Crane to be inducted into hall of fame

By: 
Leslie Silverman
Local artist Jon Crane will be inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021. The induction ceremony will be held in Chamberlain at the Arrowhead Cedar Shore Resort Bridges Conference Center May 21. Last year’s induction ceremony was canceled due to COVID-19.
Crane was chosen for this honor because of his contribution to the arts in South Dakota. However, Crane is also a humanitarian, holding an annual auction to benefit the Black Hills Children’s Home. He supports other organizations including CASA, Realtors for Kids and the Rapid City Club for Boys.
Aside from his work in watercolors, Crane is also a preservationist, most notable for the legacy of helping to save numerous treasures in the region. Crane’s restoration efforts have helped many Black Hills landscape treasures, including Meeker Ranch. Crane found Meeker, like he has so many of his notable landscapes, by accident, hiking around the area. 
Built in 1887, Meeker Ranch was acquired by the Forest Service in 2004. The old homestead had seen numerous windows broken and damage to its exterior and property barn. 
In 2008 Crane held a plein air paint event at the ranch, encouraging other artists to participate.  Thirty percent of the proceeds from the sold artwork was donated toward the preservation of Meeker.
Crane sought out friends who wanted to save spots  like Meeker. Together they brainstormed what they could do so that these spots would not be torn down. 
The Black Hills Preservation Trust formed out of this process. For Meeker, the trust meant a new roof and the ability to stabilize the site’s main structure, thus preserving its existence. Currently 15 percent of sales of Crane’s seven Meeker prints go to the Meeker restoration. Crane has also been instrumental in the preservation of  other area  treasures such as the Gold Mountain Mine and projects of the Mystic Preservation Alliance.
Crane has a plaque on the Mickelson Trail. Two images of that trail have been gifted to the National Forest meaning 100 percent of the proceeds of those images goes back to the Mickelson Trail directly.
His most notable landscapes  also include Sylvan Lake, the Anderson Ranch and the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park. Crane has also done a few local landmarks including the Alpine Inn, Newton Fork Ranch and the 1880 Train.
Crane paints by first taking photos of landscapes from multiple angles and at various times of day. He uses those photos to  create the watercolor story. Crane chooses landscapes that share the beauty of South Dakota  but are also historical in nature, since he is an avid history buff.
A New Jersey native, Crane came to the Black Hills via the Air Force and fell in love with the  region’s beauty. He wanted to share the beauty of South Dakota and give back to the land what it had given to him.
Buyers of a Crane piece know it will conjure up memories and conversations that can tell a story alongside the one being told by Jon. His pieces are presented in a warm way that allows owners to see and feel the story of each print while sharing their own story of how they associate with it.
In 2021 the Jon Crane Gallery in Hill City received four new prints from Crane;  it expects to get three more in 2022. 
Aside from his pieces of Baja Mexico, Crane’s most unusual work  might be the Seven Sacred Horses, specifically because it's not a homestead.
Crane still visits all the places in his paintings, because they are all his favorite places. They’re part of who he is as a South Dakotan. Crane continually lives in the history of South Dakota and wants others to as well.
Crane continues to be passionate about hiking and loves to support small businesses. He is described by Angela Mordhorst, a jill of all trades at the Jon Crane Gallery, as “very selfless, considerate and generous.” 
According to Mordhorst, Crane is humbled at this induction into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. 
 

User login