MONROE — Like acting and music, being a painter requires a gift that needs to be developed to grow. Janeen Joy Babler was a very good artist and she had many commissions in Monroe. But she found a way to grow in a different direction after watching the television program “Roots.” “That program caused me to want to know my roots,” she explained.
“Since I was Swiss on my maternal side and I lived in a city known for its Swiss heritage, I decided to learn more about Swiss art.”
It just happened that a friend, Hedy Anderegg, knew the famous Swiss folk artist, Jacob Bodeman, who came to New Glarus from Switzerland every summer to paint because he received many commissions. People in New Glarus loved his Swiss folk art on their walls. So, one summer day Hedy and Janeen drove from Monroe to New Glarus to meet the famous artist.
When Hedy introduced Janeen to Jacob Bodeman he was hesitant but when Janeen showed him her paintings that she brought along he became interested to teach her.
Janeen discovered when she began studying Swiss folk art, she felt a real connection to her roots. “It helped me see more about who I was so I began focusing on Swiss folk art.” As she improved, she decided to specialize in Swiss Appenzell folk art. To become authentic, she traveled to Switzerland to learn this art. It was the bright colors seen in the people’s costumes and the gaiety and simplicity of their rural lives that pleased her the most.
“Each time I painted Appenzell folk art I was happy and focused.” Her Appenzell folk art began appearing about 2000 all around Monroe and New Glarus, particularly on buildings. “It became the focus of my career,” she said.
One day she received a phone call from Gary Abduli, who had just purchased a restaurant on the west side of Monroe. He heard of Janeen and wanted her to paint Swiss murals on his restaurant walls.
“I went to see him, looked at his walls and I took the job.”
So Gary would know what was going on his walls, Janeen gave him a proposal that contained detailed drawings of the art work and the price of each mural. Preparing the proposal took almost as long as it took to paint the walls. Gary approved. Swiss Appenzell folk art began dressing his walls.
One day when Janeen was painting she could feel that someone in a booth was watching her paint. “I hope you don’t mind me watching,” a woman said. Janeen replied, “No, it’s all right.” “Good,” the woman replied. “Watching you paint is better than dinner theater.”
As Janeen painted, Appenzell folk art became an integral part of Gary’s restaurant making it a very enticing place to go. The restaurant stayed open while Janeen continued to work. That was no problem for her. People kept coming in to see her paint and they often ordered something to eat. Gary joked that he had the paintings paid for before she had them done.
The variety was only enhanced with six paintings that were not from Appenzell. They tell the classic Swiss story, Heidi, written by Johanna Spyri. Janeen decided “Heidi” was as much a part of Swiss heritage as the Appenzell people.
“When I thought I was all finished Gary asked me to paint something on a bare wall near the cash register. So, I painted a beautiful bouquet of flowers in Swiss folk art style. When Gary saw it, he had tears in his eyes and said ‘I wish my mother could see this.’”
“That is the finest compliment he could have given,” Janeen said softly.
The project took about two months minus weekends to complete. “My work was my play. I was so motivated I would forget to eat and I would go home hungry and tired at the end of the workday.”
Gary was very good to me. He said I could keep my supplies in the Heidi room. He always asked “Can I get you something to eat?” He was always looking out for me and could see how tired I was at day’s end. So, I would tell him, “Please, a glass of water and a dish of ice cream.”
“Swiss Alps” became the restaurant’s name. Swiss Alps is open serves breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week.
