Brenda Bauer was raised in Detroit Michigan and moved to North Idaho in 1979. As a self-taught artist, she has had the opportunity to develop unique elements of style that are not typical of the traditional approach to the medium. Her finely woven textures and intimate views of the lake reveal a passion and honesty that is not found in other art of the region.

"I have lived close to the earth for my whole life and have felt the rhythms and cycles that pulse through its soul. The earth speaks to me in colors and form--diversity is the key to all life."

The feeling for my work falls somewhere between the ancient forges of the Vulcans, the whimsical art of Rube GoldBerg, the inventive arts of Leonardo Da Vinci and what seems like "many lifetimes" of experiences colourfully blended into one. My Studio is set up to work in several different mediums with Steel and Hot Glass being my favorites. A majority of my work is produced to be sold through galleries and select locations.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Roger Cummiskey has developed a distinct style which includes figurative, land and seascapes as well as floral interpretations. His paintings are in private collections in the USA, UK, Australia, Spain, South Africa, Japan and Ireland. Roger studied painting and drawing at Newpark College; The National College of Art and Design; University College Dublin and privately with professional painters.

He is a master of movement.

Many of his paintings evolve from a combination of drawings of a chosen subject transferred to canvas. He views his subjects from many angles and places these angles together to make a fascinating painting with movement, originality and a great sense of colour.

His images create a central focus but his backgrounds are an essential setting to his focal image. The detail of his paintings is extraordinary and his sense of light exceptional.

In writing about my art, I find that the process of my paintings takes over - words surround and indicate meanings while slipping ambiguously around the heart of the matter. My work has always displayed an interest in the way energy is expressed through physical forms, but the particular qualities of Japanese style ink painting (sumi-e), with its close connection to traditions that deal with the nature of change and flow, have allowed me to deal with this more directly. The restraints imposed by the medium have forced me to focus on my own understanding of the nature of resistance and flow. The spread of ink and water across the paper mimics the interplay of mist and clouds, water and mountains, that are the immediate subjects of my work. Perhaps the real subject of these paintings though, is the relationship between essence and form: the infinite minute permutations that are the outward expression of energies too subtle to perceive directly. More broadly stated, it is simply an emotional response to the natural world.

I paint my impressions, I paint my emotions...my feelings. I paint my anger and my joy. I paint my wonder at the cosmos and what might be. I try to capture the essence of the moment...the depth of reality...the possibilities. I'm not always successful, but, sometimes, magic happens. ...I am very much a "zen" artist. I let the art happen.

Though I have no real education in art, I have created it ever since I can remember. I like the feeling of creating something beautiful, creations that can inspire imagination or a desire for knowledge. Though I have lived with mental illness all of my life and things are hard for me to grasp at times, one of my favorite passions is Astronomy and thus Science Fiction as well. An auto accident 15 years ago robbed me painting with airbrush as I had for so many years and I learned computer repair as a new occupation, which lead to entering the world of digital art. I have spent ten years honing my skill, exploring where I could and now that my physical disability became so severe I had to give up repair work, I spend my hours weaving light into wonderous illusions.

Drawing and painting have always followed my life, some periods more and some less. Portrait painting is my passion.

Over the years I have worked in oil, acrylic, pencil, watercolor, and charcoal. I prefer to work in acrylic, as they have the many advantages of dryness, no chemicals, no smell.

My passion for watercolor is the freshness -- easy to have in hand. Just lovely colors.

Charcoal drawing gives me the wonderful challenges of the gray scale. They are always in my bag.

"I have loved art all my life, drawing paperdolls in the first grade for nickels. I love to paint and spend hours lost in my work. I like to create special art for people, though when I sell something, its like giving up one of my children.&qut;

"When first I saw Ben's work, I swore the images were photographs...or perhaps photo montages. But, no, each image is a hand-painted oil masterpiece of unique and startling vision rendered by an artist whose technical skill is only exceeded by his superior eye for design and impact. Ben transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary." D.L.Keur

"To say that I 'melt' into the work or that it emanates from my soul would only touch upon the depths of my desire to capture and translate into permanent visuals the beauty of the North Maine Woods. Each day spent creating art gives me greater purpose and insight into what I have to share with world around me. I enjoy depicting in realistic form yet embellish with color -intensly formed in emotion. May each and everyone of my students not only gain the 'logic' how-to's but develop the confidence to fully realize their creative selves."