Jon Crane

CAPTURING THE BEAUTY OF RURAL AMERICA

1948 • CATEGORY

ART • HOMETOWN

HILL CITY, SD • NOMINATED BY

ANGELA POCHES Born in New Jersey in 1948, Jon Crane grew up among the crowded cities of the East Coast. When his grandparents introduced him to the West at age 15, those wild and untamed lands so inspired him that after high school graduation, he chose to study at the University of Northern Colorado, where he earned a B.A. in Fine Arts in 1971. He was commissioned in the Air Force as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation and moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota to start his military assignment as a pilot at Ellsworth Air Force Base. During those years, he became irreversibly connected to the wonders of the hills.

Leaving the Air Force as a Captain in 1975, Crane resolutely began his work as an artist in 1976, painting his way into the uncertain future of a professional artist. Using a dry brush technique with transparent watercolors, Crane became adept at finding landscapes that evoked a simpler life, telling through his nostalgic watercolors the story of rural America. His depictions have fittingly become known as “Art That Takes You Home,” a trademark that speaks to the emotional impact his work has upon his audience.

In 1980, he opened the Crane Black Hills Gallery in Rapid City, which he operated until 1986. Despite having his own gallery, Crane traveled extensively with his artwork, showing at art festivals throughout America. After closing his first gallery, he began to distribute his work through galleries around the country, reserving his energy for painting. In 1995, he and his wife, Gail, opened another gallery in the little mountain town of Hill City, South Dakota, now owned and operated by Lori Nonnast.

During the span of his career, Crane has preserved on watercolor paper many of the priceless treasures that South Dakota offers, scenes of rich meaning to those who live

here. Not only has he contributed to the state as a pictorial historian, he has also used his talent to support several projects that have benefitted South Dakotans. In 1997, Crane painted the Black Hills spruce that graced the lawn at our nation’s capitol at Christmas. America’s Holiday Tree not only raised funds to transport the tree to Washington but became an important symbol of South Dakota’s pride in their natural resources and community spirit.

The following year, the historic George S. Mickelson Trail was completed in September. Crane donated the reproduction rights of two watercolor images that were used to help fund and commemorate this significant project. Throughout his career, Crane has been a regular contributor to environmental organizations including Black Hills Flyfishers Association, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Crane is passionate about the need for art in our schools. His desire to encourage children in the arts became especially evident over the last fifteen years as he worked with the Children’s Home Society to help bolster their Arts Endowment Fund. The Jon Crane Benefit Auction for the Children’s Home Society assisted in achieving their goal for a one million dollar art endowment, assuring children the opportunity to include art in their education.

Throughout his career, Jon Crane has documented a vanishing way of life in rural America. Many of the landmarks he painted over the years are no longer standing. In 2007, he became an advocate and an activist to help preserve historic landmarks on public lands in the Black Hills. Linking arms with a group in Hill City interested in historic preservation, Jon helped found the Black Hills Historic Preservation Trust. This organization worked with the National Forest Service to stabilize and preserve the Meeker Ranch near Custer, the Gold Mountain Mine near Hill City, and other fragile structures on public land that otherwise would have been lost.

Many South Dakotans have benefited from Jon Crane’s artistic excellence, generosity, and vision for the future good of his state.

He has maintained high standards in his art and business practices, earning the respect of his industry partners nationwide. Entering into the forty-seventh year of his art career, Crane remains an unpretentious man, a practical risktaker, a dreamer whose hope is to bring a little peace into our world.

ACTS of

EXCELLENCE

Acts of Excellence honors the many South Dakotans who achieve excellence in everyday acts that make the state so extraordinary. Read more about each Act of Excellence on SDEXCELLENCE.ORG.SDHALLOFFAME.ORG

ABERDEEN

FAULKTON MURAL

The community of Faulkton invited an Australian artist, Guido van Helten, to use a local grain elevator as a giant canvas to showcase artwork visible for miles around. One town official says “the sky is the limit for the tourism boost” the massive mural could provide.

12-year-old Bria Neff is using her talent as an artist and passion for the welfare of animals to raise awareness of the plight of endangered species on the planet. She has raised more than $13,000 through her organization Faces of the Endangered.

