"Autumn Chalice" - acrylic - 20"x 24"

Wow!  What a winter this was!  Seemed like I was shoveling or plowing or blowing snow every day.  Three art related businesses (all on the lake) and myself collaborated to put together a Christmas Tour.  It was quite successful and we plan to do it again next year.  Also joining was a collectable shop called "Junk and Disorderly".   Well, after Christmas, I closed the studio/cabin by turning off the heat.  Brought my paints into the house. 
 April 1st, I started the studio back up and completed the above painting in three days!  I really like it.  I went back to my painting knives to do this piece and I would guess 95% knives were used to create it.  I found a perfect frame in a second hand store in 
Forest Lake called the Green Door.  It is perfect!

It's been a busy summer this 2018!  Visited new and some old Art Festivals.  First the Freedom Fest in Goodridge, Minnesota on a very hot summer weekend.  Surprisingly, it was good day for this artist with three originals sold.  It fell on the same day as the Blackduck Woodcarvers, so maybe next year I will have to return to that venue.  I also attended the Northwoods Art Festival in Hackensack and the Celebrate Art & Coffee in Willmar, of which both were semi-successful.  Here are two works that I just finished this past few weeks.  "The Red Barn" near Solway, Minnesota  was a commissioned work and the other is a barn I saw years ago up by Baudette, Minnesota, which has called me to paint over the years.

After signing a contract back in 2016 to bring my artwork to The Rourke Gallery in Moorhead, Minnesota for April and May 2018...I'm beyond excited to announce it is now here!  You are officially invited to join my wife Jan and I on Saturday, April 7th from 1:30-3:30pm in Moorhead, Minnesota at the Rourke Gallery.  My show is entitled "Barns Are Noble" and "Harvey and His Friends"..the Artwork of D. L. Houseman

I hope you can make the date!

Greetings from Up North!  It's been a while and there's lots to talk about.  The year of 2017 was very busy for this artist.  My summer was filled with art festivals and preparing for a two month show at Wild Hare Bistro in Bemidji.  That show being "aadizookaan" sacred stories of indigenous peoples.  This was followed by a very success Studio Art Cruise in same months of October/November.  As the year came to an end, I was working pretty much full time on my one man show coming up at the Rourke Gallery in Moorhead, Minnesota for April and May 2018.  At present, I'm beginning the process of final framing and cataloging over 50 artworks for this show.
I'm very excited to come to the Rourke and presenting my work.  I plan to make several "artist talks" to students coming from schools in the Fargo-Moorhead area.  The show is built around my "Barns Are Noble" series and the original artwork from children's books built around the "Harvey and His Friends" animal stories.
It's especially rewarding to me as this particular gallery is where as a college art student I spent many hours reviewing and critiquing major artists for my art classes.  Some of these artists were my mentors and instructors from Concordia College, who showed professionally.  These artists included Dean Bowman, Cyrus Running, Elizabeth Strand and Orland Rourke, whose name along with his brother James Rourke graces the Gallery. 
Here are a couple new paintings which will be shown.

Keeping a promise is very important...so after two years of "on and off" work, the story is finished!

My granddaughter Annika gave me the title at a summer lunch in 2015, when she asked her Grandmother Jan this question:  "Grandma...How Should I Eat a Pickle?"   Well, that got the whole thing started.  This spring, I finished the illustrations for the story that began two years ago.  I wrote the original draft right after her original question.  I'm happy to say the book will be ready for sale July 1, 2017.   Thank you Annika!

Arrow Printing of Bemidji will print the book and my company Stuff On Paper is the publisher.

Hope to see you down the road this summer at several art festivals.  The first is the Cannon Falls Winery on July 15th and 16th.

Coming this Summer 2017

Several new things this summer for me and Stuff On Paper.
First Call Studio Tours start this coming Tuesday May 2nd.  I'll be in my studio and open for business each Tuesday except for the month of November and then in December I'll be back open prior to Christmas.   It's called "First Call"  as you can call to make an appointment on other days as well during the week and those Tuesdays.  It's a neat opportunity for visitors vacationing Up North to check out the local artists.  I have brochures and can send them out if you send me your address.   They are also available at resorts, motels and hotels in the area and Tourist Center in Bemidji.
Here's a couple of new pieces that I've done on the theme of Native American Legends.

The Bemidji Library has invited me to do a reading of one of my books on Saturday February 11th.  The reading will be from 10:30-11:30.  I'm thinking I will work from The Great Fishing Adventure.

The event is open to the public and I will have all three books available for sale.   Please join me for this fun event.  The above image is one of my favorites illustrations from that book.