2007: Jason Lindell, Sundog Glass Design

The 2007 Artisan Award was presented to Sundog Glass Design, in Park River. Jason Lindell, owner of the independent stained glass restoration firm and fused glass artist was chosen for the significant restoration work on a variety of windows in historic structures across North Dakota.

A native North Dakotan, Lindell's work is intrinsically tied to the prairie landscape. In 2002, he returned to his hometown of Park River and purchased a 1920 Greco-Roman designed church building, renovating it into a living space and a studio of traditional leaded glass fabrication and restoration. Lindell trained under stained glass artist Jeer Medenwald of Manville. Fascinated by the possibility of design, he taught himself the art of fusing. He is currently ND's only professional fuser.

Lindell is a founding member of New Bohemia, ND and a governor appointed board member of the North Dakota Council on the Arts where he was recently elected to the Executive Committee.

Lindell has completed stained glass restoration work on the former Masonic Lodge Building in Park River, Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, and the Sybil Center in Stanley, as well as numerous residential stained glass window restoration projects.

Janinne Paulson, president of the Sybil Center Board said, "I met Jason at Marketplace of Ideas and was immediately struck by his enthusiasm for historic buildings, we discussed the three leaded glass windows in the Sibyl Center that were in emergency need of restoration. Jason drove to Stanley to inspect the job in May 2005. He carefully disassembled the three high arched windows and transported them to Park River. He restored them there and returned the completed windows to the Sibyl Center in June 2005. The craftsmanship is superb."

Paulson when on to state, "While at the Sibyl Center Jason also performed an inspection of our two large stained glass windows and pronounced them in fine shape for their age. The board of the Sibyl Center was grateful for the restoration of windows that were in imminent danger of losing their panes due to deterioration of the lead. It was a significant bonus to also get an expert inspection and opinion regarding our large rose windows."

Lindell's work is exceptional, while many contractors chose not to tackle smaller and/or more difficult restoration projects in rural areas of the state; this doesn't deter Lindell. He has truly built a name for himself among those in the arts community, and his incredible restoration work speaks for itself. North Dakota is privileged to have this fine artist practicing his craft in our state.

Accepting the award was Jason Lindell.

2006: Rory Gabel

The third-annual Preservation North Dakota Artisan Award was presented to Rory Gabel, an independent masonry contractor in Valley City for the significant restoration work on a variety of buildings constructed in stone and brick.

Gabel has a long family tradition of building. His dad, Wilbur Gabel, has been a bricklayer/stone mason for over 50 years. His uncle has been a bricklayer/stone mason for just about 50 years. His older brother Rocky has been one for over 30 years. This is a milestone year for Rory himself, as he started his mason apprenticeship 30 years ago next spring, so as you can imagine he was surrounded by it all his life.

The first restoration work that Gabel did was on St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Valley City, where he tuck-pointed almost all of the stone work in the foundation. Since then, Gabel has done work on a number of churches and many more houses than he can remember. The masonry work ranged from restoring steps, chimneys, fixing stucco, to building and repairing fireplaces. Gabel also restored the entire front of a brick house, now over 100 years old. The Stone Episcopal Church in Valley City, where he restored the stonework on the front of the church and entirely rebuilt the brick bell cote.

Gabel said, "When I am restoring some old brick or stonework I think about the men who originally laid that masonry. They put so much character into their work. Looking at all the stone shaping and decorative work they did, I really appreciate their craftsmanship."

Gabel has worked on several of the store fronts in Valley City including the Pillar Theatre, and the youth center, and is currently restoring the brickwork on the Sheyenne Apartments, which he said would be a many year project. Along with these buildings and others Rory has also restored/rebuilt the monuments of two historic sites on the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway. They are the Wadeson Park and Standing Rock Historic Site monuments.

Gabel's work is exceptional, while many contractors chose not to tackle smaller and/or more difficult projects; it is what gives Gabel the most pleasure. He has truly built a name for himself among those with historic properties, and his incredible restoration work speaks for itself.

