Hardy Gallery’s “Picture This!” Photography Exhibit

The Hardy’s “Picture This” exhibit features works with solely photographic origins, and has been a popular exhibit for locals and visitor’s alike.

“Visitors are captivated,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Executive Director for the Hardy. “Photography isn’t exclusively photography in the traditional sense any longer,” she says. “Processes are continually changing, and there are so many ways to manipulate the medium — and that’s what is compelling for viewers; they can relate to the work.”

Professional and amateur photographers alike submitted 151 works, with 88 of the entries being selected for inclusion. Jurors for the exhibit included a diverse panel of professional photographers: Suzanne Rose, Dan Anderson, and Sarah Detweiler.

The “Picture This!” exhibit ends the Hardy Gallery’s 2011 season, and will be open to the general public for viewing through Tuesday, October 11 at 5 pm. The gallery is open daily from 10 am – 5 pm. For more information about the “Picture This!” exhibit, call 920.854.2210 or visit www.thehardy.org.

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The Community Mosaic Project: Complete Artworks 2008-2009

In celebration of its 49^th year, the Hardy will give each day’s 49^th gallery visitor a free copy of the organization’s self-published book, The Community Mosaic Project: Complete Artworks 2008-2009. The exhibit on which the book is based, the Community Mosaic Project, is now on display at the gallery. The book, just released this past year, is a behind-the-scenes look at the Project’s inaugural years.

The Community Mosaic Project, now in its fourth year, connects all members of the Peninsula’s community to the arts, drawing participants from local youth, professional artists, Sunday painters, annual tourists and aspiring artists of all skill levels and ages. This year, 312 6-by-6-inch works are included in the mosaic, including pieces by noteworthy Door County artists Donna Brown, Emmett Johns, Margaret Lockwood, Brigitte Kozma, Sandra Martinez, Carl Mengert, Bonnie Paruch, Charles L. Peterson, Karsten Topelmann, and Rob Williams.

The canvases are available for purchase via a “blind-buy” system: the public is invited to purchase a number correlating to the pieces; however no-one knows which number belongs to which piece. At the close of the exhibit, the individual canvases are assigned numbers, packaged, and shipped directly to patrons. The thrilling part of the process is not knowing which piece will be received! The proceeds generated from the project benefit the non-profit Hardy Gallery.

The Community Mosaic Project: Complete Artworks 2008-2009 was inspired by the overwhelming success of the Project’s first years.

“It quickly became evident that we had a runaway success with this idea,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Executive Director of the Hardy, “but it was a challenge to give the public access to the writings which accompanied the works of art. These statements often help people connect to the works on another level – something that is key to our mission as a community arts organization.”

To that end, the idea for the book was born. It includes a forward by esteemed Door County artist Charles L. Peterson and images of over 650 works of art as well as the thoughts behind the works of art submitted during the first years of the Project.

Community Mosaic Project numbers are now on sale for $25 at the Hardy Gallery in Ephraim, WI. The book is available for purchase at local booksellers as well as at the gallery. An additional list of local and regional book outlets can be found on the Hardy’s website, www.TheHardy.org.  Alternatively, books may be purchased by calling the Hardy Gallery office at 920.854.2210, or by e-mailing info@thehardy.org. The cost of the book is $29.95 (plus tax) and all proceeds benefit the Hardy’s operations and programming.

The Francis Hardy Center for the Arts, Inc., also affectionately known as the Hardy Gallery, is a non-profit art organization enriching the vibrancy of the Door County community by promoting and fostering local art. The organization supports initiatives that address the needs of the local artist community, the creative enrichment of local youth, the education of the public, and the promotion of the visual art and artists of the Door County Peninsula. The iconic Gallery is located on Ephraim’s Anderson Dock and is open 10 am – 5 pm daily. For more information about the organization or to purchase a Community Mosaic Project book, please call 920.854.2210. More information can also be found by visiting www.thehardy.org.

