Erica Black | Facility Rental Coordinator
Art galleries seem to be popping up all over the place – from local cafés and small businesses, to schools and government buildings – “local” art is more than a fad. Art helps celebrate and create community around shared interests and creative ideas.
The Gallery at The Nature Place was a project initiated by AmeriCorps Member, Taylor Smith, and a long-term volunteer, Kris Troynak, in 2019 under the direction of Tammy Schmitz (Myrick Park Center General Manager at the time). Taylor and Kris began by researching and visiting other art galleries to understand the ins and outs of running a public art exhibition space. They designed and installed the hanging wall display for two-dimensional art in the southwest corner of the La Crosse Room. The pair also worked on the marketing aspect – getting the word out to the community both for submissions and so that the community would know about the new gallery itself.
An Art Gallery Committee of staff members and volunteers that reviewed submissions and voted to select an artist was formed. Our first artist to display was Leanne Poellinger in the summer of 2019. The Gallery hosted two more artists before closing during the COVID-19 pandemic – Jonathan Ringdahl in the fall of 2019, and Lydia Hicks in the spring of 2020. The Myrick Park Center building remained closed during COVID until the summer of 2022, and no artists were displayed in The Gallery during this time.
WisCorps and The Myrick Park Center reopened to the public in the summer of 2022, and The Gallery welcomed artist Colleen Shore to display her work in the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023. The Gallery was once again put on hold while we transitioned to The Nature Place in the Spring and Summer of 2023. We put out a call-to-artists in early spring of 2024, with artist Douglas Bosley’s art recently on display this past Summer 2024.
With the Fall season now beginning, we’re excited to welcome artist Colleen Shore back to The Gallery to showcase another collection. Her showcase will extend throughout the Winter.
Artist Colleen Shore hanging her new collection at The Gallery at The Nature Place for her upcoming showcase on October 2nd.
The Gallery at The Nature Place offers visitors access to local artists that they may not otherwise know about, and allows those artists to reach a broader audience. Come visit The Gallery during our public open hours (pending any room reservations). If you are interested in displaying your artwork at The Gallery at The Nature Place, please email art@natureplacelacrosse.org. More information available at https://natureplacelacrosse.org/what-we-do/visitor-experience/#art-gallery