The Miller Art Museum debuts a new exhibition of larger-than-life paintings by Midwest realist painter Robert David Jinkins on Saturday, January 14, 2023. The exhibition, Horizon Line, is the first major museum exhibition for the artist and will be complemented with panoramic seascapes by Kaukauna, WI-based artist Lee Mothes on the second floor Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine. Both exhibitions will be on view through Monday, April 3, 2023.
Jinkins, a Wisconsin native who holds a bachelor's degree in art from the University of Wisconsin Platteville and a master's in fine art from Iowa State University, writes of his work, “It is a eulogy, in a traditional sense, to the inevitable passage of time, exploration of place, and an investigation of personal intergenerational narratives. My pieces are labor intensive and take months to create—using an Apelles-inspired palette of natural earth tones, I use fine-hatching in graphite or delicate washes of acrylic, glazes of inks, traditional acrylics, and hand-mixed paints utilizing potters' pigments to create meticulous works...”
Image credit: Robert David Jinkins, Harvesting the Winter Wheat, Acrylic mixed media.
The artist’s panoramic, striking rural landscapes, inhabited by formidable characters, are depicted in a combination of American Regionalism and Symbolism, illustrating his admiration and reverence for his ancestral land.
“The paintings are less idyllic and more forthright, about the rural environment and its proximity to life and death. Jinkins connects the perimeters of the paintings as an object to the panoramic storytelling, through long panels, diptychs, and triptychs, which provides the viewer a visceral sense of place,” says Miller Art Museum Curator Helen del Guidice.
The public is invited to attend a series of free public programs that will provide additional context for the exhibition:
Member and Volunteer Preview Tour | Horizon Line by Robert David Jinkins
Friday, January 13
4 – 5 pm
Miller Art Museum | 107 S. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Join Curator of Exhibitions and Collections Helen del Guidice for a sneak peek at the new exhibition Horizon Line before it opens to the public. Enjoy the exhibition without the crowd and hear interesting stories and information directly from the curator. Interested in taking advantage of member benefits? Find more information on becoming a member at https://millerartmuseum.org/membership.
Art/Speaks
Friday, January 27
11 am – 12:15 pm
Miller Art Museum | 107 S. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Join Write On, Door County’s Carrie Sherrill for a free writing lab that takes place in the main galleries of the Miller Art Museum! All level writers are welcome to attend and write in response to the art on display for Horizon Line by Robert David Jinkins. This event is free and open to the public.
The Studio Door | Robert David Jinkins
Friday, March 3
4 – 5 pm
Miller Art Museum | 107 S. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Join Curator Helen del Guidice as she sits down in conversation with artist Robert David Jinkins. Join us to learn more about his philosophies, worldviews, and artistic practice. There will be an audience Q&A with Jinkins after the program and an artist reception to follow. This event is free and open to the public.
Artist Reception | Horizon Line by Robert David Jinkins
Friday, March 3
5:30 – 7 pm
Miller Art Museum | 107 S. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Meet exhibiting artists and enjoy the 17 large-scale paintings on display by Wisconsin-based artist Robert David Jinkins, showcasing works in a combination of American regionalism and Symbolism through depictions of life on the Jinkins family farm. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.
Together with Horizon Line, the Miller Art Museum presents Oceans and Beaches by Lee Mothes. The exhibition features 11 large-scale, brilliantly colored panoramic seascapes depicting the awe-inspiring experience of the artist’s deep connection with the ocean.
Image credit: Lee Mothes, Pacifica Morning, Acrylic.
The Miller Art Museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay is set to unveil two new exhibitions on Saturday, November 5, 2022: Hanseatic: The Life and Work of Karsten and Ellen Topelmann in the first-floor main galleries and New Acquisitions from James J. Ingwersen on the Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine. Door County’s landscape has long piqued the interest of visual artists, especially so for the late Karsten Topelmann (1929-2021) and his late wife, Ellen Sprogø Topelmann (1926-2016). The exhibition, featuring 34 works, collectively depict the story of a village, their beloved Ephraim, a family, and two extraordinary artists each with distinct accomplishments and talents. In tandem, a collection of 12 paintings—new acquisitions to the permanent collection—and two bronze sculptures will be featured with existing collection works by James J. Ingwersen. Both exhibitions will be on display through December 30, 2022.
