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Dane Arts

Art Calendar

The twenty-third edition of our annual art calendar highlights the wonderful and talented artists right here in Dane County.

 

2023 Calendar Specs

  • Desktop calendar - 8" x 7 ½"
  • Retailer Prices - $12 each (plus sales tax)
  • Artwork created by Dane County artists.

Revenues from calendar sales help sustain programs of Dane County Cultural Affairs, an agency within county government created in 1977 to encourage public participation in arts, culture, and local history activities countywide. Your calendar purchase also helps to support local artists. For more information, please contact danearts@countyofdane.com

Scroll to the bottom of this page for a list of in-person Dane County sales locations.

Purchase Online: $16.35 (includes calendar, shipping & handling)

2023 Calendar

Cover: Mary Treleven

Photo of a woman with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses wearing a black top

About the Artwork:
"Inspired by the Wisconsin countryside, I rework landscapes into graphic and brightly colored paintings. I enjoy playing with color and texture the way a quilter pieces unexpected patterns together. Outlined land layers, crop placement patterns, stylized trees, flowers, bicycles and an occasional creature, balance my compositions. My work is displayed locally at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, the Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corporation offices and the Fitchburg Chamber Visitor & Business Bureau office."

A painting of four red barns sitting among rolling hills of green and yellow with bright pink flowers in the lower right corner of the composition

Mary Treleven, Purple Sky, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 30” x 40”

January: S.V. Medaris

Image of woman with short blonde curly hair wearing glasses and a blue tank top looking up at a woodblock print of a chicken that is twice her height

About the Artwork:
"Since 1998 I have lived on a farm in the Driftless area of Southern Wisconsin and raised dogs, cats, chickens, peafowl, turkeys, and pigs from which I draw inspiration for life and art. Educating about different species & breeds, often exposing the drama &/or humor inherent in raising livestock for meat or as pets is the purpose of making the artwork; for life really. 


I tell these stories from the farm with Printmaking (Relief—woodcut or linocut) and Oils. I make big prints (up to 8ft tall at times) because it engages a wide audience, it is a continual challenge, and because I’m always learning something new.
Since 2004 I’ve had over a dozen solo shows (including MOWA and the Watrous Gallery) on themes of domestic animal husbandry, and the relationships we have with livestock and they with each other."

Woodblock print of a white dog with black spots running through snow.

S.V. Medaris, Dashing Through the Snow, 2020, Reduction linocut, 8” x 10,” Courtesy of Abel Contemporary Gallery

February: Babette Wainwright

Image of a woman smiling wearing gold hoop earrings, a yellow hair wrap and blue shirt

About the Artwork: 
"Babette Wainwright was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where she started painting colorful market women at the age of nine. She was sent to the US in the late 60’s to escape the oppressive regime of Papa Doc Duvalier. With no training, she painted from childhood memories. She depicted women, whom she recognizes as “Poto Mitan,” a Haitian Vodou term referring to the temple’s central post. Her work reflects the power and beauty of her African culture. 

Babette discovered the magic of clay in 1998. Her work is informed by her African roots, and the pre-Colombian peoples of Haiti: Arawak and Taino. In 2000, she received an MFA, and has since been working mainly with clay, creating forms that convey her spirituality. 

Babette has been honored with various grants, and a fellowship from the Wisconsin Arts Board. In 2001, she received a NCECA Merit Award. DANG! 2021

Babette lives in Madison with Kathy, her spouse for the past thirty years. Her only child, Angela lives in Virginia." 

Ceramic sculpture that is a medium reddish-brown color with eyes, nose and mouth and a serene expression

Babette Wainwright, Jama, 2019, Clay, low fired and smoked, 13” x 13,” Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Brad Young, Baltimore, MD

March: Mark Weller

Mark Weller

About the Artwork: 
"While traditional photography generally captures three dimensions, my images explore the fourth dimension: time.  The results are painterly like creations that evolve traditional photography beyond the customary landscape. By either long exposures or stacking a hundred images taken over several minutes, my art seeks to discover a deeper meaning of the signature looks of the Upper Midwest.  I depict mostly the ethereal twirling or swirling of clouds.  I seek to fundamentally influence our perception of our surroundings, our attitudes, our understanding of who we are and how we fit in the cosmos.  

