Get a “behind the scenes” look at artist studios in five counties this weekend
TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The 2021 Summer North Woods Art Tour will take place July 23, 24, and 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, with 36 northern Wisconsin artists participating in five counties.
Artists in Iron, Vilas, Oneida, Langlade, and Lincoln Counties will open the doors of their private studios and galleries for a “behind the scenes” look at how they create the art they envision. The tour is self-guided and free and will take participants through some beautiful backroads and small communities in Wisconsin’s Northwoods as they travel from studio to studio. Participants can come and go, visiting as many or as few studios or galleries as they wish, for a truly customized tour.
Visitors will make new friends and learn about the work and the stories behind the art work of each artisan through direct one-on-one interaction and conversation with the artists. Utilizing a wide variety of media, artisans on the tour each craft in their own uniquely beautiful and creative ways. From potters to photographers, wood artisans and fiber artists, jewelry designers working in precious metals, and artists who work with gourds, pen and ink, charcoal, paint, acrylics, and a myriad of other media, or a combination of media, the tour will encompass a wide variety of art and art forms.
Three of Lincoln County’s talented artists will be featured on this year’s tour:
• Louise Schotz owns the Outback Studio, W4884 County Road J, in Irma. www.uniquelyschotz.com. Schotz specializes in metal jewelry, textured paintings, and original art quilts. Her studio is tucked away “out back” of her home in the woods, where she enjoys creating using discarded metal and integrating unusual discarded objects into new pieces of jewelry or art, often manipulating the original objects using a variety of techniques to give it an entirely new look. She has exhibited throughout the country and won awards for her work. Located just 1/4 mile west of Hwy. 51 on County Road J in the village of Irma, her studio is a part of the art tour and open other times by appointment. You can reach Schotz at 715.218.1446 or via email at [email protected].
“I was a chemistry teacher at Merrill high school for over 20 years. Upon my retirement I started studying art and taking classes in quilt making, and jewelry making,” she said. “I have enjoyed coming up with new ways to put different techniques together into new pieces. Using found objects such as old copper pipe or broken bicycle parts to create pieces of jewelry is the most fun for me. I usually don’t start something new with a clear picture of what I will end up with. I love surprises.”
Schotz is helping promote the North Woods Art Tour. “This is an opportunity to discover where many Northwoods artists live and work, view their processes and inspirations, and have the unique opportunity to make purchases directly from them,” she said.
• Andrea Fenner owns Swallow Haven Studio, N7944 County Road H, in Irma. Fenner considers herself a pastel artist and enjoys working from her studio that is perched on a ledge that overlooks a native trout stream in rural Irma. She specializes in creating images of animals and landscapes. Her studio is southeast of Tomahawk, at the intersection of County Road H and County Road S, just 1.5 miles south of the Skanawan Town Hall. You can reach Andrea at 715.966.1048 or [email protected].
• Lisa Krueger owns Oak View Studio, W3985 Oak View Road, in Tomahawk. Krueger creates using many different media, including watercolor, pastel, acrylic, and alcohol ink, as well as mixed media. Her rural location in the backwoods of Tomahawk inspires her art and is often depicted in her work. Oak View Studio, named after the large oaks that welcome visitors, is located on the end of Oak View Road. Take Cty. Hwy. D east 3 miles from the intersection of Hwys. 51, 86, and Cty. Hwy. D. Turn right at Cloverbelt Road, go 0.3 miles, and turn left on Oak View Road, at the end of which you’ll find the studio. The studio is also open by appointment year-round. You can contact Lisa at 715.612.5775 or [email protected].
Complete information about all studios on the tour can be found at www.northwoodsarttour.com.