Chappell Artist with Sidney Ties Receives Artist Spotlight for September 

Located 20 minutes past Lake McConaughy almost directly neighboring Ash Hollow State Park, The Most Unlikely Place is quietly bustling with artwork, cuisine, and community waiting for new travelers to walk through its front door to discover the unknown. Nestled inside proudly on display for September is Chappell local, Ron Nordyke's, original artwork; a colorful combination of meaningful painted depictions showcasing quilts, natural life, and quiet moments.

You may recognize Nordyke beyond the paint palette as his daughter Amy and son-in-law, Chris Dyson own Aliens and Strangers Music in the heart of downtown Sidney. Vending at the local farmer's market in Hickory Square, you can find his daughter and granddaughters selling their homemade dolls, crocheted works, and dog bandanas. It is clear from the Nordyke family tree that the apple does not fall far regarding creativity. 

Born and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska; Nordyke remembers a quaint childhood coupled with sparks of creativity thanks to his artistic parents. "It was in my family, to create," Nordyke vividly recalls, "My Mother made dolls, and my Dad always made things with his hands too. When I was a kid, we were always downstairs as a family making stuff." Inspired to build a bridge between his nostalgia and visual inspirations, Nordyke began to capture special moments through his paintbrush. 

Receiving a college degree in art, Nordyke went on to own an Upholstery shop in Sedgwick, Colorado for the next 20 years. After closing, the artist-turned-upholsterer redirected his palette towards a career in teaching through the Creek Valley School District for the next three decades. In 1994, after formally accepting the position of K-12 art teacher in Chappell, Nordyke discovered he needed to brush up on his skills. "I thought, you know, I should be good at this if I'm going to teach."

The artist turned-instructor dabbled in many different projects throughout the years; from the original painting and then repainting of the mural in the gym at the high school after a school name change, to spreading artwork throughout the community. "I enjoyed that a lot, it was good for the kids too." Nordyke strived to incorporate new projects into each school year, filling notebooks with ideas that he had for future classes. Eventually, Nordyke retired from teaching, leaving behind memories and brushstrokes to last a lifetime. "I had a lot of good, creative students. I love art and I loved the kids, so that worked well for me," he recalls fondly. Nordyke's first assistant art teacher in Chappell, Lauren Olson, helped him and his students create the beautiful historical murals we appreciate in Chappell today. Olson has gone on to teach art through Oshkosh's public school district. 

Honing in on his craft, Nordyke says he turned a corner in 1999 when he started to get serious about painting. Claiming a desire for many years, Nordyke settled into his paintbrushes after his children had left the nest. Focusing on his favorite subjects: animals, birds, people, music, and quilts, Nordyke decided to focus his talent on the integration of these everyday treasures into storytelling through paint and canvas. 

Nordyke strives to abide by one general rule of creating his original ideas. "For me, that's very important as it adds value, About 95% of what I paint has been original content." Once he envisions it, the cycle begins. He uses the example of once constructing a wooden frame and then driving to South Dakota with his children to capture the moment. Nordyke used these special images captured by his daughter, Amy, to create the piece of art he had envisioned: a waterfall cascading over a piano. "I write down all of my ideas, even if it's just a phrase, image, or a word. Sometimes the idea is a total flop, but you still try it anyway. You can't be afraid to try." 

A unique style, Nordyke uses realism to depict images beyond what the eye naturally sees; often incorporating quilts into his landscapes. "You might see my art and think, 'I don't know what he's doing here,' the process is figuring out how you make it make sense to yourself," Nordyke comments, "Art is about forming discoveries. If you haven't seen it before and it makes you look twice, you've won the battle as an artist." Working to make diligently intriguing and complex pieces, "That's my goal, not necessarily 'odd' but interesting." 

During Covid, Nordyke hung up his paints, "I just couldn't do it, I was dead in the water," he mentions with a saddened chuckle, "So I began writing the ideas I had while I was asleep. I spent the next year typing out these ideas, and that helped me to become inspired again to create." 

The visually inspired creator sees the artistic practice as a math problem, "The answer to the problem is a moving product, adding color and lines can completely change a piece. I fool around until I create something I like, I invest a lot into what I paint." 

The artist has a few projects that hover in importance above the rest, one being a project spanning over two decades - a series of 14 different paintings. "The first is of my mother-in-law's hands paired with a quilt and a waning sunset in the background," Nordyke remarks, "Another was of my two-year-old granddaughter holding her doll with the beginnings of a sunrise behind her." Each portrait relates to a time of day reflecting the present time in the subject's life. The quilt references are a nod to Nordyke's past as an upholsterer, as well as the incorporation of the special blankets into other aspects of his personal life. A priceless set, Nordyke refuses to sell any of the 14 pieces as separating them would do a disservice to the story each tells. "If you break it up, it doesn't read the same." 

Perhaps the most impactful of Nordyke's works is his written word, a book published as a fulfilled promise to his Lakota-Sioux granddaughter, Shayley, after the loss of her father. A 38-page story encompassing the thoughts and dreams of a young native girl, her horse, and an eagle on the plains of North America, its title, EagleHorse, comes from Shayley's mother's maiden name. The book took almost 20 years to write as well as illustrate, and is available for purchase at The Most Unlikely Place, located on Main Street in Lewellen, NE. A collection of his original works is also on display at the store during his residency. 

The Most Unlikely Place is a unique assortment of unusual and colorful collaborations: from cuisine to coffee and art to even dance, the venue is unlike any other and is only an hour away from Sidney.

Celebrating his featured residency, Nordyke traveled to hang his collection on Tuesday, September 3rd. "I love the people, I love the paintings; for me, it's just having the time. Finding that time, it's worth it." 

The Most Unlikely Place is a privately owned gallery, coffee shop, and restaurant offering unique services such as live music and dance to the panhandle; located at 205 Main Street in Lewellen, Nebraska the location is open until the midst of October, opening again in the spring.

You can contact The Most Unlikely Place for inquiries about art, music, and dining by calling them at (308)-778-9557, in person at 205 Main St., in Lewellen, or by visiting their website at http://www.themostunlikelyplace.com

To purchase original Nordyke artwork or obtain a copy of his book, contact him through his website: http://www.rnordyke.com 

Ron Nordyke's original renderings are also on sale at the Petrified Wood Gallery, 418 East First Street in Ogallala, Nebraska. 

Author Bio

Kelsey Arrington, Staff Reporter

Cheyenne County native, local business owner.