Rapid City Regional Airport is going green in an environmentally conscious SIOUX FALLS way. Working with the SD Mines, the airport is creating a rooftop that is filled

CECILIA RANDALL’S DREAM with small plants. The green roof helps

For 42 years, Cecilia “Whiffer” Randall save water, reduce storm run-off, and ran Whiffer’s Deli using “simple reduce heating and cooling costs. pleasures and generous portions” to become a Sioux Falls lunchtime HOW TO SUBMIT landmark. In 2020 Whiffer said it was AN ACTtime to close her doors. SIOUX FALLS RAPID CITY

FACES OF ENDANGERED RAPID CITY REGIONAL AIRPORT

RAPID CITY VETERANS HONORED

Well over 200 veterans from across the country are being recognized this year through Rapid City’s Honor Banner

Project along the streets of Rapid City. Individuals or organizations are welcome to submit Chairman Bill Casper started the project why an act champions a culture of excellence in South Dakota. Submissions are accepted year round. in 2016. Contact the Hall at sdhallinfo@gmail.com or 605.234.4216 for assistance.

SIOUX FALLS REMEMBER ME PROJECT Brothers and Sisters of IOOF Sioux Falls Lodge No. 9 began a project to remember those who have been lost, by helping identify the well over 250 unmarked graves in the Minnehaha County Cemetary.

AN ACT OF EXCELLENCE

SDHALLOFFAME.ORG

HOW TO SUBMIT AN ACT

1 REQUEST AN ACCOUNT To submit your AOE, request an account at sdexcellence.org on the AOE page.

1 2 LOG IN TO SUBMIT To log in, use the dropdown Account tab. Once logged in, type in the title in the box below and press Create. When you submit the title, you will be presented with a submission form. 3 COMPLETE THE FORM Under 200 words or less, please describe in the submission: • What happened? • How it happened? • Who was involved? • Why it is an example of championing the Culture of Excellence?

4 CONTACTS TO NOTIFY In the Notification section, please provide the names and email addresses of individuals who you would like to receive an email announcing that your submission has been selected for anWho may submit and when to submit?

Act of Excellence by the South Dakota Individuals or Organizations are welcome to submit why an act Hall of Fame. champions a culture of excellence in South

Dakota. Submissions are accepted year round. 5 MEDIA CONTACTS TO NOTIFY 2 In the Media section, please provide media contacts in print, TV, or radio Submit online to receive a press release email To submit your AOE, go to sdhalloffame.org under Programs announcing that your submission has in the navigation, select Acts of Excellence. been selected for an Act of Excellence From there hit the AOE Submission Form button. You by the South Dakota Hall of Fame. may also contact the Hall at sdhallinfo@gmail.com

Please also attach a JPEG image to theor 605.234.4216 for assistance. submission form to be included in any press releases.

SIOUX FALLS

COMPASSIONATE BUSINESS OWNER Mike Schulte turned $40,000 worth of damages at his car dealership into a huge turnaround for two young people, instead of pressing criminal charges. After learning more about the boy’s hardships, Mike took strides to help better their lives.

SIOUX FALLS

APPRECIATION IN HARD TIMES Postal worker Doug Scott received a letter of appreciation. Along with Supervisor Sara Bell, they sent the letter on to others and it became national news, highlighting the hard work the postal service does to ensure people stay connecting during hard times.

WATERTOWN

VETERANS HELPING OTHERS Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1054 continues to help others and has donated $26,000 to organizations. They also show their respect to first responders by saluting hospital staff during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Complete the form

Under 200 words or less, please describe in the submission:

• What happened? • How it happened? • Who was involved? • Why it is an example of championing the Culture of Excellence?

Submit a photo

Please attach a JPEG image to the submission form to be included in any press releases, and the recipients award.

3

Provide names and addresses to notify

In the Contact section, please provide the names and addresses of individuals who you would like to receive an email announcing your submission has been selected for an Act of Excellence by the South Dakota Hall of Fame.

Please contact the Hall at sdhallinfo@gmail.com or 605.234.4216 for any assistance.