Karsten Topelmann, Still Life with Self-portrait Reflectionl - Karsten Topelmann, Hanseatic Gallery - Ellen Topelmann, Our Village
In celebration of these legacy artists, an abundant lineup of public programming is scheduled for the coming weeks:
Exhibition Preview | Friday, November 4 from 4 - 5pm. Museum members and volunteers are invited to preview the exhibition prior to opening to the public with a tour guided by Curator Helen del Guidice.
The Studio Door | Saturday, November 5 from 2 - 3pm. A presentation of The Studio Door; free and open to the public. Curator Helen del Guidice sits down in conversation with Lars and Lisa Topelmann to discuss the life and work of their parents, Karsten and Ellen (Sprogø) Topelmann. A question-and-answer period will follow the conversation; the public is invited to share personal anecdotes about the artists.
Award Winners Pictured (L to R): Linda Marcus, Lynette Redner, Aaron Boyd, and Ida Whitney
September 29, 2022—On September 17, the Miller Art Museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay unveiled its 47th Juried Annual—a survey and celebration of contemporary work by Wisconsin visual artists—to a reception of over 120 attendees. 8 regional visual artists were recognized by a three-panel jury for their works exuding excellence, originality and that were experimental in nature. This year’s award recipients are:
Aaron Boyd (Milwaukee), awarded the Bonnie Hartmann Award for Outstanding Creativity for his work titled Souls Train.
Sarah Dittmann (Ripon), awarded a Special Merit Award for her work titled Mrs. John Kokeš.
Claire Erickson (Sturgeon Bay), awarded a Special Merit Award for her work titled Planted.
Terri Fischer (Madison), awarded a Juror’s Choice Award for her work titled Hepatica.
Linda Marcus (Milwaukee), awarded a Juror’s Choice Award for her work titled Mending Walls.
Robert Osborne (Raine), awarded a Special Merit Award for his work titled Villa Street Garage.
Lynette Redner (Delavin), awarded a Juror’s Choice Award for her work titled Morning on the Wisconsin River.
Ida Whitney (Baileys Harbor), awarded the Gerhard CF Miller Award of Excellence for her work titled DD78.
The 47th Juried Annual showcases 70 contemporary two-dimensional works by 52 Wisconsin artists and marks the second year that artists from across the state were eligible to submit work. These distinctive works can be viewed throughout the entire museum in both the main galleries on the lower level as well as on the second floor Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine.
September 23, 2022—The Miller Art Museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay has announced that tickets are on sale now for a not-to-be-missed fall fundraising event, Swingin’ Soirée at the Dome: A Mid-Century Modern-Inspired Evening, on Saturday evening, October 15, 2022. The unforgettable evening, commencing at 5pm, will include special recognition for the evening’s honoree William C. “Bill” Parsons, fabulous cocktails, mid-century-inspired fare by Culinaria, and live music by the Milwaukee Hot Club punctuated with opportunities throughout the evening to learn about the museum’s work, its impact, and future vision to ensure the organization remains a vital piece of the cultural fabric of the Door County community. All proceeds generated will support the Museum’s evolving operational needs.
September 2, 2022—The Miller Art Museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay is set to unveil its 47th Juried Annual, an exhibition featuring 70 artworks from 52 artists across the State of Wisconsin on September 17, 2022. An opening reception celebrating the participating Wisconsin artists is scheduled for Saturday, September 17 from 5 - 6:30pm. Awards are scheduled to be announced at 5:30pm and include three Special Merit Awards ($250 each), three Juror’s Choice Awards ($200 each), the Gerhard Miller Award of Excellence ($500 and Miller Medal), and the Bonnie Hartmann Award for Outstanding Creativity ($100). Light refreshments will be served and music will be provided by Craig Schultz and Mike Miller. The event is free and open to the public.
Image credit: Aaron Boyd, Souls Train, watercolor. Katie Ries, What They Had-Appleton, WI, printmaking. Claire Erickson, Planted, acrylic.
In continuation of this celebrated museum tradition, now in its 47th year, this year’s exhibition is broader and more diverse than ever with submissions representing every corner of the state. Each submitted entry was carefully evaluated and the final selections were made by a panel of three artists and art industry professionals. This year’s jurors were Frank Juarez, artist, award-winning art educator, and founder and publisher of Artdose Magazine, Sheboygan, WI; Brandon Bauer, associate professor of art at St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI; and Meg Lionel Murphy, artist, and owner of The Hours Gallery, Sturgeon Bay, WI.