Hidden Talents ** January Member Artists Show
Hidden Talent on Display at VIVA Gallery
At the beginning of each year, VIVA Gallery takes a month to celebrate the talents of its members with a themed show. This year, there’s a twist, and you will want to be there for the show’s unveiling on First Thursday, January 3rd.
You may be quite familiar with the fortes of VIVA’s artists, but you may not be familiar with all of their abilities. This year’s theme is “Hidden Talent” and member artists have been challenged to create works that are outside of their usual offerings. Maybe a painter becomes a potter. Maybe a potter becomes a portraitist. Maybe a weaver makes something in wood instead of wool.
The “Hidden Talent” pieces and more clearly identified works of VIVA’s 24 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on January 3rd from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm and will be on display through January. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
You may be quite familiar with the fortes of VIVA’s artists, but you may not be familiar with all of their abilities. This year’s theme is “Hidden Talent” and member artists have been challenged to create works that are outside of their usual offerings. Maybe a painter becomes a potter. Maybe a potter becomes a portraitist. Maybe a weaver makes something in wood instead of wool.
The “Hidden Talent” pieces and more clearly identified works of VIVA’s 24 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on January 3rd from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm and will be on display through January. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
November & December 2018 Artisan Market
VIVA Gallery’s 7th annual Artisan Market will include the creations of ten guest artists, and new work from the gallery’s 24 member artists. The market, a perfect place to find one-of- kind, locally-created gifts for the holidays, will debut on First Thursday, November 1st.
The works of four accomplished potters come in a wide variety of objects and styles, from the beautiful and functional mugs, bowls, and tea sets by Maureen Karlstad to decorative tiles by Mark Herrling. Charna Schwartz’s clay works are characterized by stunning Majolica glazing and elegant porcelain forms. Scott Keith creates unique sculptural figures inspired by Mexican surrealism and folklore.
The creations of our fiber artists include a range of distinctive clothing and objects for home décor. The intricate designs of talented weavers Kathleen Aaker and Angela Feltes are evident in their hand-woven vests, scarves, table runners and wall hangings. Sharlene Bohr’s scarves, eco-printed scarves with natural dyes, are unusual and lovely gifts. You may choose a colorful and clever potholder from Crystel Curley, or a felted cuff by Jane Pearlmutter. And Kindred WazeeGale creates hats, side bags and accessories from deerhide, often with intricate beading.
Jewelry is perennially popular, and you will find much to choose made by seven artists participating inthe Artisan Market. M’Lou Wilkie’s intricate woven beadwork, Angela Feltes’ hand-crafted dichroic glass beads, and Christine Larson’s silver, wire and gemstone creations are among the jewelry offerings. Jewelers and metalsmiths Raelene Roberts, Nan Marshall and Nick Smolen incorporate copper, brass and iron into unusual cuffs, necklaces and keychains in all manner of combinations and shapes, while Alena Mack draws on the forms and materials of nature to make her inspired jewelry. Amy Arnold contributes unusual earrings made of painted wood.
Photographs, prints and mixed-media constructions make perfect gifts. Tom Rhorer’s photographscapture the beauty of the Driftless region, and are printed not only on paper, but sometimes on copper, aluminum or glass. Diane Dahl’s photography is augmented by her mixed media work in acrylics, clay and bits and pieces from nature. Prints include Mark Herrling’s bold graphic images and Pete Sandker’s imaginative and detailed watercolors, and you might want to frame one of Mike Lind’s cards, intriguingimages of Wisconsin’s river patterns or his clever “You are What You Eat” series.
You will find oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings with every manner of subject matter. Deb Conlon and Paul Bergquist are known for their beautiful plein air works in oil. Liz Quebe’s oil paintings capture smallfamily farms and farm animals, while watercolor artists Anne Tedeschi and Bill Mapp create scenes of the area, flora and fauna, and still lifes in two distinctive styles. Pita Daniels applies acrylics to make big,
The works of four accomplished potters come in a wide variety of objects and styles, from the beautiful and functional mugs, bowls, and tea sets by Maureen Karlstad to decorative tiles by Mark Herrling. Charna Schwartz’s clay works are characterized by stunning Majolica glazing and elegant porcelain forms. Scott Keith creates unique sculptural figures inspired by Mexican surrealism and folklore.
The creations of our fiber artists include a range of distinctive clothing and objects for home décor. The intricate designs of talented weavers Kathleen Aaker and Angela Feltes are evident in their hand-woven vests, scarves, table runners and wall hangings. Sharlene Bohr’s scarves, eco-printed scarves with natural dyes, are unusual and lovely gifts. You may choose a colorful and clever potholder from Crystel Curley, or a felted cuff by Jane Pearlmutter. And Kindred WazeeGale creates hats, side bags and accessories from deerhide, often with intricate beading.
