MONROE - It's a look at Monroe history, one panel at a time.
To celebrate Monroe's Sesquicentennial year, the Monroe Arts Center (MAC) has put together a special exhibit of plywood panels depicting some of the most famous historic buildings in the city. The panels are displayed outside, in the vacant lot at the southeast corner of the Square, across from the Goetz Theater.
Each of the panels is 8 feet high and 4 feet wide. Eight artists used acrylic paints to create their depictions of various historic structures in the downtown area, said MAC Director Richard Daniels.
Buildings featured are the Green County Courthouse, the Chenoweth House, Turner Hall, Minhas Craft Brewery, the Green County Historical Museum, Suisse Haus, Bullet's/Bonnie's, MAC, the Jailhouse Tap and the Chamber of Commerce (the former Ludlow library) building.
But not every building is an exact representation.
Daniels said some artists chose to represent their building in whole, while others selected just a portion of the building. MAC, for example, is represented with a panel showing just a fragment of its famous Rose Window.
"I think it will be interesting for people who, if they know the building, to see what the artists selected to paint," Daniels said. "For people who don't know the building, it will be interesting to see what the artist selected, and then see the building in their entirety."
Brochures with each building's address are available at the site for people who aren't familiar with the buildings and would like to take a walking tour.
Monroe resident Sheila Berrey initially had the idea to put a mural on the wall of the building across the street from the Goetz Theater downtown. But, Daniels said, it was determined the building wall wouldn't hold the paint. Local artist and MAC gallery director Suzanne Miller suggested the idea of using panels that could be displayed there.
MAC put out the call for artists, Daniels said, and eight artists stepped forward to create the ten panels. They are Miller, Monroe; Kathleen D'Angelo, Monticello; Jeanne Ausmus, Monroe; Lyric Ozburn, Blanchardville, Tina Duemler, Monroe; Mary Holcomb, Monroe; Valerie Weihman-Rock, Argyle; and Dunnell Kendrick-Parker, New Glarus.
MAC is planning an opening reception for the Sesquicentennial Exhibition at 5 p.m. July 24 at the installation site.
"It will be our 'gallery' opening," Daniels said. "We should have all but one of the artists there."
The event is open to the public. The panels will be on display until October, Daniels said.
To celebrate Monroe's Sesquicentennial year, the Monroe Arts Center (MAC) has put together a special exhibit of plywood panels depicting some of the most famous historic buildings in the city. The panels are displayed outside, in the vacant lot at the southeast corner of the Square, across from the Goetz Theater.
Each of the panels is 8 feet high and 4 feet wide. Eight artists used acrylic paints to create their depictions of various historic structures in the downtown area, said MAC Director Richard Daniels.
Buildings featured are the Green County Courthouse, the Chenoweth House, Turner Hall, Minhas Craft Brewery, the Green County Historical Museum, Suisse Haus, Bullet's/Bonnie's, MAC, the Jailhouse Tap and the Chamber of Commerce (the former Ludlow library) building.
But not every building is an exact representation.
Daniels said some artists chose to represent their building in whole, while others selected just a portion of the building. MAC, for example, is represented with a panel showing just a fragment of its famous Rose Window.
"I think it will be interesting for people who, if they know the building, to see what the artists selected to paint," Daniels said. "For people who don't know the building, it will be interesting to see what the artist selected, and then see the building in their entirety."
Brochures with each building's address are available at the site for people who aren't familiar with the buildings and would like to take a walking tour.
Monroe resident Sheila Berrey initially had the idea to put a mural on the wall of the building across the street from the Goetz Theater downtown. But, Daniels said, it was determined the building wall wouldn't hold the paint. Local artist and MAC gallery director Suzanne Miller suggested the idea of using panels that could be displayed there.
MAC put out the call for artists, Daniels said, and eight artists stepped forward to create the ten panels. They are Miller, Monroe; Kathleen D'Angelo, Monticello; Jeanne Ausmus, Monroe; Lyric Ozburn, Blanchardville, Tina Duemler, Monroe; Mary Holcomb, Monroe; Valerie Weihman-Rock, Argyle; and Dunnell Kendrick-Parker, New Glarus.
MAC is planning an opening reception for the Sesquicentennial Exhibition at 5 p.m. July 24 at the installation site.
"It will be our 'gallery' opening," Daniels said. "We should have all but one of the artists there."
The event is open to the public. The panels will be on display until October, Daniels said.