Artists coming back into limelight

After a two-year absence, the Miles of Art tour is returning Oct. 1.

The 2020 and 2021 tours were canceled due to the pandemic. The work of various local artists will be on display at four locations throughout the county from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Novitiate, W9711 Butternut Road, Gresham will feature various artists displaying pottery, basketweaving, painting, wood turning, wood carving, quilting, fluid paint and resin art.

“The artists in Gresham used to meet at an old feed mill in town.” said Curt Knoke, of Gresham, who is instrumental in correlating the artists with the Miles of Art.

The Novitiate stop on the Miles of Art Tour costs $10 per carload. It includes a walking tour of the historic Novitiate mansion grounds. Proceeds will be shared with Gresham and Keshena scholarship funds.

The mansion was built in 1939 on a 180-acre property along the Red River. New owners, Renewing Management, purchased the property in 2021. They plan to reimagine and repurpose the former Alexian Brothers Novitiate, with partners in the local community.

Knoke was very positive about the restoration of the mansion.

“There is a new roof now, the graffiti was removed, and new windows could be installed before the Miles of Art tour,” he said. “Most of the artists will be inside, but Fred Laedtke’s art is too big, so he will have a display of his sculptures outside.”

Laedtke is a well-known scrap metal sculptor. He started his craft about 16 years ago after his daughter died.

“I guess it was a kind of therapy,” Laedtke said. “J&R Machine in Shawano got me started by supplying an awful lot of materials for me to work with. I get scrap iron from all over the place, junkyards and flea markets. I’ll have a good supply of work on display, including some fire pits. My other pieces range in height from 6 to 15 feet, but I won’t be bringing the tallest ones to Miles of Art.”

Concessions on the Novitiate grounds, by Loretta and Amy Menchaca of Keshena, will include chicken wild rice soup, chili, frybread tacos, burgers on frybread, soda and water.

In addition to the Novitiate stop on the tour, visitors can travel to nearby Aschenbrener Bronze, W10181 Cherry Road, Gresham, which will feature the one-of-a-kind bronze sculptures of David Aschenbrener. Some of his works include metal wall hangings and metal figures.

A featured stop on the tour are the studios of Judy and Lenz Pubanz. Pubanz Art is located at N6725 Balsam Row Road, Shawano. They feature paintings, woodcraft puzzles and photography and have participated in Miles of Art in the past.

The fourth stop on the tour is Off the Wall Studio and Gallery, 122 S. Main St., Shawano. Paintings, jewelry, sculptures and drawings will be displayed.

“We have local artists,” said Tamara Magee, owner of the gallery. “Off the Wall Studio is a gallery, so there is a lot of art. “We are known for our paint and sip nights every third Friday of the month.”

Off the Wall has been a participant in Miles of Art for at least three years prior to the pandemic, according to Magee.