May 4, 2018 – West Bend, WI – It was difficult to find parking Thursday night outside the Museum of Wisconsin Art and once you set foot inside the entryway it was obvious why. Local artist Daniel Gerhartz was the headliner for Artist Talk and he was presenting a behind-the-scenes look at how he went about his art.
Gerhartz is an internationally-recognized artist living in cozy Kewaskum. He talked about wearing battery-operated hand warmers while painting outside during a Wisconsin winter and how his models included family, friends and even the farmer next door. People in the audience recognized some models by name as they either graduated high school with them in the 1960s or the had a cup of coffee with them at the corner diner.
Armed with a simple screen and a downhome Kewaskum flavor Gerhartz walked the audience of 400+ through simple inspirations detailing one scenario he went looking for the backdrop to a painting about fireflies with his daughter and her cousin. “I saw this fence line in Beechwood … the place famous for cheese, and I hit the brakes,” he said.
Most of Gerhartz’s secret to success was simply to be aware of your surroundings and to enjoy the moment. You could feel his passion for painting, his attention to detail, and use of natural sunlight to capture the beauty of Washington County and Wisconsin.
Daniel Gerhartz: The Continuum of Beauty runs through July 29, 2018 at the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
