Artist of the Week - Leo Stans 1953-2011

Leo William Stans was born on April 12th, 1953, to parents Paul and Blanche Stans. He was raised in the small town of Victoria in Minnesota, where he and his friends spent long hours outdoors fishing, hunting, and building tree houses. He assisted his parents with their paint and wallpaper business in Excelsior and helped build the beautiful Dahlgreen Golf Course, which his relatives constructed on his grandfather's farm land almost entirely by hand. He attended the elementary school in Victoria, and graduated from Chaska High School.

Being an avid outdoorsman, he decided to pursue a degree in forestry at the University of Minnesota, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. After college he held various jobs, including selling insurance. As he had always had a talent for art, he became drawn to painting wildlife and landscapes, and in 1980 decided to become a professional artist.

He met a beautiful young woman named Janet Morgan in 1979, and on June 25 1983 they were married in the Catholic Church at St.Josephs in Hopkins Mn. They moved to Chaska and had a daughter, Lea, on May 2 1986. In 1991 Leo was commissioned to paint The National Park Series, which was sold as framed prints. These prints were wildly successful and 100,000s were sold throughout the U.S. and Canada.

His son Paul was born on November 23, 1992, and a year later Leo moved his family to a newly-built house in the countryside of Belle Plaine, situated along the lush Minnesota River valley. When not painting his free time was spent landscaping their yard and taking his family for hikes in the woods and on the river valley trails.

They took road trips to Arizona, one of Leo's favorite places, and to Las Vegas and Disney World. In 2002, seeking fresh artistic direction, Stans began to paint historical street scenes situated in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and to paint landscapes of the magnificent Southwest that he loved so well. In 2009 he had the honor of being chosen to be the official artist of the Minnesota State Fair. Leo passed away on March 22, 2011. He is survived by his wife Janet, daughter Lea, and son Paul, and by his mother Blanche, his older sister Carol Frey and brother-in-law Rich Frey, and his younger sister Terrie Brown and brother-in-law Dave Brown, as well as a large circle of relatives and friends.

Leo Stans was a man of great talent, integrity, and charisma, and had the rare gift of making friends wherever he went. He was sentimental and introspective, had a keen sense of humor, and his kids loved to make him laugh. He was a passionate and skilled hunter and fisherman, and had a deep appreciation for wildlife and natural areas. His great love of beauty was expressed through his many paintings, which were and will continue to be recognized for their rich colors and attention to fine detail. He had great faith in his own talents, and a drive to share those talents for the benefit of others. His family and friends are comforted by the fact that his legacy will continue on through his artwork.

Artist of the Week - Andrea Courchene

 I discovered the most charming artwork by a Florida artist, Andrea Courchene when I was looking for the perfect art for a pediatric clinic recently.  Just a little bit about the artist in her words:

"I grew up in England, but now I live in the Sunshine State. I have been playing cello for over 25 years! I started at age 3. I love music, art, crafting, diy, and vintage shopping.

In my free time, I love picnics, vegan donuts, taking road trips in my wagon and petting my cat Skittles.

My favorite animals are cats, sloths, foxes, deer, owl, narwhals and dogs."

Artist of the Week - Patty Evert

Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, my family always nurtured my passion for art and the desire to paint. After graduating with my B.F.A. in painting from Carnegie Mellon University, I moved to Colorado and eventually to California, where I have been painting for 20 years.  At my first big art opening in 1987, then Mayor Federico Pena presented my work in the atrium of the innovative Silver Square in downtown Denver where I sold three quarters of the show. I went on to sell my paintings through galleries, interior design showrooms, designers and architects throughout Colorado as well as Santa Fe, Los Angeles and San Diego.  In 1989, I moved to Los Angeles where I painted numerous private and commercial commissions while also working as a sales representative for an interior design showroom. The added-value of my interior experience led to other interior design work, including the renovation of The Georgian Hotel, a beautiful art deco boutique hotel overlooking the Santa Monica Bay. This project helped launch my career as an interior designer and project manager for hotels throughout the U.S. and Asia, where I traveled and consulted for several years. A fine artist for the past eight years, I have worked as both a fine art consultant and as an artist for the hospitality, corporate, healthcare and residential markets.  My painting skills, combined with the opportunity to express color and materials through interior design, have allowed me to create art for a living. Combining my personal work with practical experience has given me an understanding of the functional and creative needs of interior design projects. As the world becomes more complex, and the life of an artist becomes more of a business, I strive for continued opportunities to combine the best of both worlds.