Art MidWisconsin is a collective of artists who:
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Facilitates exhibition and sales opportunities in the region between Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay.
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Provides workshops and professional development for regional artists and the public.
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Explores collaborative engagement and partnerships with non-profit organizations and businesses.
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Maintains a directory of visual artists with general, contact, and access information. Fosters communication amongst artists.
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Meets “regularly” to promote community.
News and Noteworthy
Art MidWisconsin is excited to announce several exhibitions and sales events.
Gimme A Sign! – an exhibition in partnership with the Ripon Historical Society will run through July 2026. Artists have created pieces inspired by artifacts in the Museum’s signage collection. Exhibition attendees will experience the rich history of Ripon as seen through the lens of signage in the exhibition which displays both the sign and accompanying artwork. Artists include: Bev Christ, Dick Folse, Jane George, Karin Keeler, Sarah McGowan, Travis Nygard, Angel Rettler, Caron Sisko, Jeanne Williams, and Mary Unger.
Art MidWisconsin – A Collective of Visual Artists is at the Ripon College Caestecker Gallery from January 23 to February 13. Students from classes of Professor Travis Nygard have conducted a juried exhibition process and designed the exhibition during the fall semester. Artists include: Joanne Burne, Pat Dobrinski, Bev Christ, Dick Folse, Michaela Foreman, Karin Keeler, Sarah McGowan, Carolyn Myers, Joanne Norton, Marcia Pockat, Eileen Reilly, Howard Rigden, David Sakrison, and Kate Salas.
The Opposites Attract show will be held at the Thelma Sadoff Art Museum from March 9 to April 17, with an opening reception on March 13 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
Green Lake Plein Air Festival – Thursday, May 18, 9 am – 6 pm. Art MidWisconsin and Town Square Community Center are organizing the Green Lake Plein Air Festival which invites artists to spend the day painting outdoors throughout downtown Green Lake and its surrounding parks, capturing the beauty of the community in real time. The festival culminates in a public exhibition and sale, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience art inspired by place and process. For more information and to register, visit here.
The next gathering of the Collective will be:
The February Meeting – Wednesday, February 18 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm at the Town Square Community Center.
Artist Directory
Alicia Armstrong
Sandy Blank
Jewelry
scarlsonblank@gmail.com
Sandy has won awards in multiple mediums and exhibited work both regionally and nationally. Much of her imagery is draw from nature. She is inspired by her farm, garden and orchard.
Joanne Burne
Pastels
Joanneburne5@gmail.com
Joanne is a pastel artist working in the Green Lake area.
Bev Christ
Photography
christb@ripon.edu
I dabble. Over the years I’ve played with many art forms, from glass lamp work, painting, and print-making to producing video documentaries. Later I turned to textiles, creating one-of-a-kind bags with re-purposed materials. Photography has been a consistent interest throughout my life. I enjoy nature and am attracted to the textures and patterns in my environment, both indoors and outdoors. When working with textiles I am drawn to rich, vibrant colors. I feel energized when I’m with creative people and inspired by art that they create. In the future I’d like to experiment with mixed media.
Nicole Conner
Acrylics
nicolegconner@gmail.com
Pat Hadley Dobrinska
Oil, Pastel, Watercolors
pat.paint@gmail.com
pathadleydobrinska.weebly.com
I paint because it expresses “me.” Painting shows various sides of who I am, which is why I use different media and styles. Being a member of this group will allow me to have an extra avenue to express my life. In oils and watercolors, depending on my intent, I paint with a realistic style: landscapes, portraits, and houses. I also have my funky farm animals – quirky individuals one and all – which is more impressionistic, as are the watercolor paintings from the Birds-in-Flight series. Pastels suit my needs beautifully, with the creamy colors which are particularly effective at expressing outdoor settings, also known as Plein Aire painting. I can look at something and see it as an oil, watercolor, or pastel. Painting in different media and different styles keeps my creative juices alive.
Elissa Ewald
Acrylic, Oil, Watercolors
elissa.ewaldart@gmail.com
@ewaldart (instagram)
ewaldart.com
As a self taught artist I continued to paint my life experiences had with my husband and our two children. I believe everyone wants to be inspired, so by surrounding ourselves with the things we love we are more content. The paintings I create remind me daily of how beautiful life is.
Dick Folse
Oils, Watercolors
info@dickfolse.com
@myimperialviolet (Instagram)
dickfolse.com
Dick Folse earned his Master of Fine Arts from Illinois State University in 1990, where he studied studio art with notable landscape painters James D. Butler, Harold Gregor, and Ken Holder, and had a lengthy internship with painter James McGarrell. He has taught art at Bradley University, Illinois State University, and Illinois Wesleyan University. Dick has exhibited nationally and internationally, including in China and Japan. He has lived and painted in Spain and has taken five plein air painting trips to southern France. He has received multiple show awards and recognitions and was a 2018 recipient of an Illinois Arts Council Individual Artist grant.
