Meet our 2012 Courage Card Artists

Collin Bogle, courtesy of MHS Licensing. Award-winning artist Collin Bogle has created a national following for his strikingly realistic wildlife and floral images. His remarkable ability to capture detail and to master the use of light in natural settings became hallmarks of his work. "Light plays a major role in my work," states the artist. "An abundance of light and shadows creates a playground for me, and allows a painting to take on a life of its own." Bogle uses pastels, colored pencils, watercolor and acrylics, whatever it takes to create the superbly-lighted, realistic and almost photographic images that have gained him an impressive reputation and following. See Colin's Card!

Chris Bridge, Humble, TX. Formal art instruction in oils began at age 12 in Australia, where she went on to earn a BFA degree from Graceland University. "Painting is an opportunity to record and reflect the beauty seen in all creation. This watercolor mosaic symbolizes peace as various skin tones become one hand and light & love are shared." www.chrisbridgeinspirations.com See Chris' Card!

Yarrow Brown, Winona, MN. A self-taught watercolor artist, Yarrow honed her watercolor skills mostly through trial and error. Quiet Light was painted on the winter solstice, which was an exceedingly cold but sunny day. "The glow of the cliffs contrasting with the icy river made me realize that it is just like life. There is always light and shadow every day". www.yarrowbrown.com See Yarrow's Card!

Nancy Patrick Carney, Minneapolis, MN. Nancy has been making pictures as early as she can remember. She graduated from Miami University in Ohio with a degree in Art Education and taught elementary art. During the time when she was raising her family, she worked as a free-lance artist and did design, illustration and advertising. Today, she enjoys pen and ink illustrations of houses, woodcut prints and watercolor painting. Nancy says, "Experimenting with every art material I can find in my home, studio and yard is my idea of a good time!" www.nancycarney.com See Nancy's Card!

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Elaine Dube, Mesa, AZ. Largely a self-taught artist, Elaine loved to drawn from a very early age, but began to take it seriously when her youngest child showed an interest in watercolors. She is an avid artist and art teacher and belongs to numerous watercolor organizations. Elaine believes that "painting is a gift that I can share through my teaching and the selling of my work. It is a very solitary occupation and I need that quietness. Watercolor painting is my passion." www.showcaseyourart.com See Elaine's Card!

Andrew Evansen, Vermillion, MN. Andy began painting watercolors in the mid 1990's, and is largely self-taught. "I strive for a convincing portrayal of the landscape, with an impressionistic touch." Andy recently won an international competition for his artwork, and he has a featured article in American Artist's Watercolor magazine. www.andyevansen.com See Andrew's Card!

Lisa Fertig, Arden Hills, MN. Lisa works in watercolor, acrylics and oils and paints in two distinct styles, abstract and representational. Lisa's artwork is held by numerous private collections, businesses and corporations and is shown in galleries throughout Minnesota. "My art affirms my belief in the oneness of body, mind and the world in which we live." www.lisafertig.com See Lisa's Card!

Barbara Fox, Little Valley, NY. After receiving a degree in Fine Art from UC Davis, Barbara pursued a career as a graphic designer and illustrator. When she moved to a more rural area, she began painting fine art and is a self- taught watercolor artist. "I believe that talent is just a small spark that must be nurtured. I love art that is beautiful and lifts my spirits." www.barbarafoxartstudio.com See Barbara's Card!

Paula Garland, Downing, WI. A self-taught artist from a very early age, Paula thinks of herself as a quieter artist. "Art is all around us, from a child's face to sunlight peeking through the clouds. Art is not only viewed with the eyes, but embraced by the heart." See Paula's Card!

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Kathy Glasnap, Fish Creek, WI. Peaceful serenity captures the mood and tone of many of Kathy's watercolors. Her unique style of painting combines a traditional form with an impressionistic flair. Kathy is self-taught and has enjoyed a career as a professional artist for over 34 years. "My palette has become more colorful since I moved to Door County", states Kathy who appreciates living amidst the natural beauty that has so influenced her work. www.glasnapgallery.com See Kathy's Card!

