August 11th, 2008
It has been quite a while since I wrote a “What's New?” page, so hold on to your hats!
Alumni of the year
I was honored this year as one of the Dakota County Technical College's Alumni of the Year. I attended the school from 1982-1984, when it was the Dakota County Area Vocational Technical Institute (whew!), learning many of the basics of Visual Merchandising from a pair of great instructors, and was more than happy to accept the award. I forgot my camera and if not for the nice award itself would have no proof this ever happened!
Grand Portage
We just returned from the Rendezvous Days at Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota, where we had a wonderful time surrounded by some of our best friends. While Pat steadfastly cooked our food, sewed my newest vest and took care of everything (and Allie and Kevin enjoyed each other's company) I painted in early 19th century costume and spoke about frontier artists to loads of very friendly visitors, all on the grounds of this beautiful site. It was, as Allie often says, “magical”.
Lots of appearances . . .
Fort Snelling, Arcola Mills, Villa Louis at Prairie du Chien, Madeline Island, Dakota City Heritage Village - We have been in costume as Colonel and Mrs. Snelling, Seth and Mary Eastman, William and Mary LeDuc, George and Clara Catlin – I think Pat and I may be developing split personalities! Once again, there is little photographic proof we ever did this!
History Detectives
Way back in early July I used up more of my allotted 15 minutes of Andy Warhol fame on an episode of Public Television's History Detectives, directed by my friend Kristian Berg. I was essentially “David Geister as Seth Eastman”, speaking with Dr. Zuberi about what turned out to be a fake Seth Eastman painting. I was honored to be included in the episode and help illuminate for the general public one of America's important painters of the Dakota Indians and the Upper Mississippi River.
Good fun, though it begged the question –does this fort make me look fat?
At present, I am busily engaged in painting the cover and 26 interior illustrations for B is for Battle Cry: a Civil War Alphabet, written by my dear wife Pat Bauer and soon to be published by Sleeping Bear Press. We hope to have it in the stores by February.
And so, it's back to the easel, and the painting of my dear wife as Clara Barton, the Civil War nurse, cradling my head, as I lie wounded on the field of battle at Antietam. Ah, what a life . . .
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