WAUPUN — “My Life in Acrylics” is the title of the latest art gallery opened at Waupun Public Library.
This gallery is the third since the Waupun Fine Arts Committee restarted their program at the Library earlier this year, with one Beaver Dam painter and one Fox Lake painter at the previous two.
Oakfield painter Sue Hoehnen’s works were unveiled at an artist reception held Thursday evening, and will be on display until August 15.
The works are mostly abstract acrylic works that touch on impressionistic vibrant color, with others taking a more vintage style with antique jewelry and other mediums in others.
According to Hoehnen, she began painting with acrylic in 2011.
“It all started because I wanted to put a picture on a piece of tile and I had to buy acrylic, which I had never heard of before,” Hoehnen said. “And then once I saw the acrylic medium and that it came in all different textures, I kind of went nuts and started buying it all just to see what it did and it just sort of evolved.”
“I do abstracts because I couldn’t draw worth anything or paint something that looks real. So, I go with abstract color, but a lot of the colors are things that I’ve seen in my life,” she said, gesturing to a painting that resembled a forest fire at night.
Many of the pieces were intricately textured giving them a vibrant “pop” to the layers of color. According to Hoehnen, her favorite piece she made was one titled “Periodite” which was the appearance of volcanic stone she made using black rocks found in Marquette, Michigan with a sawdust texture.
That piece, along with many others of her work, will be on display at a second gallery opening at the Fond du Lac Public Library next week.
Another two of her favorite pieces were among the gallery at Waupun, two pieces that looked like sunlight filtering through the ocean.
She also said that many of the pieces on display she created only this last year, but that many of her older works were also on display here and at Fond du Lac. Most of the pieces are available for purchase along with matching coaster sets which were also on display.
“My philosophy is I’d like to get art into all spaces of a home or office so I keep all my pricing affordable. Many pieces are smaller in size to fit anywhere!” Hoehnen wrote in the Facebook event post.
The gallery will be on display in the upstairs area of the library until August 15. The pieces are best viewed in person. Those interested in purchasing a painting or other item can ask for details at the library front desk.
