Art Center opens for Natalie Reynolds Wolff, area high school students

The Waseca Art Center (WAC) held gallery openings for artist Natalie Reynolds Wolff and numerous high school students from eight different schools around the southern Minnesota area on Saturday, March 28.

 

WAC President Mikhail Rostislavovich gave an introduction, starting with Reynolds’ paintings in the Harguth Gallery: “Today, we are honored to feature the work of Natalie Reynolds Wolff, a Minneapolis-based oil painter whose journey as a self-taught artist brings a refreshing and deeply personal voice to her work. Her use of surrealism allows us to step outside of the expected and into something more reflective, something that challenges conformity and celebrates individuality.”

 

Reynolds, who was born in Wisconsin and currently lives in Minneapolis, was asked to speak to the crowd. She alluded to her inspiration from Georgia O’Keeffe, a Wisconsin abstract painter born in 1887. Reynolds has spent large amounts of time outdoors, including walking the Canadian Pacific Trail which provides a 2,650-mile hike through west coast wilderness. She was asked about the open spaces in her paintings, many of which feature desert scenes with solid colors in the sky and she replied, “Sometimes just the simplicity works. If the image works on its own, go with it.” She was asked about the different colors and their contrasting/mixing if the paint is wet and she replied, “Sometimes I will leave a painting on Friday to dry, so that I can go back to it on Monday and not have to worry about it still being wet.”

 

For the high school students, Rostislavovich said, “Thirty-six students from eight area high schools have the opportunity to showcase their work in a professional setting, many for the very first time. Students' works were selected by their art teachers for submission.” The schools involved were: Blooming Prairie, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Le Sueur-Henderson, Mankato East, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, Tri-City United, the Waseca Area Learning Center and Waseca Junior Senior High School.

 

Some of the students were on hand to speak and answer questions. Anya Gaona is showing a painting of herself with her dog which, she says, shows the bond they share. Jude Robinson and his artwork titled “Nightmare Tiger” said of his teacher Mrs. Popp, “I’m glad she pushed me like she did.” Popp added, “Jude’s really good with background pieces, he really puts a lot of time and effort into his pieces.”

 

Madelyn Hollom, who painted her friend “Elizabeth” and named it so, said, “I wanted to draw my friend Elizabeth. If my friend was a color, she would be blue, and blue is my favorite color.”

 

The students and Reynolds were then asked to pose for photos. Afterwards, guests and family members were invited to the Tea Room to mingle and enjoy chocolate tier and sparkling cider.