Hey, if you are from Anoka or have friends or family in Anoka, you might want to check out these prints!
I still need to raise some funds for our trip to China this summer, and if you buy one or more of these prints you can save 10% off the print price. You'll also get free shipping if you order all three, and you can have the satisfaction of knowing you helped an old Anoka chum clean out one corner of his studio, too.
I haven't been promoting my prints for a few years, partly because these were done early in my art career and are quite different from the style in which I currently work, and because in recent years I have focused on making and selling original paintings. I still have a few of these particular prints remaining, and although they may not be to everyone's taste I'm guessing there might be one or two Anokans out there who would appreciate them.
I've included a brief anecdote beneath each image. After all, the stories sometimes enhance one's appreciation for the artwork.
Prices shown are before any discounts are applied.
Afternoon on Rum River
Signed and numbered
$145
"Afternoon on Rum River" is a reproduction of an original painting on canvas measuring 36" x 60" and was based on a black-and-white photo of the old Main Street bridge, taken in the thirties. I first saw it in the Bicentennial edition of the Anoka County Union. I vividly remember exploring those old stone buildings when I was a kid, but today I think they're just piles of rocks. The white building near the dam housed the turbine for the old Washburn Mill, which burned after the photo was taken. You can see it in the next image...
Anoka
Open edition reproduction of an original pencil drawing
$45
"Anoka" was a pencil drawing depicting many of the historic old scenes around Anoka, many dating back to the thirties. The original art was farmed and presented to Garrison Keillor by the Anoka County Hysterical, er, I mean Historical Society when he gave a benefit performance at the old high school in 1995. Lots of fun stuff to look at in this picture, which measures approximately 14" x 21" plus paper margin.
The Night Parade - Halloween 1959
Signed and numbered
$125
"The Night Parade - Halloween 1959" is- for me - perhaps the most nostalgic of these three prints. Based on personal recollection as well as detailed reference of the old Main Street businesses, this piece was commissioned by the AHS Marching Band Parents Association as a fund-raiser for the band in the fall of 1995 - the 75th anniversary of Anoka's claim to be the Halloween Capital of the World. There's an interesting detail in this painting that only the artist observed. Can you see what it is? Order a print, and I'll tell you! FYI, the image area measures approximately 12" x 18" plus a paper margin.
If you'd like to order one or more prints, email me from the Contact page, or call my studio at 320-834-4002. Thanks for your interest!