Feature image: Criner, Companion. Courtesy of Rountree Gallery
submitted
Exhibit Dates: June 26 –August 9, 2025
Artist Reception: Friday, June 27, 4:00–7:00 PM
Platteville, Wisconsin – Rountree Gallery is pleased to present two dynamic exhibits: SYNTHESIZE, a group exhibition featuring the work of four Chicago-based artists whose creative practices bridge the worlds of music and visual art – and in the upper gallery, Prompt, a group exhibit of artists from Wisconsin and Minnesota whose work was part of a nine-month experiment using prompts to create new work.
The exhibits open on Thursday, June 26 and will be on view through Saturday, August 9. A public reception with the artists will be held on Friday, June 27 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the gallery.
SYNTHESIZE includes artists Zach Balousek, Margie Criner, John T. Upchurch, and Lucie Van der Elst, and each brings a musical lens to their visual work, using tone, rhythm, repetition, and improvisation as structural and conceptual foundations. Together, their ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, and illustrations create a visual symphony — resonant, layered, and rich with movement. From interactive ceramic instruments to intricate miniature installations crafted from reclaimed guitar wood, the exhibit invites viewers to experience how sound can take shape. The work on display reflects each artist’s deep connection to musical practice and performance, resulting in a dynamic exchange between sight and sound. SYNTHESIZE explores questions of balance, timing, and form, challenging viewers to tune into the subtle harmonies found in texture, space, and material.
Prompt features Mary Bergs (WI), Elaine Rutherford, Carolyn Swiszcz, and Michon Weeks (MN), who were part of a longstanding artist critique group. After several years apart, the group reconnected through a collaborative project: a nine-month creative experiment in which they took turns offering prompts, each serving as a spark for new work.
The artist reception on June 27 offers a chance to meet the exhibiting artists and learn more about the ideas and processes behind their work. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.
Gallery Info
Rountree Gallery is a nonprofit contemporary art space located in downtown Platteville. Our mission is to support and showcase regional and national artists while fostering creative engagement in the community.
Gallery Hours: Thursdays and Fridays 4 PM to 7 PM and Saturdays 10 AM to 2 PM
Admission: Free
Website: www.rountreegallery.org
Social Media: @rountreegallery
Contact
Bill Mitchell, Gallery Director
Rountree Gallery, 120 W. Main Street, Platteville, WI
773.415.8215
rountreegallery@gmail.com