With galleries closed and exhibitions cancelled, the effects are being felt by artists and gallery personnel. Tory Folliard Gallery is working to find creative ways to keep people engaged in the arts. The gallery started a new Artist Project series, where step-by-step video tutorials on painting, drawing or sculpting, through the guidance of featured artists. This week, that artist is Katie Musolff.
Musolff is a talented watercolor artist who now lives on a farm north of Milwaukee with her husband and fellow artist, Andy Fletcher. While Musolff deals mainly with painting objects from nature, she’s been allowed a lot more time to produce during the quarantine.
“There’s nothing stopping us from making the work now,” says Musolff. “Besides the stress and anxiety of worrying about people around you that you care about. There’s an expanse of studio time, which to any working artist, you don’t usually get that. We’re taking the time now to just make the work.”
Musolff and Fletcher were one of the last groups to have an event open to the public at Tory Folliard Gallery, which wrapped up on March 14. They spend most of their summers on the fine arts circuit, traveling to art shows around the Midwest and the country.
“We’re hoping that things clear up,” says Musolff. “Being able to come into the season with an enormous inventory is something we’ve never been able to do.”
Adjusting to their new lifestyle on a farm, the couple is enjoying the lack of distraction provided by living in a wide-open space.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
This week’s instructional video for the Tory Folliard Gallery Artist Project Series features a step-by-step video of Musolff painting an egg using watercolors. In the coming weeks, featured artist will be using a variety of mediums, so stay tuned for some local artists channeling their inner-Bob Ross and maybe you can pick up some tips along the way on painting pretty little trees and happy clouds. If you’re practicing along with the videos, at-home artists are encouraged to submit their work through Facebook and Instagram. Create away!
