MONROE - Monroe Arts Center will present "Earth's Canvas," a showcase of gouache paintings by Elsie Berget, Blanchardville, and gourd work by Barbara Rothwell, Fitchburg; Terri Schmit, Blue Mounds; and Jeanne Stietz, Gratiot, from Friday, Jan. 6 through Friday, Feb. 17, in the Frehner Gallery, 1315 11th St.
An opening reception is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6 in Frehner Gallery, with a brief artist gallery talk at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Rothwell began her career as an artist when she started working for her artist father at the age of 15. She attended Wayne State University and worked as a commercial artist for many years. In 2007, she began working with gourds as her canvas, as she said she was fascinated by their versatility. When dried, gourds have the consistency of wood, allowing the application of both woodworking and artistic techniques.
Schmit's formal education is in music composition and classical guitar performance. Gourds have been her only medium for making visual art for several years. She sees a special relationship between music and the visual arts.
"In the music world, there are people who see particular colors when they hear specific musical tones," Schmit said. "Since I started working on gourds, and I am a composer, I regularly hear distinctive music when I am adding color or shapes to the gourds, often leading to a sense of movement. So my visual art looks like my music sounds."
Stietz is an artist who has been working with gourds for the past nine years. She said she enjoys how she can use a variety of media and techniques with the gourd to create both functional and decorative objects.
"When I pick up a gourd, I let the gourd tell me what to do with it," Stietz said. "I love creating movement and flow in my pieces. Working with gourds is my passion, and I believe it shows in my creations."
Berget received her BFA in illustration from Washington University in St. Louis. Her paintings in gouache, which is a heavier and more opaque medium than watercolor, focus on nature themes as a point of design. The imaginative array of plants and animals in her art lend themselves to an exploration of pattern and decorative expression. Using a collage method allows her to rearrange individual components of the work.
The exhibit is sponsored by corporate underwriter Colony Brands, Inc.; season media underwriters are Monroe Publishing, LLC and Big Radio; and additional support is from Michael and Shelley Muranyi.
An opening reception is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6 in Frehner Gallery, with a brief artist gallery talk at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Rothwell began her career as an artist when she started working for her artist father at the age of 15. She attended Wayne State University and worked as a commercial artist for many years. In 2007, she began working with gourds as her canvas, as she said she was fascinated by their versatility. When dried, gourds have the consistency of wood, allowing the application of both woodworking and artistic techniques.
Schmit's formal education is in music composition and classical guitar performance. Gourds have been her only medium for making visual art for several years. She sees a special relationship between music and the visual arts.
"In the music world, there are people who see particular colors when they hear specific musical tones," Schmit said. "Since I started working on gourds, and I am a composer, I regularly hear distinctive music when I am adding color or shapes to the gourds, often leading to a sense of movement. So my visual art looks like my music sounds."
Stietz is an artist who has been working with gourds for the past nine years. She said she enjoys how she can use a variety of media and techniques with the gourd to create both functional and decorative objects.
"When I pick up a gourd, I let the gourd tell me what to do with it," Stietz said. "I love creating movement and flow in my pieces. Working with gourds is my passion, and I believe it shows in my creations."
Berget received her BFA in illustration from Washington University in St. Louis. Her paintings in gouache, which is a heavier and more opaque medium than watercolor, focus on nature themes as a point of design. The imaginative array of plants and animals in her art lend themselves to an exploration of pattern and decorative expression. Using a collage method allows her to rearrange individual components of the work.
The exhibit is sponsored by corporate underwriter Colony Brands, Inc.; season media underwriters are Monroe Publishing, LLC and Big Radio; and additional support is from Michael and Shelley Muranyi.