• Sunday-What'sUP June 6 - 02:03 pm

Everybody loves a mystery, and here we go with another. For this week's Shoebox Memory, we are enlisting your help to identify an elderly gentleman in the Copper Country standing by one of his paintings in 1963 (top photo). He's posing with his hat off in the second photo, along with Donna Stephani (who sent the pictures), her dad Steve, and family friend Werner Besola.

Donna would like to find out who the gentleman is, and where she might find more of his art. I recognized the picture on the easel right away, the view driving up Brockway from the Copper Harbor side. Anybody have any ideas?

Have a good week :o)

It looks like the fireplace is actually painted as well; an early "tromp l'oeil" (fool the eye in French).

Please vote for the Copper Country Humane Society. Thank you.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_shelterchallenge_from_thankyou_sidetabs

I don't know...but check that hairdo! Either he had a comb with big teeth, or he was starting dreads!

Quit the artistic talent..the pic is going up Brockway...beautiful picture!

June 6,2010, 66 years ago allied troops stormed the beaches of France. My Dad was one of those, he survived , but he is still a Hero in my eyes. Dad never talked about the war. He always said the Heros are the ones who never came home alive, I disagree. There are Hero's walking among us all the time. We are loosing our Greatest Generation 1000 a day. If you know such a Hero Thank them.

At my daughter's high school honors night last week there were four young men who were being recognized for joining the Marines. It was awesome when EVERYONE stood up and applauded when those young men were introduced as our future Marines. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. It still makes me tear up.

Perhaps the gentleman also painted the framed art on
the wall. I hope someone can identify him.

I thought the same thing about the fireplace, Cindy.:) I love his art, appears he is/was a 'realist' painter. The type of painting I always enjoyed.

Love what you said, Dean. I knew somebody who survived storming those beaches too. He never wanted to talk about it. Those guys were definitely heroes. Anybody who signs up for such a thing is a hero in my eyes. I am a coward! I would never want to go or to have any of my loved ones go. It would tear me up inside. Thank you to all of the men, women and their families who are serving our country, and to those who have. You should all be so proud!

I do not recognize the man. Does anybody know where the picture was taken?

Maybe Micheal Angelo?? bad Ed.

I stand corrected. There was another time my sweetie said NO to me, I wanted an iguana-lizard, Iggy, and he flat out, without a word or hesitation, said No to me. He took me to the Detroit Zoo and told me to take a picture of one stretched out on a tree limb.;O)

Greetings:

Mid 1960s is going to be tough. Already a lot of the Copper Country artistic types are gone. I would suggest passing the B&W photo around some of the older NMU and retired Suomi College Profs to see if they have an idea. Larry Lankton, the author, might be able to help.

Personally, I have seen the picture on the right in the oval frame in a home in Dollar Bay in the late/early 60s/70s. I don't recall right now who's house it was but Dollar Bay as well as Marquette can lay claim to a few outstanding U.P. artists.

JT

If you have so many things (projects) to do, write them down on a piece of paper, put them in a hat and pick one and that is what you do.

Yes indeed, it is D Day. I talked with my father this evening, one of
the Great Generation and a paratrooper on D Day with the 101st.
He, and a bunch of veterans, spent today visiting a national
cemetery and having lunch together. He heard from several friends
who also had D Day experiences. It's quite the bond these guys
have with each other.

D Day - June 6,2010, 66 years ago allied troops stormed the beaches of France against what seemed to be insurmountable odds. But they did it anyway. Why? They did it because they were willing to give their lives to keep America free. To keep us free. Sounds a lot lot like someone else who gave their life to set us free. Jesus. No greater love has a man for his brother that he lay down his life for him. We too should lay down our lives daily for others by helping and loving our neighbor and those who cross our paths in need. Thank you to the brave men and women of our armed forces. You are our heroes and we appreciate you, and thank you Lord Jesus for laying down your life that we may live eternally. Blessings to all.

Thanks to those who emailed and called me with additional leads. The artist was most likely Lave Nelson, a bachelor from Mohawk, whose only relative was a sister Amanda, who married James Waara. This morning I took a picture of his gravestone at Evergreen Cemetery here in Eagle River. He is buried with James and Amanda Waara on the left and August Waara on the right (apparently James' brother). Here are shots of the three grave markers, which I took this morning in Evergreen Cemetery:

Left side of gravesite

Middle

Right Side

Due to unforeseen events yesterday, I'm still up here & not leaving until late today or tomorrow sometime depending on what may or may not happen with this quest.
If anyone has anything on this artist, please, would love to "talk" to you by phone of email.
My cell up here is iffy at best, as Mr. Hopper can now attest, but I can always be reached by email at donnamstefani@hotmail.com.
I do have news on the Paradise Garden/Paradise Bar lead, not all that good either, which I will talk to Mr. Hopper about & I'm sure he'll update everyone. I hope we've discovered who he is, but I'm reserving judgement until all the facts are in!!! ;-) Thanks to everyone who offered info as I've been working on this all week & not having any luck until Mr. Hopper stepped in!

Oh, I had questions about that fireplace too!!!
Parts of it I'm sure are real, the mantle, but yes, the bottom part does look painted, & boy, well done too.

I also love the bridge in the painting upper right on the wall.
Does anyone recognise that bridge from anywhere?

David Rheault sent some pictures of Lave Nelson's paintings, and I put one side-by-side with the one above, changing it to black and white, to compare the styles:

Great story.

Maybe the photographs on the mantel are of his sister and brother n' law?

Ram4, good idea!
I have now been proceeding as the genealogist I am, so I'm working on the family info.
I also found the obit today, & not one word in it about his painting! But, since there was so little family, that may be why.
I leave in the morning for home.
Please, anyone with any leads on this, please contact me by phone at 847 877 5088, or
by email at donnamstefani@hotmail.com
Thanks everyone for the assistance.

I've discovered the identity of my artist, it's Ole Estenberg of Florida Loc., Laurium.
I'm going to be writing an article about Ole, so I'd like to talk to anyone who has any of his paintings &/or knew him.

I'm at this very moment up at the MTU archives doing research on the Paradise.
I've discovered that my mystery artist is Ole Estenberg, who painted all of the paintings there. I've received conflicting info, but the murals may have been by an artist named Frank Pentzuld, & painted previous to the paintings going up in the 30 & 40s. At this time tho, I'm uncertain whether the murals remaining on the walls are the originals.
I'm looking for anyone who knew Ole Estenberg, or anyone who has or knows of anyone who has his paintings. I'd like to interview them & obtain photos of their paintings.
They were sold at auction when the contents of the Paradise were sold.
I'm also looking for the date of that auction so I can locate anything in the Mining Gazette about it.
I'm writing an article on him for the August 2012 Superior Signal & would like to include as much info as possible for it

I'm at this very moment up at the MTU archives doing research on the Paradise.
I've discovered that my mystery artist is Ole Estenberg, who painted all of the paintings there. I've received conflicting info, but the murals may have been by an artist named Frank Pentzuld, & painted previous to the paintings going up in the 30 & 40s. At this time tho, I'm uncertain whether the murals remaining on the walls are the originals.
I'm looking for anyone who knew Ole Estenberg, or anyone who has or knows of anyone who has his paintings. I'd like to interview them & obtain photos of their paintings.
They were sold at auction when the contents of the Paradise were sold.
I'm also looking for the date of that auction so I can locate anything in the Mining Gazette about it.
I'm writing an article on him for the August 2012 Superior Signal & would like to include as much info as possible for it.