“We Always Had Chickens” is the current exhibition by Wisconsin artist Lorraine Ortner-Blake. Even as their dairy farming practices changed over the years, her mother would often say, “Well, we always had chickens.” It was just one among many, many memories of Lorraine’s youth. She has captured more in this collection. The Bone Creek staff share a story about their favorite painting and invite you to share your memories that these paintings inspire.
“Picking Mulberries”
Collections Manager, Gabrielle Comte- “As a kid living in town, moments when I got to participate in a “farm kid” activity such as picking fruits or vegetables made lasting impressions on me. While visiting grandma’s farm, we would walk down the driveway to the mailbox every afternoon, stopping halfway to check if the mulberries on the tree were plump, purple and ready for eating. My best friend from kindergarten had a tree in his backyard, and one warm afternoon we bravely climbed to the very top branches. We spent the afternoon snacking on mulberries–the dark sweet ones for him and the tart pink ones for me–each returning for supper later with purple hands, feet and lips. This painting brings me back to the perspective of a child, when climbing a tree was like being on top of the world.”
“Picking Apples”
Assistant to Operations, Sarah Juranek- “Each autumn my dad picks apples from the sole surviving apple tree that his grandparents planted on the family farm. He stands on top of a little old shed, once a home for baby ostriches but now used as an art studio, with an apple-picking pole to reach the topmost branches. Once our harvest is complete my mom’s daycare kids watch with delight while he peels the apples on an apple peeler. They are too sour to eat alone but make the best crock-pot applesauce and strudel.”
“Calligraphy for Church”
Curator, Amanda Guenther- “This painting is one of my favorites in the exhibition. It doesn’t really evoke a specific memory from my childhood but I can imagine it as representative of the memories that my children might have. I envision myself as the mom at the table making rolls. I am always in the kitchen and make many things from scratch. My four daughters could easily be among this group of helpers; washing, sweeping, crafting, and taking care of siblings. I love all the details in her painting. I like how the grid details of the floor come into focus with an intricate design and then fades into the church, and garden, and other features in the painting.”
Learn more about the exhibition and plan to visit this summer!