Jewelry is perennially popular, and you will find much to choose made by seven artists participating inthe Artisan Market. M’Lou Wilkie’s intricate woven beadwork, Angela Feltes’ hand-crafted dichroic glass beads, and Christine Larson’s silver, wire and gemstone creations are among the jewelry offerings. Jewelers and metalsmiths Raelene Roberts, Nan Marshall and Nick Smolen incorporate copper, brass and iron into unusual cuffs, necklaces and keychains in all manner of combinations and shapes, while Alena Mack draws on the forms and materials of nature to make her inspired jewelry. Amy Arnold contributes unusual earrings made of painted wood.
Photographs, prints and mixed-media constructions make perfect gifts. Tom Rhorer’s photographscapture the beauty of the Driftless region, and are printed not only on paper, but sometimes on copper, aluminum or glass. Diane Dahl’s photography is augmented by her mixed media work in acrylics, clay and bits and pieces from nature. Prints include Mark Herrling’s bold graphic images and Pete Sandker’s imaginative and detailed watercolors, and you might want to frame one of Mike Lind’s cards, intriguingimages of Wisconsin’s river patterns or his clever “You are What You Eat” series.
You will find oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings with every manner of subject matter. Deb Conlon and Paul Bergquist are known for their beautiful plein air works in oil. Liz Quebe’s oil paintings capture smallfamily farms and farm animals, while watercolor artists Anne Tedeschi and Bill Mapp create scenes of the area, flora and fauna, and still lifes in two distinctive styles. Pita Daniels applies acrylics to make big,
bold contemporary paintings, and Christine Larson uses dominant color schemes to create otherworldly dream landscapes.
Our woodworkers create items to grace your kitchen and home. There are Jerry Quebe’s intricately constructed and beautifully finished cutting and serving boards. Ken and Michelle Workowski team to make popular rustic bark mirrors, poplar bark baskets and delicate lamp shades, all from elements native to our area. Ray Bock’s beautifully aesthetic wooden boxes and sculptural vessels are created from exotic hardwoods, and Nicholas WazeeGale makes delicate boxes and bowls of birch bark, along with hand-carved spoon and bowls. This year, Terry Beck is offering kalimbas, a musical instrument originating in Africa and the Caribbean Islands, while Amy Arnold and Kelsey Sauber-Olds bring hand- carved, hand-painted wooden hearts.
Rounding out the gallery’s art offerings are the forged metal candlesticks of Nick Smolen, the stainedglass works of M’Lou Wilkie, and books (including coloring books) by Susan Cushing. VIVA Gallery is also a great place to find holiday cards, stocking stuffers and ornaments.
A Sample of Offerings
Our woodworkers create items to grace your kitchen and home. There are Jerry Quebe’s intricately constructed and beautifully finished cutting and serving boards. Ken and Michelle Workowski team to make popular rustic bark mirrors, poplar bark baskets and delicate lamp shades, all from elements native to our area. Ray Bock’s beautifully aesthetic wooden boxes and sculptural vessels are created from exotic hardwoods, and Nicholas WazeeGale makes delicate boxes and bowls of birch bark, along with hand-carved spoon and bowls. This year, Terry Beck is offering kalimbas, a musical instrument originating in Africa and the Caribbean Islands, while Amy Arnold and Kelsey Sauber-Olds bring hand- carved, hand-painted wooden hearts.
Rounding out the gallery’s art offerings are the forged metal candlesticks of Nick Smolen, the stainedglass works of M’Lou Wilkie, and books (including coloring books) by Susan Cushing. VIVA Gallery is also a great place to find holiday cards, stocking stuffers and ornaments.
A Sample of Offerings
Guest Artist Watercolorist Pete Sandker
Afterlife
Mushroom Hunter
Pete Sandker is VIVA Gallery Guest Artist
VIVA Gallery’s First Thursday opening reception will take place on August 2 and will feature the work of watercolorist and Soldiers Grove native Pete Sandker. When he can, Pete spends part of the year with friends in Maine and Massachusetts, so nautical themes are as much a part of his body of work as local ones.
Pete grew up on a goat farm in a valley down under the hills of southwest Wisconsin. His parents taught him about wildlife, edible plants and tree species, but most importantly, they gave him the freedom to teach himself. Much of his childhood was spent exploring the woods with his older brothers, and they all attended school in a small building in the country with two grades to a room. One can imagine young Pete staring out the window at the trees and surrounding countryside. His love of nature and the outdoors is evident in the wide range of flora and fauna that appear in realistic detail in his work.
