Steve Langenecker, Tom Maakestad, Allan Servoss, & Pete Zaluzec
Artist Reception: Saturday, May 24th, 4-6 pm

Exhibit runs May 16th - June 11th

Steve Langenecker's new oil paintings continue to explore the wondrous effects of sunlight – light that shimmers and sparkles on bodies of water, the light that makes woodland leaves and wildflowers translucent, and the different degrees of morning, twilight, and moonlight that settles over farmland fields and country roads.  Whether it is a large panorama or an intimate miniature, Steve’s work reveals the splendor of Wisconsin’s rare places. Through the mediums of colored pencil and watercolor, Allan Servoss draws and paints “anything that is necessary to keep my interest.” Servoss states. He is intrigued and motivated by the art process, and how one can watch the piece unfolding by degrees, striving to include only what is essential. In his simple yet mysterious work, he endeavors to create spaces he would like to find himself in.

Bronze sculptor Pete Zaluzec has been creating birds since 1980.  His work represents life-size birds with a focus on the personality and expression of each species.  Zaluzec tends to stay away from tight detail in the birds, relying on a more interpretive clay work as an obvious part of his presentation. His works are in private collections across the country including the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Raised on a small farm i in Minnesota, Tom Maakestad began to observe the sensual experience of the outdoors at a young age.  Having focused on painting and drawing from 27 years, he has created a visual language to express his passion for color and light.  Tom’s interest in landscape painting has always been a merging of technical application with a deep-rooted regard for the land, and his “Color Fields” series is a testament to this approach.

EXHIBIT II

Tom Barnes, Lori Beringer, & Ann Powell  

Artist Reception: Saturday June 14, 4-6 pm

Exhibit runs June 13th - July 9th

A self-taught artist who grew up in the pine forests and coastal plains of South Georgia, Tom Barnes paints florals, figures, and landscapes with a combination of abstract form and intense color.  Working primarily in watercolor, Barnes likes his work to reflect his abiding passion for the Renaissance and his newfound love of the Pre-Raphaelistism. The light-filled oil paintings of Lori Beringer represent an honest look and feeling of her subject, whether it is a landscape, still life, or a portrait.  An impressionist, she loves old, not-so-perfect buildings that show their history with an occasional figure capturing a moment.  Working in the studio or en plein air, Lori paints with a deep reverence for the blessings of each day. Using gold leaf and oil paint on textured birch panels, Ann Powell’s newest series is a study of “trees within afterglow.”  Her self-titled “obsession” with trees stems from growing up in rural Wisconsin and watching her grandfather plant trees when she was a child.  “Trees, especially when devoid of leaves, bear such resemblance to people.  I enjoy painting their different personalities.”

EXHIBIT III

M. Ellen Cocose, Nathan Hatch & Tom Matucci

Artist Reception: Thursday, July 10th, 4-6pm

Exhibit runs July 10 - August 5th

Known for his rich textures and atmospheric imagery, Tom Matucci balances abstraction and representation into a fusion that pushes the boundaries of traditional painting.  His moody landscapes are complemented by complex textures, creating a tactile component to the artwork.  Tom’s mixed media art has been called “dimensional poetry” – conveying a story that is left to the viewer’s interpretation. 

Nathan Hatch has been immersed in art all of his life, yet gravitated toward sculpture in his late teen years.  He now produces a large body of work that includes not only steel and bronze sculpture, but also the craft of fine furniture.  Many of Hatch’s sculptures reflect a minimalist, cubist, and De Stijl approach, while his contemporary furniture style incorporates wood, glass, stone, and metal into clean, crisp designs. Using various combinations of acrylics, glazes, inks, photographic elements, and her own textural compounds, M. Ellen Cocose’s technique as an artist is as mysterious as the subject of her mixed media works.  Her pieces envelop the senses, evoking feelings of tranquility and serenity.  Throughout her different series of art, the use of light and shadow is always a common link.

Exhibit IV

Stephanie Evans & Pamela Murphy

Artist Reception: Thursday, August 7th, 4-6pm

Exhibit runs August 7th - September 6th

Using clothing as her subject matter, ceramic artist Stephanie Evans creates characters rich in experience and history.  She chooses to tell the stories of these characters in a figurative way, leaving the viewer to choose a person to put inside the garment.  Althouth the dress form is her primary vehicle, she also infused the same amount of texture, depth, and energy into a series of wall tiles. Using old photographs from her expansive collection, Pam Murphy chooses figures from photographs for her paintings.  Presenting these figures on a surface that is rich and textured, Murphy uses several layers of paint to isolate the forms of these figures to disconnect them from their original context and recreate them as icons for a personal connection with the viewer.  Murphy’s figures might be strangers, yet they remind us of our families and ourselves.

Season's Change Exhibit

Exhibit run September 26th - October 31st

An exhibit that represents, both through images and ideas, the changing landscape of the Midwest in all four seasons.  Through the eyes of the artist’s, they will give their perspective on their favorite season or subject that identifies with their favorite season.

TOWNLINE ART FAIR

Saturday, October 11 ^th & Sunday, October 12 ^th  - Saturday 10-5, Sunday 10-4
A juried art fair exhibiting the work of more than 85 professional artists from across the Midwest exhibit during the two-day show held rain or shine. Glass, pottery, metal sculpture, paintings, photography, fiber art, and woodworking will be under tents for the 5,000 people that annually attend the show.