"...a Celebration for North Dakota"

 

Project commissioned by Terrance Rockstad,
Dan's Super Market Inc., Bismarck ND,
for the North Dakota Centennial Celebration 1989.
All images © Copyright Dans's Super Market 1985 - 1989.

Total project consisted of 24 canvases, shown in the following sets. Each canvas is 72"x44". The full set of paintings are permanently installed at the Bismarck Civic Arena, Bismarck, North Dakota.

Centennial

Circle

Wedding Lace

Observing

Friends

Unto God

City

To see larger images in separate Window Viewer - Click on thumbnail panels

 

"Centennial, a Celebration"
oil on canvas single panel
44" x 72"

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"Circle Unbroken"
oil on canvas triple panel
132" x 72"

 

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"Observing the Cross - Weave"
oil on canvas quad panel
176" x 72"

 

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"Wedding Lace"
oil on canvas quad panel
176" x 72"

 

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"Two Good Friends..the Quilt Parade"
oil on canvas quad panel
176" x 72"

 

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"...and Unto God We Trust"
oil on canvas quad panel
176" x 72"

 

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"...the City it Grows"
oil on canvas quad panel
176" x 72"

 

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"Centennial . . . a Celebration for North Dakota"
began as an idea between two men early one spring morning in 1983 at a Village Inn restaurant in Bismarck North Dakota. Terrance Rockstad, president of Dan's Super Market, Inc., proposed an idea to David Christy. An idea about doing something special for the upcoming North Dakota Centennial. The actual centennial celebration was still over 6 years away, far before the planningof any Official State sanctioned events.

Rockstad had already purchased landscape paintings of Christy's depicting the rugged North Dakota Badlands. He also had a vision to do something special to give back to the state and its people. Something that might capture the essence of the North Dakota people, their struggles and their accomplishments. Something to show the diversity of people within the state. Picturing the beginings of Native Americans to the great wheat bonanza farms and railroad deposited settlers. Something to show the unity of family and the participation of community.

Over the next 5 years, with the encouragement and financial support of Rockstad, Christy painted the 24 canvases depicting the 6 sets of specific state history.

The paintings were eventually presented as a gift to the City of Bismarck, State Capitol of North Dakota, and reside permanently in special display cases at the Bismarck Civic Center.