Pete's paintings are done in a unique watercolor style consisting of very small, concise patterning in lieu of the usual layering and washes. They invoke a sense of wonder associated with the natural world, along with an obsessive attention to detail. Plants and animals intertwine and combine to become entirely new creatures while the wind becomes a tangible shape, swirling through leaves and over various lakes and waterways. His paintings illustrate a truly unique perspective on an entirely different world, imagined in a tapestry of succession of familiar haunts where the artist himself is rarely seen.
Pete grew up on a goat farm in a valley down under the hills of southwest Wisconsin. His parents taught him about wildlife, edible plants and tree species, but most importantly, they gave him the freedom to teach himself. Much of his childhood was spent exploring the woods with his older brothers, and they all attended school in a small building in the country with two grades to a room. One can imagine young Pete staring out the window at the trees and surrounding countryside. His love of nature and the outdoors is evident in the wide range of flora and fauna that appear in realistic detail in his work.
Pete's paintings are done in a unique watercolor style consisting of very small, concise patterning in lieu of the usual layering and washes. They invoke a sense of wonder associated with the natural world, along with an obsessive attention to detail. Plants and animals intertwine and combine to become entirely new creatures while the wind becomes a tangible shape, swirling through leaves and over various lakes and waterways. His paintings illustrate a truly unique perspective on an entirely different world, imagined in a tapestry of succession of familiar haunts where the artist himself is rarely seen.
Redwings
VIVA Gallery Member Artist and Guest Mark Herrling in July
VIVA Gallery Features Printmaker Mark Herrling
VIVA Gallery’s First Thursday opening reception will take place on July 5, and for a summertime change, will feature the work of one of its longtime member artists. Mark Herrling, of Fennimore, Wisconsin. will be showing his latest original hand-pulled relief and intaglio prints.
Mark’s interest in printmaking started early in his artistic career, stemming from his love of the experimental nature of the medium. At first, he emulated the bold, solid shapes that were a part of his paintings, and over time, his printmaking took the inevitable twists and turns inherent in the creative process. His method for creating a relief print, or woodcut, begins with carving the negative part of the image. The raised part of the image is then rolled with an oil-based ink, and rice paper is laid over the inked block. The back of the paper is rubbed with a wooden spoon, thus transferring the image to the paper. This yields a dynamic contract between black and white.
Intaglio includes both etching and engraving. Unlike woodcut, these methods cut an image below the surface of the material. The image on the plate from which a print is taken is incised by hand or etched by acids. It is then filled with ink, and the surface of the plate wiped clean. Dampened paper is placed on top of the plate, and both are run through a wringer-like press which forces the paper into the channels and grooves to pick up the ink.
Mark is interested and inspired by petroglyphs, created in Paleolithic times by prehistoric artists using stone instruments to scratch symbols and figures into rock surfaces. Like these early artists, Mark’s quest is to capture the magical visions in the world of his imagination.
An expanded selection on Mark’s prints and the work of his 24 fellow member artists will be featured atVIVA’s First Thursday reception on July 5 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Mark’s interest in printmaking started early in his artistic career, stemming from his love of the experimental nature of the medium. At first, he emulated the bold, solid shapes that were a part of his paintings, and over time, his printmaking took the inevitable twists and turns inherent in the creative process. His method for creating a relief print, or woodcut, begins with carving the negative part of the image. The raised part of the image is then rolled with an oil-based ink, and rice paper is laid over the inked block. The back of the paper is rubbed with a wooden spoon, thus transferring the image to the paper. This yields a dynamic contract between black and white.
Intaglio includes both etching and engraving. Unlike woodcut, these methods cut an image below the surface of the material. The image on the plate from which a print is taken is incised by hand or etched by acids. It is then filled with ink, and the surface of the plate wiped clean. Dampened paper is placed on top of the plate, and both are run through a wringer-like press which forces the paper into the channels and grooves to pick up the ink.
Mark is interested and inspired by petroglyphs, created in Paleolithic times by prehistoric artists using stone instruments to scratch symbols and figures into rock surfaces. Like these early artists, Mark’s quest is to capture the magical visions in the world of his imagination.
An expanded selection on Mark’s prints and the work of his 24 fellow member artists will be featured atVIVA’s First Thursday reception on July 5 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Doc Roddy VIVA Gallery June Guest Artist
VIVA Gallery Welcomes Doc Roddy as Guest Artist
VIVA Gallery’s First Thursday opening reception will take place on June 7 and will feature the work of watercolorist and musician Doc Roddy.
