Written by Frank Juarez
Yesterday I spent the afternoon visiting OS Projects, Racine Art Museum, and visiting the studio of Diane Levesque. It felt great to be out-n-about for a few hours with an intinerary that would minimize distractions.
My first visit to OS Projects was about a year ago, which I happen to see the mixed media works and polymer clay sculptures by Racine-based Diane Levesque. This visit led to connecting with her on Instagram after the exhibition and a year later a studio visit. If you have not visited the gallery, I would recommend that you do.
OS Projects is a contemporary art gallery in downtown Racine, which features visual artists in solo and small group exhibits. The gallery’s primary focus is on artists living and working from Chicago to Milwaukee. The building that houses OS Projects was designed by the award-winning Milwaukee firm, Johnsen Schmaling Architects, and in 2020 received an Honor Award from AIA Wisconsin for overall architectural design excellence.
Since mid-March, life took an unexpected turn into the unknown from all facets of art, exhibitions, and events. Most galleries transitioned their arts programming into virtual online experiences whilst some took a break to reassess on how to tackle this new reality. As galleries continue to move forward in whichever direction best compliments their programming and safety for others, OS Projects opened its doors to the community of Racine with its two-person exhibition titled, “Wondering/Wandering”. This exhibition featured new work by Kristen Bartel and Mary Bergs.
When I saw this exhibition promoted online I knew that I had to see it. Both Bergs and Bartel were featured in Artdose Magazine Vol 25 and 26, respectively. I found myself a bit surprised by what I saw, in a good way. I made an immediate connection to Bartel’s use of photographs and paint and Bergs’s collages all of which address the landscape from their own perspectives. Perhaps this can lead into an Artdose Talks w/ Artdose Magazine. Hmmmmmmmm.
“Wondering/Wandering” ends October 17, 2020
Photo by Artdose Magazine.
If you go:
OS Projects
601 6th Street, Racine, Wisconsin 53403
Hours: Saturdays, 12 – 5pm and by appointment
Masks are required.
Read about OS Projects in our current issue of Artdose Magazine Vol 29. Written by Rachel Hausmann Schall.