Brest van Kempen to present Sept. 29

The artist’s book, “Rigor Vitae: Life Unyielding – The Art of Carel Pieter Brest van Kempen,” is available for purchase at the Sandoz Center. A book signing will follow his presentation.

The presentation is part of Chadron State College’s Wilderness Act celebration and is offered free to the public through sponsorship by the John D. McGregor Fund, the Bob and Joyce Phillips Hardy Endowment, and the Gerald ‘Chris’ Christoffersen Fund, as well as the Sandoz Center General Endowment.

Brest van Kempen is a painter of Dutch descent, with a self-stated goal to say as much as he can about how organisms live and interact with other organisms and their environments.

He spent his youth exploring untracked back country along the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains drawing, studying, and collecting native flora and fauna.

As a boy, he practiced falconry and bred lizards. He began drawing wildlife when he was only 3 years old and created his first painting at the age of 12. At the University of Utah, his studies focused on field work and biology, which he hoped to teach. By 1988, his interests in art and nature matured to the point where he could pursue a full-time career in painting.

Brest van Kempen has exhibited his works throughout the world and earned numerous awards.

For more information about the presentation, contact Sarah Polak at 308-432-6401 or at spolak@csc.edu.