Wisconsin Regional Arts Blog

Fall 2018 Newsletter

11/1/2018

State Day Conference is a WRAP!

Attendees at the State Day Conference

200 participants engaged and connected at the 2018 State Day Conference during exhibitions, ceremonies, demonstrations, keynote speaker presentation, and networking spaces. They are raving about the conference!

Save the date for next year:
Conference Dates 2019
State Day Conference: September 20 - 21, 2019
Location: Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Exhibition Dates
2018 Annual Art Exhibition: August 16 - September 21, 2019

Conference in 2020 will be in Wausau

Read more - continuingstudies.wisc.edu/conferences/wisconsin-regional-art-program/wrap-conference/

"Being in Madison Saturday was a happy day for me. It was very nice meeting you. Leslee Nelson's presentation was a rewarding pleasure even helping me with an idea for my (hopefully) future work. The Wisconsin Regional Art Program is a wonderful opportunity, for everyone in the state, to personally participate in the arts. I think I heard Ms. Nelson say that John Steuart Curry started the program in the 1930's as part of The Wisconsin Idea. That idea—education, thought, creativity, social and environmental relationships, are at the heart of the state of Wisconsin. What an idea! Thank you for making it real."

–Emailed by Bill Schuele, September 24, 2018

Members of the Memory Cloth Circle share their skills with participants at the 2018 State Day Conference

- Over 200 State Awards given by 23 judges representing 23 regions.

- 174 artworks In this exhibition, 60 first time State Award winners.

- Eight WRAPs held in established art centers.

- Youngest WRAP: Barron hosted by new art Professor new to Wisconsin!

- Oldest WRAP: Wautoma celebrated 70 years with a presentation including Maryo Gard Ewell, community arts leader, and me.

Upcoming WRAP Exhibitions and Workshops

Unique Style 1, by Shirley Diedrich

Choose your next opportunity to connect with artists and share your artwork in one of our regional exhibitions and workshops.

Permanent Collection Feature - Master of Nostalgic Regionalism, Lois Ireland

By Abigail Case

Morning Glory, Lois Ireland

WRAP dove into our permanent collection, located on the 7th floor of 21 N. Park Street to find a piece by celebrated artist, Lois Ireland. This piece titled “Morning Glory” was completed in 1948. Ireland was born in 1928 in Waunakee, a rural community north of Madison. She graduated in 1947 and subsequently enrolled in the art program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Two years later, she moved to New York to study at the Art Students’ League. In 1950, she returned to Wisconsin to recommence painting the American landscape in her regionalist style. She went on to marry and have two sons, which she raised in Oconomowoc.

When Ireland was a teen, John Steuart Curry was the artist-in-residence at UW. A neighbor of Lois encouraged her to set up an interview with Curry. With his guidance, she became fond of oil painting, her favorite medium. Ireland acknowledges Curry’s paintings “Line Storm” and “The Tornado” made a great impact on her painting style and livened her technique. He also led her to the newly-formed Wisconsin Regional Art Program. Her other inspirations include the likes of Grant Wood, Peter Hurd, and Thomas Benton.

Her subject matter mostly depicts nostalgic rural Wisconsin life; the land, the people, and the vast farming country around her hometown of Waunakee. Ireland’s first showing was in 1943 at the Rural Art Exhibit. In 1944, the Wisconsin Salon accepted a portrait of her mother for its annual exhibit. Since then she has exhibited in the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend, the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison, and the Milwaukee Art Institute. Throughout her long illustrious career, Ireland has stayed true to regionalism style of remembered Wisconsin country sides.

2018-2019 Agriculture Hall Show Highlight

A few works from the annual exhibition were selected to be shown in Agriculture Hall for the year. Congrats to those artists!

Farewell to Liese Pfeifer

It is a great pleasure to announce to our WRAP community, these staff changes. I am incredibly grateful for my time working with WRAP and WRAA, the relationships built, the encouraging stories I’ve heard and the beautiful art I’ve seen. I am ready to move on to my next adventure in life. I have been assured that our Division of Continuing Studies embraces the strength of WRAP. Because of that, we have hired Angela Johnson as the next Director of the Wisconsin Regional Art Program. I am confident in passing the torch to Angela and know she will continue to foster positive interactions through WRAP.

Meet our new staff!

