Wisconsin Fun Next Exit

In this exhibit we explore summers in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Those who visit this region are treated to a variety of landscapes and waterways, flora and fauna. Those who live here know we really do live the good life. You may notice that some of the works on display are from my families’ art collection. I very much enjoy colorful works of art that highlight our beautiful landscape here in Wisconsin. When my family and I select artwork for our home, we think of what might inspire us to love nature, and we think about our woods and waterways, which we try to enjoy in some form every day. I also live with a painter, so I have a robust catalogue of works to choose from-lucky me! Shown here are a variety of mediums depicting long summer days spent fishing, crowds huddled together for Eaux Claires Music Festival, Kubb, and road trips to the shores of Lake Superior.  

Cool off by the lake, swat the mosquitoes away, and listen to the loons in the distance.  

My art, both in painting and drawing, centers around the architecture of the landscape, both grand and small, wild and domesticated.  Paired down to the essentials of color and form, these works reflect a cognitive reconciliation with those often-times overlooked spaces as a means of self-understanding and grounding. 

Born and raised on the Front Range of Colorado, David graduated from University of Northern Colorado with a BA in Painting and Drawing and received an MFA in 2D Studies from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH. David currently is an Associate Professor in Painting and Drawing at Sheridan College in Sheridan, WY. 
Before moving to Sheridan with his wonderful wife, two stellar kids, and one fuzzy dog  in 2016, he taught in the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, the University of Wisconsin - Stout, and the Bowling Green State University art departments. He has also been the Gallery Director of the Janet Carson Gallery at the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center in Wisconsin. His artwork has appeared in national and international juried and group exhibitions, along with numerous solo shows.  He is currently represented by the Nines Gallery in Holland, MI, and the Commercial in Alma, WI.  David has studied, lived and taught for two years in Fukuoka, Japan, and for one year Florence, Italy, along with extensively traveling throughout Europe and Asia.   

David's Website

Entertainment is the backbone of my art. Each piece starts with random inspiration which leads me usually to vintage photos, where colorful characters, themes and costuming commingle from various eras into my compositions.  When painting, I prefer to work in oils, but the theatrics shine more through painted fabric and bead embroidered art pieces. I conceived this technique to emulate my past profession on stage in dazzling costumes. As I hand stitch each sequin and bead upon my subject, the embellished fabric takes on weight similar to a beaded gown.  Fabric paints on stretched fabric became the foundation of this artistry, for the ease of sewing every bauble on by hand. Still, I continue to waffle between oil painting and bead embroidery, as they both satisfy my artistic cravings in different ways, and they both feed into my desire for audience entertainment. 

Nancy Erickson Dutmer’s theatrical and artistic upbringing heavily influenced her creative path through life. Most of her adulthood was spent singing, acting, directing and choreographing in the theatre, including a costuming and choreography stint in LA with Christopher Lloyd, John Goodman and Jane Leeves. While she maintained this career, she pursued a college education to become an art teacher. Nancy became discouraged with teaching before graduation, so she focused on becoming a visual artist.  With several awards and art studies under her belt, she and her family left her birthplace of Illinois, and moved to Wisconsin. The Northwoods inspired paintings of lakes, fish, birch, dogs, deer and bears.  Growing tired of the local theme, Nancy longed to create theatrically staged art. She now paints with oils or works with bead embroidery to create award winning Circus themes, nudes, portraits and animals, all with a decidedly vintage flair about them. 

Nancy's Website

Anders Shafer is a retired Distinguished Professor from UWEC. He has won many awards, been in over 250 competitions of note and has work in many public collections. He is the author of “The Fantastic Journey of Pieter Bruegel” (Penguin-Putnm, NYC). He works daily in his studio at Banbury Place. He is one of the featured artists in the Wisconsin Triennial at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 2019. 

Anders' Website

I became interested in painting landscapes again in 1997 after photographing natural forms to find new patterns for a series of non-objective paintings I was doing at the time. My first landscapes were of our yard in Fall Creek. When I got a kayak, the Fall Creek Pond was my main interest for about 12 years. Then, the creek area behind our house; eventually, moving in closer and closer to my subject. West Fox Lake, from 2014, is an early version of how I’m still working today. Tiit Raid received his BA and MFA degrees from the University of Minnesota I 1964 and 1966. He taught painting, design, and basic drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire from 1967-2002. He lives in Eau Claire. Raid is represented by the Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis, and by 200 Main in Eau Claire.