Laura J. Nelke

medium: painting

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She Hears a Different Drummer - Butchart Gardens, Can. 2002 Painting	Family Trees - Post Lake, Wis. 2009 Painting	Sunrise on the Pier - Baileys Harbor, Wis. 2006 Painting
Mystic Boathouse - Rock Island, Wis. 2004 Painting	From Chiapas, With Love - San Cristobal, Mexico 2006 Painting	Time Sentinel - Grand Canyon, Ariz. 2005 Painting
Fall's Gold - Cave Point , Wis. 2006 Painting	Witness to the Thaw - Jasper, Canada 2007 Painting	Seasons on Edge - Cave Point, Wis. 2008 Painting
Winter Harvest - Marshfield, Wis. 2005 Painting

Contact information
316 N Schmidt Ave.
Marshfield, WI 54449-1737
Phone Number: 715-384-2015
Email Address: denny.nelke@verizon.net

Artist statement
My motivation to paint arises from my desire to express memory—in particular, the emotional content of memory. Each painting starts as the recollection of a unique place and a singular moment. My choice of subject matter is dependent on the power of the emotions I associate with that specific place and time. The memories I paint are intensely personal, but my intention is to render my subjects in such a way as to create a connection with others. I am looking to capture something spiritual and universal, and by so doing evoke a resonant, emotional response in my viewers.

My style reflects my artistic purpose. Colors are bright and often exaggerated; light accentuates atmosphere and intent. Space is flattened or restricted; the arrangement of the subject often appears pushed forward or even frieze-like against a colorful background of washes. The result is to accentuate the immediacy of color and emotion.

The titles of my paintings precede the actual execution of the paintings, and they are an extension of the art they name. The complete title of each work includes an identification of place to establish the reality of memory. The balance of the title most often suggests a playful interaction between words and image—an invitation to viewers to embark on their own fanciful journeys.

Biography
Art Education:
Baum School of Art, Penn., 1990-91
Masters Degree in Art History, University of Chicago, 1977
Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in Art, Bucknell University, 1974
      
Juried Memberships:
Wisconsin Watercolor Society
Wisconsin Visual Artists, Northeast Chapter
Wisconsin Visual Artists’ Guild

Selected Exhibitions and Recognition:
State Street Gallery, Madison, 2009
Marshfield Clinic Fine Art Calendar, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004 (cover)
Reaching New Heights Gallery, Weston, Wis. (award), 2008
Riverfront Arts Center, Stevens Point, Wis. (invitational), 2008, 2007
Center for the Visual Arts, Wausau, Wis. (juried), 2008, 2005, 2003
LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Spencer, Wis. (invitational), 2007
Riverfront Arts Center, Stevens Point, Wis. (juried), 2007
Reaching New Heights Gallery, Weston, Wis. (3 awards), 2006
LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Spencer, Wis. (solo), 2005
West Bend Art Museum, West Bend, Wis. (juried), 2005
New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, Wis. (juried), 2005
New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, Wis. (juried), 2004
New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, Wis. (juried), 2003