Navigation

Q&A – Questions & Artists: Audrey M. Off

Photo by Len Villano

Audrey M. Off is known to many Door County residents as the owner and operator of the Audrey M. Off Gallery & Framery in Sturgeon Bay.

Off is a lifetime resident of Door County and still lives on the family farm located near the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay with a degree in Communications and Visual Arts. She purchased her gallery in 2002 and carries not only her work, but also work of other well-known Door County artists.

Randy Rasmussen (RR): Audrey, I know that most artists I interview started drawing at a very early age, some before five. What is the earliest age you remember doing drawings?

Audrey M. Off (AMO): I have fond memories of attempting to imitate the animal drawings of my older sister. We had a large chalkboard which made it easy to correct my mistakes. At the age of three or four I carved a Lascaux Cave-style horse into the family piano. Oddly, I was never punished.

RR: You were born in Door County. Where did you go to high school?

AMO: I attended Sevastopol High School entering as a freshman after eight years in a Catholic School.

RR: Was someone in your family an inspiration to you as you went through school?

“Door County Sunset,” watercolor by Audrey Off

AMO: My sister Diane who was three years older was a great artist, and we both came from a long line of overachievers. She was the first girl to wear slacks at school on a cold day. The next day we all wore them.

RR: Your delightful gallery/frame shop contains work by other artists. What criteria do you use for selecting artist’s work for you gallery?

AMO: Many of the artists we have were in the Orthober’s Gallery which I took over in 2002. I added others for variety while I was building my own body of work. We try to have just Door County artists because of our limited size.

RR: When did you realize you wanted a career in art?

AMO: The developments in my career were more serendipitous than a conscious choice. I worked in graphic arts after obtaining my college degree. Then a position opened in custom framing. From there I multi-tasked in gallery coordination, photography, customer relation and sales all the while painting and drawing.

RR: Did you have a teacher in high school or junior high that really made you believe you could “make it?”

“Heavily Laden,” watercolor by Audrey Off

AMO: There was a teacher who worked with my talented sister. She saw similar potential with me and pushed me into the graphic arts department. We did all the programs and silk-screened posters for school events.

RR: I think many readers probably don’t realize what a prolific artist you are. How would you describe your work?

AMO: If you mean subject matter, I love any waterscape, shoreline, or expansive landscape. My home is surrounded by forests, wetlands and the bay, so that is the focus in much of my work.

RR: Is there currently a favorite medium?

AMO: Oils, specifically alkyd oils, are wonderful to work with. My favorite style is to use transparent glazes over textures so colors subtly build up. It dries quickly but still has the blending of traditional oils.

RR: How has your work changed over the years?

AMO: Over the years I used photography for reference only. Now I realize photography can stand alone as a great form of expression. My ability to compose a painting or photograph continues to improve.

RR: The last question. Who are some of your favorite artists?

AMO: There are so many this may be the most difficult question. I love the work of many of the great Door County artists I have known: Gerhard Miller, Phil Austin, Austin Frasier, Charles Peterson, and the Topelmanns are just a few.

I also enjoy the work of aboriginal people worldwide and the person who drew the first cave painting. I respect those who drew outside the lines, broke the rules.

Audrey M. Off Gallery & Framery is located at 40 North 3rd Avenue in Sturgeon Bay. For more information about Off and the gallery/framery, call 920.743.2259, email [email protected], or visit http://www.amogallery.com.

Related Organizations