Accepting the award was Rory Gabel.

2005: Heise Maintenance

The second-annual Preservation North Dakota Artisan Award was presented to Heise Maintenance, an independent contractor in Valley City for the restoration work on the Rosebud Railroad Car.

The "Rosebud" is a Northern Pacific Railroad Superintendent's Coach which was originally converted in July 1881 from an old rail car sitting unused at Mandan, Dakota Territory.

Renovation began in 1999, with the stripping of the asphalt rolled roofing. The exterior of the car was then stripped of its paint, rodent damage was repaired and rotted wood parts repaired or replaced. The roof was replaced with 40 pound canvas, the material that would have originally been used. The canvas was painted with six coats of special canvas paint. Originally, it would have received over 40 coats to make it weatherproof. The car was then sanded, primed and painted to match the original paint. The words "Northern Pacific" and the car's number were applied using gold leaf, by another contractor. Afterwards two coats of varnish were applied. The interior was carefully cleaned as directed by a curator at the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The furniture was then replaced.

Original floor plans indicated that a wall had been removed from the kitchen area and one in front of the "Baker-Heater" oven area. These were restored using specially milled lumber. This area had all been painted yellow and had to be stripped and repainted. During the painstaking stripping process, it was found that the area had been faux finished with dark red paint over a light yellow base which was combed to create a wood grain finish. This decorative finish was also reproduced.

Several resources were used to assure historic accuracy. A member of the Soo Line and Northern Pacific Historical Societies was contacted who supplied stencils for the gold leaf lettering and numbers and formulas for the "Pullman Green" paint from the Pullman archives for the exterior. The Mid-Continent Railroad Museum in North Freedom, WI, provided information on the application of the canvas roof as well as a source for the canvas paint. The Iron Horse Railroad Museum of Chisago City, MN, supplied plans for the "Baker Heater" oven area and door.

"It was really a challenging project," said Daryl of Heise Maintenance, "and very interesting to work with something as unique as the Rosebud. I used basic construction methods with the exception of the canvas roof." It was different from his other projects because a lot of research had to be done to ensure historic accuracy. "I knew that many people and especially railroad buffs would be scrutinizing my work," he said.

Accepting the award for Heise Maintenance were Daryl Heise and his daughter Sarah Heise.

2004: Schoen Associates

The first ever Preservation North Dakota Artisan Award is presented to Schoen Associates, architectural firm of Grand Forks. More often than not, it seems that architects are designing shiny new structures, where historic buildings once stood. Schoen Associates is well known for designing such structures as the Ralph Engelstad Arena and the Alerus Center. But to those who work with historic preservation, Schoen Associates is also a firm we look to for renovation and creative adaptive reuses of historic structures.

Working from their offices in the former Great Northern Depot in downtown Grand Forks, their projects include: Roosevelt Elementary School, the old Kedney Warehouse, and the Great Northern Freight-house, all historic structures that have been turned into much sought after apartments. Just across the river, the historic Hamms Brewery in East Grand Forks has recently been renovated into a professional building under Schoen Associates watchful eye. After the 1997 disaster, Schoen Associates was called upon to design a sympathetic addition to the historic Grand Forks Herald building. They were also responsible for the wonderful "redo" of the east side of south Third Street in downtown Grand Forks which had been covered for more that two decades by an ugly metal "mall" structure. Today the buildings have been renovated and an appropriate infill building added where a flood damaged structure was removed. "Old Town" now contains thriving businesses on the main floor and upscale apartments on the second. Indoor parking within the rear portion of these historic structures was also included, all while retaining the look and feel of an historic downtown.

The latest project of note has been the renovation/adaptive reuse of the 1912 Grand Forks County Courthouse which has just been completed. New offices, new HVAC, new restrooms - all accomplished within the existing structure, looking like nothing has changed since the building was built. It is with great pride in their commitment to historic preservation, that we award the Artisan Award to Schoen Associates.

Accepting the award on behalf of Schoen Associates was Roger Endersbe.