Minneapolis Mayor's Show
November 2 - December31, 2009

Minnepolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is hosting a show of Brian's paintings in the Mayor's Office and Conference Room, City Hall, Downtown Minneapolis, 350 South 5th Street. This show is part of the Art in The Mayor's Office Exhibition Program and is open to the public and can be viewed from 8:30 to 4:30 pm weekdays.

	The Peace Gardens I have always been impressed by the resourcefulness and industriousness of the various ethnic groups that are making our cities their home. These inner city community gardens located at Highway 94 and Cedar Avenue are a great example. Not only are they a great use of “unusable” space, but the quantity and quality of the produce grown here is impressive. But the thing that really got me is the peace and serenity of the gardens. All these diverse people, happily toiling away - juxtapositioned with the glass, steel and hubbub of the city. That co-existence was the story I was trying to convey in this richly detailed painting. I spent 3 afternoons there doing a study for this large studio painting and I only encountered one other English speaking person. Later, a 85 year old Korean woman was so impressed with my study, she gave me a gift of some red peppers (lower right in painting) used in Kim Chi. She told me (through her daughter interpreting) how to dry and plant the seeds in the Spring. “The real deal from Korea”, she said. OK by me. 30 x 40 in a silver gilded panel frame.

	Uppercut Gym I’ve always liked boxing and when I was younger and lived in Los Angeles I used to go to the fights regularly at the Olympic Auditorium. I followed the career of Muhammad Ali and saw him fight in person. A real thrill. So recently, when I was driving around the North Minneapolis Warehouse district and came upon this gym it got my attention. When I walked in I immediately knew this place was special. Fighters going about their training, producing rhythmic sounds from skipping rope, sparring and speed bags. A visual treat with warm light coming in the doors and windows. I knew I had to try to capture it in paint. I asked to speak with the owner to ask permission and to my surprise it turned out to be a young, attractive woman, who seemed to run the place with an iron glove, making the place even more interesting. 12 x16, oil on canvas on board in a gilded, turn-of-the-Century style frame.

	Bridge to Nicollet Island Where the Mississippi River flows through Minneapolis is a small island. It was one of the first places settled in the Twin Cities and is known as Nicollet Island. It’s connected to the mainland by a few bridges of which this is one. Built of steel in a engineering style used a hundred years ago, it has a nice spindly, architectonic quality, making it a real drawing and painting challenge. Now only used for foot and bike traffic, it’s surrounded by lush vegetation and places for people to walk, hike and fish. It adds a nice detail to a spot that’s an inner city oasis. I think this painting captures that feeling. 12 x 9, oil on canvas on board in a gilded, turn-of-the-Century style frame.

	The AA Meeting Minneapolis is blessed with a strong and active sobriety community. It has many good AA Meeting Houses to choose from with meetings most anytime someone needs one. The meeting house I painted here is in South Minneapolis and features the usual cast of characters sharing their experience, strength and hope. The painting portrays the giving of a medallion for another year of sobriety, a very special event in the life of a recovering person. 48 x 30”, oil on linen, in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame. Also available in a Giclee’ print on French Cotton Paper.

	Sunday Morning / Nicollet Island Nicollet Island is an inner city oasis that has many fine, older Victorian style homes. Some grand, some quaint. Loaded with Ginger bread, these homes were in neglect for many years, but in the last few years people have been slowly restoring them to their original beauty. One more reason why the Riverfront is one of the more desirable areas in the Twin Cites. This Sunday morning scene looked like a nice way to start the day. 12 x 9, oil on canvas on board in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame.

	Church & State The Minnesota State Capitol Building is one the grandest in the country. Designed by Cass Gilbert, the same architect who did the Woolworth Building in New York and the Supreme Court Building in Washington DC, it is considered one of his best. Across the way is the majestic St. Paul Cathedral by Emmanuel Masqueray. To have two buildings of this class within eyeshot of one another is a real gift for the Twin Cities. Available in a Giclee’ print, 18 x 24, on French Cotton Paper.

	Great River Celebration A few years ago, before it was discontinued, one of my favorite ways to spend a New Years eve was to watch the fire works from the Stone Arch Bridge. It was a great theatrical display over an iconic bridge on the Riverfront. The bridge was built by railroad giant James Hill and was important in transporting goods and connecting the Upper Midwest and east with the west and plains states. 24 x 18” in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame.