The Hardy Gallery is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. Canvases for the Community Mosaic Project have been provided by the Artists Guild, a Winsor & Newton Premiere Art Centre and custom framing center located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

BOOK SUMMARY:

Title:  The Community Mosaic Project: Complete Artworks 2008-2009
Author:  Francis Hardy Center for the Arts, Inc.
Publisher:  Interpress, Ltd.
ISBN:  978-0-615-36519-0
7” x 7” soft cover, 244 pp., 650 color illustrations, $29.95 (plus tax)

GHS student at Off the Wheel Pottery in Egg Harbor working on sgrafitto design

The ETC program was established in 2007 in conjunction with the Friends of Gibraltar (FOG) and pairs the students of Gibraltar High School (GHS) with experienced local artists for specialized learning in a variety of creative fields. Half-day workshops offered this year included basket-making, creative writing/poetry, ceramics, rug hooking, jewelry design, film making, collage, songwriting/creative expression, figure drawing, knitting, cement sculpture, radio and more. In this year’s program, over 150 GHS students participated in two different free half-day workshops (30 workshops total) taught by 24 area artists and arts professionals.

Stephanie Trenchard providing instruction on glass casting at Popelka Trenchard Glass Studio in Sturgeon Bay

One change in this year’s ETC program was the goal of bussing students off-campus and out into the studios and galleries of Door County’s working artists.

“We made it a priority this year to get the students off-campus so that the students could witness the artists at work in their own space,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, the Hardy Gallery’s Executive Director. “Aside from the exposure, one of the messages we want to get across with this program is that being an artist is a viable profession. Nothing says that more than seeing an artist in his or her own gallery or studio space.”

Meissner-Gigstead also says that the collaboration with the peninsula’s local artists is imperative to the success of the ETC program. “Not only do the students benefit from the knowledge of the peninsula’s vibrant arts community, but it also provides a way for our area’s artists to engage in educational work in the off-season. It’s a great way to align the needs of the students with the immense resources offered by our peninsula’s artists.”

Now that the two-day workshops have been wrapped up, the focus is on the accompanying ETC Mentoring Program. This program pairs students with local artists for one-on-one or small group instructions. The mentorships provide encouragement, support, and in-depth training by professionals in an arts field of their choice.

The student artwork created during the ETC workshops is currently on exhibit in the Link Gallery, which is located inside of Fish Creek’s Door Community Auditorium. The exhibit is free, open to the public, and will be on display through Sunday, May 22.

GHS students hard at work in the metals workshop at Hands On Art Studio in Fish Creek

The Hardy Gallery is a non-profit organization enriching the vibrancy of the Door County community by promoting and fostering local art. The gallery on Ephraim’s historic Anderson Dock is open 10 am – 5 pm, mid-May through mid-October. For more information about the Hardy or the Exposure to Creativity (ETC) program, visit www.thehardy.org or call 920.854.2210.

Circle of Life by Patty Degenhardt

The Hardy Gallery is pleased to announce the final exhibit of its 2010 season, entitled Dimension in Door County: Form Transcending Function. The exhibit will feature three-dimensional work by seventeen Door and Kewaunee County sculptors and craftsmen. To celebrate the beginning of the exhibit, limestone sculptor and woodcarver Jeff Olson will be carving a wood sculpture outside the Hardy on the evening of the reception, Friday, September 3 from 5:30 – 7 pm.. The finished sculpture will be auctioned off that same evening to benefit the non-profit gallery.

“The premise of this exhibition is to give the Door County community and visitors to the Peninsula a closer look at this segment of our vibrant arts community,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Executive Director of the Hardy Gallery. “It will take viewers on a visual exploration, delving into different technical aspects of the creation of the work, the artists’ creative process and as the title of the exhibition implies, seeks to primarily showcase a unique selection of work that goes beyond the functional realm.”

Dizzy by Michael Beaster

The exhibition will feature a minimum of two works from each of the participating artists.  They include metal sculptor Robert Anderson, furniture builder Michael Beaster, glass artist Deanna Clayton, bronze artist Patty Degenhardt, potter and clay artist John Dietrich, craftsman Michael Doerr, ceramic artist John Hansen, textile artist Gloria Hardiman, concrete artisan Dylan Lauger, ceramic artist Chad Luberger, mixed media artist Robert Merline, limestone sculptor Jeff Olson, glass artist Jeremy Popelka, bronze artist Jim Sargent, metalsmith Paul Spanbauer, and jewelry artists Sylvia Youell and Jen Hough.

Bren Sibilsky, an Algoma-based sculptor who is also featured in the show, will also be at the Hardy Gallery for a two-hour public sculpture demonstration at the Hardy on Monday, September 13 from 5 – 7 pm.

The exhibit will run through Tuesday, October 12. The gallery is open seven days a week from 10 am – 5 pm daily.

