Plein Air Wisconsin--La Crosse Area Plein Air Artists

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8. Recent and Upcoming Events

Ellen McDonah's stunning adirondack chair
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Ellen painted and carved this for Habitat for Humanity in Viroqua, Wisconsin.

Plein air paintouts of 2006.

May 21 10 AM-3 PM Sunday



The very old (1854), long-unused Oehler Mill, two stories high, a few hundred feet off Rural Route 26 (which is County MM). We have permission to go on the property and paint pictures of this building, which may not be there much longer. Find it from La Crosse by taking Route 35 to US 14/61, which is just south of the city. Go a short way and you'll see county MM; turn into it and go past the mobile home part on the right, heading towards the hill. You'll see the mill on your right just before you reach the hill. You can park at the house past it.



You can find it when coming from the east as well. Don't bother going on MM the first time you come to it unless you want to travel the entire rural route, which is actually quite a nice drive. Go to the other end of MM, which is closer to Route 35, and turn into it.





June 3 1 PM-6 PM Saturday



A park in Coon Valley on Route 14/61. Just as you enter town from the west, look to the south of Route 14. You';ll see a park and a nice little stone bridge over water, with a lovely gazebo nearby. That's where we'll paint today. The setting is representative of the coulee area, and painting it will be especially interesting with everyone's special approach to it.



June 11 noon-5 PM Sunday



The cemetery at St. Joseph's Ridge. No, we won't be painting tombstones unless you really want to! The view from the cemetery is so wonderful, with the bluffs and coulees surrounding the wide valley and farms. We haven't done farm country and it's time for showing how beautiful the country scenery is around here. I heard a rumor that the nuns at the convent next door would make a bathroom available to us.



June 24 and 35 10 AM-5 PM Sat & Sun (or one of them)



Norskedalen's Summerfest is this weekend and we have been asked to show our skills at the festival. There is no charge for us to be there. We can set up anywhere, outdoors or in the tent they will provide. We are welcome to set up displays and sell our work with no commission. However, they do ask that we actively paint. This looks like it will be a very well-attended festival.



Saturday breakfast is at 8 AM. Norskedalen is three miles north of Coon Valley, Wisconsin on county highway PI.



July 1 Come when you like; leave when you like. Have a partner! Saturday



Riverside Park during Riverfest. In the last two years we made some good connections with potential customers, and we just had a good time with each other. Let's do it again.



July 16 1 PM-6 PM Sunday



Veterans' Memorial Park, south of the town of West Salem. Drive right in. Immediately you'll see a beautiful stone bridge over the popular fishing spot. Large, picturesque trees shade nearby grassy areas. It's a busy spot, but well worth painting for its beauty.



September 2 Most dramatic--evening hours. Sunday



The area at the western end of Spillway Drive on French Island. You will enjoy the scenery and the fishermen at this location. You can even go out on the spillway to paint. If you don't know where this location is, and you have a La Crosse phonebook, look at the map of French Island, between section 1G and 1H. If you do not live in the La Crosse area, when you come here for the paintout, stop at the Kwik Trip gas station on the island and check out the map.



September 17 1 PM-6 PM Sunday



A well-known architect's home and farm. Roald G. has built a straw-bale, solar-powered house. He welcomes us to paint the house, pond, and surrounding greenery on his property, which he has named Driftless Farm. Roald recommends us bringing our picnic baskets! contact me for directions.



This will end our fourth successful season of plein air painting, raising the awareness of the public about the fine artists we have here in the Coulee Region. Paint on!



























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Two young ladies take the Plein Air Challenge and work with us on June 15, 2003.

A permanent display space is in the works!

La Crosse's City Hall may soon become a display space for the fine paintings we have been creating for the past four years. We made a presentation to the La Crosse Board of Public Works in April of 2006 and were informed that our proposal for a permanent, secure display is under consideration in the 2007 budget. This will be an opportunity for us to share our work with the public and increase the area's reputation as a picturesque and encouraging place for artists to live and work.

Other Events

Our first FREE ART FAIR took place on May 9, 2004.  Twenty-five artists participated in the art fair, which was sponsored by the Holy Trinity Tulip Walk event which takes place yearly to raise funds for remodeling.  Entertainment, fine food, restrooms, and a place for the kids to play were included.  Spaces were available measuring a minimum of 12 X 12' on a grassy field with some trees,  in one of eight gorgeous gardens near the church, or in the church basement.  A $100 dollar purchase award was made.  A number of artists made sales in spite of cool rainy weather.  The art fair now takes place annually. 

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Dolores Marusarz paints Lake Onalaska (in oils) June 15, 2003.