Ruth’s Quilt is a painting of one of hundreds of quilts Brie’s Grandmother created by hand.  The medium used for the original painting was done in Gouache, which is best described as an opaque water based paint, and is the choice of most illustrators.  Brie’s paintings are considered realistic, the most difficult of all styles to perfect.

This quilt is resting on a rocking chair that also belonged to "Grandma Ruth".  The quilt almost seems to beckon the viewer to pick it up and wrap themselves in the quilt, perhaps while sitting by the fireplace.

At Grandma’s house tucked away underneath the attic stairs was an old trunk, a favorite place to explore as a seven year old.  So many things in this old trunk, in particular an old blue cap to put on and play with even though Grandma had given explicit instructions not to touch.

It was mid-afternoon, a Friday in November, first year of Junior High School when over the intercom came the words “President Kennedy has been shot in DallasTX, and has died.”  Little did I know five years later it would be the beginnings of the painting, “Abraham, Martin, & John and Bobby.”  Exactly one week later, shortly after one PM, almost to the very moment in time, my Grandfather was hit by a car and died a short time later. 

On Thursday evening in April, after supper, weeks away from my high school graduation, over the television came the announcement Dr. Martin Luther King JR had been shot.  I would not realize at that time just how profound the affect would be of his assassination. 

Just two short months later on a Thursday morning in June, the radio programming interrupted with the news Presidential candidate Senator Robert F Kennedy had been assassinated in California.  The first thoughts after hearing the news would be why the senseless killing and wondering if brother Teddy was next.

It was fall, that same year, first year of college, when Dion’s song *Abraham, Martin & John* was being played on the campus radio station.  Mesmerized, I couldn’t stop thinking about all of them, and I began to formulate the painting in my mind.  Soon afterward it would become a reality.  When it was finished, I cut an oval mat for the painting, but not having any backing for the artwork, left it exposed and most vulnerable to damage.  Over the next couple of years, having carried it around to different places, one day, with hands full, and carting the painting, unexpectedly dropped some of what I was carrying.  It fell right into the center on the back side of the painting puncturing President Lincoln’s head.  Devastated, and for days in disbelief, looking at the damage I had caused with no way to repair the painting, all the while kicking myself for not putting a backing on the artwork, something taught to even the most beginning novice, always, always, always be sure to protect your painting with a backing.  It was ruined.

I kept looking at the puncture, knowing President Lincoln had been shot in the head.  Suddenly the painting began taking on a whole new dimension.  The more I focused on the puncture, the more I began to realize all this time the painting had been incomplete.  I had not finished following through with the expression of my thoughts and feelings in the painting.  It was simply incomplete.

What then transpired was something I could have never imagined when I began formulating this painting in my mind nearly two years earlier.  I carefully began tearing each of the others, at first with great apprehension, but as I tore, this painting was transforming right before my eyes.  I took the carefully torn pieces and gessoed them onto a piece of blue illustration board.  The connection of a ho-hum, ordinary painting of four portraits had become interwoven with my thoughts and feelings and had come full circle in a way much more profound than could have ever been imagined.

It would be several years later while visiting Washington DC, sitting in Ford’s Theatre, fixated on the Presidential Box where President Lincoln and his wife sat on that Friday evening so long ago, while envisioning that old blue cap tucked away in Grandma’s old trunk.  This is where the painting really all began.  That old blue cap Grandma was so protective of belonged to her Uncle, a private in the Union Army who died January 25, 1863.  The impact provoked from these four individuals will stay with me forever.

The medium used in this painting is charcoal and pastels on pastel paper, and was attached with gesso to blue illustration board. 

There are three famous images of George Washington, the Portrait  by Rembrandt Peale; Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze; and General George Washington on Horseback on the battlefield at Trenton, a lithograph.  You will also find George Washington’s inaugural address, written in his own hand with his signature at the bottom.  You will see representations of *The Bill Of Rights,* *The Declaration of Independence,* and the *U. S. Constitution.*  Also, there are the original 13 Stars representing the original colonies.  And finally the flag stripes and bald eagle which is from a painting I did entitled "Freedom Flight."  The title represents the beginning of our Country, the first President of our Country, the beginning of these grass roots movements, and hopefully our return to the beginning – returning to God.