Doc was born on Kennesaw Mountain and grew up in northern Georgia, in a place where art was not a part of the cultural landscape. Nevertheless, he began to draw and paint at an early age and went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Georgia and his MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College of the Arts). Doc lived in the Bay area from 1971 through 1978, and his first major exhibition was at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1971. He then moved to New York City, and in 1980 he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
Doc remained in New York until 1990, then stopped painting for a decade while he and his wife Terre traveled around and played music. In 2003 Doc and Terre moved to the Driftless area and renovated a shack on their land into a painting studio. Doc (known as Mike in the art world) has exhibited widely, including exhibits at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the University of California Art Museum at Berkely, the New Museum in New York City, Musee d’Art Contemporain in Lyon, France, and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions.
The watercolors of Doc Roddy and the work of VIVA’s 23 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on June 7 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Doc was born on Kennesaw Mountain and grew up in northern Georgia, in a place where art was not a part of the cultural landscape. Nevertheless, he began to draw and paint at an early age and went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Georgia and his MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College of the Arts). Doc lived in the Bay area from 1971 through 1978, and his first major exhibition was at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1971. He then moved to New York City, and in 1980 he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
Doc remained in New York until 1990, then stopped painting for a decade while he and his wife Terre traveled around and played music. In 2003 Doc and Terre moved to the Driftless area and renovated a shack on their land into a painting studio. Doc (known as Mike in the art world) has exhibited widely, including exhibits at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the University of California Art Museum at Berkely, the New Museum in New York City, Musee d’Art Contemporain in Lyon, France, and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions.
The watercolors of Doc Roddy and the work of VIVA’s 23 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on June 7 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Winding Roads Art Tour Artists
Winding Roads Art Tour May 19-20
The third annual Winding Roads Art Tour will take place on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. Twenty area studios will welcome visitors from 10:00am until 5:00pm, giving art enthusiasts a rare opportunity to meet 35 artists, see their work and observe how and where it is made. Artwork will be available for purchase and artists will be on hand for conversations on creativity.
The self-guided tour encompasses thirteen studios in Viroqua and seven more within a 25-mile radius of the city. VIVA Gallery, the tour headquarters at 217 South Main in Viroqua, is perfect place to start as a piece of artwork from every artist on the tour will be on display. Karen Innis will be at the gallery both days, demonstrating her skills in that art of sculpture.
Following the illustrated Art Tour brochure, visitors may visit Viroqua locations and wind their way through the surrounding hills and valleys to other locations, including:
The self-guided tour encompasses thirteen studios in Viroqua and seven more within a 25-mile radius of the city. VIVA Gallery, the tour headquarters at 217 South Main in Viroqua, is perfect place to start as a piece of artwork from every artist on the tour will be on display. Karen Innis will be at the gallery both days, demonstrating her skills in that art of sculpture.
Following the illustrated Art Tour brochure, visitors may visit Viroqua locations and wind their way through the surrounding hills and valleys to other locations, including:
- Avalanche Looms, featuring the handwovens of Susan Johnson.
- The studio of Amy Arnold and Kelsey Sauber-Olds, with their imaginative painted wood
sculptures and textiles by Leah Evans. - Pierce Hill Pottery, with pottery by Maureen Karlstad and woodworking by John Karlstad. Other
artists at Pierce Hill include mixed media artist Diane Dahl, painter Karen Fitzsimons,
woodworker Ken Garden and jewelry maker Raelene Roberts. - The studio of watercolor artist Doc Roddy
- The Heavy Duty Press, with letterpress demos and artist books by Mike Koppa
- Diane Brown ceramics.
- Charna Pottery, with wheel-throwing demos each day by Charna Schwartz
- Kettner Home Studio, and the watercolors and oils of Barb Kettner, including portrait demos
- Joseph Schwarte Custom Furniture, displaying the furniture of Joe Schwarte and the plein air
painting of Christine Myhr - Sunbead Studio, with stained glass and jewelry by M’Lou Wilkie and yard art by K O’Brien
- Riverweave Studio, featuring the fiber art of Kathy Aaker and plein air oil paintings of Deb
Conlon - Christine Larson Art Studio, with Christine’s bold oil paintings and intricate jewelry
- John Schneider Pottery and Painting Studio, with guest potter John Steger
- Hanna Agar Photography, featuring Hanna’s conceptual photography and the woodworking of
Brendan Karlstad - Kathie Wheeler Fine Art Studio, with beautifully painted oil landscapes, still lifes and portraits
- J&P Studio, exhibiting the dynamic acrylic paintings of Julius Parrish and Pita Daniels
- Spoken Wood Design, custom furniture from reclaimed wood by Chris Cox
- Cheesebro Pottery, with beautiful functional pottery by Greg Cheesebro
- New Leaf Art, with watercolors and mixed media by Diane Splinter
- Central Park Gallery, showing metal collage and acrylic paintings by Floyd Storey and metal
sculpture by Elmer Peterson
Sponsors for this event include Organic Valley, Viroqua Chamber Main Street, VIVA Gallery, Vernon Communications Coop, Celeste Gibson CPS, Citizens First Bank, Ewetopia Fiber Shop, Gary’s Rock Shop,Old Towne Motel and Restaurant, Rooted Spoon Culinary, Viroqua Food Coop, and WCCU Credit Union.