Madison native, Angela Johnson will be the new director of the Wisconsin Regional Arts Program starting November 19th . She earned a MA in Art Education in 2008 and an MFA with a focus in photography in 2016, both from UW-Madison. She has shown her photography nationally. She recently finished her first 40’ long public art installation funded by the National Science Foundation (in collaboration with Dr. Ahna Skop - Genetics Dept.) called “Genetic Reflections” located in the Genetics Biotechnology Center at UW-Madison.

WRAP and WRAA hold a special place for Angela. She won a state award about a decade ago for one of her sculptures and was a former juror at Black River Falls. She loves immersing herself in environments that revolve around collaboration, community and outreach in the arts. Creativity and community engagement are an integral to her professional and teaching practices. She has led the SPARK! Program (cultural arts programming for adults with memory loss and their care partners) for the past 8 years at Madison Children’s Museum: the museum no one outgrows. Her education qualifications and work history demonstrate passion for the type of work that propels the mission of WRAP, the Wisconsin Idea and harnessing the power and potential of artistic explorations for the university and the boarders of the state.

She will be in the office Monday-Thursday from 1-5pm for the remainder of this semester.

Abigail Case, our new student assistant, joined the WRAP team in August 2018. She is in her sophomore year at UW-Madison, expecting to graduate with a double major in Anthropology and Art History, as well as a certificate in German. Her ideal line of work would be curation within an art museum, but she is overall interested in many aspects of history. Outside of school and work, her interests include old films, listening to music, joking around with her friends, and working in the Wisconsin Union galleries. Not to mention, she is a connoisseur of poutine (a French-Canadian dish consisting of french fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy) in the Madison area. She participates in the student organization run through the Chazen and the Art History Society advised by the Art History department on campus.

Beyond volunteering for student organizations, this is Abigail’s first exposure to a position within arts administration. She could not be more excited! On Tuesdays and Thursdays she works closely with Liese and Alli, assisting with public outreach, administrative tasks, communications with Regional Coordinators, social media updates, and WRAP promotion. Her main professional goal in working with WRAP is to increase awareness of the amazing artists within Wisconsin!

She had the privilege of working the State Day Conference and found the event to be very formative and powerful. Artist’s testaments to the outlet WRAP provides solidified her reason for joining the program. During lunch, she had the chance to meet some talented artists and create relationships that furthered her understanding of the creative process of making art. Overall, Abigail is eager to continue working with artists and the Wisconsin Regional Art Program to provide the same experience for others.

We have a new email!

Find us all at wrap@dcs.wisc.edu. Now we have a general mailbox that goes straight to everyone at once!

wrap@dcs.wisc.edu

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Summer Newsletter 2018

7/12/2018

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You're invited!
2018 State Day Conference and
Annual Art Exhibition

Conference Dates
Deadline to Confirm Conference Attendance: Sep 7, 2018
State Day Conference: Sep 21‑22, 2018
Pyle Center: 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Exhibition Dates
2018 Annual Art Exhibition: Aug 17‑Sep 22, 2018
Enjoy viewing State Award winners curated by arts professionals from 23 Regional competitions.

The Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) and Wisconsin Regional Artist Association (WRAA) jointly invite you to the State Day Conference which celebrates Wisconsin art, artists, and a year of regional exhibitions and workshops. The conference is a chance to enjoy the festivities in camaraderie with other Wisconsin artists.

go.wisc.edu/WRAPconference

Carl Marty - Permanent Collection Highlight

Lunch Time, Carl Marty

Despite Carl Marty’s first 13 years in Switzerland, he was a true Wisconsinite in many ways—particularly due to his deep and abiding love of cheese! Before achieving success as an artist, he was quite a good old-fashioned cheesemaker, creating huge Swiss cheese wheels. Born in 1873, Carl made cheese from 1885 to 1890, ages 11 to 17, across two different countries. During the off-season of cheesemaking, which occurred in the winter, Carl had many free hours to fill, and he chose to spend that time reading, drawing and sketching. After his second year of secondary school, Carl had withdrawn to move to America and work, but prior to that, he had two years of drawing lessons, occurring once a week for one hour. He excelled in the class, to the point that admiring fellow classmates would steal his class assignments once he completed them.

