Working on this book for Sleeping Bear Press was a childhood dream come true. I was able to paint 27 Civil War illustrations and my dear wife, Patricia Bauer, wrote it. I think we work well together.  

To listen to music and poems from this book, click HERE.

Available from your bookseller or directly from me by clicking HERE.

1.  "B is for Battle Cry"                 oil on canvas

2. "G is for Gettysburg"                 oil on canvas 

3. "R is for Rebel Yell"                     oil on canvas

4. "E is for Emancipation Proclamation"      oil on canvas

5. " V is for Vicksburg"                   oil on canvas

6. "F is for Fort Sumter"                 oil on canvas

7. "H is for Hardtack"                     oil on canvas

Written by Margi Preus, and published by Minnesota Historical Society Press, this picture book takes place at Split Rock Lighthouse in the 1920's.  This was a real treat to paint!!!

Pick it up at your friendly, local bookstore or buy it directly from the Minnesota Historical Society by clicking here.

It was a joy to work on this picture book written by Vikings Hall of Fame player and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page and his teacher daughter Kamie Page.  The story, setting and characters were far removed from my usual historical work.   This was published by the Page Education Foundation and Book Bridge Press. 

Available from the publisher by clicking HERE.

1. "Alan and his Perfectly Pointy, Impossible Perpendicular Pinky"   oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

2. "The Vikings"    oil on panel   Page Education Foundation

3. " Big man in a small chair"           oil on panel                                 Page Education Foundation

4. "Booker Explodes"                     oil on panel                               Page Education Foundation

5. "Alan's eyes softened"               oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

This is the second book that I have illustrated for the Page Education Foundation and Book Bridge Press. As with our previous collaboration, this too was written by Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page and his daughter, the teacher Kamie Page.

I enjoyed the challenge of creating another classroom full of interesting students, and conveying the main character's state of mind via his body language.

Available from the publisher by clicking HERE.

1.  "The Invisible You"                   oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

2. "The First Day"                         oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

3. "His cheeks felt hot . . ."           oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

4. "Each of us is unique."                oil on panel                                      Page Education Foundation

"Grandpa Alan's Sugar Shack", the third book that I illustrated for the Page Education Foundation and Book Bridge Press, was a delight to paint. As with our previous two books, this was written by Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page and his daughter, the teacher Kamie Page.

Available from the publisher by clicking HERE.

1.  "Grandpa Alan's sugar Shack" oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

2. " We trudged through the thicket."                                        oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

3. "Drip, drip, drip."                       oil on panel                                     Page Education Foundation

4. "Is it time, Grandpa?"                   oil on panel                                      Page Education Foundation

5. "An explosion of subtle sweetness stunned me silent."         oil on panel                                      Page Education Foundation

Otis is afraid of bees but learns to love them in this story by Alan and Kamie Page.

1. “Cover” Oil on panel, Page Education Foundation

2. “ . . . a swarm of bees was after him.” Oil on panel, Page Education Foundation

3. “Otis’ grandpa held him in a hug.” Oil on panel, Page Education Foundation

4. “We started a club . . .” Oil on panel, Page Education Foundation

My friend, the amazing Nancy Carlson, co-wrote this Sleeping Bear Press title with Helen Wilbur. I learned a lot about my adopted home during the process of illustrating this book and enjoyed painting pictures that were more contemporary than my usual work.  

Available from your bookseller or directly from me by clicking HERE.

1. "T is for Twin Cities"                 oil on illustration board

2. "S is for State Fair"                     oil on illustration board

3. "D is for Dome"                           oil on illustration board

4. " E is for Exercise"                       oil on lllustration board

5. "J is for James J. Hill House"       oil on illustration board

6. "L is for Lakes"                           oil on illustration board

7. "X Marks the Spot - Summit Avenue "                                       oil on illustration board

This Sleeping Bear Press title by Larry Verstraete was a fun book to work on. I truly felt like a time traveller by the time I was finished with the paintings, which took me from the age of the dinosaurs up to our modern era.  

