Wow, what a week!

Spending a week at the Niobrara Valley Preserve learning about conservation efforts in Nebraska was pretty amazing, and I’m now a certified “master naturalist” who you might see volunteering at regional parks and preserves.
The vast quantities of information came at us quickly. We learned about the geology that formed the land, the rivers that run through it, and all the life around us: plants, insects, birds, reptiles and mammals. We caught, observed and released insects, tadpoles, mice and a shrew. We photographed and uploaded photos to iNaturalist as part of a mini bio-blitz project where we collectively logged more than 200 species, thanks primarily to master gardener and herbalist Kendra. We discussed conservation and environmental education.
Fellow participants came from a variety of professional backgrounds and geographic areas of the state. Each one of them was interesting and compassionate and fun to chat with. I made new friends and feel connected to another fascinating community. Volunteers supported us with good humor and good food. The days of hot temperatures were manageable with cool mornings, an air-conditioned classroom and bunkhouse. And program director Jamie Bachmann orchestrated everything with dedication and patience alongside her delightful dog, Finn. She shared insightful and intriguing quotes to spark conversation, and many of those quotations led me to make a couple of bulky orders with Bookshop.org. I expect a delivery later today!
A highlight of the week was watching a bison herd on a prairie pasture during the golden hour. We sat in the beds of two pickups and rode over the sandy, grass-covered hills to watch the herd of about 300 bison. It’s mating season, so bulls challenged one another with head-butts. Many cows had calves, including one that been born just a day or two before our visit. The sun set as we drove back toward the preserve headquarters.
I’m still processing, looking forward to my first book club meeting to discuss Birding while Indian: A Mixed-Blood Memoir by Thomas Gannon with the group, and expecting to start choosing volunteer engagements as I continue learning.

sketching while listening to Jon Garbisch describe geological formations. Photo by Paige Elting.

adventures for a lifelong learner

During a week in mid-July, I'll take a deep dive into the natural systems of our state, learning more about what makes up Nebraska, from its rocks and rivers to the wide variety of plants and animals it hosts. I'm training to become a 'master naturalist' and hope to volunteer at state parks and refuges. After I get my bearings, I hope to offer some nature journaling sessions. Stay tuned! 

works off to another embassy!

Two paintings got boxed up Monday morning to make their way to the U.S. embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh as part of the state department’s Art in Embassies program. The new ambassador, Brent Christensen, chose “When the Grasses Whisper” and “In the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve” to represent ideas about the Great Plains. A curator with the program told me the ambassador spent time in Nebraska and it looks as though he worked at StratComm at Offutt Airforce Base in Bellevue before his confirmation as the new ambassador.

A previous blog post describes the pieces that have been in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for the past year.

“When Grasses Whisper”

oils on 7x30” birch panel

“In the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve”

oils on 12x30” birch panel

A two-man crew from U.S. Art Co. built custom boxes to carry my paintings to the east coast, where they’ll get loaded into a shipping container headed toward Bangladesh.

Spring open house May 1 and 2

Please join us for our spring open house the evening of Friday, May 1 and all day Saturday, May 2. I'll have old work, especially oil paintings, deeply discounted. Consider it a "spring cleaning" opportunity to add to or to begin your art collection.

Some of these paintings focus on landscapes and landmarks. Some frames have suffered chips and dings from years of moving in and out of regional exhibits, some pieces were experiments or explorations, and others just need to find new homes to make room for new work. Let me know if you'd like to see anything before the open house -- I'm usually in the studio until 4pm Tuesdays through Saturdays and available by appointment. 

“Pedernal”, oil on canvas, about 48”x30”

Spring break 2026, part 2: Wichita, Lucas, Kearney

The Abstract National Exhibition at Mark Arts in Wichita concluded in mid-March and I drove there after spending a day at home. I needed to pick up a painting and wanted to spend a couple of days visiting family. We had dinner at the always-tasty Tuptim Thai. My sister and I caught up with each other and on college basketball games at the new location of Johnny’s Tavern near downtown Wichita. I have very fond memories of spending time in the original Johnny’s as a college student in Lawrence, Kansas, and on many return visits there. The new location had a nice vibe with exposed brick walls, vintage signs, lots of TVs, friendly staff, good food and a tasty brew specially made for Johnny’s.

Dinsmore’s Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas

Driving northwest toward Kearney, Nebraska, I saw a sign for Lucas, Kansas, a place I’ve known about most of my life. It’s known for the “Garden of Eden,” a yard filled with sculptures made by a Civil War veteran during the early 1900s. I couldn’t resist turning into the town and exploring a bit. In addition to the Garden exhibit, Lucas is a center for outsider artists and collections of their work. I spent time walking through the Grassroots Art Center and learning about many artists from the area who sculpted, painted and created artworks of all kinds.

Several things in Kearney prompted this visit. It has been years since I’ve seen gatherings of migrating sandhill cranes, and it’s one of the world’s important migrations. You don’t have to take my word for it. Dr. Jane Goodall has said so. I saw gorgeous sunrises and listened to and watched cranes lift off as the sun rose. I saw many groups in surrounding corn fields as I drove around the county.

sunrise from the Ft. Kearny State Recreation area viewing pier

cranes lifting off from their overnight roosts on the sandbars to forage in nearby corn fields

Another draw to Kearney was to see the newly remodeled Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) and the current “spirit of Nebraska” exhibit. The new space is incredible, with gorgeous gathering spaces and galleries. It was wonderful seeing so many of my friends’ works included in the exhibit. I also stopped by the University of Nebraska - Kearney library to see Leslie Iwai’s “Cumulate.” Part of the state’s 1% for art program, Iwai’s artwork was installed in 2024 in conjunction with the library’s remodeling.

Renee Ledesma’s “The Gift Crow” with works by Broghammer and Linder behind at MONA

a section of “Cumulate” at UNK’s library that shows how light illuminates the colorful layers and shines through the Morse code cutouts quoting works by Nebraska poets.

I’m grateful to have spent the time exploring, spending time with loved ones and filling my spirit with art and nature. Cheers!