Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Standing in front of Paul Castagna's "Worldly Reliefs" is Arlene Schneller, executor of the late artist's collection.
By JEAN NORDINE
Ironwood - As part of the 2018 Festival Ironwood, Thursday night the Downtown Art Place held a reception and talk for "Promises," a Paul Castagna retrospective, honoring the late local artist.
Wine and hors d'oeuvres were served as the public enjoyed learning more about the artist, while viewing 40 of his pieces.
Born in 1946 in Ashland, Wis., to second generation Italian and Corsican parents, Castagna started painting as a teenager. After finishing Hurley high school, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior art department and enjoyed many years as a self-employed artist before became an art instructor at Gogebic Community College.
Arlene Schneller was a student of Castagna's and they developed a special friendship. Castagna died in 2015, but prior to his passing, he asked Schneller to be in charge of exhibiting his art upon his death.
He also requested Schneller donate one of his art pieces to a museum and specified proceeds from any sales be used for local art projects and children's programs.
Schneller said she had no idea what she was promising. She thought he may have 30 to 40 pieces, but when going through his house and studio, she found around 125 pieces. Forty pieces have been framed so far and "Promises" is the second showing of his work.
As far as getting a piece into a museum, Schneller is "working on it," lobbying people who have connections to art museums. She has a particular piece in mind to donate, a 13-by-four foot political statement about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since Castagna's passing, money from sales have funded the painting of murals in the Downtown Art Park and been used for award money for the photography exhibition, "Through the Eye of the Camera."
According to DAP, "Castagna's masterful works are layered with highly detailed backgrounds that provide thought-provoking imagery. He was a visionary who worked uniquely through his own personal expression. Paul wanted viewers to elicit their own emotional responses to his work, to experience their own personal connection."
"Painting is another language. It's a direct language like music...like very slow music, and like every other language, it must be learned, even by the painter," he said.
"Promises" is on display in the concourse of the Historic Ironwood Theatre through July 27.
The exhibit is sponsored by Aspirus, Extreme Tool, Paul Castagna Memorial, Jacquart Fabric Products, Robert and Annette Burchell, Coleman Engineering, Ironwood Area Business and Professional Women, Dean Law Office, Gogebic Community College, Tom and Lee Brown (in memory of Greg Seaman) and Polly Barbacovi.