Patty Glumack, Eden Prairie, MN. Patty is a self-taught artist who enjoys how art can be both relaxing and stimulating. "I desire to share the joy of the small details of life around me. It's an opportunity to close off the rest of the world for a while and focus only on the particular piece I am working on. It's a gift." See Patty's Card!

Marie Hammond, St. Paul, MN. Upon her return in 1975 from North Africa where she had lived for 3 years, Marie took her first art class at the YMCA. She has become active in various art organizations and is an award-winning artist. As a retired nurse, she now teaches art therapy and "knows the part that art can play in healing the spirit. Art brings joy to people and anyone can participate through observing, applying or discussing. Art builds a connection with people and the world." See Marie's Card!

K. Renee Huggins, Enid, OK. Renee has been a Courage Card artist for over 20 years. In addition to her artistic endeavors, she is also a Public Fire and Life Safety Educator. Renee along with her service dog, Willow, teach firefighters rescue procedures despite her physical challenges. The training of service dogs has become a real passion in Renee's life. "My disabilities don't define me. I define myself by my abilities. Through my art, I hope to instill the concept that one can achieve goals in spite of obstacles." See Renee's Card!

Linda Hutchinson, Kent, OH. Linda explores her artistic interests in drawing, watercolors and oils. Her favorite subject is the human figure, but nature and everyday life never cease to amaze and enchant her. "Painting is everything to me. It is both calming and elevating." Linda appreciates the encouragement & celebration she finds in the artistic community. www.hutchinsonart.blogspot.com See Linda's Card!

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Ted Johnson, Duluth, MN. A retired physician, Ted began painting seriously almost 20 years ago. His understanding of color and appreciation of nature gives him a depth that expands past his time creating art. Ted has studied extensively with many gifted and renowned watercolor artists. He has exhibited in numerous galleries and his artwork can be seen at his home studio in Duluth. As an artist who has a great admiration for the serene beauty of the northern landscape, Ted believes "the peace and quiet of a birch forest stands in contrast to our busy lives in urban settings." www.mnartists.org See Ted's Card!

Georgia Kandiko, Excelsior, MN. Interested in art from an early age, Georgia actually pursued degrees in science and business and worked in these fields while raising her family. However over the years, art still called to her and she could not resist the urge to create. Mostly a self-taught watercolor artist, Georgia has taught art and been accepted into many juried shows both locally and nationally. "Painting is a way to communicate with the rest of the world in a unique and sensitive way. I love having the opportunity for creative expression," states the artist. uat.kandikoandkandiko.com See Georgia's Card!

Lavona Keskey, Plymouth, MN. Lavona's interest in art began as a young child with encouragement from her mother, and later evolved into her profession. As an award winning cake decorator, Lavona is best known for her portraits and scenes on cakes using airbrush painting and elaborate frosting techniques. Her many artistic interests also include figure sculpture, watercolor and oil painting. www.lavonakeskey.com See Lavona's Card!

Maria Langell, Albany, NY. Maria was born in Budapest, Hungary. Her love of art began at a very early age. She always dreamed of becoming a professional artist and that dream came true in the United States. Maria studied illustration in New York City, and made her career in fashion illustration as a layout artist for newspaper advertising. Today, she is a free-lance artist and enjoys the freedom of creating images that have a contemporary look. Maria likes expressing her feelings with art. "I want to express the hope that the holidays bring joy and peace to all!" See Maria's Card!

Amy Larson, Park Rapids, MN. Amy received her Bachelors Degree in Art Education at Illinois State University. She moved to the Twin Cities where she and her husband raised their four children. During that time, Amy taught art around the metro area and also showed her work at many art fairs and galleries. Today, Amy continues to paint watercolors of the beautiful lakes of Minnesota. See Amy's Card!

