MONROE - The new gallery exhibit titled "Urban Nature" by Madison artist Barbara Westfall, explores the role of nature in people's lives regardless of where they live. It shows how paying attention to the colors, sounds and smells of the flora and fauna in urban settings and the emotions they evoke serves to connect people to that which is important in the preservation of life.
Her artwork will be on exhibit Friday through Aug. 19 in Monroe Art Center Frehner Gallery, 1315 11th St., Monroe.
Westfall is inspired by the colors, forms and materials in nature. Fused glass, wood, shell, natural stone and stainless steel are the ingredients in her art. In her studio, she hand-cuts hundreds of pieces of colored glass, and then layers and fuses them in a kiln fired to 1400 degrees. Spring-harvested willow from the surrounding wetlands where she lives is hand-carved and bent to curve and fit elegantly around the glass, creating unique, one-of-a-kind dimensional reliefs. In addition, natural stone is used to enhance the art. She also has begun using stainless steel to replicate the sensual forms of natural vines, trees and waters' movement. Occasionally she is inspired to place a shell or small piece of driftwood into the art to replicate an experience and create another layer for the eye to view.
The intention of her art is to bring nature indoors and give reason to pause, breathe, and take in the wonder and beauty of it.
Westfall is an artist, educator and curator specializing in creating and examining works of art that weave the connections between art, people and natural environment. Trained in installation and sculpture, she earned a BFA and MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her work is often described as ecological art because she frequently points out and/or offers solutions to ecological problems, such as loss of species habitat or global warming.
Her interdisciplinary approach to integrating art and ecology have provided her the opportunity to work with a diverse population of professionally active faculty, scholars, artists and city, county and government organizations, including the U.S. Parks Departments, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Arboretum, art department and Department of Forest Ecology, University of California-Irvine, University of Washington-Seattle, University of Waterloo-Ontario Canada, Dane County Parks, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison College, Edgewood College, 2016 Madison Parade of Homes and the Madison Metropolitan School District. In 1993, at the invitation of The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Westfall was a guest artist for the exhibition, "Fragile Eclogues: Artists' Interpretations and Solutions," organized by the Queens Museum of Art in New York, developed by the Smithsonian Institute curator Dr. Barbara C. Matilsky.
The opening reception for "Urban Nature" is from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday in the MAC Frehner Gallery. A brief gallery talk by Westfall will begin at 5:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
This exhibit has been made possible by MAC Corporate Underwriter: Colony Brands, Inc., and Season Media Underwriters Monroe Publishing LLC and Big Radio, with additional support from Michael and Shelley Muranyi, Paul and Sue Barrett; Kevin and Chris Callahan, and Lee and Chris Knuteson.
Her artwork will be on exhibit Friday through Aug. 19 in Monroe Art Center Frehner Gallery, 1315 11th St., Monroe.
Westfall is inspired by the colors, forms and materials in nature. Fused glass, wood, shell, natural stone and stainless steel are the ingredients in her art. In her studio, she hand-cuts hundreds of pieces of colored glass, and then layers and fuses them in a kiln fired to 1400 degrees. Spring-harvested willow from the surrounding wetlands where she lives is hand-carved and bent to curve and fit elegantly around the glass, creating unique, one-of-a-kind dimensional reliefs. In addition, natural stone is used to enhance the art. She also has begun using stainless steel to replicate the sensual forms of natural vines, trees and waters' movement. Occasionally she is inspired to place a shell or small piece of driftwood into the art to replicate an experience and create another layer for the eye to view.
The intention of her art is to bring nature indoors and give reason to pause, breathe, and take in the wonder and beauty of it.
Westfall is an artist, educator and curator specializing in creating and examining works of art that weave the connections between art, people and natural environment. Trained in installation and sculpture, she earned a BFA and MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her work is often described as ecological art because she frequently points out and/or offers solutions to ecological problems, such as loss of species habitat or global warming.
Her interdisciplinary approach to integrating art and ecology have provided her the opportunity to work with a diverse population of professionally active faculty, scholars, artists and city, county and government organizations, including the U.S. Parks Departments, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Arboretum, art department and Department of Forest Ecology, University of California-Irvine, University of Washington-Seattle, University of Waterloo-Ontario Canada, Dane County Parks, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison College, Edgewood College, 2016 Madison Parade of Homes and the Madison Metropolitan School District. In 1993, at the invitation of The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Westfall was a guest artist for the exhibition, "Fragile Eclogues: Artists' Interpretations and Solutions," organized by the Queens Museum of Art in New York, developed by the Smithsonian Institute curator Dr. Barbara C. Matilsky.
The opening reception for "Urban Nature" is from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday in the MAC Frehner Gallery. A brief gallery talk by Westfall will begin at 5:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
This exhibit has been made possible by MAC Corporate Underwriter: Colony Brands, Inc., and Season Media Underwriters Monroe Publishing LLC and Big Radio, with additional support from Michael and Shelley Muranyi, Paul and Sue Barrett; Kevin and Chris Callahan, and Lee and Chris Knuteson.