Folse lives in Ripon, Wisconsin on the Ceresco Prairie. He produces unique, original paintings in oils, watercolors, and pastels – responding to the landscape of the prairie as well as nearby lakes and fields. The work has a sense of place – sweeping skies, shifting seasons, and the quiet presence of land that evokes mystery, displays graciousness, and suggests solace and comfort; the approach harkens back to the artistic sensibilities of mid-twentieth century when painting was aesthetically straight forward and focused on how form shapes content. Often, Folse keeps paintings balancing on a line between abstraction and representation while he translates events of nature as the seasons or times of day change.
Michaela Foreman
Photography
urbandirtfarm@gmail.com
@udfarming
http://www.urbandirtfarmstudios.com
Michaela Foreman’s journey into photography is deeply intertwined with her transition from urban life to rural Wisconsin. Formerly a computer programmer, project manager, and entrepreneur, Foreman embraced a new life as a farmer, and for the past seven years, her photography had evolved alongside her agricultural experiences. Her images chronicle the rhythms of farm life, capturing both its beauty and stark realities. Through her lens, Foreman presents an intimate portrait of rural living, particularly during the harsh Wisconsin winters, when the landscape is stripped of color and warmth. Her work serves as an homage to farmers whose resilience and dedication carry through even the most unforgiving conditions.
Anne Gary
Mixed Media Abstract Art
anne@davegary.com
Annegary.com
My abstract paintings are playful compositions of saturated and muted colors with rich texture, line, shape and value contrast…created through the delightful combination of acrylics and mixed media.
Jane George
Watercolor, Pen, Pencil, Oil
janegeorge@gmail.com
@janeconnellgeorge
Jane-george.com
Jane George is an artist and writer who lives in the trees near the lake. In brushstroke and written word, she is inspired by the magic inherent in the natural world.
Jeanne Gilbert
Watercolor, Pastels, Acrylic
h.gilbert@charter.net
I started painting after graduating from college (MATC graphic arts) and could afford a set of portrait pastels. I put those to work doing portraits for friends. At the same time I was working in a graphic arts and photography studio.
After marriage, etc I started painting again with oils, later acrylics, then back to pastels and eventually watercolors.
My final comment is that after over 60 years of painting, I’m still not sure I know what I am doing!
Melanie Heintz
Oil paint on canvas, acrylic paint, colored pencil
mkheintz91@gmail.com
Creating art is very important to me. I’m finding that the more I create art, the more art I need to create. I entered my first art show April of 2025 and feel as though I was catapulted into a world I was meant to be a part of. Meeting other artists feels like home. My goal with art is to take the time to notice, pursue, and appreciate something outside of myself that brings a sense of raw authenticity. I hope my art can inspire others to notice more; especially in a culture that moves so quickly.
Karin Keeler
Oils, Soft Patels, Watercolors
Kar1574@yahoo.com
Karin Keeler is an artist inspired by the natural world… the play of light and dark, the variety of pattern, and the intricacies of items in space; there is no shortage of wonder! She values an unlimited number of styles, with a gentle desire to explore each one.
Sarah McGowan
@smmcgowanart
I paint because it is fun. My mother and paternal grandmother were both painters so my love of painting is perhaps inherited. I prefer painting scenes from nature, but also enjoy putting people and buildings in my paintings. Rather than trying to search for meaning or presenting the perfect portrayal, l hope my paintings have an emotive essence that provide the viewer a moment for reflection.
Carolyn Myers
Oil, watercolor, acrylic, silk, multi-media
opendoorartistry@gmail.com
carolynmyers.weebly.com
https://opendoor-artistry.square.site
My work is largely influenced by my nostalgic memories and my faith. I aspire to be an artist that uses art as a way to process, heal, reflect, and worship. Art can be used as a catalyst to reveal and direct us to discover what defines us individually and as a whole. When you look at my art I hope to draw out a connection, a relationship, a touchpoint to process moments in one’s life. Professionally, I created commissioned artworks through my business Opendoor Artistry and previously taught in art education.
Joanne Norton
Oil and Pastel
joannenorton73@gmail.com
When I see something beautiful, complex or simple I want to paint it. I love to explore the colors, form and emotion of what I’m painting, whether it is landscapes, structures or people. I want to learn from each painting. What is it teaching me? It’s my wish that those who view my paintings also see the beauty and feel the joy that I experienced creating it.
I started sketching when I was 9 years old and studied art in high school. I continue to learn from books and workshops. I live with my husband Mike near Princeton on a farm raising pheasants, gardening, and fishing on Big Green Lake.
Travis Nygard
Versatile
tnygard@gmail.com
My interest in artmaking is broad-based, and I take an intuitive approach when I work. I enjoy many materials and techniques, from paper to ceramics to glass to assemblage to stereoscopic photography, to book art. I am also an art and cultural historian, and I thus love to think about the creative expression from other times and places. Such traditions are endlessly inspiring.