Available from your bookseller or directly from me by clicking HERE.

1.  "X is for Explain - Extinction of the Dinosaurs"     oil on panel

2. "S is for Scientist"                      oil on panel

3. "Y is for Yield - Archimedes"     oil on panel

4. "H is for Hypothesize - Germ Theory"     oil on panel

5. "F is for Find - Machu Pichu"      oil on panel

6. " J is for Join - Kevlar and Firefighters"     oil on panel

Author Gwenyth Swain's story takes place during the 1963 March on Washington and culminates with Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I have a Dream Speech". Published by Sleeping Bear Press.

Available from your bookseller or directly from me by clicking HERE.

1. "Riding to Washington"               oil on canvas

2. "I don't see many except on TV." oil on canvas

3. "Paul Taylor started singing."   oil on canvas    Private Collection

4. "You got the choice to do the right thing or not."    oil on canvas     

5. "Then I felt a hand on my shoulder."     oil on canvas         Private Collection

6. "We were miles from the podium."    oil on canvas         Sleeping Bear Press Collection

One of my favorites, this book was written by Kathy-jo Wargin and published by Sleeping Bear Press.  My interest in the 1790's to 1830's Great Lakes Fur Trade came in handy as I was able to call on several historian friends to ensure the accuracy of the paintings. 

Available from your bookseller, or directly from me by clicking HERE.

1. "Jacques' mother pulled him close."    oil on canvas  

2. "The Rendezvous"                     oil on canvas      Private Collection

3. "Marie danced while Edouard played fiddle."    oil on canvas    

4. "Ice grew like fingers from the edge of the lake."    oil on canvas   

5. "Travelling West to Grand Portage"       oil on canvas       Private Collection

"The Legend of Minnesota" and the "Legend of Wisconsin" are among my first picture books. Both were written by Kathy-jo Wargin and published by Sleeping Bear Press. For the first one I tried to recreate the clothing and lodges of the mid 1700's as closely as I possible. With the second, I tried to combine a historical feel with a mythological twist - and a dash of playfulness thrown in for good measure.

Either book can be purchased from your bookseller or ordered directly  from the publisher by clicking below. You can also order "The Legend of Minnesota" from me by clicking HERE.

order "The Legend of Minnesota"

order "The Legend of Wisconsin"

1. "Morning Fawn"    oil on canvas

2. "The Legend of Minnesota"       oil on canvas

3."The Village at Night"                 oil on canvas   Private Collection

4. "The Land"   oil on canvas   Private Collection

5. "The Legend of Wisconsin"         oil on canvas

6. "Nanabush was the grandson of the Earth"    oil on canvas

7. "The water was rising."               oil on canvas

8. "The bear began to chase Nanabush."     oil on canvas         Private Collection

9."Nanabush stayed close behind."   oil on canvas

In this Sleeping Bear Press book, author Larry Verstraete tells the true story of Werner Franz, cabin boy on the doomed Hindenburg.  

Available from your bookseller or directly from me by clicking HERE.

1. "Surviving the Hindenburg"     oil on illustration board

2. "The Hindenburg flew southeast."                                    oil on illustration board

3. "Werner had chores to do."       oil on illustration board

4. "Werner walked the keel gangway."                                       oil on illustration board

5. "Water drenched his clothes."   oil on illustration board

6. "Time was a precious thing."     oil on illustration board

I have enjoyed illustrating Tyler Benson's "The Adventures of Onyx" series for my friends at Ensign Benson Books and Book Bridge Press. With the U.S. Coast Guard focus, much of the action takes place on the water. I am in love with Onyx, the stray black lab who is the central character in the stories.

Available from the publisher by clicking HERE.

1. "The Fight Against the Falls"       oil on panel    Private Collection

2. "Onyx Trapped Underwater"     oil on panel    Private Collection

3. "Niagara Falls Rescue"               oil on panel    Private Collection

4. "Coasties"                                   oil on panel    Private Collection