Jim Maronek has enjoyed a career as a professor of scene design, as an active set designer, and as an artist. He maintains his studio and gallery at Silver Poplar Studios in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin. Since retirement, his stage designs have been seen frequently at The Peninsula Players (where he serves on the Board of Directors), at the American Folklore Theatre (where he also designed the permanent stage), and at the Door County Auditorium. He has designed over two hundred productions for theatres across the United States, both on and off-Broadway. For many years, he was Resident Designer for the Goodman Theatre, Chicago, and was also a professor at the Goodman School of Drama (now The Theatre School at DePaul University). His designs have been published and exhibited throughout the world. Mr. Maronek has traveled widely (51 countries) with his wife, Carole, filling his sketchbooks and finding inspiration for his paintings. He conducted art workshops at his studio in Costa Rica for many years. His intense interest in Russian culture (which extends to his wife, of Byelorussian descent) has led to his design and construction of the cottages, gallery, barn, and other buildings at their Russian estate, Silver Poplar Studios. He holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the School of the Art Institute Chicago. He has won two Joseph Jefferson Awards, and seven Joseph Jefferson nominations. For eighteen years, he was President of United Scenic Artists, the professional association for visual artists in the theatre and film. He and his wife were guests of the USSR Cultural Workers Union throughout Russia and the Ukraine. Mr. Maronek has written essays for numerous publications, including arts and travel articles for Chicago Magazine and the Door Voice.