Influences

I opened a new show of my work at Gallery 120 in River Falls last night. We had a great turn out, but I was especially surprised when a couple folks that I haven't seen for several decades walked in.

The first was my printmaking professor from UW River Falls, Mary Barrett.



Without a doubt, Mary was a huge influence on my printmaking career - I learned everything from lino cuts to stone lithos with her, but what really stuck were woodcuts. I was even honored with receiving a press from her last year when she closed her downtown St. Paul studio - I can't thank her enough for what's she's done for me.

Not long after Mary left, a former mentor who I haven't talked to for 20 years, Bill Ammerman, walked in:



Again, Bill is a retired Art professor from UWRF. He taught drawing and watercolor, both classes that I never took, so I in fact never had a class with him. Never the less, he was a wise and steady council that I could always talk to. Again, I was deeply honored when he walked in to see my work.