Artists Gallery - Racine

Featured Artists for November, 2008

2008-11-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

Wardrip & Wright …..naturally” is a collection of photography and watercolor highlighting nature and its inspirations from gallery members Jim Wardrip and Thomas Wright.

Wright’s work reflects his love for nature, America and Wisconsin in particular.” I changed my palette from planning cities and landscape design to watercolor…..a medium I find challenging,” explains Wright, former City Planner for Racine. He has studied with Zoltan Szabo,Robert Johanson, as well as other local Wisconsin artists.
Jim Wardrip began his career as an art teacher in Racine. Retiring after 20 years in advertising and marketing, he took up photography. Wardrip, formerly at the Journal Times, credits photographers Chuck D’Acquisto, Charles Vallone and Mark Hertzberg for giving him the insights into what to look for in a photograph. “Each one gave me a different view that I try to capture with the camera……an everyday view.” “ Wardrip & Wright……naturally” continues thru November 30th. The opening reception with the artists will take place during Racine's Gallery Night on November 15th from 6 to 9PM.

Artists Gallery Activities for Gallery Night Announced

2008-11-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

The Artists Gallery, Racine’s artists owned cooperative, is ready for the Gallery Night activities Saturday, November 15th. The gallery has completely changed over its entire collection of artists work for November and December. Everything is new from wearables like knitted scarves, hats,sweaters and more. All new sculptural pieces, paintings, photography, collages, metals and jewelry are on display as well. Wonderful ideas for holiday gifts are on display with our selection of wooden bowls and vessels .This is our largest selection in our 11 year history. Featured for the holidays is the special Artists Gallery Gift Tree in our loft area . Gifts of wood and glass adorn the tree…….some include one of a kind presents you must see.

From 6-9pm on the 15th the gallery will be host a reception for featured artists Jim Wardrip and Thomas Wright showing their works in the Wardrip&Wright….naturally..November exhibit. Food and refreshments will be served as well as a chance to meet the artists.

The Artists Gallery is located at 312 Sixth Street in Racine, across from Porters, and is open Thursday thru Saturday 11-5pm and Sunday 1-4pm. The Gallery will be open until 9pm on Gallery Night as well as any downtown sponsored events.

Ed Kalke - Featured Artist for September

2008-08-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Red Man - Handmade paper w/batik hand tint,collage and relief print

FEATURED ARTIST - SEPTEMBER, 2008 - ED KALKE

Reception for the artist - Friday September 5, 2008 6:00 to 9:00 PM

The Artists Gallery’s featured artist for the month of September is gallery member Ed Kalke.
Edwin C. Kalke’s first juried art competition was the inaugural Watercolor Wisconsin competition held at the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI in the fall of 1966. In June 1968 he took the top award in Racine’s Monument Square Art Fair. He returned to Racine in 1970 to spend seven years as an art teacher at J.I. Case High School before moving on to head the art department at Carthage College, Kenosha, WI retiring as professor emeritus of Art in 2005.

Throughout his career Ed has participated in over one hundred regional or national juried competitions and invitational exhibits. Ed has also conducted many mixed media handmade paper/printmaking workshops at a variety of venues. Important workshops were conducted for Amana Arts Guild, Amana IA, twice being invited to teach in the Arts and Crafts program at Penland School, Penland, NC and presenting several courses in printmaking, drawing, papermaking for Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts , Gatlinburg, TN. He has lectured at UW-Platteville, the University of Manitoba, Canada, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA, and Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN.

In Racine Ed has twice been an Artist in Residence at Prairie School and presented many lectures, critiques and workshops for the Racine Art Guild. He is a founding member and ten year contributing artist with Racine’s Artists Gallery. The mixed media work in this exhibition is an extension of research he undertook at Carthage using paper as core media in teaching creative arts.

