Art MidWisconsin

Art MidWisconsin is an award-winning regional collective of visual artists who bring insight, instincts, and experience to the classroom to help beginning and trained artists explore new methods and approaches while advancing their skills as artists.

Town Square is proud to partner with Art MidWisconsin to expand creative opportunities in our community. Together, we offer a variety of art programs and workshops designed for all experience levels—from beginners eager to explore their creativity to seasoned artists looking to sharpen their skills. This partnership allows us to bring high-quality, hands-on art experiences to Green Lake while advancing Town Square’s mission: to enrich the lives of community members, families, and friends by providing cultural, social, recreational, and educational opportunities for people of all ages—all while preserving our treasured historic building.

ART MIDWISCONSIN INSTRUCTORS

Pat Dobrinska

Pat Dobrinska earned her B.A. from the University of Colorado and her B.A.E. from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. In 1969, she moved to her farm in Green Lake and since then has established her career as a portrait and landscape artist, as well as a teacher of art. Her paintings are displayed in galleries and at shows throughout the country.

Workshops: New Approaches & Re-Approaches in Painting, Pleine-aire Painting

Elissa Ewald

Elissa Ewald is a self-taught award-winning, published artist who has been instructing classes the last three years through the Berlin Library for community members, participating in regional art shows and events to stay connected to the art community, and helping inspire others to love art.

Workshops: Intro to Painting with Acrylics, Studio Painting I with Acrylics

Dick Folse

Dick Folse has a Master of Fine Arts from Illinois State University. He is an award-winning painter who has exhibited nationally and internationally and has taught art at three universities.

Workshops: Intro to Watercolor, Watercolor Painting I, Color Theory for Painters, The Painterly Sketch: creating studies using graphite, paints & mediums

Anne Gary

As a corporate trainer, Anne has been teaching for over 30 years. As a professional artist, her art has been represented in more than 70 galleries across the country. Anne’s interest in art spawned when she was a young girl. She was fortunate to be surrounded by creative family members who encouraged exploring many types of mediums: pottery, weaving, jewelry making, stained glass, fused-glass, acrylics, watercolor, silk painting, pastels, and most recently mixed media. Creating abstract art allows her to be intuitive, harness imagination, and not become attached to a specific outcome.

Brenda Mulvey

Brenda Mulvey grew up in Wisconsin and has been interested in drawing and painting her whole life, mostly self-taught. Her first love has been watercolors and now retired, she has been able to pursue goals of painting whatever inspires or challenges her. Even though she has won a few awards, she still feels like she is a beginner because she can always learn or better herself.

Workshops: Intro to Watercolor

Travis Nygard

Travis Nygard is an award-winning college professor with a PhD in art history and cultural studies from the University of Pittsburgh. He loves to teach about modern and contemporary art from across the world, as well as our own region. He regularly presents original research at conferences and publishes his findings. His scholarly interests are eclectic, ranging from the pop art of Andy Warhol, to the murals of the Corn Palace, to the financial value of art.

Lectures: Part I: Off the Pedestal and Into the World | Experimental Sculpture and Environmental Art, Part II: It’s Intriguing, but What is the Story? |Performance and Video Art Explained, Part III: We Called it Scribbling in Kindergarten | Abstraction Actually Isn’t So Easy

Ralph Benedict Polasky

Ralph Benedict Polasky began his undergraduate studies at The University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee eventually earning a Master of Fine Arts degree at Boise State University with an emphasis in mixed media sculpture and ceramics. While in Boise he was part of the Project LOCQA artist collective which showed regionally and sponsored open studio events on a regular basis. Through his professional career he has shown nationally at various group shows and galleries as well as participating in several pop-up gallery events. He presently has a studio in Ripon Wisconsin.

Workshops: Intro to Sculpture, Sculpture I

Angel Rettler

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts and over a decade of experience, Angel Rettler is a passionate and skilled artist who brings a wealth of knowledge to every class. As the owner and instructor at Artsy Fartsy, a vibrant paint-and-sip studio in Campbellsport, WI, Angel has spent the last 10 years sharing the joy of painting with students of all levels. She has cultivated a welcoming and creative space where students feel empowered to express themselves and discover their artistic abilities. Angel's approach is warm, patient, and hands-on, ensuring that each participant feels supported and inspired throughout their artistic journey.

Workshops: Intro to Painting with Oils, Studio Painting I with Oils

Kate Salas

Kate Salas is a ceramic artist based in Ripon, Wisconsin. She finds inspiration in the natural world, specifically Wisconsin’s landscape, flora and fauna. Her current body of work investigates sculpture in greater depth, with explorations into larger hand-built forms, highlighting the quiet, natural beauty of the clay. Salas has exhibited work at The Museum of Wisconsin Art, Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, and Center for Visual Art Wausau as well as various artisan marketplaces throughout the year.

Workshops: Art Fairs and Pop-Ups

Kathy Sletten

Kathleen Sletten is an award-winning photographer specializing in fine art photography and digital art as well as traditional media. Her work has been published in photo journals and exhibited in several venues. She is active in multiple camera clubs, teaches photography classes, and is currently President of the Rural Rembrandts Art Club. Kathleen lives in Montello, Wisconsin.