About Us

I grew up and am a lifelong resident of St. Croix Falls WI. and run Lakeside Studio with business partner, Doug Berg in Eureka Center. We are a full line frame shop where we do framing for others and have a gallery of our own work. We, also, make double oil primed linen painting panels for artists.

I feel that an artist journey is about always learning, very rewarding and certainly not boring. I love nature and started out painting wildlife and animal portraits in studio. Now I am doing more plein air painting (out in the open air). Painting outside is great because the experience is about all the elements that are surrounding you. The weather isn’t always kind and artists have stories about what has happened to their paintings. I had one completed work fly out of my hands in the wind and turn painting side down in the sand. So that is just one part of the whole experience. But I do feel that nature is wonderful teacher and I love hearing the birds, seeing wildlife of all kinds and feel the sunshine.  I love the studio painting as well where I can turn on some music and take what I have learned from nature and experiment with it. There is always room for growth, and to push boundaries. 

I grew up in Osceola Wisconsin. Painting has been a lifelong endeavor for me, starting as a young boy with my paint by number sets.  I remember going to the local Dime Store in St. Croix Falls Wisconsin with my Mother to pick out my next painting.  Now, many years later it is as simple as walking out the door, going for a drive and all around me where ever I look there are unlimited possibilities.   In 1983, I studied with Mary Pettis and began a four year study of Classical Realism.  For the next 25 years most of my work has been studio painting.  Then I was introduced to plein air painting by fellow artist and business partner, Joyce Staley, and have participated in several plein air workshops with Mary Pettis.  I can't imagine a better style of painting for me.  I love the outdoors, whether I am in the woods, walking the fields, or in a boat on some northern lake, I am always observing what nature has to offer.  For me, there is nothing better than finding that little bit of seclusion and standing behind my easel.  In 2012, I participated in my first plein air painting event, and have attended several each year since then.  It's a great way to meet new people, new artist friends, and best of all enjoy our Earth.  This is our home and it can not be easily restored, so I ask you to please walk with a lighter touch. 

Our Story

 As painters, we have always been interested in making our own canvas panels.  We started in the 1980s priming Masonite panels with several coats (sanding between layers) of water or oil based Gesso. We spent many years mounting canvas on wooden stretcher bars, followed by years experimenting with commercially produced canvas panels by various companies.

In 2012 we started making our own panels with Claessens Oil Primed Linen, archivally mounted on Gatorboard. This was a Vast improvement over the commercially produced panels we had been using. This fact became apparent when we were out plein air painting one day and nothing was going right for either of us. It seemed as though something (other than our skill level ) was pulling the life out of the paint! The mystery was solved when we realized that we had accidentally brought our old panels that day.

That experience cemented our belief that, whatever our level, the quality of the painting surface matters. We believe that it is a joy to work and to learn on a beautiful oil primed panel!

We now offer our panels to all who would like to try them out for themselves.

Any size panel up to 48 x 96 inches can be made.

Shipping prices for panels 18 x 24 inches and larger will require additional shipping charges.

Rates will be quoted before shipment.