On Tuesday, February 11, regional artists and UW-Platteville alumni gathered to celebrate the third annual Nohr Gallery “Small Works Exhibition.” This juried exhibit features a variety of artworks that measure twelve inches or less in all dimensions and weigh under 45 pounds. While the call for art was open to all artists, the exhibition provides an opportunity for regional artists and UW-Platteville alumni to revisit Nohr Gallery and reminisce on their artistic roots.
“I loved UW-Platteville and my time there,” said Greg Senn, a 1982 graduate who currently resides in New Mexico with his wife, Barbara. “Coming across this venue and being able to participate in these exhibits for the past three years has been fun for me. My family and friends in Wisconsin have also been able to see my work firsthand.”
Senn began his college career with an interest in marine biology, but his path soon changed during his sophomore year after taking his fine arts elective in ceramics. By the end of the semester, he was addicted to clay.
“I was fortunate to have some extremely good faculty when I attended UW-Platteville,” recalled Senn. “As a student of Roger Gottschalk, I was introduced to the idea of small-scale ceramic sculpture, and creating 'miniatures' fit right into the ideas that Bud Wall introduced in his jewelry classes.”
Senn was encouraged to work sculpturally with clay and pursued his undergraduate degree in this area. He graduated from UW-Platteville in December 1982 and continued following his passion for clay by obtaining his graduate degree in ceramic sculpture. He continues to pass on his joy for the for the fine arts by teaching at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico.
“Roger Gottschalk and Bud Wall were incredibly influential in my direction before graduate school. Much of what I learned from them helped me in grad school, and much of my teaching style grew out of what I saw of theirs. I still reference them regularly in my classroom,” explained Senn. “Staying involved via these shows keeps these ideas fresh in my mind. I hope that my students feel the same 20 years from now as they participate in shows here.”
While also continuing to dabble in jewelry making, Senn’s artwork focuses on metal and cast resin sand. Two of Senn’s cast resin sand sculptures that investigate the abuse of women and the “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women” movement are currently on display in the third annual Nohr Gallery “Small Works Exhibition.”
The “Small Works Exhibition” is open to the public most weekdays from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. until Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.