The Hardy Gallery is a non-profit arts organization enriching the vibrancy of the Door County community by promoting and fostering local art.  The Gallery is located on Ephraim’s Anderson Dock and is open seven days a week from 10 am – 5 pm. For more information call 920.854.2210 or visit www.thehardy.org.

The Hardy Gallery

“Our annual juried exhibition is the premier juried artist exhibition in Door County,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Executive Director of the Hardy. “It’s one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season.”

By nature, a juried exhibit is a competitive event. Similar to a performing artist, visual artists “audition” for the opportunity to be a part of the Hardy’s Juried Exhibition, and the artwork is selected through a process of careful deliberation by a diverse panel of jurors, all of who are active professional artists on the Door County peninsula. The result of this selection is a fresh and innovative grouping of artwork representing a wide range of media and styles. The jurors for the 48th Annual Juried Exhibition include John Dietrich, Donna Brown, Dan Anderson, Len Villano, and Brigitte Kozma.

The exhibition offers exposure to artists of all levels and experience, giving emerging artists the opportunity to gauge their development and established artists the chance to explore new ideas and techniques.

“This exhibition gives artists the opportunity to have their worked viewed by visitors from around the world,” says Meissner-Gigstead. “The preceding Wall-to-Wall Salon (where visitors have the chance to see all the works submitted for the Juried Exhibition) was a huge success this year, and we’re hoping that people come back to enjoy what the jurors have selected for the show. The wide variety of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, and mixed media work is always exciting to see.”

The Juried Exhibition runs through Sunday, July 18 at the Hardy Gallery, located on Ephraim’s historic Anderson Dock. Awards selected by the jurors, as well as the “People’s Choice Awards” – votes cast by visitors for their favorite pieces during the Wall-to-Wall Salon Exhibition – will be announced at 6 pm at the opening reception on Friday, June 11.

The Hardy Gallery is a non-profit organization enriching the vibrancy of the Door County community by promoting and fostering local art. The Hardy is open daily from 10 am – 5 pm. For more information about the Hardy and its upcoming exhibitions and programs, please call 920.854.2210, email info@thehardy.org, or visit www.thehardy.org.

Canvases are available for pick-up at the Artists Guild, LLC, located at 117 N. Third Avenue, Sturgeon Bay during normal business hours, which are Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm.

Created by the non-profit Hardy Gallery in 2008, the event is a community outreach project as well as a fundraiser and was developed as a means to help raise awareness of the arts and to make them accessible for every member of our community. The display, hung in tandem with the annual Collection Invitational Exhibition, consists of a large-scale mosaic constructed of 300-plus 6-inch by 6-inch canvases. The Hardy will provide interested individuals with one 6-inch by 6-inch blank canvas to create a work of art. There are no restrictions regarding subject matter or the kinds of materials one can use to make the art, except that it must be appropriate for display at the gallery, created using the canvas supplied and must not exceed the 6-inch by 6-inch dimension.

In addition, the Hardy asks that participants complete an Artist Statement Form that will accompany the finished piece. This form will be distributed with the canvas but will also be available on the Hardy Gallery’s website under the “Downloads” tab. A Participation Agreement must also be filled out prior to receiving a canvas for the project. Participation Agreements are available at the Artists Guild, the Hardy Gallery office in Ephraim and the Mill Road Gallery in Sister Bay. Canvases are due back to the Hardy Gallery Monday, June 28 by 5 pm.

“The project provides the perfect platform to build awareness of the visual arts to both new and existing audiences,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, executive director. “The excitement and enthusiasm surrounding last year’s event far exceeded our expectations. We had an array of incredible little artworks and, since the project also provides funds through the sale of the works, it was a super affordable way for patrons to support our organization.”

The Hardy is pleased to announce that Artists Guild, LLC is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2010 Community Mosaic Project. Artists Guild, LLC, is Door County’s source for fine art supplies and custom framing. As a Windsor & Newton Premier Art Centre, Artists Guild strives to meet the needs of both recreational and professional artists, carrying a wide range of products for the beginner as well as the experienced.

In addition to the Artists Guild, canvases will also be available in late April at both the Hardy Gallery Office, located in the Ephraim Historical Foundation Svalhus (the Svalhus is a small log cabin that is located adjacent to the Foundation at 3065 Anderson Lane, Ephraim), and at Mill Road Gallery, located at 2328 Mill Road in Sister Bay. The Hardy Gallery will be open 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

Anyone who is interested in obtaining a canvas for or has any additional questions about the 2010 Community Mosaic Project is encouraged to call the Hardy Gallery office at 920.854.2210 or email info@thehardy.org.