Carl left his job making cheese to travel around America, and moved back to Europe for a time. But once he had left America, he longed to go back, telling his sister that “In America every man who was honest and willing to work was as good as his neighbor.” He came back to Wisconsin in October of 1895, began a writing job at a German language newspaper, and got married to a widow named Verena, who already had three small children. Their family struggled to make ends meet, but working at the paper Carl not only wrote, but made original zinc plate sketches to accompany his articles. He held a series of odd jobs throughout his life, including cheesemaker, newspaperman, farmhand, business student for a brief time, bag boy at a grocer, bookkeeper, banker’s assistant, and at times even attempted politician. He remarked that these jobs were vantage points from which to observe all manner of life, and his varied experiences in rural farm life certainly influenced his art. This oil painting, entitled Lunch Time, radiates calm, peace, and safety. Not only did Marty manage to accurately depict a common farm scene, but he captured the spirit and emotions he felt observing this equestrian interaction.

Measuring Your Artwork

WRAP's measuring standard

Confused about how to enter your artwork's dimensions? You're not the only one!

Different industries have different standards of measurements. The Graphics' industry standard is width by height. Meaning that when you write your measurements, you write them from your point of view, beginning with the width. Hence a piece of paper is 8.5 x 11 in.

The art world ALWAYS uses height x width x depth in inches unless you are in a country where the standard is centimeters. Depth is used when you have a sculpture or dimensional object.

Do you include the frame? In museums, the answer is no. For WRAP, the answer is YES, include the frame in your dimensions. The reason why the Regional Coordinators have chosen this method is for planning purposes in designing the exhibition.

One of WRAP’s goals is to educate you, the artist. If there is a topic you would like us to explore, please let us know!

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Spring 2018 Newsletter

4/18/2018

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All are invited to attend the 2018 WRAP/WRAA State Day Conference

I am pleased to announce Professor Emerita Leslee Nelson as the judge and speaker for the 2018 WRAP/WRAA State Day Conference. She served as director of the Wisconsin Regional Art Program from 1982-2012 and also taught in the Art Department at UW–Madison 1985-2012. Her work has been exhibited in New York, Paris, India, and Japan as well as throughout Wisconsin and the United States. She published a collection of her Memory Cloths in 2008. Her husband, Professor Craig Werner is a cultural historian at UW–Madison. She has two adult daughters.

Her talk on September 22, Making Memory Cloths, will illustrate her journey as an artist. Literally—journeys to China, Germany, and Indonesia, along with her life story are embroidered on vintage family linens. Inspired by Voices of Women in South Africa, she has been making Memory Cloths since 2005. They asked her to share the process in America, which she has done ever since. -LP

Conference Dates
Deadline to Confirm Attendance Sep 7, 2018
State Day Conference Sep 21-22, 2018
PYLE CENTER: 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Exhibition Dates
Exhibition Entry Deadline Aug 1, 2018
2018 Annual Art Exhibition Aug 17-Sep 22, 2018

Mountain Sunrise, Detail

Leslee Nelson

I Love You

More details and link to online entry will be posted by June 5, 2018.

PERMANENT COLLECTION FEATURE
By Nina Stemwedel

Untrained Recreational Artist Lloyd Scarseth Still Resonates

Self-taught Wisconsin artist Lloyd Scarseth’s grandparents originally settled the family in the western region of the state, trading in the Norwegian mountains for the hills of Wisconsin. Lloyd grew up on a farm near La Crosse surrounded by two dozen cows and other farm animals, and beautiful expanses of nature. His surroundings inspired an interest in rural art, and later in his life Lloyd painted this whimsical line of cows peacefully winding through a beautiful farmland, now a part of the WRAP Permanent Collection.

Lloyd came from a family that was incredibly creative, greatly influencing his own passion to create. He grew up seeing his mother crochet, make rugs, and weave baskets out of corn husks; and admiring the carved and painted animals his father crafted from observation. Despite their shared interest, his artistic streak got him in trouble at times, as Lloyd admitted he used to "spoil a lot of good books" by drawing in the blank pages. In school his art was also encouraged, despite the fact that no art classes were offered. Admiring his talent, teachers always asked Lloyd to decorate the blackboard in chalk drawings for holiday celebrations.

