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June 12, 2002

My mother has an oil painting of the 1898 Ogle County Fair and a painting of the "Risen Christ" painted by J. Gale Reed,along with the easel he used.

The painting is depicting the fair and in the painting a small sign says "Ogle County Fair" Sept. 14-18, 1898. I am told Loredo Taft is depicted as a guest in the Exhibitors box.

If you are not familiar with J. Gale Reed, he lived between the late 1800's and early 1900's. Mr. Reed was a calligrapher and painter. He was also a close friend of "Loredo Taft" the founder of the Eagles Nest Art Gallery. In 1898 the Reed family was a prominent fixture of society in Ogle County.

J. Gale Reed lived and associated with Chicago's Art community and I understand he was the director of Loredo Taft's Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. I also understand that J. Gale Reed helped Loredo Taft establish the "Eagles Nest Art Gallery".

* Note: J. Gale Reed hand crafted the myriad of small figures now on permanent display in the "Lincoln Exhibit" at the Chicago Historical Society Museum.

The grand opening of the Eagles Nest Art Gallery coincided with the Ogle County Fair in 1898, where many prominent artists of the day attended.

My mother acquired this beautiful painting and a few other works of art in 1996 from her close friend of over 50 years. My mother's close friend was the daughter of J. Gale Reed.

How my mother acquired these works.

In 1996 my mothers friend was 81 years old and very ill with Alzheimer's disease. Her only surviving relative, a cousin had never taken any interest in the numerous antiques, paintings, furniture, etc. and decided to "literally give her cousin's things away" to friends and neighbors upon putting her in a nursing home.

Photos of the 1898 Ogle County Fair along with his painting of the "Risen Christ" can be e-mailed to you by contacting me at: mikep@rcgdirect.com

My mother is interested in selling these paintings and the easel J. Gale Reed used.
I know this is a slice of Ogle County history.
If you have any interest, or know of anyone whom might be interested in purchasing these fine works of art, please contact me to negotiate a price at my e-mail address.

Sincerely,
Michael S. Popilchak
mikep@rcgdirect.com

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