Visiting Artist & Exhibition Featuring Larry Welo & Eddie Mitchell

Larry Welo's career began in 1974 and he learned by doing. Northeastern Iowa, where Welo spent his college years, is a visually stimulating place, and living there he drew the things around him. The places that Welo drew became the subjects of his etchings. It became more than drawing places, however, his survival was determined by what he made. Evolving from looking at places came seeing. Seeing meant that from daily observation and translation through drawing, he developed the skill of looking at the world in terms of two-dimensional design. Ideas are of great importance and as an artist being able to communicate those ideas is of the greatest importance. This is something that Welo has attempted throughout his long career.  Looking is something that he was born with, seeing and communicating what is seen, is something that had been learned.

For Eddie Mitchell, the thing that is most inspiring is a resplendent, sun-filled day. He loves the play of sunshine as it enlivens everything and creates strong patterns of highlight and shadow. There seems to be a universal and irresistible sense of optimism in the sunlight. It is this optimism that Mitchell conveys in his paintings. He is also intrigued by the mysterious and immense energy of color which he uses to enhance his play of light. These elements of light and color, he finds endlessly fascinating and his wish is to create a dramatic and cheerful world.