My art evokes rural nostalgia and reflects Midwestern values: connection to the land and water, the nurturing a crop, the beauty of the landscaped.  My art is rooted in the likes of Wood, O’Keeffe, Cox ,and Benton.  Each of these Midwest artists influence my interpretation of nature, the landscape, and shapes that convey mood."

Landscape photograph of a glassy lake with thick, billowing white clouds above. The clouds have blurred as the photo compiles multiple shots over time.

Mark Weller, Lake Mendota, Timestacking photography, 40” x 60”

April: Mary Treleven

Image of a smiling woman with shoulder length brown hair, black circular glasses, and a black long sleeved top

About the Artwork:"Inspired by the Wisconsin countryside, I rework landscapes into graphic and brightly colored paintings. I enjoy playing with color and texture the way a quilter pieces unexpected patterns together. Outlined land layers, crop placement patterns, stylized trees, flowers, bicycles and an occasional creature, balance my compositions. My work is displayed locally at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, the Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corporation offices and the Fitchburg Chamber Visitor & Business Bureau office."

A painting of four red barns sitting among rolling hills of green and yellow with bright pink flowers in the lower right corner of the composition

Mary Treleven, Purple Sky, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 30” x 40”

May: Pamela Grabber

Close up image of smiling woman with short brown and grey hair, black glasses and a silver earring

About the Artwork:
"Whether outdoors or in studio, I’m especially interested in capturing my place in time through the medium of paint as I explore the timeless images of garden, waterfront, forest, field, or sunset.

Painting in oil, watercolor, acrylic, and gouache, I enjoy the intensity of focus each medium requires.  Lately, I’ve found myself curious about my connection to my immediate surroundings and I’m aware of a growing appreciation of being present to paint right where I am.

My college degree is a BFA in Printmaking.  It could be said that I paint like a printmaker, since I employ techniques of applying color in layers much like the process of printing.  When the printmaker in me is happy as I paint, I know it’s a good day!
My paintings are an invitation to the viewer to behold beauty in Creation, enjoy peaceful moments, and contemplate light."

Painting of a bunch of green leafed rhubarb with red stems in a clear vase sitting on a red tablecloth

Pamela Grabber, In Praise of Rhubarb, 2021, Oil, 20”x16,” Courtesy of Plum Bottom Gallery, Egg Harbor, WI

June: Nancy Hagen

Close up of a smiling woman with short grey hair standing in front of green leaves and red and pink flowers in the background

About the Artwork:
"My name is Nancy Hagen and I've been painting for over 40 years. Painting is my passion. I mostly work with oils and watercolors, sometimes using both in one painting. Observing nature is what I like best and most of subject matter comes from beautiful Dane County."

Painting of a group of black and white cows with one cow in the middle staring directly at the viewer

Nancy Hagen, Say Cheeeeeeese, 2021, Watercolor and oil, 18”x 24”

July: Janis N. Senungetuk

Image of a woman with very short grey hair, black circular glasses and a white collared, floral print shirt

About the Artwork:
"Janis Nussbaum Senungetuk is a visual artist working primarily in fine art photography. Her focus is on floral, garden "and farmers market imagery using natural light to capture vibrant, translucent colors and textures. Janis very deeply believes that art aids in healing. She is a contributing photographer to The Foundation for Photo Art/Art in Hospitals. Her work is in the collection of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, American Family Children's Hospital, American Center in Madison, Wisconsin and other health care centers in the United States and Europe."

Photograph of a pond reflection containing waterlilies with white blooms, leafy green plants with pink flowers and various green foliage. Dominant colors and greens and blues

Janis Senungetuk, Late August Thai Pavilion Reflection Pool, 2017, Photography, 24” x 36”

August: Alex Haunty

Image of a smiling man with brown hair and glasses wearing a black tuxedo, white shirt, and black bowtie

About the Artwork:
"Alex Haunty is an artist with a big heart to love people, paint happiness and bring life to everyone around him. While living with a cognitive disability, Alex uses his unique challenges as a springboard to achieve his dreams and has become a source of inspiration for many. Known for his bright whimsical colors, Alex paints originals using acrylic and oil on canvas. Alex donates a significant portion of the proceeds from his art sales to his nonprofit, Alex Haunty’s Theater and Arts Fund, Inc. (AHTAFI). The non-profit buys tickets to take people with cognitive disabilities to Broadway shows at Madison's Overture Center for the Arts. They also have helped create visual and performing art workshops for people with disabilities through Inspiring Hope Ministries. AHTAFI’s vision is to promote access to the arts for people with disabilities through an integrated arts community model." 