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Kairong Liu, Eagan, MN, was born in China and came to the United States when he was twenty-three years old. He received his M.F.A. degree from the University of South Dakota. Since then, his art has been in many shows and collections throughout the Midwest. Kairong says beauty can be found in the most unexpected places and he tries to reveal that in his work. "My paintings are my feelings and appreciation of what I see. I like to paint things that are very ordinary but beautiful in an artistic way." www.kairongart.com See Kairong's Card!

Christine Meany, Southern Pines, NC. Christine is a mother of three young girls and a self-taught illustrator. Her father, an accomplished artist, inspired her love of the arts. Her family encouraged her to dream that anything is possible. Christine says, "The Peace Tree is a reminder of our need to maintain peace in our country, peace in our homes and peace in our lives." See Christine's Card!

Douglas Meyer, Traverse City, MI. Douglas began painting in kindergarten and has been an artist ever since. After a serious auto accident, he was determined to pursue his artistic interests. Douglas enjoys painting with watercolors because they best express his personal gift in painting creative impressions of life's changing beauty. See Douglas' Card!

Bruce Miller, Mound, MN. Internationally recognized artist and winner of the prestigious Federal Duck Stamp award in 1993, Bruce Miller grew up in the Lake Minnetonka area in Minnesota. A ten-month long European adventure helped inspire his youthful artistic energy. His artistic journey would evolve from portraiture to abstract & surrealism, but eventually would turn toward wildlife art. "My art is constantly evolving and is somewhere between realism and impressionism. I try to attempt to infuse the wonder of light in my paintings and to glorify nature." www.brucemillerartist.com See Bruce's Card!

Pam Peltier, Detroit, ME. Pam has been illustrating for over 30 years and enjoys creating art of all kinds including masks, jewelry and fine art. When not creating Pam enjoys dancing, hiking and especially spending time with her grandchildren. Pam has been profoundly deaf since she was one year old. She says, "Creating art is like music to my ears and makes my heart sing!" See Pam's Card!

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Cecilia Pestlin, Talent, OR. Her father who was a graphic artist helped to inspire Cecilia's artistic interests at an early age. She became enthralled with watercolor at the age of 12 years old. Through extensive studies and involvement in the art communities in California and Oregon, Cecilia's artistic style has evolved throughout the years. "I relish the complicated process of envisioning a concept of color, texture, mood and design then committing it to paint and canvas and bringing it to life. Mother Nature treats me to so many gorgeous goodies that I must explore and share through my painting." See Cecilia's Card!

Thomas Rebek, Boston, MA. Thomas displays his love for cityscapes in his warm watercolors, sensitively depicting each scene. "Watercolor painting inspires me to explore color and form in a fresh way." When he paints, Thomas takes frequent breaks because scoliosis makes standing for long periods of time challenging. "My art reflects the human celebratory events of the city. I hope I convey each scene with a sense of allure, charm and fascination." Thomas would like to dedicate this card to his cousin, Donna Rebek, who lived for many years with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disease. www.thomasrebek.com See Thomas' Card!

Deborah Ronglien, Eden Prairie, MN. Deborah is a professional artist who paints in several styles from realism to abstraction. Despite a congenital and often painful degenerative disease of the spine Deborah continues her artistic work with the help from a modified art studio. "Painting is a spiritual experience where a partnership is created between an inspiration from within and classical design & composition." Her paintings express qualities of serenity, balance and beauty. www.deborah-ronglien.artistwebsites.com See Deborah's Card!

Marlene Schwartz, Rio Grande, NJ. Marlene has been interested in art since early childhood and has pursued many mediums working equally well in pastels, watercolor and oils. Eventually, she decided to concentrate on watercolors. "Painting for me is truly a miracle," states Ms. Schwartz. "When I paint, it amazes me to see the beautiful images appear almost magically as I work. Cardinals in the winter snow bring cheer even on the stormiest days." See Marlene's Card!

Mike Speiser, Rapid City, SD. Mike strives to show the beauty and complexity of the natural world and likes the challenge of trying to create an image that speaks completely for itself. "The quietness of winter is a good time to experience close encounters with other life on this planet." He has been an illustrator for the covers of Wild Animal Baby magazine and has shown his artwork in the Leigh Yawkey Woodsen Art Museumn Wausau, WI. See Mike's Card!

