Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission Presents 2010 Art Poster

March 04, 2010
Karen Crossley, 608-266-5915 or crossley@co.dane.wi.us
County Executive

The 2010 Art Poster from the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission now is available by voluntary donation at locations throughout Dane County. This poster marks the thirty-second time the Commission has offered this celebration of Dane County and the many talented artists in our midst. At the conclusion of the Commission’s annual Call for Art, one Dane County artist’s image is selected to be showcased as the focus of the Commission’s annual art poster. This year’s selection is Offering II, a stunning and bold floral bouquet, painted in acrylic on panel by Madison resident Dennis Nechvatal. Artist and Wisconsin native Dennis Nechvatal creates strong and powerful images that bid closer viewing and slowly convert into sophisticated reinventions of the natural world. His “Offerings” series features abundant floral bouquets lush with delicate brushstrokes. Offering II, his 2004 acrylic on panel selection from this series, is the image for the 2010 Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission art poster. The original work is now part of a private collection. With over a dozen museum exhibitions under his belt including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Corcoran Gallery in DC, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Indianapolis Center for Contemporary Art, Dennis Nechvatal is among Wisconsin's most accomplished artists working today. Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk praised the 2010 art poster and its contributing artist. “The Cultural Affairs poster is much anticipated – both for its own beauty and its signal that spring is just around the corner. Dennis Nechvatal, the wonderful artist who allowed the Commission to reproduce his superb painting, also reminds us that Dane County’s greatest cultural treasures are skilled, talented, generous persons such as Dennis.” “The Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission is proud and blessed to have Dennis Nechvatal share his bold artistry with us and with all of Dane County and beyond,” remarked Karen Crossley, Commission Director. “Our 2010 art poster offers another amazing example of how rich our culture is, and how much talent and creativity reside in Dane County. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share this gift with citizens, residents and visitors.” The Cultural Affairs Commission will host a special reception at Electronic Theater Controls on the evening of Tuesday, March 9, to unveil publicly the 2010 art poster and honor recent Commission grant recipients. Attendees will include Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, poster artist Dennis Nechvatal, Commission and grant advisory panel members, and grant recipient honorees from the many Dane County arts, culture and local history organizations supported by the Commission over the past two years. The 2010 art poster is available to the public by voluntary donation at locations throughout Dane County, including the Cultural Affairs Commission Office, Room 421, City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Madison, between the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Other poster distribution sites include the city and village halls of Belleville, Brooklyn, Cambridge, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Deerfield, DeForest, Fitchburg, Maple Bluff, Marshall, Mazomanie, McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Mount Horeb, Shorewood Hills, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, and Verona; and town halls of Blooming Grove, Dunn, Middleton, Montrose, Oregon, Springfield, Sun Prairie, Verona, Westport and Windsor. In addition, three Dane County framing shops are serving as poster distribution sites and working with the Commission to offer custom framing discounts for this year’s art poster: Monroe Street Framing and Douglas Art & Framing in Madison, and Windhorse Frames & Gallery in Mount Horeb. Revenues from poster donations help support the Commission’s mission and programs: fostering public participation, increasing access, and forging alliances in support of the arts, culture and local history. For more information about the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, its grants program and signature products, please visit www.culturalaffairscommission.com, call 608-266-4296 or email cultural.affairs@co.dane.wi.us. # # #