Ralph Auf der Heide paints on reverse sheets of acrylic plexiglass, styled after a centuries old technique called hinterglasmalerei, or under glass painting. Using oils, he paints his scenes in reverse, applying first the foreground, then the middle subjects, and finally the background. He then frames the plexiglass, and paints out onto the frame, completing his shiny creations. Ralph's subjects are whimsical; a recurring theme is "turnabout", where animals take the place of humans in everyday situations.

Entirely self-taught, Ralph began painting in 1987, after retiring as an audio equipment salesman. His work is represented in galleries across the US and in Europe. His work is featured annually at the Outsider Art Fair and at Folk Fest. At 84, Ralph has just recovered from a kidney operation and, jokes on the phone, "is waiting for the next thing to go wrong". It is this spirit and humour that pervades throughout his work.

"As an infant I slept in a cardboard box in the same small bedroom with my parents and brother. Four years later I remember another cardboard box, which cradled my new baby sister. I slept at one end of a bed and my brother slept at the other end." Verna Weatherly grew up in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon in the 1940's. The daughter of an edger at the local mill, Verna began to paint and to create imaginary places at an early age, an attempt to alleviate the harsh realities that abound. By 1957, she had left Oregon, only to lose two husbands and a child in the subsequent years. Settling in Littleton, Colorado, Verna was ready to live out her golden years in relative ease after so much hardship only two injure her spine severely in 1984. After five excruciating jaw joint (TMJ) surgeries, Verna was left desperate for a sign to keep living.

During a walk near her home, Verna's life was changed forever. After imploring for help from God from deep inside her, Verna was overcome by a white light that began at the top of her head and spread down throught her body and to her legs. Looking down to see if her legs were actually glowing, they were not but Verna could feel the light coursing throughout her body. She went back to her painting, which were full of bright colours and forms, creatures from the heavens dancing in choruses of light. Through her work she has found peace.