My wife and I never bought many gifts for each other, but when I was about to turn 60 I got the question, “What do you want for your birthday?”  Without thinking, I just answered “Get me a paint set,” so on my birthday I received an acrylic paint set.  For two years, I didn’t touch the paint set. Every time I said “I’m bored,” my wife would mention the paint set, and I would say “I’ll get to it someday.” Two years later, I had a total knee replacement. The medication I took to alleviate the pain associated with recovery clouded my mind, but eventually, I began hiking the Ice Age Trail as a part of rehabilitation. The hills, rocks and tree roots made me concentrate on only one thing, “not falling.” Being an avid photographer, I took pictures as I hiked. When winter arrived, it eliminated my ability to hike. I sat around for a while and then I remembered the paint set and I started to paint the scenes of the IAT. As they say, “the rest is history.” Four months after starting, the first painting I ever created was being considered for the cover of the IAT Guidebook. It didn’t make the cut, but two of my paintings are included in the 2017-2019 edition. My artwork now advocates for the Ice Age Trail Alliance, and a portion of all my sales is donated to support the Ice Age Trail.