Matt Duckett at VIVA Gallery

Matt Duckett has been drawing since he could drag a crayon across something flat. Since then, he has continued to create art celebrating the world around him. His work is enthusiastically representational. He unabashedly depicts, records, tells. Narrates. Recites. Recalls. He demands a curiosity for the world and revels in the deduction of it's varied and indifferent mechanisms. Much of Matt's work is figurative, using the innate vocabulary of anatomy and physiology and skilled, sensitive mastery of medium to tell the stories. His work provides an intimate glimpse into tiny unique worlds and we can never truly know but that we are charmingly, almost frustratingly, invited by both artist and subject to join.

Matt's young but accomplished career includes numerous awards and commissions, including being the only student to be commissioned to create a portrait of a University of Wisconsin—La Crosse Chancellor (Joe Gow), and the only student to be commissioned by the Library Acquisitions Committee, all while an undergrad. Since graduating, he as continued to distinguish himself as a gifted and ambitious artist. He has exhibited throughout the Midwest and beyond, most recently being excepted in the prestigious annual juried nonmembers exhibition at New York City's esteemed Salmagundi Club.

Matt is also the founder and director of Vitamin Studio which has proven itself to be a vital cornerstone of regional arts and just a few short years. Their classes, workshops and events are attended by artists and patrons from three states and over 100 miles away.


Be there September 1 for 1st Thursday - 217 So. Main St.;  Viroqua, Wi.,  5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Judy Martin - August Guest

Trudy Martin - Jewelry Artist

                                        

In August, VIVA Gallery in Viroqua welcomes Trudy Martin as guest artist. Trudy, who lives in Soldiers Grove, has been fascinated by beads for more than a decade. She designs and creates necklaces, bracelets and earrings with everything from Swarovski crystals to Kazuri beads from Kenya.

Trudy’s beads come from all over the world—Africa, India, Afghanistan, China, and Nepal, to name but a few places. She procures much of her stock at the acclaimed Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, which sets the standard for gem and mineral shows around the world. There, she says, she “feels like a kid in a candy store.” Beads in hand, she has many paths she can follow, including bead weaving, bead embroidering, Kumihomo weaving, crocheting with beads, and more. Trudy enjoys them all.

Meet Trudy at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on August 4 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. 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 see Trudy’s jewelry at the gallery throughout the month of August, as well as the work of 16 member artists.

July Guest Artist - Tricia Schmidt

                                            

A delicate balance between control and chaos is how Tricia describes her work on the wheel.  She has come to appreciate that the end result is rarely perfect, a trait that makes every hand-worked piece of art distinctive.  Tricia’s work toes the line between functional and non-functional, she admits functional usually wins out.   Connecting with a piece and making it a part of daily ritual is inspiration enough to create art.

Tricia graduated from Westby High School in 1994 and now works as an Art Teacher in the St. Paul schools.  She still calls this area home, her parents still reside in the family home between Westby and Viroqua.

VIVA Gallery welcomes Tricia as our July guest artist and as a new member.  She brings a fresh energy and innovative quality to her work.  You have to come to the gallery to see it!

1^st Thursday   •   July 7   •   5 pm to 7 pm

Gene Summers our June Guest Artist

Artist’s Statement

Gene Summers is an Emeritus Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he served from 1970 to 1998.  He has been interested in landscape and nature photography for more than 60 years. 

He has always felt a strong attachment to nature, probably from having grown up in a remote rural area of Southeast Missouri, and to the beauty that is to be found in the great outdoors, if one takes the time to look closely.  Professor Summers attempts to capture the artistry of Mother Nature with the camera. He sees photography as a means of bringing greater attention to natural beauty. It is his hope that a greater awareness of nature will encourage more people to practice conservation and to support environmental protection legislation. 

His work has appeared in several publications and has been on display in Wisconsin galleries and exhibitions. He is a member of the Wisconsin Alliance of Artists & Craftspeople, Wisconsin Regional Artists Association, Madison Art Guild,  Richland Area Art Council, and The Center for Photography at Madison. 

A Big Show in May - Viroqua Teens

"Graceful Hesitation" by Julia Morgan, Laurel High School, WRAA State Award winner

   

Student Artists Featured at VIVA Gallery

For the month of May, VIVA Gallery will exhibit works by high school artists. The schools represented are Laurel High School, a charter school within the Viroqua Area School System, the Youth Initiative High School and artwork by students who have studied with Viroqua artist Kathie Wheeler.

Students will present work in several media, including painting, drawing, photography, clay and sculpture. Among the works will be pieces that won state awards at the recent Wisconsin Regional Arts Program’s high school show, held in Richland Center.

Anne Tedeschi, VIVA member, art instructor, and organizer of the exhibit, says “I find it very exciting to see the unusual level of talent among so many young artists, and I am looking forward to the opening of this very special show.”

Meet the student artists at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on May 5 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Treats will be served.  The Girls’ Ukulele band (best known as Garlic Breath) will provide music. 

You can see the student work at the gallery throughout the month of May, as well as work of 17 member artists.

Fresh and New April 1st Thursday

This month we welcome Amy Arnold and her entourage of Peepwools.  Characters with attitude, meet them and their creator on 1st Thursday, April 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.
You can catch up with what Maureen Karlstad is doing too -- she was a founding member of VIVA and this month we welcome her back!  Come see her new work - it's gorgeous and ever so useful.
Thursday, April 7 -- support your local art scene!

Jamie Heiden - 2010 Driftless Art Festival People's Choice Winner

About Jamie

In March, VIVA Gallery in Viroqua welcomes photographer Jamie Heiden as guest artist. Jamie describes her art as “finding a little fairytale every day,” and her photographs bear this out. She captures images that are familiar slices of time and then applies texture with watercolors or through digital manipulation. The results are images whose muted colors and soft lines are universally appealing. Jamie received the 2010 Best of Photography award from Madison’s Art Fair Off the Square, and won the 2010 People’s Choice Award at both the Art Fair on the Green in LaCrosse and the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove.

Meet Jamie at VIVA’s First Thursday reception on March 3 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. 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 see Jamie’s work at the gallery through the month of March, as well as work of 17 member artists.