| FRIENDS |
Join us - become a Friend of The Painted Forest! The Painted Forest, a unique historical art site located in Valton, Wisconsin (Sauk County), needs friends who will collaborate with Edgewood College and the Kohler Foundation, Inc. in the artistic and educational mission of the site and its conservation. In the late 1890s, an itinerant German painter, Ernest Hüpeden, was asked by the local members of the Modern Woodmen of America (MWA - a fraternal insurance group) to paint a stage backdrop for their meeting lodge or "camp." The group liked Hüpeden's paintings so much they asked him to paint the interior, including the ceiling, with murals depicting the rituals of MWA initiation and a vision of the future "metropolis" of Valton. The Kohler Foundation, Inc., recognized internationally for support of the arts and for art conservation and preservation, purchased the site in 1980 and arranged for the restoration of the remarkable murals. On October 2, 2004, the Kohler Foundation presented the site to Edgewood College to serve as the new "guardian." The Kohler Foundation and Edgewood College have recently collaborated in the construction of an art studio on site, as well as the development of educational programs, workshops, and art presentation for the public. All who are interested in Wisconsin art, especially "outsider art" and artists, are invited to join The Friends of the Painted Forest. Friends support this important project in various ways - volunteering service as docents, caretakers, educators, lecturers, and historians. Friends may work at the site or help with Edgewood College-based projects. The Friends will also develop a fund whose income will provide funding for programs, workshops, scholarships and supplies. Friends of the Painted Forest will also receive updates on programs and developments related to the Painted Forest and Edgewood College Art Studio and Study Center, along with information about Edgewood College art events. Join today - print and mail the Membership Form or for more information, contact:
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