady and Jack pines will slowly die on you. I just lost a nice one for that reason. Must pine appreciate full sun, but might tolerate some shade for part of the day. Jack pine needs sunrise to sunset full sun.