More information, including an online map, list of artists and list of studios, can be found atwww.windingroadsart.com., you can also find us on Facebook at Winding Roads Art Tour.
Catherine Williams April Guest Artist
Portraitist Catherine Williams at VIVA Gallery
The portraits of Catherine Williams will be featured at VIVA Gallery during the month
of April, beginning with a First Thursday opening on April 5th. Cathy has worked in many mediums and
with many different subjects, but finds herself always pulled back to portraiture. She portrays local
people, and her preferred media is charcoal or ebony pencil.
Cathy graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1995. For the next 20 years, she did many forms of freelance work, primarily commissioned watercolors and pencil drawings of people and domestic animals. For the past few years, she has forgone commissions in order to explore her own artistic path. She works from sitting models and reference photographs to realize her compelling drawings. Whether her subject is typical or eccentric, elegant or ordinary, exotic or local, anyone observing her work can see that she truly celebrates the people she portrays.
Cathy’s portraits and the work of VIVA’s 23 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on April 5 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Cathy graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1995. For the next 20 years, she did many forms of freelance work, primarily commissioned watercolors and pencil drawings of people and domestic animals. For the past few years, she has forgone commissions in order to explore her own artistic path. She works from sitting models and reference photographs to realize her compelling drawings. Whether her subject is typical or eccentric, elegant or ordinary, exotic or local, anyone observing her work can see that she truly celebrates the people she portrays.
Cathy’s portraits and the work of VIVA’s 23 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on April 5 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Celebrating DAAF People's Choice and Member Theme "A River Runs Through It"
Every year, VIVA Gallery takes a month to celebrate the talents of its members with a
themed show. Within this year’s show, the work of members Ken and Michelle Workowski will be
highlighted, as last September they again won The People’s Choice Award at the Driftless Area Art
Festival. The People’s Choice Award is sponsored each year by VIVA Gallery, and members are thrilled
that the Workowskis have earned this honor for the second year running. The member show theme is "A River Runs Through It”and its centerpiece is a dining room table of the same name beautifully
crafted by Ken Workowski. The opening will occur on the gallery’s First Thursday event on February 1st..
Ken and Michelle live and work on 50 acres of land near Viola. Together they have built a business— aptly called The Nature of Things—that uses materials from their land and that of others nearby. They transform these gifts of nature into exceptional home furnishings and furniture, including willow and wood chairs and tables, birchbark frames, poplar bark baskets, lamps and lamp shades. The lines and patterns of the wood guide their design, as in the case of the table called “A River Runs Through It.” The wood top is red cedar, salvaged by Ken while working on a grassland restoration project with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. The cleared cedar logs came from Tunnelville Road just outside of Viola, and now because of Ken’s knowledge and talents, what was once invasive is now inviting. Ken collaborated with Nick Smolen, a metalwork artist from the Westby area, on the table’s base.
Other VIVA member artists are following this theme, in paintings, glass, ceramics, wood, metal and fiber. To give you a taste of what will be on display, M’Lou Wilkie will present a new stained glass piece depicting a river from the Driftless landscape. Pita Daniels will have a large contemporary acrylic painting representing the spirit of a river in bold contrasting colors. Liz Quebe’s oil painting is of the small “river” that runs through their land, water that also inspired Jerry Quebe’s cutting board of black walnut with sapwood accents curving down its center. Mark Herrling has created a hand-painted linocut called “River Town” inspired by the small towns along the banks of the Mississippi River, and Diane Dahl’s “As the Water Flows” is a mixed media bas relief of paper mache, clay and epoxy.
These works and more by VIVA’s 21 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on February 1 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua.
Ken and Michelle live and work on 50 acres of land near Viola. Together they have built a business— aptly called The Nature of Things—that uses materials from their land and that of others nearby. They transform these gifts of nature into exceptional home furnishings and furniture, including willow and wood chairs and tables, birchbark frames, poplar bark baskets, lamps and lamp shades. The lines and patterns of the wood guide their design, as in the case of the table called “A River Runs Through It.” The wood top is red cedar, salvaged by Ken while working on a grassland restoration project with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. The cleared cedar logs came from Tunnelville Road just outside of Viola, and now because of Ken’s knowledge and talents, what was once invasive is now inviting. Ken collaborated with Nick Smolen, a metalwork artist from the Westby area, on the table’s base.