“Once Upon A Time” was created from a happy memory in Brie’s childhood, reading a book full of pictures to her two best friends.  The painting is full of hidden meaning, and even more memories than at first glance.  Even though the puppy in the painting is not Brie’s “first love, Spotty” the pup represents that unbreakable bond between a child and their first puppy.  And who can forget the very first dolly in a little girl’s life?  The back story of this particular doll named “Mary Christmas” was given to Brie by her Aunt, one of her Aunt Mary’s collection.  En-route to her through the US Postal service, it was stolen.  But as miracles often do happen, what should re-appear just before that Christmas but this stolen doll, which the US Postal Service was happy to finally deliver.   The little girl in the painting, is “Cali” who just happens to be the great-granddaughter of Brie’s “Aunt Mary.”  The book that Cali is reading is a book that was created by one of Brie’s mentors and close friends, Jessica Zemsky.  The lace on the pillow case was crocheted by Brie’s grandmother, Ruth.  And, last but not least, even though Grandma Ruth was well known for her beautiful hand-made quilts, the quilt in the painting was created completely from Brie’s imagination.  The medium used for this painting was Pastels.

This painting was created for the purpose of raising funds for the new library in Donnellson, IA, to house and maintain the artifacts from Richard Proenneke.  The Proenneke family chose the Donnellson Public Library as the permanent residence for Richard's artifacts from his life and adventures in Twin Lakes, Alaska.  Richard's remarkable accomplishments have been documented by himself and others on film and hundreds of journals that he kept daily.  Richard has provided invaluable information for the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska.  His life, accomplishments, and adventures for more than 30 years have been put into two DVD;s entitled "Alone In The Wilderness" and "Alone In The Wilderness Part II".  The documentary has been shown on Public Television many times showing Richard building his cabin strictly from hand tools, some of which were self made.  The painting was put into Limited Edition Prints for the purpose of raising funds for the Richard Proenneke Fund.  A substantial portion of the proceeds goes toward the preservation and maintenance of the artifacts.

The concept for “Sunset At Twin Lakes” was to create a scene highlighting Richard Proenneke’s home at Twin Lakes, Alaska.  Crag Mountain provides the perfect backdrop for his homestead.  After choosing this spot, Richard built his cabin and cache using only hand tools, some of which he made.  The stone fireplace was built using the rocks found on his many travels in and around the Twin Lakes region.  The cabin is nestled at the base of the mountain near the Twin Lakes shoreline.  The viewer will be able to see the trail which begins at the shoreline, proceeding to his cabin, cache and beyond.  In the foreground Richard is paddling back from one of his many adventures in his ever trusty canoe at sunset.  Only the cabin and top part of Crag Mountain are catching the final rays of the setting sun.  On the shore line near the beach you will see his handcrafted chair; two different racks of antlers hugging the dead spruce tree; the U. S. Flag; a handcrafted table next to the cabin.  At the shoreline is a small rock pile and gauge Richard crafted to keep watch on the rise and fall of the lake level.  The large dead spruce next to the cabin is significant.  Richard wanted to have a standing dead spruce tree nearby his cabin in case he could not travel due to weather conditions, or perhaps injured, or possibly ill.  The dead spruce would always provide a ready supply of firewood. 

In order to keep the painting as true to the actual homestead as possible, a full scale detailed drawing serving as a study for the painting was done and sent to Richard’s younger brother, Raymond, known as Jake, in California, and then to Alaska for review by employees of the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve,  John Branson, Leon Alsworth, Buck Mangipane, and Jeff Shearer prior to starting the painting.  Their comments were extremely beneficial in keeping this creation as true to the actual scene as possible.

These Gray Wolves were from a private preserve in Montana.  On one of my trips to Montana I was fortunate to be able to watch these three adolescent wolves taking in the early morning light.  They were in such a relaxed state of mind, it was a pleasure just watching them go through their antics from a sleepy half-awake state to a full blown stretch.  It was such a privilege to study these Gray Wolves close up.  Because it was early summer, there were several wolf cubs with their piercing sky blue eyes.  As they develop into adolescence and into maturity, their eyes change to an intense yellow coloration.

