LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – The elevator pitch for the WI Proud Artist of the Month would be: Exposing the area’s artists and the beautiful work they create. From painters to writers, from sculptors to actors, and every medium you can imagine, Western Wisconsin is riddled with artists of all kinds. All of them creating beautiful and important works, right in our backyard. Learn who they are and why they create.
Art is important. Art is integral. Art is everything. We are surrounded by art every single minute of our lives. We see paintings, sculptures, and physical works of art everywhere. We find publicly commissioned art in the form of murals, reliefs, photography and other mediums throughout the towns we live in. Most everyone can name their favorite song band or musical genre. The same goes for books, poetry, plays, musicals and the writers of all of those types of art. And all of it, the various ways in which a person can express themselves artistically, is being practiced next door to you right this minute.
That person you met while you both picked perfect tomatoes… might be the painter behind the painting you love in your favorite restaurant. That iconic (to you) photo in the library might have been taken by the same person helping you check out books. The band you heard at the tavern last night, the actor in the community theatre show you went to, the poet with a printed collection in the local bookstore, all may be people that you interact with every day, and you have no idea. I want to bring some of those people into focus for the incredible citizens of this area that I love so very much.
It’s with that respect and admiration for the artist and their works in mind that makes me believe that Artist of the Month has found the perfect sponsor in B-Framed Galleries of Eau Claire.
It felt like meeting an old friend, a kindred spirit when I had the pleasure of speaking with the owner of B-Framed Galleries, Cynthia Wing-Reed. Not only is her gallery filled to the brim with eclectic and impressive pieces (two, full, floors of artwork), but she also speaks with reverence for the artist. She has respect and admiration for the work, the people that create it, and the various souls that collect it.
B-Framed has been providing the Chippewa Valley with the most distinguished fine art since 1976. Cynthia, and B-Framed, has displayed one-of-a-kind originals, featured international artists, famous Wisconsin artists, hand-embellished prints, Wisconsin ceramics, 3-D art, local professional art photography, sculpture and so very much more. She boasts local, national and international artists. She has abstracts, Americana, art scarves, European pieces, Figurative, historical, sports, mirrors, nature-based, evidence-based art for the healthcare industry and, again, so very much more.
And to be perfectly honest, that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to B-Framed Galleries. Cynthia can also bring your custom framing vision to life. Do you have a piece that needs a frame to match its heft? Cynthia can help. did you create something that you need professionally framed? Cynthia can help. Whatever your framing needs, the design professionals at B-Framed Galleries can take care of you… and then some.
And let’s not forget about the complete corporate and healthcare art services and consulting that B-Framed, and specifically, Cynthia, can provide. The astounding team at B-Framed has created complete art collections for entire hospital and clinic buildings. To name a few, B-Framed provided all the artistic pieces for 3 separate emergency/trauma centers, a 5-story bed tower, and a cancer center. B-Framed has a vast history of large and small departments of all kinds and services within a 200-mile radius of their gallery in Eau Claire. They have provided complete services (from design and curation, through custom framing, professional delivery and installation) for legal and financial institutions, senior living centers, funeral homes, local government buildings, and, again, so very much more. That service has created unique opportunities for artists and photographers to be a part of permanent corporate and healthcare collections.
I am immensely proud to welcome B-Framed Galleries to the Artist of the Month team. Together, we will continue to bring you the artists and their stories that help to make Western Wisconsin so rich. We will continue to highlight the artful people, events, and excursions in our area. We will continue to show you the beauty that is lying right outside of your front door.
Stay tuned, friends. We’ve only just begun!
