On our way to Big Woods State Park (Nerstrand) Saturday night we stopped at Frederick Somers Studio and Gallery along the way. It was part of the 2016 South Central Minnesota Studio Art Tour.
The artist, Fred Somers, along with his wife, warmly welcomed us. We were mesmerized while looking at his beautiful painted landscapes with brilliant color and lighting. He also paints portraits. There was a portrait of his grandson in the studio and the way he painted the light in the blond hair was stunning. How does he do that? He definitely has a special gift from God.
We arrived at the studio a half hour before closing and we were the only ones in the studio when he started sharing his faith journey with us. It is an amazing story and was a privilege to hear it from him. It was a precious time together and when we were leaving he shook our hands, not so much as to say thanks for stopping, but, as he said, he wanted touch each fellow believer before we left. We left there in awe of this artist, his story and his paintings.
The rest of the evening…a short hike, and great bonfire under the full Harvest Moon at Nerstrand (without jackets because of the mild temperatures for mid-October)… made for a lovely evening. One we soon won’t forget.