ENTERTAINMENT

Manitowoc hosts student-curated art show

Patti Zarling
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

MANITOWOC - Students who enjoy art and want to make their passion a career don't necessarily have to commit to life as a starving artist.

Students curated a show that will be on display at Global Arts Gallery in Manitowoc through Feb. 25. Pictured, from left, are Elyse Lucas (teacher), Safari Busnelli (junior) and Gabe Retzlaff (sophomore).

They could also consider curating a show, or even owning their own gallery.

That's the idea behind a five-week project for students attending Career Academy, a career-focused charter school based in Appleton North High School.

"A lot of kids think about the production side, but there are opportunities on the curation side. I initially thought of being a curator," art teacher Elyse Lucas said.

So, she assigned a project to build a gallery from the ground up.

OTHER NEWS: Making Manitowoc: Hamilton Wood Type Museum

SUBSCRIBE NOW: Follow us today on YouTube

Students designed galleries using 3-D models and curated a virtual exhibition. They went to 365artists365days.com and found works of art they enjoyed.

Students curated a show that will be on display at Global Arts Gallery in Manitowoc through Feb. 25.

The next step was to work with Wisconsin artist Frank Juarez to bring one of the ideas to life at an actual gallery. Students were tasked with designing the gallery space, selecting artwork, hanging art pieces, developing the exhibition guide and hosting an opening.

The curated show is on display at Global Arts Gallery, 702 York St., Manitowoc, through Feb. 25. Contact owner Bob Jagemann at 920-242-0717 for information.

Students developed a theme of "Abstract Perspectives," a cross section of Midwest artists all with their own unique abstracted perspectives of the world.

"As the pieces become more abstracted, the viewer will experience a narrative told through works inspired by recognizable imagery, thought and emotions," the exhibition guide says.

Among the seven featured artists are Appleton artist Julie Jilek, who incorporates Wisconsin nature and abstraction in her works, and Milwaukee artist Tonia Klein, whose vibrant screen prints are influenced by fairy tales and mythology, as well as personal stories of women.

Students curated a show that will be on display at Global Arts Gallery in Manitowoc through Feb. 25.

Throughout the process, students learned about art criticism, art appreciation and the role of art in a community.

"The thing that I learned most, hanging up all of the artwork, was the extreme amount of care, respect and dedication that goes into curating and setting up a gallery," said senior Caroline Allaback. "Helping with the hanging and documentation process taught me how important it is to account for all previous damages to the artwork and to have that documented in order to have a good relationship with the featured artists. I am most excited to see the members of the art community come in and see all of the hard work that we put into the entire gallery."

Senior Naomie Lueddecke said: "I learned to appreciate the art in a different way. When I handled the art, I saw things that may have gone unnoticed by the viewer. The best part is putting yourself in the shoes of the artist. You feel the emotions the artist felt, and that is a powerful thing."

Pictured, from left, are Elyse Lucas (teacher), Safari Busnelli (junior), Gabe Retzlaff (sophomore), Naomi Lueddecke (senior), Gina D’Agostino (senior), Travis Leonardi (senior) and Caroline Allaback (senior).

Freshman Max Carpenter seems to have captured the intent behind the coursework.

"Art can tell a story, and it's our job to find out what that message is with every piece," he said. "I've learned that there is a lot of people who take art very seriously, and it is possible to have a career involving it as a curator."

Patti Zarling: pzarling@gannett.com; Phone: 920-686-2152; Twitter: @PGPattiZarling