Wolves are very social animals, and the hierarchy within the wolf pack is very structured from the male and female Alpha wolves down to the very young.  The average litter consists of six pups that are sightless at birth.  All pack members - brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles, cooperate in feeding and watching over the young.  Play is a critical element in the development of the pack but also maintaining the pack hierarchy.  Wolves challenge and test their prey on a less deadly level, play is one way in which they challenge and test each other.  Their games often resemble tag or hide and seek.

I managed to catch these three as they began to arouse from their sleep.  Just like a human, they go through their morning ritual of yawning, stretching, and slowly getting ready for the day to come.

The painting was created with black Spectracolor pencils.

The Ambassadors were the four original wolves at the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN.  I took a few trips to Ely and found myself mesmerized by the four, and began to see them individually.  The four were siblings, and, except for Mackenzie, the black wolf, the other three were very difficult to distinguish from each other initially.  But the more I watched them, the more I began to understand their antics, and their heirarchy within their own small pack.  They played such an important role to the visitors, because they were truly The Ambassadors.  They had a huge role to play in bridging the huge divide between humans and wolves.  The attitudes of wolves has slowly evolved into a more realistic one, in large part due to the efforts of places such as The International Wolf Center, and The Ambassadors who gave the visitors the ability to see them up close and personal.  Of all the wildlife, I find myself drawn to the wolves more closely than any other.  These four siblings standing from left are: Lucas, the only male; Mackenzie, the only black wolf; Lakota, and Kiana, the one laying down in front.  Of the four, Mackenzie seemed to be the Alpha wolf, and Lakota, unfortunately was on the opposite end of the heirarchy.   

This artwork was originally created for one the pieces for my College Senior Exhibit, a requirement for graduation.  They were put on display at "Strong Hall" for a few weeks prior to graduation.  When the Senior Exhibit was over, I went to retrieve my artwork, and to my surprise, "The Viking" had "mysteriously disappeared."  Needless to say, for a long time, I was rather upset that someone would be so cruel and selfish as to steal a piece of artwork.  That would be my first experience in someone with "sticky fingers" and over the years, I seemed to have a few more pieces "mysteriously disappear."  I can't help but wonder just what happened to them, and where they are today.  This seems to happen to Artists all too often.  On the one hand, it's quite a compliment someone was so taken with a piece of artwork I had created, but on the other hand, just took it upon themselves to steal it.  It would be many years later that I would create "The Viking II."  Black and white artwork has always fascinated me, which is perhaps why I have always liked this piece so much.  "The Viking II" is done on scratchboard.

This Mama Wolf watching over her 5 rambunctious cubs is typical for their natural development and introduction into the world around them.  On one of my trips to Montana, I was lucky enough to be able to hold these little babies with their piercing sky blue eyes.  To watch them interact with each other at this age is truly a privilege.  It is not something most people are lucky enough to ever see. 

Wolves are very social animals, and the hierarchy within the wolf pack is very structured from the male and female Alpha wolves down to the very young.  The average litter consists of six pups that are sightless at birth.  All pack members - brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles, cooperate in feeding and watching over the young.  Play is a critical element in the development of the pack but also maintaining the pack hierarchy.  Wolves challenge and test their prey on a less deadly level, play is one way in which they challenge and test each other.  Their games often resemble tag or hide and seek.

The medium used for Ever Watchful is Acrylics, applied in thin acrylic washes.  The paint is built up with a multitude of thin layers of acrylic paint which gives dimension to the detail of the subject.  Even though it is tedious, the effect is worth the extra work and time.

On a trip to England, I spent some time at Wallsworth Hall at the home of "Nature In Art" and one of the residences at this beautiful Georgian Mansion were these gorgeous white doves who just seemed to glisten in the sunlight like a multitude of pearls.  I couldn't resist watching them as they watched me, after all, I was intruding into their domicile, even though it didn't seem to bother them all that much.  The painting is done in pastels.