MONROE - This year's silent auction at the Monsignor Thomas F. Campion Charitable Fund's Cheese Tasting Fundraiser features two original pieces of art by Monroe artists Kathy King and Steve Esser. The fundraiser will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Old Smokey's.
Steve Esser's interest in chip wood carving started about 10 years ago, and he has been learning locally about the art form that originated in Europe that the Swiss and Germans call "engraved carving" from Gottlieb Brandli in his shop on the near north side of Monroe. Esser has donated other pieces of his wood carving for the Campion Fund silent auction in previous years as well. He was contacted by Jeff Wideman of Maple Leaf Cheese to add some chip carved art to a wooden bucket that Wideman purchased on one of his recent trips to Switzerland.
As an artist, Kathy King likes to paint what she is familiar with and has a passion for - Monroe. She loves Monroe and has been painting it for 20 years. In 1996, King did her first painting of Monroe for Cheese Days as she was inspired by its traditions and celebration of cheese. She tries to capture life in Monroe with its heavy emphasis on cheese, family, strong community and rich history. She was also approached by Wideman to paint a wooden bucket that he brought back from Switzerland that Wideman wished to donate to the Monsignor Thomas F. Campion Charitable Fund silent auction. The painting on the wooden bucket is of a Edelweiss floral, Swiss canton topped off with a collage of the Green County Courthouse, a brown Swiss cow and alphorn blower.
The cost of the event is $25 per person and includes a steak dinner with potato salad and beans, free Spotted Cow beer, and many kinds of World Championship caliber cheese. In addition to the silent auction, there is a 50/50 raffle. The event is sponsored by the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association and the Foreign Type Cheesemakers Association. All proceeds go the Monsignor Thomas F. Campion Charitable Fund, a nonprofit organization administered through the Monroe Fund by the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin.
Steve Esser's interest in chip wood carving started about 10 years ago, and he has been learning locally about the art form that originated in Europe that the Swiss and Germans call "engraved carving" from Gottlieb Brandli in his shop on the near north side of Monroe. Esser has donated other pieces of his wood carving for the Campion Fund silent auction in previous years as well. He was contacted by Jeff Wideman of Maple Leaf Cheese to add some chip carved art to a wooden bucket that Wideman purchased on one of his recent trips to Switzerland.
As an artist, Kathy King likes to paint what she is familiar with and has a passion for - Monroe. She loves Monroe and has been painting it for 20 years. In 1996, King did her first painting of Monroe for Cheese Days as she was inspired by its traditions and celebration of cheese. She tries to capture life in Monroe with its heavy emphasis on cheese, family, strong community and rich history. She was also approached by Wideman to paint a wooden bucket that he brought back from Switzerland that Wideman wished to donate to the Monsignor Thomas F. Campion Charitable Fund silent auction. The painting on the wooden bucket is of a Edelweiss floral, Swiss canton topped off with a collage of the Green County Courthouse, a brown Swiss cow and alphorn blower.
The cost of the event is $25 per person and includes a steak dinner with potato salad and beans, free Spotted Cow beer, and many kinds of World Championship caliber cheese. In addition to the silent auction, there is a 50/50 raffle. The event is sponsored by the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association and the Foreign Type Cheesemakers Association. All proceeds go the Monsignor Thomas F. Campion Charitable Fund, a nonprofit organization administered through the Monroe Fund by the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin.