CREATE Portage County hosted the fifth installment of its Phantom Gallery series on Saturday, Feb. 17, turning an unexpected Portage County venue into an art gallery for one night to showcase local artists and performers. This rendition, “Interplay,” showcased the language of movement and how it impacted each artist’s work.
CREATE Portage County keeps the location of each Phantom Gallery event a secret until the day before the event. It was announced on Friday that the Interplay party would take place in Eron’s Event Barn, six and a half miles west of town by County Highway C.
The barn’s charming and serene exterior could have deceived attendees into believing they had arrived at the wrong time or place had the tones of saxophone not beckoned them inside.
A brief walk into the building and up a well-lit staircase revealed a lively gallery with sculptures and photographs on display, accompanied by live music, a bar for drinks and hors d’oeuvres and a station for guests to have their portrait sketched.
A towering ebony hand displayed next to a banner bearing the word “Awareness” greeted guests at the front door, alongside an informative sign detailing Dr. Ann Hutchinson Guest’s development of the Movement Alphabet, creating symbolic representation for movement and direction.
This hand, and the other sculptures present at the gallery, were created by Baraboo native Riley Fichter.
In one corner of the gallery, local artists Jade Arnold and Zach Strenger of Thousand Lumens Productions screened their short film “PreFrontal.”, a vignette about mindfulness and presence in an age of media.
Arnold gave credit to CREATE Portage County’s IDEA Center for fostering a space for creators in the area to come together and produce art. Calling it a “collaborative workspace,” Arnold encouraged students and content creators in the community to check out the center.
An hour into the event, a troupe from the Transcribing Dance Company performed for the crowd of enthused attendants. They were applauded and well-received by their audience, and performed again an hour later.
CREATE Portage County’s Phantom Gallery series is one of the organization’s many efforts to encourage local arts, creativity, and culture. Those interested in learning more about CREATE Portage County and their events, or the IDEA center, can visit their website at createportagecounty.org.
Calvin Lemieux
Reporter
calvin.g.lemieux@uwsp.edu