Painting of a bright yellow sunflower with a stem and green leaf extending from each side and a solid bright red background

Alex Haunty, Summer’s Fire, 2020, Acrylic on canvas, 24” x 20”

September: Maron Massey

Black and white image of a blonde woman with a ponytail painting at a canvas in an art studio

About the Artwork:
"As a local artist I love to draw inspiration from nature and landscapes around me. I find beauty in bright colors and unique color combinations. When I create work I hope the viewer first notices my color palette and then images secondary. I enjoy finding balance using different colors and patterns to keep the viewer's eye flowing throughout my paintings."

Painting of a red and green bike against a dotted background of bright green transitioning to dark blue at the bottom, representing the ground

Maron Massey, Summer Ride, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 36” x 24”

October: Jennifer Peters

Photograph smiling woman with short brown hair and black glasses wearing a maroon top

About the Artwork:
"It is my sincere hope that my images introduce a world that people may overlook: the intricate nuances of natural forms. When delving into the visual dewdrops, veins of leaves, and seedpods of strange plants, I try to awaken our tastes for wanting to see their beauty in detail. It is with up close exploration that connects me deeply with our precious natural world. I believe that within a dewdrop the oceans reside. I explore these delicate fragments of nature as abstract forms of art."

Photograph of golden, green and reddish grass texture

Jennifer Peters, Whimsical, 2019, Photography, 30” x 40”

November: Simona Aizicovici

Photograph of a woman with long brown hair and glasses wearing a blue jacket standing next to a small, framed work of art that has a purple "award" ribbon attached to it

About the Artwork:
"
My love for nature is reflected in my art. My pictures are not painted with watercolor but with pressed flowers, grasses, and leaves, as well as with things that, at first glance, might not symbolize beauty: peels from fruits or vegetables, bark, fluff, straw, weeds, moss, or roots. I choose them to best represent what I want. In a way, I give them a new life as part of a beautiful picture, in which they can achieve perfect harmony. These are the paints I use, these are nature's paints, and no two are alike.

Using these miracles of nature I can artistically express my feelings, and create paintings that represent my ideas.

Pressed flower art is not well known in the United States and I am now focusing on showcasing my art in Dane County, my home for the past few years."

Collaged image of a fall scene with trees and red leaves surrounding a path that extends into the distance. In the foreground is a white bench and lamp post.

Simona Aizicovici, Autumn in the Park, 2018, Pressed plant materials, 11” x 14”

December: Maria Amalia Wood

Image of a smiling woman with long brown hair and a pink and black striped long sleeve top

About the Artwork:
"A native of Honduras, Maria Amalia maintains a studio in Middleton, Wisconsin, and enjoys working with textiles, papermaking and community-focused storytelling. With a creative process that embraces a personal and socially engaged art practice, her work delves into the complexities of a life lived between Central America and the Midwestern United States.

'Viajes del Horizonte' was created during Maria Amalia’s art residency at Pinney Library. Informed by life journeys, sunsets, and the migration of monarch butterflies, this piece was made with the Madison community. Children made and pulp painted paper, and 10 Latina immigrants helped embroider it as they shared their life journeys. Sunsets comfort us in the midst of uncertainty and through them we can all find common ground through a brief period of shared beauty. Anyone, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and legal status can experience the same sunset and dream of a better future."

Brightly colored patchwork-like abstract composition with blues and purples at the top, transitioning to vibrant reds, oranges and yellow. Butterfly shapes are interspersed throughout the composition.

Maria Amalia, Viajes del Horizonte, 2022, Handmade paper, disperse pigments, thread, 60” x 60,” Pinney Library Permanent Art Collection

Dane Arts would like to thank Douglas Art and Frame for their generous support in framing the annual Dane Arts Poster.

Thank you, Paul Dougals! 

Sales Locations

2023 calendars cost $12 each (plus sales tax) and will be available beginning in November, 2022. The calendar is also available for purchase online.

Municipal Hall Sales

Calendars are available for purchase at the following municipal halls: The City Halls of Fitchburg and Middleton, and the Town of Dunn.

Thank you to our 2023 sales partners!