UWGB connections provide heavy lifting for art event

UW-Green Bay art faculty member Professor Christine Style, as well as a number of UWGB alumni, staff and current students, found a unique way to put ink on paper recently — a multi-ton steamroller.

The Steamroller Print event on September 5-6 was part of a multifaceted “Exquisite Corpse” project organized by Hardy Gallery in Ephraim, Wis. with Style’s guidance.

The Village of Ephraim steamroller was used as a giant printing press, rolling over the inked boards to transfer an image onto paper to create six-foot high printed figures. Twenty artists carved woodblocks for the steamroller print event included eight UWGB students and alumni along with other Door County artists.

In addition to guiding the steamroller prints, Style was the project organizer for a the Exquisite Corpse Print Exchange. Style solicited and recruited 28 Wisconsin artists from throughout the state to design and produce an original print edition of either the head, torso, waist or legs section — later to be randomly combined to complete seven 44-inch high full figures that are on display in The Hardy Gallery.

Digital images of the exchange prints were then used by Prof. Style to design and produce interactive flipbooks that are for sale at The Hardy Gallery. “The Exquisite Corpse Head-to-Toe and End-to-End” exhibit continues through October 13 at The Hardy Gallery on the Anderson Dock. One full set of 28 11″ x 15″ original prints are now part of the UWGB Printmaking Collection.

“Exquisite corpse” is an early 20th century parlor game by which images are collectively created with each artist knowing only his or her part and where to meet up with the other parts.

UWGB artists who participated in the event were current students Brian Galloway and Natalie Vann, and former UWGB students Billy Wenner, Gena Selby, Donna Bensen, Philip Enderby, Brandon Langer, Nadia Juhnke and Chad Peters. UWGB alumni and art instructors Johanna Winters, Danica Oudeans and Don Kroumpos, and UWGB Arts Management graduate Anne Soderlund, an intern at The Hardy Gallery, also worked with the group.

Photos contributed by Dennis Connolly and Scott Roberts

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