Other VIVA member artists are following this theme, in paintings, glass, ceramics, wood, metal and fiber. To give you a taste of what will be on display, M’Lou Wilkie will present a new stained glass piece depicting a river from the Driftless landscape. Pita Daniels will have a large contemporary acrylic painting representing the spirit of a river in bold contrasting colors. Liz Quebe’s oil painting is of the small “river” that runs through their land, water that also inspired Jerry Quebe’s cutting board of black walnut with sapwood accents curving down its center. Mark Herrling has created a hand-painted linocut called “River Town” inspired by the small towns along the banks of the Mississippi River, and Diane Dahl’s “As the Water Flows” is a mixed media bas relief of paper mache, clay and epoxy.
These works and more by VIVA’s 21 member artists will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on February 1 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua.
Maureen Karlstad plates / Angela Feltes handwoven transparency
Diane Dahl mixed media / Kathleen Aaker handwoven vest
Pita Daniels painting
Nationally-Acclaimed Artist Terese Agnew at VIVA Gallery January 2018
“Writing in Stone” is an installation of over 20 sculptural monuments to
remarkable historical figures and transformative ideas that make up the Wisconsin experience. It is the
work of nationally-acclaimed artist Terese Agnew and an 80-person collaborative team of artists,
writers, historians, ethicists and skilled craftsmen. Through the month of January, a number of these
monuments can be seen at VIVA Gallery in Viroqua, beginning on January 4 with the Gallery’s First
Thursday opening.
Daily walks near her home near La Farge give Terese Agnew time to think about many things. Troubled by the polarization of her community and state, she worried about the loss of civil discourse and wondered what could be done to help pull people together. Terese’s walks most often take her through an old cemetery perched on a hill with commanding views of the Kickapoo Valley. And here an idea took root. Monuments not to death or war, but to the transformative ideas and events in Wisconsin’s past—exemplary moments in the history of the state, moments that draw people and communities together. “If we want to move beyond the issues that divide us, it makes sense to revisit the historical leaders and events that still command broad-based esteem,” Terese says.
Exhibited at VIVA will be monuments to the Menominee Forest Keepers, Gaylord Nelson, Aldo Leopold, Increase Lapham and even the monarch butterfly, among others.
Daily walks near her home near La Farge give Terese Agnew time to think about many things. Troubled by the polarization of her community and state, she worried about the loss of civil discourse and wondered what could be done to help pull people together. Terese’s walks most often take her through an old cemetery perched on a hill with commanding views of the Kickapoo Valley. And here an idea took root. Monuments not to death or war, but to the transformative ideas and events in Wisconsin’s past—exemplary moments in the history of the state, moments that draw people and communities together. “If we want to move beyond the issues that divide us, it makes sense to revisit the historical leaders and events that still command broad-based esteem,” Terese says.
Exhibited at VIVA will be monuments to the Menominee Forest Keepers, Gaylord Nelson, Aldo Leopold, Increase Lapham and even the monarch butterfly, among others.
Terese Agnew’s artworks can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Arts and Design
in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C., Merton
College, Oxford in the UK, The Milwaukee Art Museum, the John M Walsh III Collection of Contemporary
Art Quilts and numerous other private collections. She has been featured in the PBS Craft in America
Series and in 2012, received the Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Award. Elliot Medow of
Viroqua, an essential contributor, earned his MFA at UW-Milwaukee, and has worked in film and
television, creating sets and scenes. Diane Dahl has been another contributing member of the principal
team, and is known for her mixed-media artworks and murals; she is a VIVA member artist. Also
involved were a number of students from Viroqua’s Youth Initiative High School, where Terese taught a
summer class on Community Involvement.
“Writing in Stone” will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on January 4 from 5:00pm to
7:00pm and is on display through the month of January. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street
in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608-
637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Artisan Holiday Market 2017 at VIVA Gallery
VIVA Gallery’s sixth annual Artisan Market will include twelve guest artists, and will
debut at the monthly First Thursday opening on November 2. New work from VIVA’s nineteen member
artists will also be on display. The market is a perfect place to find one-of-kind, locally-created gifts for
the holidays, and there are many art forms from which to choose.
Pottery is always popular, and VIVA’s potters offer a range of items and styles. Charna Schwartz uses the colors and forms of the Driftless area in her beautiful blue-green glazes, while Maureen Karlstad may offer a hint of Asia in her tea sets and bowls. Mark Herrling’s decorative tiles are noted for their bold mix of pattern and color. Guest artist Scott Keith has been making functional stoneware pottery for decades, including 17 years at Red Wing Pottery in Minnesota.
