Al Sprague His Life and Work

This volume seeks to document the life and artistic career of Al Sprague, an artist born in Panama to American parents. Al Sprague has dedicated over seven decades of his career to the creation of artwork in multiple media including painting and sculpture. He has dedicated the majority of his work to capturing the beauty of Panama, its culture, and people.

Three sections of this book provide a complete overview of Al Sprague's life and work. Section One, The Life of Al Sprague, is a biography exploring the story of an artist raised in the Panama Canal Zone who shared the beauty of Panama and its people in exquisite imagery. This section examines the main stages of Sprague's life, his early years, his first incursion in the arts, and his family. These episodes include his artistic training in the U.S. and his return to Panama, his years dedicated to studio art teaching in the Panama Canal Zone, and his career as a professional artist. Section Two: The Work of Al Sprague consists of a compendium of over 100 pieces of artwork spanning from his first painting in 1956 to some of his most recent work in 2021. In addition, commentary by the artist, collectors, and family provide an insight into Sprague and his artwork. Section Three is an essay written by one of Panama's premier art historians, Orlando Hernandez-Ying, Ph.D.

Kassie Sprague Taylor grew up in the country of Panama and is the daughter of artist Al Sprague. This experience provided Taylor with a desire to share the beauty of Panama and its people with the world. Educated at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, she received a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Public Relations/Journalism. For 26 years she has worked as an Art Representative of Al Sprague specializing in original art sales and commissions. In addition, she coordinates special art showings across the United States and markets Al Sprague artwork across the world through social media. In November 2020, Taylor curated a 32-piece virtual art exhibit resulting in over 1,000 visits world-wide and 12 originals sold. In 2021, Taylor was named "Art Curator of the Sprague Family Art Collection". Marsha Sprague, Ed. D. was born in the country of Panama and lived there for 30 years. She received her bachelor's degree from Wellesley College, where she majored in English. She holds a master's degree in education from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Miami. She taught in public schools for over 20 years, ranging from kindergarten to high school, and also served as a staff development trainer and special education consultant in the Department of Defense Schools. For fifteen years she directed the Teacher Preparation Program at Christopher Newport University, as well as teaching in the English Department. She has authored over 20 articles, and her research interests include literacy in secondary schools and the impact of literature on girls' development. Edith Crouch has written and published books with Schiffer Publishing on topics relating to Panama's history and art and architecture including Architecture of the Panama Canal Zone: Civic and Residential Structures & Townsites and The Mola: Traditional Kuna Textile Art. Schiffer has also published two volumes relating to decorative arts and Louis Comfort Tiffany: The Mosaics of Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios' Techniques: Inspiration for Today's Artists. An additional volume relating to architecture was published by Schiffer, Walker & Gillette, American Architects: From Classicism through Modernism (1900s – 1950s). Crouch's research and writing background in the field of fine art, architecture and art history includes a number of journal articles on various subjects.

Crouch grew up in the Panama Canal Zone and had the unique experience to learn about Al Sprague's art techniques as a student while in his Balboa High School art class. His work impressed her then and now with his masterfully skilled techniques, brilliant palette, and his ability to transform an "everyday" scene into a brilliant work of fine art.