	Mill City Morn Minneapolis, nick-named “Mill City” because of it’s grain processing, storing and distributing, has grain silos throughout the city. These large imposing structures make for fun painting. I painted these early in the morning as they were catching that first orange light. They have since been taken down. 6 x 8 in an artist-made, gilded, traditional frame.

	$4 a Gallon I didn’t paint these gas tanks to make a political statement. I was actually attracted to the colors, the style and the setting the tanks were in. Just another example of one of the millions of things you wouldn’t give a second look at unless you were out driving around South Minneapolis looking for painting subjects. 6 x 8 in an artist-made, gilded, traditional frame.

	Dogs Galore Minneapolis has many fine dog parks that we’ve taken our dog Angus to, but his favorite by far is the one on the Mississippi River near Minnehaha Falls. You’ll find dogs of all shapes and sizes (people too) swimming, running, playing fetch. A great place to spend a afternoon. 12 x 16, oil on canvas, in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame.

	Silos of Steel The Midway area has rail yards and grain silos that make for great and challenging painting. However, they are rapidly disappearing in the name of progress. These silos were the first silos in the Twin Cities made of steel. Prior to that they made silos of cement or wood. I take my workshop students to these silos because they’re a good drawing and painting exercise. 12 x 16, oil on canvas, in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame.

	Winter's Dawn South Minneapolis has a beautiful inner city creek that runs through it with many fine bridges that are built of indigenous stone. Tastefully designed, they have nice lines and a real good Arts & Crafts feel to them. This one is located at 54th & Upton and I’ve painted it many times, in all seasons at all times of day, never tiring of it. 6 x 8” in a gilded frame hand carved by me.

	Lake Harriet The Bandshell and Concession stands at Lake Harriet were designed and built about 20 years ago. They have a real nice festive, carnival like quality about them and in the summer months come alive with almost nightly concerts. With music lovers, bikers and skaters it makes for great people watching and painting. Although I did this painting some time ago, I think it still captures the feel of a summer in Minneapolis. 12 x 16, oil on canvas, in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame.

	Gold Medal Highrise These grain silos at the Minneapolis Riverfront are an iconic symbol of Minneapolis’ roots and industry. The city was founded on the transportation, storing and milling of grain grown on the great Midwestern plains then shipped by rail to Minneapolis. The silos are now the center of the riverfront and it’s grand rebirth. 8 x 6”, oil on canvas on board, in a turn-of-the-Century style gilded frame.

	Bar Break This building was painted by one of my workshop students and she did such a good job I took a crack at it after the workshop was over. It’s typical of the Midwest bar buildings of eighty, ninety years ago. They were built by local breweries to give them a local presence and identity. It had an apartment on top for the manager's family and served only that brewer's beer. It was competitive, the bar/apartment down the street belonged to another brewer and served only his beer. 9 x12, oil on canvas on board, in a gilded turn-of- the-century style frame.

	Over the Mississippi I think of the Mississippi River as an industrial, working river, not a recreational river. You’ll see barges, tugs, riverboats instead of yachts, ski boats and personal watercraft. That’s the feel this scene located in inner city Minneapolis gave me with the overhead bridge, trucks and smoke stack. The bridge is the Lowry Street bridge and has recently been taken down to make way for a newer replacement. Challenging subject matter like this reminds me not all pretty pictures need be pretty subject matter. 12 x16, oil on canvas board, in a gilded turn-of-the-century style frame.

	River Stop I painted this from the same location as “Over the Mississippi” looking south toward the city in the opposite direction. The river gas station with the city backdrop gives one a good idea of how the Mississippi feels as it flows through Minneapolis. It was early in the morning as the upcoming sun was striking the downtown buildings. I think this painting captures the feel of that summer morning nicely. 12 x16, oil on canvas on board, in a gilded turn-of-the-century style frame.

	My Neighbors These two scarecrows are inner city scarecrows. Guarding the garden of a house in south Minneapolis. They’ve been there forever and every year they get a wardrobe change to keep up with the latest in fashion. This year they look pretty dapper, but not too scary. 12 x9, oil on canvas on board, in a gilded turn-of-the-century style frame

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