years of Pruner's work), Pruner moved to rural Stafford County, where his mother owned 40 acres of land. On this remote property, Pruner moved a 1950s-era bus, which he converted into his studio and living space. He painted continuously, while also cultivating a small-scale farm and building a living space for himself. Pruner also produced a series of prints at The Lawrence Lithography Workshop, in Lawrence, Kansas, with Michael Sims. His works from this period indicate a consistent iconography, drawn from dreams and magic (some images resemble Tarot cards), and inspired by the landscape colors that surrounded him. "His paintings almost vibrated with bright, clashing colors, or deep, rich hues. The paint itself appeared to glow, as if illuminated from within. He achieved this by using thin layers of oil paint on a white ground: applying enough pigment to suggest color, letting just enough ground peek through to brighten the surface." In 1987, Pruner withdrew from the gallery circuit he had frequented in Arizona, California, and Kansas. He began experimenting with carving stone, and created assemblages that were inspired by his friendship with William S. Burroughs, who was living in Lawrence, Kansas. He produced small paintings which replaced his former iconography with new figures; skeletons presided over chaotic scenes, and the window he had painted in many earlier works disappeared. Many of his images reflected on nuclear war and a devastated natural world. Disappearance and death In December 1987, Pruner disappeared from his home in Stafford County, Kansas. His body was found in April 1988. Writings and zines Pruner was an avid writer, filling notebooks with his poetry and maintaining regular correspondence with many friends and family members. His poems addressed concerns about modern technology and alienation. Their titles include, "A Lesson in Being Alone," "America At War," "The Computer Age," "Mother Earth," "Peace Preserves," "Stand Back War Mongers," and "Western Man." Pruner produced several zines, including: Hard-Nosed Harry (1979) One (1) Day Close to Hell (1979) TV: Modern Man, Primitive Man (1984) His images also illustrate the 1989 William S. Burroughs and Diane di Prima publication Stiletto One: A Ship of Fools. Selected exhibitions 1998 James Dean Pruner Retrospective, at Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art, Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas (January 17-February 13) 1987 Group exhibition with Jeff Bertoncino, Carole Foster Blake, Leonel Góngora, and Agnese Udinotti, at Udinotti Gallery, 8756 Wonderland Ave., Los Angeles, California 90046 (March) The