Navigation

Celebrating 40 With Food

“Fish Boil” watercolor by Charles Peterson

“Everything is coming together nicely,” reports Deborah Rosenthal on preparations for the 40th anniversary celebration at the Miller Art Museum (MAM), which opens with a reception from 3 – 4:30 pm on Saturday, Jan. 17, and runs through March 3.

The theme is “Celebrating 40 with Festive Art About Food!” Why the food theme?

“The idea has been in the file for a long time,” explained Rosenthal, the museum’s curator of exhibitions and collections. “And this just seemed to be the right time to use it. Food and celebrations are good companions.” (Not to mention the right place! Food and Door County also have a close relationship.)

Gina Ward, co-publisher of Edible Door magazine, is arranging for local food vendors, including Sunflour Artisan Bakery in Sturgeon Bay and Tapuat Kombucha in Sister Bay, to join MAM docents in providing special treats for the opening reception on Jan. 17. One of the entries in the exhibit will appear on the cover of a future issue of the magazine.

“Springtime Breakfast Table” oil on panel by John A. Sayers.

Forty-one artists, nearly all from Door County, will be included in the special anniversary exhibition.

“A few entered by invitation,” Rosenthal says, “so we knew we’d have a core exhibit. Then we took the unusual step of issuing an open call for artists to participate. The response was wonderful. We accepted everyone who sent in an entry form because we wanted to involve new folks and give a chance to artists who hadn’t had the opportunity to exhibit at the Miller before. Each artist has interpreted the theme in his or her own way. I think people will be a little surprised at some of the work. Many Door County artists specialize in landscapes, so a food theme is very different for them.”

The exhibit will include a combination of artists’ previously completed work and pieces done specifically for the anniversary celebration. Media represented includes photography, mixed-media sculpture, oil, oil pastel, book-printing, hand-colored silver gelatin photography, acrylic on modeling paste on board, watercolor, pastel, construction/assemblage, pastel/oil/mixed media, paper collage, printmaking, limestone carving with cherry wood and granite, pencil drawing with gouache, and mixed media sculpture.

“Surprise” pastel by Liz Maltman.

“Chick Peterson will be represented by a painting of a fish boil,” Rosenthal said, “and Bonnie Hartmann, who just retired after 23 years as director of the MAM, has submitted a pastel piece. Susan Hale of Cedarburg and John A. Sayers of Milwaukee, both well-known oil painters, and Patricia and Richard Derozier of Green Bay, who work in photography and acrylics, respectively, are the only participating artists from outside Door County.”

Local artists who are participating include: Jennifer Aldrich, Cal Bonnivier, Janine M. Buechner, Luke Collins, Margaret Gilbert, Lynn Gilchrist, Roxanne Hanney, Jo Ann Henger, Frances Holt, Susan Hunsader, Thomas J. Jordan, Tanzen Lilly, Christopher Maves, Renee McAllister, Carl Mengert, Pat Moss, Anna Peot, Jim Rericha, Kristi Roenning, Charlene Schinktgen, Madonna Siles, Julie Amelia Stratton, Hermke Timm, Christine Whyatt and Archelle “Buttons” Wolst, Sturgeon Bay; Also: Lori Birr, Algoma; Rick Brawner and Liz Maltman, Fish Creek; W. Joseph Christiansen, Maplewood; Marianne Diekman, Ephraim; James R. Jennings and John Whitney, Baileys Harbor; Michael Nitsch and Jeffrey Olson, Egg Harbor; and David Skidmore, Sister Bay.

The 40th anniversary celebration will also feature the installation of 15 new additions to the museum’s permanent collection, including two drawings by Gerhard Miller and two woodcut prints by Charlie Lyons. The permanent collection now has more than 850 pieces, almost all of them donated.

“Lunch Time at Lily Bay” oil by Susan Hale.

In 1975, Gerhard C. F. Miller, along with his wife, Ruth, founded the Miller Art Center in Sturgeon Bay (now the Miller Art Museum) where more than 100 of his paintings are housed and exhibited on a rotating basis. The museum that was born out of Miller’s generosity has grown tremendously. In 1995, a $250,000 expansion more than doubled the first-floor exhibit space with a wing added to the rear. Later, Gerhard was surprised with a third-floor wing dedicated to his own artwork.

Miller Art Museum is part of the Sturgeon Bay Public Library, located at 107 S. 4th Ave. Museum hours are 10 am to 8 pm on Monday and 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday. An elevator is available to access the upper galleries. For more information visit MillerArtMuseum.org or call 920.746.0707.