We start with Mike’s landscape photography which all done with medium and large format film cameras. His photographs are shot using negative film and enlarged by focusing light through the negative onto photographic paper, usually Fuji Crystal Archival Photographic Paper. Nothing is done digitally in the taking, processing or enlarging of the photos. Mike finds his photos hiking in some of the most beautiful places in the United States, National parks, State parks, Indian reservations, waterfalls and beaches.

The frames are hand made by Mike in their garage turned wood shop. Mike buys MDF, (medium density fiberboard) at Home Depot and cuts each frame from one piece of wood with no joints. Nothing to crack, come apart or warp later on. Mike also designs and makes all of the off angle and odd shaped frames. He routs the edge, sands and paints the frames white with a primer/sealer.

Patty starts by covering the photo with cellophane to protect it and then places the photo into the wooden liner. She mixes her acrylic paints on a palette, matching the colors in the photo exactly. She paints the liner first then places the photo and liner into the frame and paints the frame next. She does not have a larger photo to look at or work from, every frame is painted from her imagination based on what she sees in the photo. This means no two frames are alike. She is able to paint in such photo-realistic detail most people cannot tell where the photo ends and the painting begins.

Patty paints every frame, one at a time, all by herself. We do not have a staff of apprentice painters rolling out painted frames on an assembly line. The smaller, less detailed frames can be completed in 8-10 hours. The larger, more detailed pieces can take her a week or more to paint a single frame.

Mike and Patty have won numerous awards for their work at art shows around the country. Their work is held in private collections all over the world and is only available by buying directly from them or their website. Galleries from all over the United States have requested to represent them but Patty has a hard time keeping up with the demand for their artwork. Waiting times for custom pieces is usually at least three months and it’s not uncommon to be five or six months.

We both truly love what we are doing and are amazed at how far our encouragement of each other has take us. We have not had to change our artwork to sell it. What you see in their booth and on their website is what Mike likes to take photos of and what Patty enjoys painting.