Into the Woods I Go - Art Exhibit at the Hallberg Center for the Arts

Into the Forest I Go... based on the quote by John Muir "Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." artwork by Jennifer Schroeder & Steve Hudak in the Freemore Gallery, proudly sponsored by Kno2 & Premier Marine. Steven Hudak: "Having been born and raised in rural Minnesota, with parents who loved the outdoors and camping, I naturally developed a passion for it as well . As a child every weekend was spent at a Minnesota State Park or Forest, and I will always cherish those memories. My artistic abilities are a gift that I realized I had at a very young age. After trying other mediums in the formative years, I settled on carving wood to express emotions and epiphanies. The beauty and gratification of working with this medium, became a natural fit for me. Being self-taught , the sculpting of wood has been a challenge and journey I've enjoyed. With countless days spent walking in the woods, I have always been drawn to the beauty in trees. Even more so , the attraction to ones that were dead or bark has been removed. I loved the smoothness, the revealing of the grain and being able to see the life the tree once had.I try to capture that in my work as well. Being more intentional with the flow and lines of the piece, than anatomically correct. I am presently retired and sculpting again, Enjoying each day with my wonderful wife Sue!" - Steven Hudak Jennifer Schroeder is a contemporary artist who enjoys creating artwork of nature. She focuses on trees because of their unusual characteristics and textures. Her paintings are inspired by her travels and her goal is to create a fun, bright feeling in a minimalistic style, "I am an artist who grew up in Minnesota. Raised in a creative family, my mom always did art projects with my sisters and I, even packing art supplies to bring on our summer vacations up north. We have been creating artwork as long as we can remember! Although it's been enjoyable working with many mediums and techniques over the years, this bright, minimalistic style of painting trees and landscapes has been my focus. I love nature and find my inspirations in the beautiful world around us. I thank my husband for being a great motivator to share my artwork with others". - Jennifer Schroeder This exhibit is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the East Central Regional Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. This project also receives funding from the St. Croix Valley Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin.