February 14, 2003 12:35 PM

Michael Blaser: a man of the seas and the Q-Cs

Photo: Gary Krambeck Michael Blaser takes a break away from his painting of a riverboat scene in New Orleans at his home studio in Bettendorf.

Quad-Cities native Michael Blaser has loved rivers and the vessels which travel them since he was a child. They were compelling symbols of getaway; escape.

When he was about 8 years old, he began doing watercolors of frigates, ships, and steamers. He wasn't interested in painting itself, but in his subjects -- the endlessly fascinating floating beasts of wood and metal.

As he grew, he read Mark Twain's tales of the Mississippi and Allan Villiers' stories of square-rigged sailing ships. On summer days, he fished the Mississippi and watched its boats, dreaming of leaving on some adventure. Then he would ride his bike to take his corner as a newsboy for The Moline Dispatch.

After college, the Marines, work at a Chicago art studio and a stint as art director for John Deere, he began marketing his maritime artwork. He illustrated for sailing magazines, books and nautical companies on the East Coast while still living here.

Now Mr. Blaser makes his living as an artist. For the past 20 years or so, he has painted boats on their hometown rivers or lakes. He's portrayed scenes of every major river town. He has his own gallery in the Village of East Davenport. Twenty-three galleries represent his work.

He travels and takes photos to help him compose his paintings, though he never simply copies a photo. Sometimes he goes back in time -- through research, old photos and interviews of local residents -- to create a view he has never witnessed. He has painted scenes from 1854 to the present day.

Steamboats of the Western Rivers (the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers and their tributaries) are his favorite subjects. Bridges often appear in his paintings, also.

He works on three or four paintings at a time. He chooses some of his subjects; other paintings are commissioned by individuals or groups. Some groups sell prints of his paintings as a fundraiser.

Though he started with watercolors, he prefers oils for a variety of reasons. ``It's like painting with butter. A lustrous feeling,'' he said. He can coax more detail from oils. Also, an oil painting has a longevity that a watercolor does not. ``It's what collectors look for,'' he said.

Collectors look for more than just the medium, of course. Longtime admirer Keith Webster of Madison, Wis., who owns several Blaser prints and commissioned an original painting, said, ``They looked like something you could just climb in through the frame and be part of the scene.''

Mr. Blaser's paintings, though purely visual representations, evoke other sensations: the smell of coal burning, the cool breezes coming off the water, the sound of a brass bell, the feel of a rough rope in the hands.

He said that as a creative being, ``you have to either continue doing and improving, or reinvent yourself.'' To that end, he studied in Colorado recently under a group of artists.

Among the techniques he learned were how to use primary, secondary and tertiary colors for certain effects. He observed how a small, subtle change could make the difference between a great painting and a not-so-great painting. The students did ``pleine aire'' (French for ``open air'') painting, which was liberating for the studio painters.

Lately he has been doing paintings where the river itself, not the boat, is the focus. It has been a satisfying change of pace. ``Showing the scenery and colors of the river -- it's the sheer joy of painting,'' he said.

Everybody has a different view of the Mississippi, he said -- some see commerce, some recreation. His interest is history, particularly the steamboat era (roughly 1811 to 1945).

What makes the Mississippi special? ``It has been a kernel of growth for the Quad-Cities,'' he said. ``And it's much prettier than the Missouri. The stretch from St. Paul to St. Louis is the most beautiful of all waterways.''

He is enthusiastic about being part of Grand Excursion 2004. Communities from the Quad-Cities to the Twin Cities will celebrate how they have sustained and improved the upper Mississippi River since the late 1980s.

Cities along that 400-mile stretch of river will hold festivals and recreational, cultural and educational events. A Grand Flotilla of steamboats and riverboats will travel up and down the river in June and July, 2004. Mr. Blaser will paint a scene of each town the flotilla stops.

While a Marine, he rode sailboats in Puerto Rico. When working in Chicago, he crewed on racing boats on Lake Michigan. Today, he paints boats and builds model boats as well. Why didn't someone with such a love of boats end up as a sailor?

Mr. Blaser has friends who work on tugboats. They're out on the water for 15 days, then home for 10. ``I would miss the family life, and my kids' school programs,'' he said. Once, he was offered a job on a fishing boat. The constant stench of fish and diesel was enough to change his mind.

Some wonder why he stays in the Quad-Cities, which is not a thriving market for nautical artwork. He treasures being able to enjoy life with his family. ``Life is pretty good here.'' Also, ``The river is just as interesting as `deepwater' (a term for the ocean). Why live out in Boston where marine artists are a dime a dozen?''

Mr. Blaser's works can be found in private and corporate collections across the country. Michael Blaser Gallery and Framing is at 1019 Mound Street, Suites 101 and 102, in the Village of East Davenport.

What happened to the boy who dreamed of escape? He became a man who found the adventures he'd been looking for right here.