By the age of 11, Lloyd was already making a name for himself, winning the first prize in a Trempealeau County Fair exhibit for his illustrated booklet on birds. In the eighth grade he began teaching himself watercolor painting, and in the ninth began his exploration of oil painting. Within his small community, there was much admiration of Lloyd’s artwork, but never much interest in selling on his part or in purchasing on the part of his friends and neighbors. Lloyd remained a farmer for his whole life, and never became a typically successful artist, because the way he saw it, “many people like my painting, but they have never been taught to place much value on a good picture.”

Struggling to Write an Artist's Statement? Look No Further!

Richland Center’s New WRAP is a Smashing Hit! (PLUS, Learn How to Start a WRAP)

Richland Center recently started up a new WRAP, which went very well! We spoke to the Regional Coordinators, Sally Probasco and Becky Herb, to get some insight into what made their brand new WRAP so successful, and how they avoided getting overwhelmed with the details.

Sally Probasco, a longtime member of WRAA who has been involved with WRAP for many years tells us this all began with an artist northeast of Richland Center who expressed regrets that she would not be able to participate in a WRAP in 2018, due to the distance she would have to travel. A prior Regional Coordinator spoke with the artist and realized that despite an abundance of responsibilities, this overextended artist had enough enthusiasm for the program to assist in the setup of a new Richland Center WRAP by helping to hang the show. One by one individuals volunteered to take care of bits and pieces, such as securing a juror, finding a venue, publicizing the WRAP, photographing the workshop, show, and artworks, handling the technical side, assisting artists with registration, hanging the show, greeting artists, and holding everyone accountable for the responsibilities they had agreed to take on.

Organizing an event like this, with so many moving pieces, can be very tricky! Sally told us some particular areas of difficulty. First and foremost, many of the organizers of this WRAP belong to the Richland Area Arts Council, and they are overworked and overextended, working to encourage interest in the arts at the local high school, the local UW campus, and in the community of Richland Center as a whole. Keeping a handle on everything involved in planning this WRAP was easier with an organized list of tasks to complete, clear delegation, open communication and cooperation, and in some cases, Sally joked that coercion was necessary!

If you are interested in starting up a new WRAP, but concerned about the extra workload, you too could opt into a WRAP Committee rather than a single Regional Coordinator!

Richland Center Award Winners

Michael Treble "Treb" Lysenko

Interested in Becoming a Regional Coordinator?

Regional Coordinator responsibilities:

Manage communications between WRAP Central (in Madison) and their Regional WRAP
Interact with participating artists and help them through the WRAP process
Find an artist to act as Workshop Facilitator, and find a Juror
Coordinate the WRAP (choosing entry deadline, art drop-off time and location, exhibition and workshop dates)
Spread the word locally (word of mouth, emails, distribute posters provided by WRAP Central)
Report stats back to WRAP Central after your workshop

WRAP Central provides a Coordinator Toolkit online, sends email updates and checklists 12, 6, and 2 weeks in advance of your workshop, creates and sends posters and award cards, and does email outreach to libraries local to your WRAP. If you are interested in becoming a WRAP Regional Coordinator, please email wrap@dcs.wisc.edu, liese.pfeifer@wisc.edu or alli.timmins@wisc.edu.

Rural Rembrandts and WRAP/WRAA: Rooted in the Wisconsin Idea

By Pat Spear

Vintage postcard picturing an early art show by the RRAC

At the turn of the last century, Wisconsin State politicians and University of Wisconsin academics formulated the Wisconsin Idea; government should be controlled by voters rather than by businesses or lobbyists. The University should serve the state and the community; and offer outreach and lifelong learning to empower people to govern themselves.

As part of the plan, the College of Agriculture installed an artist-in-residence, John Steuart Curry, who was recommended by Grant Wood, painter of American Gothic. He was one of the big Three—Benton, Curry and Wood—of the Regional Art Movement of the 30s and 40s which emphasized local subject matter in art.

Curry began a grassroots movement to encourage art in rural communities. Local groups began to form, and, according to Rural Art in Wisconsin, the first was in Wautoma. It began with a small group of kindred spirits who met in farm kitchens, parlors and cafes to paint and talk about art. In 1947 they named themselves the Rural Rembrandts Art Club of Wautoma. And in 1954, the Rembrandts, mentored by Professor Schwalbach, invited twelve other clubs to form the Wisconsin Rural Artists Association with Rembrandt founder Ray Spaulding as the first president.