The Hardy Gallery is a non-profit arts organization enriching the vibrancy of the Door County community by promoting and fostering local art. The gallery is located on Ephraim’s historic Anderson Dock and is open daily from mid-May through mid-October. For more information about the Hardy, please call 920.854.2210 or visit www.thehardy.org.

On Wednesday, February 24, two new homeowners that have benefited from Door County’s Habitat for Humanity Program will receive artwork created by Gibraltar High School students as part of the Exposure to Creativity (ETC) program. A special assembly is planned for that day at 10:45 am at the Door Community Auditorium in Fish Creek.

The presentation will include a brief introduction by Vinni Chomeau, the coordinator for Friends of Gibraltar (FOG), and Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Executive Director of the Hardy Gallery, whose two organizations have collaborated on this project for the past three years. The idea to create artwork for Door County’s new Habitat for Humanity homes was conceived by program administrators as a way to tie-in FOG’s theme for the year, “Service Learning,” into the ETC workshops and activities. In addition to the ETC coordinators, director Rick Nelson from the Door County chapter of Habitat for Humanity will be on hand as well as the new homeowners.

In this year’s ETC workshops, the Gibraltar High School students created a wide breadth of artwork for the homes, including ceramic lamps, framed poetry and watercolor paintings, glass fusion window hangings, ceramic bowls, metal sculptures, and more. The artwork will be on display at the assembly, which the general public is invited to attend.

The ETC program consists of two components – hands-on, creative workshops in the arts that broaden the student’s horizons, and, for those students who choose, an in-depth mentor program in a specific art medium.

“Not only does the program benefit the students, who may not know these specific artistic mediums or opportunities exist,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, “it also enables our professional arts community to share their expertise and passion with area students.”

The Exposure to Creativity Program is co-sponsored by the Hardy Gallery and the Friends of Gibraltar with additional financial and in-kind support from the Gibraltar High School, the Northern Door YMCA, and the Peninsula School of Art. The program is also sponsored in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board. For more information on the ETC program, please visit the Hardy’s website at www.thehardy.org or call 920.854.2210.

2009 ETC Students at Studio 330 learning about recording music

The ETC program provides a free arts education program for local students aged 14-18 who attend Gibraltar High School. The program aims to provide these students with extended arts learning experiences and opportunities that supplement traditional school curriculum while giving them the potential to strengthen future academic success.

Since the project’s inception in 2007, the Hardy Gallery has delivered over 80 workshops, educated more than 350 students and provided teaching opportunities to over 30 local artists, serving as both mentors and artists-in- residence. The program consists of two components — two half-day, hands-on creative workshops that every Gibraltar High School student participates in; and, for those who are interested in furthering their skills, a mentor program in the months following the workshops. These mentorships provide encouragement, support, and in-depth training by local artists and creative professionals in an arts field of each student’s choice. The student workshops were completed in October and November 2009, with the mentorships set to launch later this month. This year the Hardy received 18 applications from students interested in furthering in the ETC program.  Both of these components are offered at no cost to the students.

Hardy ETC Students learning ceramic studio arts

As a result of information and feedback provided in written evaluations, the Hardy further continues to work in developing the program to better address the student’s needs. Changes this year included off campus sessions for upperclassmen held in instructor studios and galleries while the freshman utilized the Peninsula School of Art campus for a series of “sampler” workshops as well as participation by ComedySportz (a Milwaukee-based educational performance group) to provide a specialized workshop for the students as well as an all-school assembly program wrap-up.

The grant from the Walmart Foundation will be used to partially fund arts personnel as well as training, equipment and supplies used for the program.

“We are excited to receive grant funding from the Wal-Mart Foundation,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, the Hardy Gallery’s Executive Director. “Walmart’s focus on youth education echoes the objectives of the ETC program, and we are grateful for their support.  We are truly fortunate to have great community partners to be able to offer and sustain this great program.”

The Hardy Gallery is a non-profit arts organization enriching the vibrancy of the Door County community by promoting and fostering local art. For more information about the Hardy, please call 920.854.2210 or visit www.thehardy.org.

The Walmart Foundation strives to provide opportunities that improve the lives of individuals in our communities including our customers and associates. Through financial contributions, in-kind donations and volunteerism, the Walmart Foundation supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in our four main focus areas: education, workforce development/economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health & wellness. For more information on the Walmart Foundation, please visit http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/203.aspx.