"Imposing in its scale, uncanny and mysterious, our upper-midwestern landscape has long been an avenue of transcendence. Its paradox is as compelling as any other in nature, treading that razor-thin edge between threat and wonder, human and divine.
Nebraska native Dan Bruggeman teaches in the fine art department at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. During his 30-year career, he has been awarded numerous grants, including the Minnesota State Arts Board Grant, an Arts Midwest/NEA Visual Art Grant and a McKnight Foundation Grant.
Artist Statement – “Costa Rica” 2026:
Painting outdoors in a tropical environment introduced me to colors in my watercolor kit that I never knew existed. Mixing the warms and cools of the limitless varieties of blue and green was exhilarating and daunting. The shapes and foliage of the Guanacaste, the Pochote and the many varieties of palm trees was another sort of challenge. There were a lot of failures.
I first began to paint in Costa Rica after my daughter moved to Montezuma, Costa Rica, on the Nicoya Peninsula, in 2014. I would make room in my carry-on bag to fit a pad, a set of colors and a few brushes. I vowed to approach this exercise as something fun. After my grandchildren were born, I would use their two-hour nap-time to complete a painting. Limiting myself to quick sketches helped me to be less cautious (which is my tendency).
Last February, Groveland Gallery arranged for Kristie Bretzke and Cindy Koopman, the two other artists in this exhibit, to meet me in Montezuma. From the Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, we toured Cemetery Island in Cabuya, Curu National Wildlife Refuge near Cobano, and the waterfalls of Montezuma. I have, at other times, traveled to Tortuga Island and the Arenal Volcano, near the capitol of San Jose.
It was my great pleasure to participate in this adventure with Kristie and Cindy. One highlight of our trip was our visit to Indigena, a coffee shop in Cabuya that features native grown cacao, chocolate and coffee beans grown by the Ngobe community. Pura Vida!
Dan Bruggeman was featured on MN Original in February, 2015: