All three galleries at the Center for the Visual Arts are filled with artwork this month, after Grand Theater renovations closed the Loft Gallery all summer. Now patrons can see a bird-centered exhibit, pint-sized projects that can fit into a shoebox and local submissions to the Wisconsin Regional Art Program all at the downtown Wausau art hub.
The best part? Admission is free, as always.
“We had to slow down so much over the summer that this seems like a lot more [art] than it has been,” assistant curator Olivia Kraucyk said.
Restoration work on the Grand Theater stretched into the CVA’s upper Loft Gallery this summer, putting that space out of commission. It was reopened last week to show off WRAP submissions from regional artists, all on display under newly upgraded lighting and hanging systems — completed just in time for the fall season.
“I am very excited that we have our access to the space back with the new renovations, because the lighting is a huge improvement,” Kraucyk said. “We have a lot more precision with the lighting and there’s a lot more options for hanging work.”
The additions to the Loft Gallery breathe new life into the WRAP showcase — one of CVA’s annual traditions. It’s one of about a dozen regional juried art shows that will advance several artists to the state WRAP competition. This exhibit features 26 artworks by 10 artists and is coordinated by the Wisconsin Valley Art Association.
Another annual exhibition opened last week on the second-floor Vault Gallery: “Art by the Foot.” This exhibit features over 70 Midwest artists presenting small-scale 2D and 3D works. The exhibit includes a wide variety of mediums, from meticulous wood burning and miniature paintings to digital art and photography.
“The variety is incredibly strong, and it also is pretty accessible,” Kraucyk said. “It’s accessible for both the artists as well as the viewers.”
The strict size limitations challenge artists to experiment technically while keeping the pieces financially accessible for buyers.
“Everything in ‘Art by the Foot’ is for purchase,” Kraucyk said. “It’s a great way to think about holiday gifts, too. They are really good for starting and expanding collections because they are small pieces, they’re good for filling in spaces or finding something unique.”
The show also features five juror’s choice awards and eight people’s choice awards voted on by gallery visitors.
The Caroline S. Mark Gallery at the CVA entrance was recently transformed into a multisensory experience: “Seeking an Upward Thermal.” This exhibition features more than 50 works by three artists exploring avian themes and the restorative symbolism of birds in nature. The artists each spotlight their individual mediums: Debra Grall focuses on beadwork and sculpture, Roberta Condon works with pastel on paper and Lorraine Ortner-Blake utilizes gouache and egg tempera painting — a traditional technique that, ironically, mixes eggs with paint.
The exhibit integrates an audio element where visitors can scan QR codes on the artwork labels to listen to the specific calls of the birds depicted in the pieces.
“It definitely adds a depth to their concept of connecting with birds and back to nature,” Kraucyk said. “There’s an element of connecting to our own Midwest experiences a little bit. We hear these bird calls probably in our day-to-day life, but then seeing and connecting visually with this representation of it, too, is pretty cool.”
Both the “Art by the Foot” and “Seeking an Upward Thermal” exhibits are on display until Dec. 19. The WRAP exhibit runs through Nov. 20.
On Friday, Nov. 6, CVA will host an artists reception with artists from all three galleries. Visitors are encouraged to attend, enjoy light refreshments and interact with the artists’ behind the work — no matter how big or small.
Admission to CVA is free. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday.
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