Over time at least ten Rembrandts served on the WRAA board, and eight were recipients of the John Steuart Curry Award. Members have been prominent on the local, State and national stages, but it was the unsung volunteers who kept the spirit of creativity, community and “painting for pleasure” glowing for 70 years. Among them are the retirees who found new life in the club doing what they loved.

This year the club will celebrate its 70thanniversary at an annual two-day art show. The event includes adults and children’s art juried for awards, a display of inmates’ art, and an installation of vintage art and historical artifacts, as well as face painting and an art-making project for children. Saturday the judge will award prizes and critique the artwork. Sunday a program will include WRAP President Liese Pfeifer, Marjo Gard Ewell (on the Wisconsin Idea and the Visual Arts), and descendants of the founders including Gail Schwersenka. The event will be held at the corner of State Roads 21 and 22 in the WWII Memorial Building in Wautoma from 10-3 and is free to the public. Visit www.ruralrembrants.com and the club’s Facebook page for information as it becomes available.

We have a new email! Find us all at wrap@dcs.wisc.edu

Have you emailed Alli, Nina or Liese only to find out they were out sick? Now we have a general WRAP email, that goes straight to everyone at once!

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Keep an eye on approaching entry deadlines!

4/6/2018

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Eagle River
Online Entry and Payment Due: Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Make check payable to: Headwaters Art League
Artwork Due: Friday, May 4, 2018, 10:00am
Workshop: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 10:00am-2:00pm
Location: Olson Memorial Library, 203 N. Main St., Eagle River, WI 54521
Coordinator:
Sandie Pauly
P.O. Box 238
Land O’ Lakes, WI 54540
(715) 547-3135
sandiepauly2@aol.com

Tomah
Online Entry and Payment Due: Friday, April 27, 2018
Make check payable to: TAG (Tomah Arts Guild)
Artwork Due: Tuesday, May 8, 2018, 2:00pm-5:00pm
Workshop: Saturday, May 19, 2018, 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: Community Theatre Building
Coordinator:
Ginny Schuld
W12658 Charcoal Rd.
Hixton, WI 54635
(715) 963-3200
poodlpad@centurytel.net

Rhinelander
Online Entry and Payment Due: Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Make check payable to: Nicolet College
Artwork Due: Monday, May 21, 2018, 12-4pm
Workshop: Saturday, June 23, 2018, 9:30am-3pm
Location: Nicolet College Art Gallery
Coordinator:
Katy Ralph, Director
Nicolet College Art Gallery
PO Box 518
Rhinelander, WI 54501
(715) 365-4556
kralph@nicoletcollege.edu

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Get your entries in!

2/27/2018

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Waukesha/Oconomowoc
Online or Paper Entry and Payment Due: Friday, April 6, 2018
Make check payable to: Waukesha Creative Arts League (WCAL), mail check or bring to art drop-off
Artwork Due: Saturday, April 21, 2018, 10:00am-11:00am (3 piece limit)
Workshop: Saturday, May 19, 2018, 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: Oconomowoc Art Center
Coordinator:
Jan Wood
S63 W14860 Garden Terrace
Muskego, WI 53150
(414) 315-1190
jnesswood@gmail.com

Prairie du Sac
Online Entry and Payment Due: Saturday, April 15, 2018
Make check payable to: Terrence Doeler
Artwork Due: Sunday, April 22, 2018, 10:00am-2:00pm (2 piece limit)
Public Reception: Thursday, April 26, 2018, 3:30pm-6:00pm
Workshop: Saturday, June 9, 2018, 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: River Arts Center, Sauk-Prairie High School, 105 9th Street, Prairie du Sac, WI 53578
Coordinator:
Terrence Doeler
4919 Tonyawatha Trail
Monona, WI 53716
(608) 221-9849
doeler@charter.net

Cambridge
Online or Paper Entry and Payment Due: Saturday, April 16, 2018
Make check payable to: Marilyn Knipfer
Artwork Due: Saturday, May 5, 2018, 9-9:30am
Workshop: Saturday, May 5, 2018, 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: Back Banquet rooms Keystone Grill, 206 W. Main Street, Cambridge, WI 53523
Coordinators:
Marilyn Knipfer
(608) 764-1338
kniphaven@aol.com
Jill Jensen
(608) 423-3821 OR (608) 275-6540
6540@yahoo.com
June Buchanan
(608) 334-7715
watercolorsforu@aol.com

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Don't miss these entry deadlines!

