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ARTservancy montage

ARTservancy: Year in Review

December 21, 2021  |  Topics: featured artist

It was a blockbuster year for ARTservancy, the program that pairs Wisconsin artists with nature preserves in the greater Milwaukee area, as it grew from a neat dozen artists in previous years to seventeen this year. It also expanded its range to include properties located in Waukesha County as well as Milwaukee, Ozaukee, and Washington. The range of media used by the selected artists grew as well, including two filmmakers, a quiltmaker, and a dancer/movement artist, on top of a variety of more traditional visual art mediums.

This was the third year of the program, which is a partnership between Gallery 224 and the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, the River Revitalization Foundation, the Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy, Tall Pines Conservancy, and the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory. Its mission is to promote the visionary work of both the artists and conservationists.

As we have been doing since its inception, The Natural Realm has featured in turn each of this year’s artists in residence. This recap is a very brief look at them. Because there were so many this year we are including just two images per artist, one portrait in situ at their preserve and a single image representative of their artwork. The titles link back to the original featured stories so that you can see more of their work and read their artist statements. They are in alphabetical order by preserve.

Laj Waghray at Donges Bay Gorge Preserve in Mequon

Laj Waghray on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan at Donges Bay Gorge.
Laj Waghray on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan at Donges Bay Gorge.
Still from video: Searching for Sparrows.
Still from video: Searching for Sparrows. ( Feature documentary) Early morning Bird watching. By Laj Waghray. 

Beth Stoddard at Fitzsimmons Woods in Franklin

Beth Stoddard on the woodland trail in Fitzsimmons Woods.
Beth Stoddard on the woodland trail in Fitzsimmons Woods.
Fitzsimmons Woods, Spring 4. Oil on panel, 8×10. 2021.
Fitzsimmons Woods, Spring 4. Oil on panel, 8×10. 2021. By Beth Stoddard.

Karen and Patrick Robison at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve in Ozaukee County

The Robisons at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve.
The Robisons at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve.
Forest Book by Karen Robison.
Forest Book. Handmade and bound book by Karen Robison.
Ark. Ceramic and mixed media, by Patrick Robison.
Ark. Ceramic and mixed media, by Patrick Robison.

Berel Lutsky at Kratzsch Conservancy in Washington County

Berel Lutsky walking a prairie trail at Kratzsch Conservancy
Berel Lutsky walking a prairie trail at Kratzsch Conservancy.
“I learn lessons from the crows….” Wood cut
“I learn lessons from the crows….” Wood cut – 60” x 32” printed on Okawara Pro, edition of 10 -2021. Berel Lutsky.

Heidi Parkes at Lake Park in Milwaukee

Heidi Parkes on one of the historic ravine bridges in Lake Park.
Heidi Parkes on one of the historic ravine bridges in Lake Park.
Double Happiness, 1. Quilt. 2021. By Heidi Parkes.

Kristin Gjerdset at Mequon Nature Preserve in Ozaukee County

Kristin Gjerdset among wildflowers at Mequon Nature Preserve.
Kristin Gjerdset among wildflowers at Mequon Nature Preserve.
Caribou Ranch Residents. Painting by Kristin Gjerdset.

Jayce Kolinski in the Milwaukee River Greenway in Milwaukee

Jayce Kolinski in a grove of ancient beeches in the Greenway.
Jayce Kolinski in a grove of ancient beeches in the Greenway.
Aerial of Greenway looking upstream at North Avenue bridge; screen capture from the film Daydreams from Yesterday.

Mauriah Donegan Kraker in the Milwaukee River Greenway in Milwaukee

Mariah Donegan Kraker dancing in the Greenway.
Mariah Donegan Kraker dancing in the Greenway.
From the dance, ARMAGEDDON OR SUNRISE OR SOMETHING, photo credit: Natalie Fiol

Marsha McDonald in the Milwaukee River Greenway in Milwaukee

Marsha McDonald in the Greenway.
Marsha McDonald in the Greenway.
Flowers: Dec 15 ambulando. Photograph by Marsha McDonald.
Flowers: Dec 15 ambulando. Photograph by Marsha McDonald.

Jaymee Harvey Willms at Schoofs Preserve in Washington County

Jaymee Harvey Willms and companion at Schoofs Preserve.
Jaymee Harvey Willms and companion at Schoofs Preserve.
Painted assemblage by Jaymee Harvey Willms.
Untitled. Painted assemblage by Jaymee Harvey Willms.

Sally Duback at Spirit Lake Preserve in Mequon

Sally Duback at Spirit Lake.
Sally Duback at Spirit Lake.
Back to Nature 1. Casein on canvas.
Back to Nature 1. Casein on canvas. By Sally Duback.

Tom Smith at Spirit Lake Preserve in Mequon

Tom Smith and friend in the pines at Spirit Lake Preserve.
Tom Smith and friend in the pines at Spirit Lake Preserve.
A Piacere. Painting made from a photograph taken at Lynn Preserve in Washington County by Tom Smith

Frankie Garr at Tall Pines Conservancy in Waukesha County

Frankie Garr (right) with Tall Pines Conservancy director Susan Buchanan at Camp Quad in Waukesha County.
Frankie Garr (right) with Tall Pines Conservancy director Susan Buchanan at Camp Quad in Waukesha County.
Sunflower. Photograph by Frankie Garr.
Sunflower. Photograph by Frankie Garr.

Angela Johnson and Justin Bitner at Zinn Preserve in Washington County

The artists walk on the frozen lake at Zinn Preserve.
The artists walk on the frozen lake at Zinn Preserve.
Installation #1. Mixed media by Johnson and Bitner.

The ARTservancy artists are not the only featured artists in The Natural Realm. For a complete list, go to our featured artist index. And stay tuned for more featured artists, including the next cohort of ARTservancy residents, in 2022.

All images of artworks are courtesy of the artists. All other images by Eddee Daniel, curator of The Natural Realm.