Fiber artists create wearables and objects for the home. Eco-printed scarves and hand-warmers by Sharlene Bohr echo the colors and shapes of fall leaves. The looms of Kathleen Aaker and Angela Feltes yield extraordinarily beautiful vests and scarves in fascinating patterns, colors and textures. They also weave lovely wall hangings and table runners. Speaking of the table, one of Lori Hungerholt’s intricately woven baskets would be a perfect adornment. And if you would like your fiber art to speak to you, the clever sayings and bright colors of Crystal Curley’s hot pads are guaranteed to make kitchen chores much more fun.
Also for perfect for preparing or serving are the carefully constructed and beautifully finished cutting/serving boards by Jerry Quebe, and the hand-carved figured wooden spoons by Terry Beck. Ken and Michelle Workowski’s poplar bark baskets, birch bark mirrors and paper lampshades, all made from natural materials, are unusual and popular gift items. Looking for something really unusual? The mesmerizing patterns found in the stained glass kaleidoscopes of Steve and Peggy Kittelson are just the ticket.
A bare wall begs for decoration, and VIVA painters and photographers can provide beautiful solutions. Paul Bergquist, Deb Conlon and Lisbeth Quebe work in oil, while Bill Mapp, Diane Splinter and Anne Tedeschi work in watercolor. Each brings their special vision and style to landscapes, still lifes, and portraiture, whether a particularly fascinating person or a beguiling barnyard critter. For something completely different, look to the bold contemporary acrylics of Pita Daniels. Photographers, too, have differently styles. Tom Rhorer captures the details of the land and sky in stunning color and clarity, while Jamie Heiden softens the scene with layered textures and a little bit of fairy tale. Diane Dahl’s photography is augmented by her mixed media work in acrylics, clay and bits and pieces from nature.
Pottery is always popular, and VIVA’s potters offer a range of items and styles. Charna Schwartz uses the colors and forms of the Driftless area in her beautiful blue-green glazes, while Maureen Karlstad may offer a hint of Asia in her tea sets and bowls. Mark Herrling’s decorative tiles are noted for their bold mix of pattern and color. Guest artist Scott Keith has been making functional stoneware pottery for decades, including 17 years at Red Wing Pottery in Minnesota.
Fiber artists create wearables and objects for the home. Eco-printed scarves and hand-warmers by Sharlene Bohr echo the colors and shapes of fall leaves. The looms of Kathleen Aaker and Angela Feltes yield extraordinarily beautiful vests and scarves in fascinating patterns, colors and textures. They also weave lovely wall hangings and table runners. Speaking of the table, one of Lori Hungerholt’s intricately woven baskets would be a perfect adornment. And if you would like your fiber art to speak to you, the clever sayings and bright colors of Crystal Curley’s hot pads are guaranteed to make kitchen chores much more fun.
Also for perfect for preparing or serving are the carefully constructed and beautifully finished cutting/serving boards by Jerry Quebe, and the hand-carved figured wooden spoons by Terry Beck. Ken and Michelle Workowski’s poplar bark baskets, birch bark mirrors and paper lampshades, all made from natural materials, are unusual and popular gift items. Looking for something really unusual? The mesmerizing patterns found in the stained glass kaleidoscopes of Steve and Peggy Kittelson are just the ticket.
A bare wall begs for decoration, and VIVA painters and photographers can provide beautiful solutions. Paul Bergquist, Deb Conlon and Lisbeth Quebe work in oil, while Bill Mapp, Diane Splinter and Anne Tedeschi work in watercolor. Each brings their special vision and style to landscapes, still lifes, and portraiture, whether a particularly fascinating person or a beguiling barnyard critter. For something completely different, look to the bold contemporary acrylics of Pita Daniels. Photographers, too, have differently styles. Tom Rhorer captures the details of the land and sky in stunning color and clarity, while Jamie Heiden softens the scene with layered textures and a little bit of fairy tale. Diane Dahl’s photography is augmented by her mixed media work in acrylics, clay and bits and pieces from nature.
Mark Herrling’s woodcut prints, equally inspired by dreams and nature, are also perfect for your walls,
and M’Lou Wilkie’s stained glass pieces will definitely brighten a window. And you just might want to
frame one of Mike Lind’s prints or cards, intriguing images of Wisconsin’s river patterns or his clever
“You are What You Eat” series.
And last, but certainly not least, you will find a stunning array of jewelry at the Artisan Market. M’Lou Wilkie is widely recognized for her intricate woven beadwork, and Angela Feltes makes use of her hand- made glass beads in her jewelry. Raelene Roberts, a metalsmith for 25 years, casts, fabricates, etches and enamels her one-of-a-kind pieces. Four guest artists add to the selection. Connie Minowa’s jewelry uses the imagery of her paintings as signature elements. Alena Mack melds copper and silver with semi- precious stones, while Christine Larson uses stones, beads and sterling silver in her creations. Nick Smolen brings his forge into the mix and creates mokume-gane metal work jewelry and key rings.