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Leo Stans, Belle Plain, MN. Leo began his artistic journey painting wildlife art, as a hobby. Eventually, he decided to make a break from a career in insurance and paint full time. In his search to find new subjects to paint, he became known for his golf paintings. He created twenty-three paintings known as "Best of Minnesota-golf collection. Leo's next artistic expression found him painting historical buildings in downtown Minneapolis & St. Paul. Leo's goal "is to recreate scenes from a bygone era that are rich with color and nostalgia. I am always striving to improve and create better work." www.leostansfineart.com See Leo's Card!

Carol Stott, North Mankato, MN. Carol considers herself a self-taught watercolorist. She loves the challenge and continual learning process of creating art. "I feel good if my art sparks an emotion, a memory or causes someone to pause for a moment." This painting "recalls memories of winter fun and Christmas holidays". Carol is a freelance illustrator who enjoys reading, gardening and traveling with her husband. www.carolstott.com See Carol's Card!

Hal Sutherland, Woodinville, WA. "A smile is a precious gift of joy!" From Depression baby in Somerville, Massachusetts to Emmy award winner in Hollywood to acclaimed painter, Hal Sutherland's life is a tale of overcoming countless barriers to achieve his dream. He attributes his success to his unbeatable optimism, humor and unbridled passion for life. For his art, Hal has developed his own special color palette because he is colorblind. He paints "very carefully" and he claims that he asks his dog for final approval before his paintings are complete. "It's a wonderful sensation as an artist to paint a bit of sunlight into the shadows of someone's dreams." www.halsutherlandart.com See Hal's Card!

Eva Tambornino, Edina, MN. As a free-lance theatre artist, Eva has been involved with many renowned organizations in the Twin Cities area, like The Children's Theatre Company, The Science Museum of Minnesota, The Guthrie Theatre and Third Street Studios. Her painting began while building props for plays steeped in fantasy and imagination. Her journey into watercolor painting began about 10 years ago. Eva believes "that art stretches my view of the world and is excellent therapy for the soul". She has participated in several artistic shows with the Minnesota Watercolor Society. ( www.atouchoftheatrics.com ) See Eva's Card!

Jane Underhill, Phoenix, AZ. After a successful career in business sales and marketing, Jane returned to school to take courses in art and watercolor in particular. Soon she was undertaking commissions and studio shows. Jane's work hangs in both private & public collections around the country. As the artist reflects, "Painting has provided me with a wonderful vehicle to express my creativity and has given me a joy and fulfillment I had never imagined. I feel fortunate to have discovered the gift of art". www.janeunderhill.com See Jane's Card!

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Barbara Wooster, Loudonville, New York. Barbara has been a professional artist for over 46 years. She began painting at a very young age with the encouragement from her mother who was an artist. Barbara loves being an artist because in her own words, "painting is interesting, exciting and entertaining. Art is emotion without desire." She has participated in many juried exhibits through out the years. One of Barbara's hobbies is attending horse shows, researching their pedigrees and of course drawing & painting horses. See Barbara's Card!

Cindy Yost, Birmingham, AL. Cindy, who is an accomplished artist in the mediums of oil, acrylic, colored pencil and watercolor, was inspired early in life by a neighbor and encouraged by her mother to pursue her creative side. "Each new day brings new colors into my life and being able to paint, draw and create is a way to help my heart sing the song that God created me to sing." See Cindy's Card!

Allen Zumach, St. Paul, MN. The seed of photography was planted in Allen's life during his late 20's. It grew into a desire to grasp the essence of a scene and tell visual stories. Retirement now allows Allen to pursue his passion for photography full time. As a photographer, he is intrigued with capturing a city's character. "Dusk is my favorite time of day. It's a delight to watch the city in just 30 minutes get painted with new colors. I feel driven to capture what my mind sees." Allen displays his photographs and presents slideshows throughout the community. He also produces and sells photo notecards of the Twin Cities. www.zumach.net See Allen's Card!

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