In viewing Ed’s current artwork you can see his interplay of craft and content. His images are glued, printed, painted and drawn onto colored backgrounds of handmade paper compositions. You will see a larger work, 37” x 46” titled “Thought Crimes” and a small intimate work represented in his imaginative design for a “GWB Zero Dollar Bill”.

Kalke’s work is in many regional collections including Kranz Corporation, RAM, Prairie School (Racine), UW – Oshkosh, UW – Stevens Point, Riverfront Art Center (Stevens Point), Stolper Inductries, Miller Brewing Company (Milwaukee), Anderson Arts Center (Kenosha), and many local individual collections.

Featured Artist for August - Mary Anne Bunkers

2008-07-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Mary Anne Bunkers, a member of the Artists Gallery, is the gallery's featured artist for the month of August.

Mary Anne is a retired nurse who has been painting since 1968. She began painting in oils, switched to acrylic paints, and finally found her medium in transparent watercolor. Now that she is retired, she is free to devote 25 to 30 hours a week to her painting including research, planning, photographing for reference, matting and framing, in addition to time spent with brush, paint and paper.

Mary Anne has studied under several artists nationally, including Jeanne Carbonetti (The Tao of Watercolor, The Zen of Creative Painting, etc.), Anita Wong (Chinese brush stroke), Ron Ranson (Big brush techniques), Nita Engle (How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself), Linda Tate, Frank Stern, John Goray and Jerry Belland. With this Background of watercolor painting instruction, Mary Anne has developed her own style. Her goal is to share her delight and enthusiasm for painting through the medium itself. She believes painting is the fulfillment of an inner gift that is to be shared. Mary Anne's goal is to keep learning some of the many applications of watercolor and other media.

Mary Anne has exhibited at the Junior League of Memphis Exhibition, Racine Art Guild Invitational Shows, and Wauwatosa Art Workshop Exhibits, with a personal show at MotoPhoto.

Gallery Night

2008-07-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Gallery night on Saturday July 19 was a great success. The gallery was filled with great people and many of the member artists were in attendance to meet with the people. Gallery night was the final opening that included the yellow dot celebration, the used art book sale and Thom Peterson's fine work. The next opening will be for First Friday on August 1.

Featured Artist for July - Thom Petersen

2008-06-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Thom Petersen brings the classic and nostalgic cars of the past into clear focus in his Fine Art paintings.

Thom’s style makes the most of airbrush technique which allows him to build up paintings layer by thin layer, developing a depth in reflections that rival the reflections seen in person. It is Thom’s ability to bring the viewer into his works, releasing their imaginations and challenging their perceptions of what they are seeing that accounts for their celebrity.
Although his hard work has been described as near photographic, Thom sees it as a blend of realism and surrealism along with a bit of abstract impressionism thrown in for good measure.
Working in acrylics, with approximately 80 percent done with the airbrush and 20% fine brushwork, his attention to detail makes for crystal clear images brought to life with vivid color, a treat for the eye.

In 1994, Thom as honored to receive a “Par Excellence” award at the International Aviation Art Competition in Oshkosh, WI and, in 1997, Thom was awarded “Automobile Artist of the Year” at St. Ignace, MI.

Since July 4th is on a Friday, Thom's opening will be on Thursday July 3 at the gallery. Hope to see you there.

Used Art Book Sale

2008-05-22T18:41:00.001-07:00

From Friday June 6 through Sunday June 8 or until all are sold, the Artists Gallery will be holding a used art book sale. The sale will take place on the balcony level in the back room. Come see a wide selection of used art instruction books, art photo books, other art-related books and many art magazines. All sales from the book sale will be cash only. Come on in during First Friday weekend to check out the selection and make some purchases!

Featured Artist for June, 2008

2008-05-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

Greg Helding, an artist member of the Artists Gallery, is the featured artists for June. Come see Greg's new work.