2/21/2018

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Burlington
Online Entry and Payment Due: Friday, March 30, 2018
Make check payable to: Burlington Area Arts Council
Artwork Due: Saturday, April 7, 2018, 9:00am-10:30am (2 piece limit)
Workshop: Saturday, April 28, 2018, 9:30am-3:00pm
Location: Norway Municipal Building, 6419 Heg Park Road, Wind Lake, WI 53185
Coordinator:
Gillian Graffy
W399 Kearney Road
Burlington, WI 53105
(262) 767-0634
gillian.graffy@yahoo.com

Portage
Online Entry Due: Saturday, March 31, 2018
Make check payable to: Portage Center for the Arts (PCA)
Artwork Due: Wednesday, May 2, 2018, 12:00pm-3:00pm (2 piece limit)
Public Reception: Friday, May 4, 2018, 4:00pm-6:00pm
Workshop: Saturday, May 26, 2018, 10:00am-3:00pm
Place: The Drury Gallery at Portage Center for the Arts, 301 East Cook Street, Portage WI 53901
Coordinator:
Heidi Royal
Portage Center for the Arts
PO Box 866
Portage, WI 53901
(608) 742-5655
info@portagecenterforthearts.com
www.portagecenterforthearts.com

Monroe
Online Entry and Payment Due: Friday, March 30, 2018
Make check payable to: Monroe Arts Center
Artwork Due: Friday, April 6, 2018 OR Saturday, April 7, 2018, 10:00am-5:00pm (2-piece limit)
Public Reception: Friday, April 13, 2018, 5:00pm-7:00pm, Artist talk 5:30pm
Workshop: Saturday, June 9, 2018, 9:30am-12:00pm
Location: Monroe Arts Center, PO Box 472, 1315 11th Street, Monroe, WI 53566
Coordinator:
Carrie Baxter
PO Box 472
1315 11th Street
Monroe, WI 53566
(815) 275-3475
cbaxter@monroeartscenter.com

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Winter 2018 Newsletter

1/31/2018

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"A friend encouraged me to enter a WRAP exhibit. Winning a state award fueled my desire to begin painting seriously."

-Norm Starks, Beloit artist and recipient of 10 State Awards

WRAP INITIATIVES FOR 2018

Community art groups across the state provide valuable time as volunteers to bring this unique program to life. We are grateful for this shared labor of love. From the Madison office, we work to increase the visibility of these groups and WRAP by:

Utilizing the University extensive contact lists to reach new lifelong learners that make up our base In 2018
Reaching UW system art departments to share with faculty and students
Launching the new DCS Website, now all art students and artists will hear about WRAP
Providing posters to libraries targeted for each region

Like us on Facebook and share the news you find interesting. Look for the continuation of our digital newsletter and emails. Your word of mouth is our most productive outreach.

(Also, check out our new WRAP Homepage!)

Fundraising for our Future

The Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) has been a tradition of joy, personal growth, and fulfillment for 77 years, enriching the lives of thousands of Wisconsin artists. This was evidenced when the WRAP and Wisconsin Regional Artists Association (WRAA) community celebrated the 2017 Art Exhibition and State Day Conference in Wausau in late September. A standout selection of entries made by WRAP artists included the works of 54 first-time State Award Winners.

We hope these events remind you that it is the volunteerism, generosity, and loyalty of artists who create "art for the sake of art" that have kept this program going since its inception in 1940. We raise awareness of this message at a time when simple sustainability of arts programming is an ongoing challenge—with WRAP being no exception.

Dale Hagen, Catching the Last Rays, 2016 Chinese Fine Art Association Award

WRAA members recently received a letter from President Mary Ann Inman and I also sent a letter to past WRAP participants. I am grateful for this joint approach to insure the future of this valued program. I kindly ask you to consider WRAP in your giving plan, remembering that the existence of this program is a vital platform for our collective pursuits as creative individuals.

Liese Pfeifer, WRAP Director, 608-262-4911

Get Noticed! Arts Marketing: Build a Simple Website

Coming up in the new year, Cole Zrostlik, our Regional Coordinator in River Falls, and this year’s Workshop Facilitator will be leading a specialized workshop on the basics of marketing yourself as an artist. This free, hands-on workshop will walk participants through the set-up and creation of their first website using Wordpress.com, a free, user-friendly website-building platform. Participants will leave the workshop with a rough-draft version of their new site.

