I’m deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Omaha artist Tom Bartek. My memories of him stretch back to my wandering into his studio when I was in high school and watching him make his serigraph prints. He was an important figure to me as a blue collar kid living on the edge of downtown in a midwestern industrial city. I remember well the distinctive lettering on the door: Tom Bartek Studio, in his own hand. I was inspired to see someone fully give his lifework over to his creative passion—and to make it and be successful, raising a family as a full-time artist. After college, working in publishing, I was fortunate enough to feature his artwork on book covers at several presses—most recently for Howling Bird Press. And it was a great honor to help him organize his multi-site 2012 retrospective, which displayed his work at three galleries simultaneously in Omaha: at Creighton, UNO, and the Nebraska Arts Council. My house is filled with his work, including several pieces that I bought and several that he generously gave me, including the landscape featured here. It was a great honor and a privilege to know and work with Tom Bartek. He was a kind, easygoing, open-hearted soul, as well as a dedicated and skillful craftsman. He was a perfectionist when it came to his artwork—retouching several of his paintings in preparation for the retrospective. I’m sharing a link to one of the articles I wrote about him in connection with the exhibit, this one published by The Museum of Americana. My deepest condolences to his family and to his many friends, collectors, and admirers. His memory and his art are great blessings to us all.