On a beautiful August afternoon we had the pleasure to talk with artist and mentor, Larry Butcher. This conversation proceeds to tell a story of a young man coming to age on a rural Michigan farm with a father who expected his children to be navigators of inventive thinking and a mother who encouraged her young ones to be makers. Creative thinking and hard work was the norm and from that Larry became a visual artist and art educator, who to this day believes in the sharing of artistic knowledge.

Larry Butcher has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Education from Central Michigan University and continued art studies at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit. His background includes sign painting, teaching art in the Mount Pleasant School System as well as a long career as professor of art at Delta College. In the episode you will hear Larry speak of his amazing connections to artists Charles Breed and Russell Thayer, who both shaped Larry's position at Delta College which went for a 39 year run.

He is well-known as a prolific painter who developed unique shaped canvas paintings as well as wonderful drawings as an amazing draughtsman. He has work in many corporate and private collections. We will be posting images on our Art Ladders: The Creative Climb Facebook Page.