Posted by Ed Hoffman, owner of Ed's (no name) Bar:

There have been many times throughout the last 3 years that I've felt discouraged at the bar. There have been months where business has been so bad that I didn't know if I could stay open another. There have been weeks where I've put in 80-100 hours of work. But never, never in these 3 years have I been as discouraged, as cynical and as angry as I am right now.

A painting was stolen from the pub late Saturday night (or early Sunday morning). I and others remember noticing it last at about 12:30 am. After a long double shift of work, I closed the bar without noticing it was missing. When I opened the next day I saw the blank space on the wall where it hung and my heart sank.
The painting was by Mary Singer. It was part of a special show in the lounge hung for the area's Studio Art Tour happening the weekend after next. The painting depicted a sunset over West Lake Winona. It is a lovely piece painted in mostly blueish tones with trees silhouetted in the foreground. Its size is approx 20" x 30".

Let me tell you about Mary for a minute. She is a wonderful person and an excellent artist. She works with kids and volunteers for veterans organizations as well as for the Winona arts community. She puts her heart into her paintings and has developed masterful techniques. She, like I, was crushed by the terrible event. As an artist I can especially empathize with how she must feel right now.

This isn't a stupid beer sign or some other trashy bar trinket one might take from a pub. This is a valuable painting and part of some one's soul. This is a heinous thing to do, not to mention a felonious act.

I have been open and offering free gallery space to regional artists for 3 years now and never has any one damaged or stolen a painting or work of art. I have always felt comfortable hanging my own work here. I volunteer and support local art in every way that time allows. I let my guard down and who ever did this made a fool of me. Personally, I am embarrassed that this happened, and have not gotten much sleep as my mind races about who, on a slowish night when I was familiar with most if not all of the people in the pub, would do such a thing.

I choose, at the expense of not being popular with many mainstream pub goers to hang paintings and artwork and present (free) live music to my patrons instead of having TV's and beer signs on my walls. I respect my clientele enough to not offer a dumbed-down environment, but one that encourages engagement with Winona's fine arts and culture. I feel like I've been slapped in the face over this and I'm asking everyone's help in finding this painting.
Again, please help us out. If you were the one that took it, please return it immediately. If you were at the pub and saw any suspicious activity at closing on Saturday, please inform me of what you know. If you have seen or see it hanging in someone's place, let us know where it was asap.

Thank you for reading this.

Please repost this note and tell your friends in Winona to do the same.

Help us return Mary's painting to her.

Thank you,
Ed Hoffman