Just over a month ago a woman living in Florida called the Tribune with a question. This question was about the color scheme for the uniforms worn by the Albert Lea High School boys’ baseball team.

Her call was referred to Laura Lunde of the Tribune’s advertising department. And it was pure luck that resulted in a conversation with a former high school cheerleader whose stepfather, Joe Sczublewski, is the head coach of the Tiger boys’ baseball team.

Further e-mail messages between Sue (Enderson) Geiken of Florida and Lunde revealed that the information about the high school’s baseball team’s uniforms was needed for a special birthday present for Geiken’s grandson, Logan Enderson of Albert Lea. This present would depict a player wearing the uniform painted on a turkey wing feather by the Florida artist who has a strong connection with the Albert Lea area.

Geiken said she started doing artwork with bird feathers in October 2008.

“I found a crow feather, cleaned it, and created what I call ‘End of the Trail,’” she said. “It was my first. I felt like I was working with nature’s canvas.”

“A man in Wisconsin sent me four turkey wing feathers,” she added.

From this start Geiken soon developed a technique based on using various paints and small brushes to create more artwork with bird plumage. Thus, she uses turkey wing and tail feathers, plus feathers from other birds. She said a neighbor gave her a tiny dove feather which became a big challenge for one of her artistic creations.

Asked if she uses a magnifying glass to paint the miniature portraits, her reply was no.

Geiken said each of these special feathers involve from five to eight hours for the painting and drying process.

Four of her feathery art creations have been given to her son, Jay, and his three sons.

Jay received a feather featuring an otter.

“He likes to hunt and has many of the animals that he has taken mounted on the walls of his log home, “ she added.

Jason was given the feather based on the baseball player on his 16th birthday last month. He’s a member of the Albert Lea high School ninth grade baseball team and also plays football.

Alex Enderson received a feather, very appropriately featuring a turkey as a Christmas present.

“He is an avid turkey hunter so I did one of the turkey in silhouette with the sunset because I wanted to do one for him that would be something he is interested in,” she explained.

Josh Enderson is a student at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. His feather depicts Jesus with this Biblical quotation, “He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge. Psalms 91:4.”

Geiken’s artwork is still focused on pastel portraits of dogs and cats. However, she said working with the newer feather painting concept is very enjoyable.

There are many examples of other artwork created through the years by the Florida artist in the rural Albert Lea home of her son, Jay and his wife, Cheryl.

There are also two examples of her art work available for public viewing in Albert Lea.

One is a 4-by-12-foot mural of a harvest or threshing scene which was created in 1977 for the Skyline Mall Cafeteria. It was on the back wall of the dining area. When the cafeteria ceased operations in early 2007, the mural was carefully removed in three sections and taken to the Freeborn County Historical Museum where it was reassembled and framed. It‘s now on display in the museum’s library.

Geiken also drew the large portrait of Jesus in 1978 which is now displayed on the north wall of the Fireside Room at the United Methodist Church.

One of her murals based on portraits of 99 famous Minnesotans is near the entry to the Ramsey Room at the famous Hubbell House in Mantorville.

Another of her paintings can be seen near the gift shop at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. This particular art creation depicts the Mayo Brothers and several of the Catholic nuns who were the medical pioneers in the creation of both the Mayo Clinic and St. Marys Hospital.

She is the daughter of Margaret and Carlyle Olsen and grew up on North Bridge Avenue near the former Hammer School. The artist attended Hammer School and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1962. She and her husband, Dennis, live in Brookville, Fla., about 40 miles north of Tampa on the gulf (western) side of that state.