A word from Cole: "Marketing is a four-letter word for many artists. It's rarely taught as part of an art school curriculum, it's daunting to the more modest among us, and it's always changing (which can be very overwhelming). Still, marketing yourself and your work is essential to being a working artist, winning more grants, increasing your commissions, or getting others to notice you and your work. A big part of marketing yourself includes telling your story, and what better way to get started than by capturing your story and your work online in a professional, simple, and visually-appealing way!"

The workshop will occur Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 11:00am in the River Falls Public Library Lower Level

Participants: if possible, bring a personal laptop, images of work, and come with a goal in mind for your website (portfolio, online sales, blog, etc.). Basic computer skills are required to participate. No prior coding or website experience necessary. Registration requested. CLICK HERE to register.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Wordpress.com or get started on your Wordpress website right away!

Cole Zrostlik, River Falls Regional Coordinator

Thanks to our host, the River Falls Public Library Gallery

Making a Creative Life That Matters: Helen Klebesadel

Fringed Prairie Orchid I

Muse and Her Artist

Spill

Helen Klebesadel is a visual artist best known for her watercolors. We asked her to reflect on the next phase of her creative life as we come into 2018. This summer she will transition to pursuing full-time her art making, teaching, and creativity coaching/mentoring of other artists.

Helen has always been identified as an artist, from being taught to draw and paint as a child on the family farm near Spring Green, and throughout her schooling. After spending her twenties traveling, and working as a house painter she returned to college at 28 at UW-Madison to study art. She would go on complete an BS in Art, a certificate in Women’s Studies, and go on to complete an MFA.

Helen accepted a position on the art faculty of Lawrence University in Appleton, WI in 1990. There she taught art and gender studies courses, earned tenure, and chaired the art department, while also teaching summer workshops for adult from Door County to Alaska. She also served as the national president of the Women’s Caucus for Art and served on the Wisconsin Arts Board. In 2000 she moved back to Madison to work as the Director of the WGSC and focus on her art career and other creative interests. From 2013-2016 Helen was also asked to serve as Interim Director of the Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP).

As Helen began to the next phase of her creative life she thought a lot about which parts of the creative work she has loved the most. It was making and sharing her art with the world and helping others to do the same that has been most rewarding. This inspired her to pursue certification as a Creativity Coach through the national Creativity Coaching Association. Helen Klebesadel is looking forward to a 2018 filled with creativity in her studio and in the lives of those artists she teaches and coaches toward their own creative pursuits.

You can find Helen’s Art at http://Klebesadel.com, and her teaching and coaching information at http://CreativityLessons.com.

Sentinel III

PERMANENT COLLECTION FEATURE:

William H. Boose

By Nina Stemwedel

William H. Boose was born on his family’s Jackson County farm in 1887. At the age of five, he moved with his family to Waupun, where he grew up learning to farm, fish, trap, hunt, and draw. His lessons began in grade school with brief instructions in pencil and crayon drawing. This subject was not highly emphasized, but it was the one Boose loved most, and he received his highest marks in drawing. The lessons stopped before high school, and he was never formally instructed in any art field after grade school. After he graduated high school, he held a series of odd jobs, including a position as an attendant in the Waupun asylum for the criminally insane. This was both the most emotionally taxing, and the least time consuming job that Boose had ever held. He turned once more to art as a creative outlet. He mostly painted water color reproductions, but later began working in oil as well. Much like many of us, Boose was his own worst critic, and had little faith in his ability to create any worthwhile originals, due to his lack of formal training. Even after venturing into original work, he made no attempt to sell his paintings for profit, preferring to simply give them away. Despite his humility and reluctance to sell, he eventually gained some fame in Wisconsin, because his work often took first place at the Waushara County Fair. Outside of his artwork, Boose collected stamps, loved hiking with his wife, and had large, affectionate Labradors. This chilly winter scene shows the logging of the Petenwell Lake, which had been artificially created by the Wisconsin River Power Company two years prior to this painting. Also pictured are two other works representative of his pastoral style, and a photograph of the artist.

