It has been 18 months since Jon Hassler died. Jon was well known for his literary skills, but many people are not aware that Jon was an artist before he was a novelist. He would teach English during the school year (high school and college) and during the summer he was on the art fair circuit. He began writing relatively late in life (Staggerford was published when he was 44), but he always enjoyed painting whenever he had the chance.

Just like his books, his paintings have reoccurring themes; rural landscapes, long light, complex skies and almost always a strong vanishing point element. In fact, they are almost exactly what you would expect if you have read any of his novels or short stories.

We came to know Jon five years before he died from the complications of progressive supranuclear palsy. Jon and his wife Gretchen entrusted us with 22 of his original paintings (above left, 'Snowfall', 20"x16", oil on canvas; above right, 'Road to Johnson's Farm I', 16"x12", oil on canvas), all of which were painted in the late 1980's. These are all remarkable originals and a portion of each sale will be donated to CurePSP (www.psp.org).

Think of the picnic table under the canopy tent in the parking lot as Social Networking 1.0. It is the most fundamental device for creating community networks.

World problems have been solved and judgment passed on every local politician at this very table.

Just last month under this tent Leah Nesbitt was declared the 2009 Downtown Red Wing Macaroni and Cheese Smackdown Champion (she used all Wisconsin natural ingredients).

At night the little Japanese lanterns are lit up and the table becomes more of a 'night spot' where topics are dissected, examined and reassembled, many times over fermented nectar and usually in hushed voices. In the mornings, it is a destination for coffee and a newspaper.

Warren Buffet would appreciate how effective this $70 picnic table is as a marketing tool.

This time of year creates some beautiful opportunities for panorama photography. The light is becoming longer and the trees are just beginning to turn color. The Mississippi River in particular is a good panorama subject in this area because there are plenty of river bluffs to capture the wide expanse of the river.

The photo above was captured at Buena Vista Park above Alma, Wisconsin. It is a spectacular overlook. The weather was borderline inclement, which creates wonderful atmospheres for the camera lens.

This is a 4:1 print. Large format printing is ideal for a very narrow print like this. In order to really appreciate a print like this, it does require some height to the image, which means it will grow very wide, very fast. A 12" high print becomes a 48" wide print. Add some mat (typically 3" all around) and some moulding, the overall image is nearly 5 feet wide. This is a 'high drama' image that demands attention as soon as you walk into the room.