Veteran Art Exhibition Opens 3/16/22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wisconsin Veterans Museum to Open Veteran Art Exhibition in Conjunction with the Southern Graphics Conference International Hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wis. (March 3, 2022) — On March 16, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum will open a new exhibit, “Wisconsin Was There: Sharing the Legacies of Printmakers Who Served in the Military.” Curator of Veteran Art Yvette Pino has organized the exhibit of works by more than 20 printmakers with ties to Wisconsin.

Interspersed with the museum exhibits are print works by Wisconsin veterans with a creative vision. Works range from the Civil War era-commissioned prints for Abraham Lincoln to contemporary work by post-9/11 veterans.

For the printmaker, especially those who served between the Civil War and World War II, their skillset in the visual arts was critical to military mission readiness. Trades such as engravers, lithographers, draftsman, and publishers were recruited for the war effort.

Artists see the world differently. In World War II that unique vision strengthened the Allied campaigns and changed how war was fought. The invention of the “Target Identification Unit” by Milwaukee-born Gerald Geerlings and a patented plane spotting technique by United States Navy cartographer Richard Florsheim aided Allied bombers in identifying the enemy and completing successful missions. Their contributions as civilian printmakers continued in classrooms and communities throughout the state and across the nation after their service.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Drink and Draw from the Storefront – Friday, March 18 | 7-9pm
Using images from the Wisconsin Veterans Museum (WVM) collection, WVM’s resident artist and U.S. Army veteran Yvette Pino will demonstrate how to make trace monoprint memory drawings. A trace mono-print drawing is made by rolling out a small amount of slo-drying ink (usually printmaking ink) onto a piece of plexiglass and placing a damp piece of paper over it to trace a line with a pencil or pen. Live observers are welcome or participate at home through a live stream of the event.

Artist Demonstrations – Wednesday thru Saturday, March 16-19 |10am-4pm
View veteran artists Shawn Ganther, Ash Kyrie, Yvette Pino as they demonstrate printing techniques from the museum front window. Anchor Printing in Kenosha will bring a printing press on wheels and give a live demonstration.

Live from the Storefront Window Friday, May 6 | 5-9pm
Featuring the temporary exhibit, “Wisconsin Was There: Sharing the Legacies of Printmakers Who Served in the Military” and the evening’s program will be our Live from the Storefront Window Series. Guest artist will create and discuss their artwork from the museum’s storefront windows. Passers-by can observe and are welcomed into the museum to tour the galleries and chat with the artist. This program will also feature a virtual component that is live and recorded.

SGCI Participation The Wisconsin Veterans Museum exhibit opens as a part of the Southern Graphics Conference International (SGCI) hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, March 16-19. The SGCI annual conference brings together over 1,000 printmakers and arts professionals in all stages of their careers.

About the Wisconsin Veterans Museum

Since its creation in 1901, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum has existed to acknowledge, commemorate, and affirm the role of Wisconsin veterans in the United States of America’s military past and present. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is an educational activity of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

For additional information, contact:
Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Jennifer Stevenson | Marketing Specialist, Senior
(608)224-9653
jennifer.stevenson@dva.wisconsin.gov