A Racine native, Greg became interested in drawing in grade school and excelled in High School art classes. Twenty years later,in 1993, Greg started taking night classes at the Wustum Museum. After trying charcoal, watercolor, and oil. Greg discovered pastels in a drawing class and was hooked. Greg has since learned portrait and life drawing under the instruction of John Parsons.

"I like the ease and convenience of working with pastels and the uniqueness of their effect on paper. When I draw with them my finished piece emerges as a painting. The different papers provide depth to the work by adding texture. I view my work as a challenge to depict objects from nature while experimenting with color and composition. I am inspired by Degas, one of the best known artists to ever use pastels.

Greg has also begun exploring encaustic painting... a very old technique involving wax, resins and pigment.

Come check out our new look!!!

2008-04-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

With May changeover came May MAKEOVER!!! This past weekend, we painted the gallery and moved the jewelry cases. In addition to all of the new work and the pieces for the two special events (The 10 x 10 exhibition and silent auction and the Yellow Dot Celebration) come in and check out our new look!!! First Friday is May 3. Stop on by...

YELLOW DOT CELEBRATION

2008-04-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

As part of the Artists Gallery's 10th Anniversary Celebration, the gallery is holding a YELLOW DOT CELEBRATION. The celebration will last from Friday May 3 through Sunday May 5. During the celebration, any item in the gallery marked with a yellow dot will receive a 20% discount when purchased. Come in to the gallery this Friday for First Friday and check out the great artwork being sold at reduced prices as well as the 10 x 10 silent auction!

Featured Exhibition - May, 2008 - 10 x 10

2008-04-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

The featured exhibition at the gallery this month is called "10 x 10." The exhibition is a celebration of the Artists Gallery's 10 Year Anniversary. The pieces in the exhibition are by the gallery's artists and must incorporate the number 10 in some way. 2-D work must have final dimensions of 10 x 10 inches. 3-D work must have at least one dimension of 10 inches. Jewelry must have the number 10 incorporated in some way such as 10 special beads or 10 strands. The exhibition was a challenge to the artists. The majority of the pieces are also part of a special silent auction running from May's First Friday on May 3 through June 8. Each piece in the silent auction was donated to the gallery and all proceeds of the auction benefit the gallery. To bid, stop by the sales counter and register for a bidder number. Once you have a number, proceed to the auction pieces and bid by entering your bidder number and your bid on the bid sheet for the desired piece of art. Bid often to ensure you get the piece you want at YOUR price!!!

FIRST FRIDAY and BEN JERRY OPENING

2008-04-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

The first First Friday of the season was held on April 4th in downtown Racine. At the Artists Gallery, this night was the opening reception for featured artist Ben Jerry's exhibition. Even with the construction in front of the gallery on Sixth Street, attendance was very good. Approximately 200 people attended the opening. Following are some pictures from the reception...

Artist Ben Jerry with his work:

The gallery full of people at the reception...

FIRST FRIDAY and GALLERY NIGHT!

2008-03-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Racine's first FIRST FRIDAY of the season is going to be on Friday April 4. Come to downtown Racine and enjoy the event. FIRST FRIDAYS are extremely popular events with the galleries open and entertainment. Come join in the fun! Also, the first Gallery Night of 2008 will be on April 19th in downtown Racine. Come join us.

10th Anniversary

2008-03-26T20:24:00.001-07:00

The Artists Gallery's 10th Anniversary will be in May. In celebration of this significant event, look for a special member's exhibit to honor our anniversary as well as a special reception and other events. Check back for more details soon.

Featured Artist For April, 2008

2008-03-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ben Jerry of Kenosha is the Artists Gallery's featured artist for April, 2008. Check out information on Ben by visiting our Featured Artist Page at www.ag-racine.org/featured_artist.htm!
Ben's opening reception will be held on Friday April 4th from 5PM to 9PM. Stop in and check out the show!

NEWS

2008-03-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new website! Stay tuned for more news. Come down to the gallery and see Debbie Isaacson's metal ribbon sculpture! Opening reception tomorrow night!