Category Archives: Blog
Seeking Green
Posted on August 07, 2019
I smelled green – clean, crisp, refreshing. I heard green – snap, crunch. Then, I uttered my perennial regret, “I wish I’d planted a vegetable garden.” My co-worker, Becca, was feasting on the fruits of her labor . . . a fresh, succulent, cucumber.
A Wedding Tale: Pollen Hazards & Pluck
Posted on July 31, 2019
Less than an hour before our daughter’s recent wedding ceremony, her bridesmaids and I huddled – soda water and stain remover in hand – hastily trying to eliminate the bright orange pollen stain on the bodice of her white dress.
I’ll never look at lilies the same way.
Like many visitors strolling through this summer’s botanical art exhibitions at the Woodson Art Museum who likely have a favorite flower, I'll keep an eye out for lilies – not because of form or color, but rather the associated backstory.
Summer Intern Julia Neufeld Reflects
Posted on July 24, 2019
Interning at the Woodson Art Museum this summer has been an amazing experience. It’s exactly what I hoped for, as I try to decide what career path to pursue. I’ve had opportunities to do a little bit of everything at the Museum, working on various tasks, and experiencing what it is like to work at an established art museum.
Stretching to New Heights
Posted on July 17, 2019
Much folding, bending, and shaping occurs at the Woodson Art Museum, I realized during a recent origami project.
Rising Cranes – the newest addition to the sculpture garden – celebrates the paper-folding art of origami.
Inspired by Rising Cranes, many Museum members folded paper cranes during the summer’s exhibition preview reception. It was a lively time for those who participated.
Not a Fish Tale
Posted on July 10, 2019
An old expression claims that a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day of work. In most cases, that rings true. However, at the Woodson Art Museum, usually the opposite is the case.
Telling Our Stories
Posted on July 03, 2019
I never tire of telling the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s stories. Perhaps that’s an occupational hazard. I prefer to think it’s one of the pleasures of my role as the Museum’s advocate-in-chief. Last month, I welcomed Marathon County department heads, County administrator Brad Karger, and County Board chair Kurt Gibbs to the Museum for their monthly meeting. To quote Brad, “We are taking a ‘field trip.’ This is going to be fun!”
Weaving Willow Encourages Growth
Posted on June 26, 2019
Last week, artist Bonnie Gale returned to the Woodson Art Museum for an artist residency and to pay a visit to Living Willow Dreams, one year after she and assistant Jonna Evans installed the living willow structure in the Museum’s sculpture garden. Living Willow Dreams offers a lush, green garden-retreat where visitors can take a moment to sit and observe the busy, although often overlooked, activities of summertime garden inhabitants.
Botanical Beauties
Posted on June 19, 2019
For years I’ve referred to myself as a real estate hog. What does that mean for a curator? Well, anytime I see a wall in the Woodson Art Museum sans artwork I look to enhance it with selections from the collection.
Cultivating Connections through Botanical Art
Posted on June 12, 2019
How many times have colorful blooms caught your eye and caused you to wonder “what is that flower?” During a recent trip to southwest Wisconsin, conspicuous purple flowers clustered along roadsides and woodland edges garnered attention and conversation. Visit the Museum often with friends and family to discover the many ways botanical art fosters connections between people and plants and deepens appreciation for beauty, creativity, and each other.
Installations & Transitions
Posted on June 05, 2019
Most professions have unique vocabularies. In the art museum world, “installation” refers to the displaying of artworks – whether hung on a gallery wall or incorporated into a space. It also is the transition between exhibitions.
