Paul T. Boecher (1942-2025)

Paul Boecher was born on February 11, 1942.  His interest in art appeared at an early age and in his Senior year of High School he chiseled a piece of limestone into a majestic ram’s head.  He attended the Art Institute of Chicago and Layton School of Art in Milwaukee. After enlisting in the Air National Guard, he began a career in graphic design. He spent most of his working years in the ad business creating amazing ideas and solutions for many years at various agencies in Wisconsin as well as the Minneapolis area. He eventually formed his own company, Advertising Brainstorms.

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Paul had an avid interest in camping, survival in the wild, tracking, archery, and anything to do with the outdoors. He was a lifetime member of Rapids Archery in Coon Rapids, MN and taught several students the basics of traditional archery.

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After retiring from the ad business Paul found a way to use his artistic talents in fine art and wood sculpture, creating many commission pieces over the years.  Many sketches, watercolor and acrylic paintings over a number of years led to teaching and mentoring other artists young and old. Always a teacher, he never hesitated to share his knowledge with others. Time as a naturalist at Wargo Nature Center gave Paul the opportunity to share his outdoor skills and love of frontier art. While there, he transformed into Hawkeye, the outdoor artist in re-enactments with characters from the 1800s. He also presented to many Anoka County schools.

 

After retiring, he and his wife, Kathy, moved back to the Anoka area and he discovered the Rum River Art Center just a few blocks away from his home. He quickly connected and taught classes primarily to artists 55+.

 

Paul passed away on January 1, 2025.