Kettle Moraine Studio Tour Combines Local Fine Art with Natural Fall Beauty

The Kettle Moraine Studio Tour will be celebrating its 14^th year with an Event that presents the work of premier local and regional artists at the magical time of peak fall color in Wisconsin. Visitors to the free event will have the opportunity to visit 7 different art studios at 5 locations and enjoy viewing the work of 18 award winning painters, sculptors, photographers, and musicians.

This year the Tour welcomes 5 new Guest Artists along with 13 returning artists, and for the first time the Art Studio of Mary Nimi. Located just outside of Mukwonago, Mary Nimi’s concrete sculptures and yard art are sure to amaze and inspire. Also showing her jewelry at the Mary Nimi Studio is the Tour’s official gemologist, Sherida Wank.

All five of the original founding artists and their Studios will once again be open for the 2012 tour. Wood sculptor Tom Rauschke and metal sculptor Kaaren Wiken will be sharing their Palmyra Studios with the very amazing ceramic sculptures of Milwaukee artist Jef Raasch and the uniquely bright ceramics of Susan Hanna from Ohio. New-to-the-tour Chicago painter James Smith will also be showing his work at the Xn-trix Studio.

At the Composite Clay Studio you can experience the ceramics of Jeff Noska and Barbara Reinhart where they create their beautifully functional and sculptural works. Well-known photographer Jill Bedford will again be showing her luxurious floral still-life’s at the Composite Clay location near Dousman.

The Studio of nationally recognized nature photographer William Lemke will also be the place to find the functional ceramics of potter Rich Csavoy, as well as the Crystal-glazed vessels of Stevens Point ceramicist Tim Marcott. In addition, the locally well-known painter and illustrator Thomas Buchs will be showing his latest “plein air” paintings and local instrument maker Brian Hoeppner will be making beautiful music with his hand-crafted instruments.

Returning to the Studio Tour this year is the fascinating Bob Hohf Piano Workshop where you may not only hear this traditional instrument played, but see and learn the complexities of its working parts. Also showing their recent work at the Hohf Piano Workshop are two new artists to the Tour, Martin Murk, and Elizabeth Beunaiche.

Martin Murk’s wildlife paintings have won many Duck and Wildlife Stamp competitions. This will be the first time he has shown his work so close to home in the Kettle Moraine.

Elizabeth Beunaiche is also a first-time exhibitor to the Tour who will be presenting a brilliant display of her carved gemstones.

The event is open to the public each day from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and admission is free. Sponsors of the event include Palmyra State Bank (www.palmyrastatebank.com), Prairie Seed Source, North Lake, Wis., Accurate Graphics (www.accurategraphics.com) and Zubird Consulting & Design (www.zubird.com).

About the Kettle Moraine Studio Tour

Artists Tom Rauschke, Kaaren Wiken, Jeff Noska, Barb Reinhart, and Bill Lemke started the Kettle Moraine Studio Tour in 1999. Over its thirteen years it has featured ten different artists’ Studios and 28 different guest artists.