Spectrum

Opening reception Friday, February 2, 5-7 pm
Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton and Wisconsin Arts Board Executive Director George Tzougros will give opening remarks beginning at 5:30pm

Gallery Talks:
Stephen Milanowski, Friday, February 16, 5:30 pm Stephen Hilyard, Friday, March 2, 5:30 pm

This exhibition will show several artworks by each of the seven winners of the 2006 Wisconsin Arts Board Visual Arts Fellowships. This highly competitive program draws several hundred submissions from artists all over Wisconsin working in a wide variety of media. Artists in this exhibition are: Kyoung Ae Cho (crafts/fiber, Milwaukee); Santiago Cucullu (art installation, Milwaukee); Stephen Hilyard (mixed media, Madison); Tom Loeser (crafts/wood, Madison); Stephen Milanowski (photographer, Middleton); Chris Niver (drawing, Milwaukee); and Amy Ruffo (drawing, Sheboygan).

This exhibition is supported by the Wisconsin Arts Board and Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the Overture Foundation.

Spectrum: An Exhibition of Artwork by the 2006 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellows presents a spectrum of work by a diverse wisconsinacademy.org group of visual artists who use a range of materials and processes to create art. Each of these seven Wisconsin artists received a Visual Arts Fellowship from the Wisconsin Arts Board in 2006. Spectrum gives James Watrous Gallery viewers a chance to become acquainted with these innovative and accomplished contemporary artists. On show here are seven different art-making strategies that result in objects that will delight and intrigue the viewer.

The Wisconsin Arts Board’s highly competitive Visual Arts Fellowship program draws several hundred submissions from artists all over Wisconsin working in a wide variety of media. Arts Board Fellowships are an important addition to an artist’s resume. A fellowship is a positive signal from a selecting panel of arts professionals that provides a great psychological boost, an affirmation that the artist’s solitary creative efforts are meaningful. Success in the competition for the Arts Board Fellowships along with the accompanying monetary award are significant signposts on an artist’s career path, encouraging experimentation and the creation of new work.

The Wisconsin Academy’s gallery program has provided a showcase for Wisconsin artists for over 30 years. The Academy’s James Watrous Gallery continues this mission, providing a non-commercial venue that connects artist and audience in an exploration of our state’s visual arts culture. The Academy’s statewide presence makes it a natural partner with the Wisconsin Arts Board in recognizing and celebrating our state’s artists.