During the months of January and February, First Church is host to a display
of art by Wayne and Ann Sisel. Wayne works in paint, and Ann in
fabric. Here are their introductions to themselves and their work.
Wayne Sisel
My art journey began in Architecture School at the University
of Nebraska in the 1960's, I savored the art classes that were
part of the curriculum. After graduation, career and family occupied
my life for about 25 years, and art was put on the back burner.
In the early 90's, while still working at the University of Minnesota,
I enrolled in an evening watercolor class under the late Malcolm
Myers. Art was back in my life! Since I retired two years ago,
I have found more time to paint and have taken several intensive
water media workshops by nationally recognized painters.
Wherever I travel, be it in another country or in the neighborhood,
I find inspiring subjects to paint. I'm constantly looking for
images to interpret in everything I see: color, light, forms,
textures and patterns. Buildings, landscapes, and people are amongst
my favorite subjects.
Recent trips to The Czech and Slovak Republics, Maui, and the
Georgia coast inspired several paintings in this show. Other paintings
depict some of my favorite local haunts, the grain elevators along
the railroad tracks near University Avenue in SE Minneapolis.
Recently, I've expanded my palette to include acrylics. I have
found that some subjects or images are more suitable to the opaqueness
and stronger colors that acrylics offer, while other subjects
are better rendered in transparent watercolors.
Ann Sisel
My formal education began in my late thirties when I went back
to school at Macalester and received my BA in fine arts. I worked
with Jerry Rudquist and other great teachers. I was always knitting
or weaving while my daughters were young so the fiber connection
was firm.
By this time I was hooked. I managed to find a balance in my
life with work, family and art. Now that I am retired, I still
juggle family, volunteer work, gardening, fiber arts, and painting.
I am one of the lucky ones and will never be bored.
My inspirations come from nature and love of materials. Since
I am committed to the environment, I recycle found materials into
art. For example, I make collages out of scraps of fabric, papers,
and yarn.
In this show I am including samples of my knitted shawls. I also
knit in wire and create small pins for fiber artists. Some of
my textiles can be found in the shop at the Textile Center of
Minnesota.