Marcia Pockat
Gourd Carving, Acrylics, Watercolors
marciapockat@gmail.com
@llamamoonshine (Instagram)
Facebook: Marcia Pockat – Shooting Star Studio and Organized Hoarder
Solace, joy and frustration in the creating of art, in whatever form I have experienced, are some of my earliest memories. It is part of my soul whether anyone else appreciates or sees value in what I create or not. My heart yearns for create time! Joy in my life besides my family and friends is from art, no matter the medium. Oh and my critters. Some might call it addictions, I call it nourishment for my soul.
Ralph Benedict Polasky
Ceramics/mixed media
ralphbenedictceramicdesign@gmail.com
ralph_benedict_fine_art
http://www.ralphbenedictceramics.com
My work is a series of specific imaginary moments. Each a study. A realized relic exuding excitement and mystery where color meets darkness, where straight edge and unstructured form intermingle. Clay, with its fluid, tactile and limitless possibilities, aids in my creative process and serves as the foundation for my visual language of color, texture, and form.
Eileen Reilly
Photography
empfeifer@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/eileenreillyphoto/
http://www.eileenreillyphoto.gallery
Eileen fell in love with photography when she received her first camera at age 14. It didn’t become a true passion until 2005 when she, her husband John and their 3 children were living in Hong Kong. While she was there, she was inspired by Hong Kong’s surroundings and the many exotic places they traveled throughout Asia. Documenting their extensive travel adventures continued when they moved to Brussels in 2008 and then moved back to the US in 2013.
While overseas, Eileen focused on travel photos, street photography and portraits. Since moving to Wisconsin, she has explored the area’s beautiful countryside and has become much more interested in landscapes.
Angel Rettler
Oil Painting, Charcoal Drawing, Acrylic Painting
copperbottomedacres@gmail.com
@copperbottomedacres (Instagram)
Growing up in the country, I developed a deep connection with nature, which continues to inspire my work. With a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, I spent 10 years teaching acrylic painting to beginners, helping others discover their creative voice. Now, I’ve shifted my focus back to oil painting, creating from my homestead where I also craft handmade soaps, creams, and grow flowers. My art reflects the peaceful rhythms of rural life and the beauty in simple, everyday moments, offering a blend of creativity, nature, and self-care in each piece.
Howard Rigden
Photography
h19662002@yahoo.com
Howardrigdenphotography.com
Fine art photographer with 20+ years experience in the field, from portraits to street photography. I prefer to work in B&W I feel it shows the subjects inner beauty. The artist that influenced me the most are Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, Edward Steichen.
David Sakrison
Digital Photography, Paper Art
sakrison.david@gmail.com
Sakrisonpapercuts.blogspot.com
After working as a newspaper reporter/photographer, I spent 30+ years as a freelance aviation journalist and photographer. In recent years, my photography has mostly been travel-related or architectural. I like shooting old barns, old industrial buildings, and architectural ruins. Most of my finished images are color, but lately I have been experimenting with converting images to black & white. I shoot with digital cameras and use Photoshop Elements®.
I build award-winning photo-realistic finescale models made of paper and card, and I’m experimenting with three-dimensional images built up from photographs of storefronts, industrial facades, antique architectural drawings, and antique toy theatres.
Kate Salas
Ceramics
Katesalas@gmail.com
@kkraynek (Instagram)
katesalas.com
Kate Salas was born and raised in Wisconsin and studied ceramics with Eugene Kain at Ripon College. Her work is primarily functional ceramics with a focus on vessels made for serving food. The work is created using the wheel and with hand building techniques such as coils and slabs. She uses a warm brown stoneware and a restrained palette of food safe glazes, allowing the focus to be on form and function. She likes to see her pieces in use, holding fruit, serving bread, as a favorite snack bowl. Her work can be found in the shop at the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
Lily Selthofner
Kathleen Sletten
Photography, Digital Art, Colored Pencil, Watercolor
ksletten@chorus.net
Kathleen Sletten is an award-winning photographer specializing in fine art photography and digital art as well as traditional media. Her work has been published in photo journals and exhibited in several venues. She is active in multiple camera clubs, teaches photography classes, and is currently President of the Rural Rembrandts Art Club. Kathleen lives in Montello, Wisconsin.
Mary Unger
Fiber art (weaving, quilting, sewing, needlework)
midwestweaver@gmail.com
I am fascinated by fiber and cloth, as well as by the processes of turning one into the other. I am primarily a weaver and quilter, though I also enjoy various forms of needlework, including appliqué and embroidery. I work with natural materials–primarily cotton, wool, and alpaca–and weave on both rigid heddle and multi-shaft looms. Most of my looms are inherited from folks associated with Ripon and I take pleasure in imagining the people, projects, and stories these looms have inspired. As for myself, I enjoy making textiles for everyday use, both for the home and for the body.
Connie Willet
Now Accepting New Exhibiting Members
$25 Annual Membership Fee
dick_folse@yahoo.com
Tel: 309-645-8828
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