Conley Publishing - Special Sections
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/121304
MOWA Opening Exhibitions Antifragile: Contemporary Glass April 5 - July 28 This exhibition will shatter any preconceptions you might have had about glass and will make you think about glass in a new, fresh light while marveling at what masters of their medium can do. Antifragile will demonstrate that the studio glass movement is alive and well in Wisconsin and that the selected artists, many of whom have national and international reputations, are producing work with remarkable confidence, originality and panache. Studio glass, compared to other art forms such as painting and sculpture, is relatively speaking, still in its infancy having only begun in Madison in the early 1960s. What is remarkable is that over the subsequent 50 years it has reached a level of sophistication and maturity beyond anyone's imagination. Instead of factoryproduced decorative and functional glassware being the norm, artists became designer/makers, enhancing their skills to the point where glass is almost used as a canvas to convey meaning, message and inspiration. Stellar examples of this are in this exhibition, together with others who have taken the possibilities of glass further, creating conceptual pieces that address such subjects as genetically modified foods, climate change, mortality inherited from the 17th century tradition of still-life paintings, and light being the source of creation and discovery. Photo by: Eva Heyd Beth Lipman (Sheboygan Falls) "Goblets, Coral, and Oysters," Glass, wood, paint, glue; Private collection, 2012 That Wisconsin has remained a tremendously strong state for studio glass production is evident by the geographic diversity of the featured artists: Stephan Cox (River Falls), James and Renee Engebretson (Hudson), Steve Feren (Fitchburg), Audrey Handler (Verona), Wes Hunting (Princeton), Lisa Koch (Madison), Beth Lipman (Sheboygan Falls), Thomas and Rebecca Maras (Hudson), Mick Meilahn (Pickett), Karen Naylor (Wilmot), Nolan Prohaska (New Richmond), Chuck Savoie (Ripon), Douglas and Renee Sigwarth (River Falls), and Stephanie Trenchard and Jeremy Popelka (Sturgeon Bay). While working in the same medium, these artists (who are all formally trained), consciously or subconsciously maintain what can be regarded as a Wisconsin tradition: a legacy of self-taught artists who cherish their independence and eschew trends and fads. Another unifying factor is that their diverse and predominantly rural locations offer something that is extremely beneficial: quality of life and ease of production. In short, they can afford to run independent studio facilities that might be prohibitive in larger urban areas. Additionally, their relative isolation means less distraction, leading to another standout feature: the uniqueness of each artist's work and development of styles that are instantly recognizable. Reginald Baylor: Repetitive Patterns April 5 - June 30 Submitted Fresh, colorful, and complex could be three words used to describe the paintings that have secured Reginald Baylor a place as one of the most original and recognizable artists working in Wisconsin today. Even so, this Milwaukee-born artist is always looking forward, expanding his horizons beyond acrylic on canvas to woodcuts, fabric, coloring books and digital media, revealing that while his style may be instantly recognizable, he does not wish to be constrained by any single medium. Stephan Cox (River Falls) "Hi-boys", Glass, 2012 Beyond offering sensuous visual stimulation, what's Baylor's work about? It's about life in modern America. It's about home, work, pleasure, leisure, cultural icons, cultural norms, preconceptions and misconceptions. They might take a bit of deciphering, but in the end they reflect our image-saturated society, tell us stories about who we are, where we live and the world we have created around us. MOWA is delighted that one of its inaugural exhibitions will feature four brand-new, never-before-seen works by Reginald: two acrylic on canvas paintings, a textile piece and one digital media animation. Wisconsin Regional Artists Association Submitted Reginald Baylor (Milwaukee) Submitted Carolyn M. Brady (Waterford) "Once Upon A Time," Mixed media collage with acrylic paint, 2010 10 • Museum of Wisconsin Art • News Graphic & Daily News • March 2013 April 5 - June 23 MOWA's State Gallery showcases work by members of Wisconsin's numerous art organizations. The first selection is the Wisconsin Regional Artists Association (WRAA) which was founded in 1954 to encourage non-professional artists who had participated regularly in the innovative Rural Art Shows of the 1940s held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Memorial Union. Under the leadership of John Steuart Curry, James Schwalbach and Aaron Bohrod, the Rural Art Program flourished in the 1940s and beyond, with strong participation by Wisconsin's non-professional artists, not only from rural areas but also from cities and suburbs. Today, WRAA works with UW Madison's Division of Continuing Studies to offer workshops, exhibitions, and critiques throughout the state to ensure that WRAA's 600 non-professional members, have opportunities to learn and flourish in their avocation. MOWA wants to encourage and support artists at this "grassroots" level by giving them exhibition opportunities in the state's only Museum dedicated to Wisconsin artists.