VIVA Gallery is also a great place to find holiday cards and ornaments.
A sample of the fine artful gifts you'll see at VIVA through the months of November and December.
And last, but certainly not least, you will find a stunning array of jewelry at the Artisan Market. M’Lou Wilkie is widely recognized for her intricate woven beadwork, and Angela Feltes makes use of her hand- made glass beads in her jewelry. Raelene Roberts, a metalsmith for 25 years, casts, fabricates, etches and enamels her one-of-a-kind pieces. Four guest artists add to the selection. Connie Minowa’s jewelry uses the imagery of her paintings as signature elements. Alena Mack melds copper and silver with semi- precious stones, while Christine Larson uses stones, beads and sterling silver in her creations. Nick Smolen brings his forge into the mix and creates mokume-gane metal work jewelry and key rings.
VIVA Gallery is also a great place to find holiday cards and ornaments.
A sample of the fine artful gifts you'll see at VIVA through the months of November and December.
Jewelry by Christine Larson
"You Are What You Eat" Mike Lind
Cloth Baskets by Lori Hungerholt
Raku by Charna
Measuring Bowls by Maureen Karlstad
Jewelry by Alena Mack
Miniature Watercolors by Diane Splinter
All sizes of Wooden Spoons by Terry Beck
Photographic Encastics by Jamie Heiden
Scott Keith and Jack Honeywell in October at VIVA
Scott Keith Sculpture
Jack Honeywell Stained Glass
VIVA Gallery Welcomes Two Guest Artists in October
Two Driftless Area artists will share the spotlight at VIVA Gallery’s First Thursday
reception on October 5. Jack Honeywell, a stained-glass artist, and Scott Keith, a potter, have been
honing their respective crafts for over 40 years. That depth of experience and artistry adds up to an
exceptional experience for gallery goers.
Jack maintains his own workplace, Cedar Tree Studio, near Winona, Minnesota. He finds inspiration in the Driftless landscapes, in the people around him, and most often, from the many colors, textures, and varieties of glass itself. Encouraged to pursue art as a child, he has followed an artistic path his entire life. He studied drawing and painting in high school and college, and in the mid-1970s, a friend introduced him to the copper foil technique of stained glass. This was a turning point in his creative life, and he has shaped stain glass works ever since. He studied advanced techniques at the Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle, Washington, and has worked for Hauser Art Glass in Winona.
Scott has been “spinning mud” for four decades, many of those years with Red Wing Pottery, where he was part of a small crew that kept alive the tradition of making salt-glazed stoneware. The iconic stoneware was the first style of pottery that Red Wing created on a large basis. Lately, Scott’s interest has shifted to more sculptural forms, influenced by Mexican surrealism, American folklore, and Pagan whimsy. He has traveled to many different areas of the world, and sees his memories realized in his finished pieces. He loves the malleable qualities of clay and the infinite possibilities it affords. Scott’s Newton Valley Pottery studio is just outside of Viroqua, Wisconsin.
Jack’s stained glass and Scott’s clay sculpture and pottery, along with the diverse works of VIVA’s 18 member artists, will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on October 5 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608- 637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
Jack maintains his own workplace, Cedar Tree Studio, near Winona, Minnesota. He finds inspiration in the Driftless landscapes, in the people around him, and most often, from the many colors, textures, and varieties of glass itself. Encouraged to pursue art as a child, he has followed an artistic path his entire life. He studied drawing and painting in high school and college, and in the mid-1970s, a friend introduced him to the copper foil technique of stained glass. This was a turning point in his creative life, and he has shaped stain glass works ever since. He studied advanced techniques at the Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle, Washington, and has worked for Hauser Art Glass in Winona.
Scott has been “spinning mud” for four decades, many of those years with Red Wing Pottery, where he was part of a small crew that kept alive the tradition of making salt-glazed stoneware. The iconic stoneware was the first style of pottery that Red Wing created on a large basis. Lately, Scott’s interest has shifted to more sculptural forms, influenced by Mexican surrealism, American folklore, and Pagan whimsy. He has traveled to many different areas of the world, and sees his memories realized in his finished pieces. He loves the malleable qualities of clay and the infinite possibilities it affords. Scott’s Newton Valley Pottery studio is just outside of Viroqua, Wisconsin.
Jack’s stained glass and Scott’s clay sculpture and pottery, along with the diverse works of VIVA’s 18 member artists, will be featured at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on October 5 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm and will be on display throughout the month. The gallery is located at 217 South Main Street in Viroqua. For more information about this and future First Thursday events, contact the gallery at 608- 637-6918 or info@vivagallery.net.
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