Clearing Petenwell Lake, Oil, 1950

Sanctuary, Oil, Undated

The Artist

Early Lowland Flowers, Oil, Undated

Opportunities for Artists

Show Your Work
Portal Wisconsin is a great place to check regularly for opportunities to show your work: http://www.portalwisconsin.org/opportunity

Entry Deadline: 3/31
Call for Artists/Juried Show Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass Arts Festival
Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass
Neenah, WI 54956
https://wisconsinvisualartists.com/public/exhibit_full.php?user_id=4897

Entry Deadline 3/1-3/11
RAM Call for PEEP Artists
Delivery: Entries must be dropped off or shipped to arrive between
Friday, March 1 and Sunday, March 11, 4:00 pm at
Racine Art Museum along with completed entry form.
https://www.ramart.org/content/call-peep-artists-information-page

Entry Deadline: Feb. 15
The ’60s Revisited
Overture's Playhouse Gallery
http://theartguide.com/callforartist/the-60s-revisited

Develop your skill
Continuing Studies offers a wide range of art classes. Treat yourself to one this spring: https://continuingstudies.wisc.edu/art

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2/3/18 River Falls WRAP Workshop in Arts Marketing

12/14/2017

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Get Noticed! Arts Marketing: Build a Simple Website

Cole Zrostlik, River Falls Regional Coordinator

Image from the 2017 WRAP at the River Falls Public Library

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Grafton WRAP to take place in historic Arts Mill

12/12/2017

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The Grafton WRAP is coming up soon! There will be a Public Reception 3/9/18, and the much-anticipated workshop 3/24/18. These events will take place at the Arts Mill, a gallery and studio space housed within the historic Grafton Mill. Within this cooperative environment, artists have an opportunity to secure a space among other artists. Open to the public, it fosters a cultural appreciation of the arts in our communities. Community members can visit the second floor and watch artists in work. Students from the mill’s sister organization, the North Shore Academy of the Arts, are able to pursue mentoring opportunities with these professional artists. The space is also home to the Arts Mill Boutique, where local artists sell their work to promote the arts and the organization. The third floor is a beautiful gallery, home to art shows and special events. It is shared with Balancing Arts Yoga Studio, which offers holistic movement classes that complement the creative process of performing, visual and literary artists. The spacious, light filled rooms of the mill are perfect for displaying art pieces, and quickly fill with life during the vibrant, bustling art openings, workshops, private events, and art demonstrations held at the Arts Mill.

If you are interested in participating in this WRAP, please contact Paula DeStefanis! (262) 377-3514 paulac@northshoreacademyofthearts.org The application deadline for the Grafton WRAP is Tuesday, February 27, 2018.

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Fall 2018 Newsletter

State Day Conference is a WRAP!

Upcoming WRAP Exhibitions and Workshops

Permanent Collection Feature - Master of Nostalgic Regionalism, Lois Ireland

2018-2019 Agriculture Hall Show Highlight

Farewell to Liese Pfeifer

Meet our new staff!

We have a new email!

Summer Newsletter 2018

You're invited!
2018 State Day Conference and
Annual Art Exhibition

Carl Marty - Permanent Collection Highlight

Measuring Your Artwork

Spring 2018 Newsletter

Keep an eye on approaching entry deadlines!

Get your entries in!

Don't miss these entry deadlines!

Winter 2018 Newsletter

William H. Boose

2/3/18 River Falls WRAP Workshop in Arts Marketing

Grafton WRAP to take place in historic Arts Mill

Art, Artists , and Art Events in Wisconsin!

Archives

Wisconsin Regional Arts
http://www.wisconsinregionalarts.org

​State Day Conference is a WRAP!

Upcoming WRAP Exhibitions and Workshops

Permanent Collection Feature - Master of Nostalgic Regionalism, Lois Ireland

2018-2019 Agriculture Hall Show Highlight

Farewell to Liese Pfeifer

Meet our new staff!

We have a new email!

You're invited!2018 State Day Conference and Annual Art Exhibition

Carl Marty - Permanent Collection Highlight

Measuring Your Artwork

William H. Boose

Art, Artists , and Art Events in Wisconsin!

Archives

Wisconsin Regional Artshttp://www.wisconsinregionalarts.org

State Day Conference is a WRAP!

You're invited!
2018 State Day Conference and
Annual Art Exhibition

Wisconsin Regional Arts
http://www.wisconsinregionalarts.org