Volume X, Issue IV, November 2019
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Non-Profit ORG Postage PAID David City Volume, Issue IV Permit No. 3 575 E Street | David City, NE 68632 2019 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED XIXII 2019 NOVEMBER ERNIE OCHSNER RETROSPECTIVE NOV 22 FEB 16, 2020 rnest Ochsner has spent a lifetime “My paintings and photographs have their Here I find a never-ending wellspring of devoted to painting the rural roots in my search for meaning and inspiration, spiritual sustenance and landscapes of Nebraska. Born in purpose; it is a spiritual quest. The land, transcendent beauty,” writes Ochsner. bonecreek.org E South Dakota in 1944, Ernie wanted to be sky and agricultural forms are metaphors, an artist since he was four years old. “I archetypes extending back to the dawn of As I have seen Ochsner’s work over the have worked towards that goal, in a civilization, woven through the religions, years I have always thought he used very singular fashion, save a few minor detours stories, and songs that spring from them. powerful greens. When I asked him about along the way,” wrote Ernie. He spent his that, he gave an unsurprised response but childhood summers outdoors along the confessed that he is color blind and greens are particularly dicult to decipher. T AR UGH O THR D AN L E H T O T E PL O E P School Creek and the Platte and Blue ng i t c e n n co River bottoms. This mix of natural and I recall seeing a painting of a field of agricultural environment left a deep soybeans that always stuck with me. impression on him. He is continually The greens were so vivid, I thought that drawn back to rivers both for renewal must not be true to life, but one summer and inspiration. Since 1974, Ernie and his horseback riding north of David City I saw wife, Lynda, have lived in downtown a soybean field that was just as green as Aurora, Nebraska. the Ochsner painting of which I had been skeptical. Remarkably, Ochsner is a self-taught artist. He defends his solitary training, I hope that you have a chance to see this “believing in my own muse rather than that body of paintings representing decades of work by a truly genuine artist with a keen XII of others.” This retrospective exhibition eye, turning the ordinary into something includes his earlier work with abstraction. The rigid geometry of the agricultural He has also found deep pleasure and extraordinary. NOVEMBER lands and the seeming chaos of the natural meaning in painting figurative work and 2019 -Amanda Mobley Guenther, curator NEWSLETTER seem at odds, but beneath the surface portraits. Now, he most often paints in his there is the harmony of cycles and seasons, Agrarian Art Agrarian studio with photos as his guide, occasional- with earth, air and water relinquishing IMAGES Issue IV Issue Volume, ly juxtaposing pieces of several photos to nourishment to hungry roots and leaves. Ernie Ochsner, Boone County Autumn, 24x30” create his compositions. Ernie Ochsner, Bales, 30x30” CALENDAR of EVENTS news events FROM THE FIELD CURATOR UPDATE Halloween at the Museum NEWS any of you know that I have been a steady 31 Thursday, Oct. 31, 4-8pm OCT presence at the museum since shortly after its M opening in 2008. I had just graduated from UNL and was working at the Great Plains Art Museum Braceros: Melding History when I attended one of the first exhibitions hosted at Bone 17 and Art Creek. I began working full time as Assistant Curator at the NOV museum. In the last eleven years, I have been pleased to be Now through Nov. 17, 2019 able to keep working and growing at Bone Creek even as Preview 2020 my needs and availability changed, with getting married, of moving to Lincoln, earning a graduate degree and having Four exciting new exhibitions unique to Bone Creek Museum are scheduled Gallery closed for installation 20 children. My passion for this niche market of Agrarian Art for 2020, in addition to exhibitions of the growing permanent collection. DALE NICHOLS CORNER Nov. 20 and 21, 2019 has become so strong that other opportunities to move NOV over the years to a bigger museum have not had an appeal. In keeping with agrarian tradition J. BREWER: GARDEN SYMPHONIES 2020 VISION: It feels so good to have a change of season. In and culture, family has always been a strong draw for me. For years I have wanted to relocate to this spirit we will be transitioning the permanent FEB 19 APRIL 19, 2020 NEBRASKA’S TOP 20 Ernie Ochsner Retrospective my hometown area in Northern California and that time has finally come. As the museum collection gallery to feature Nichols’ Four 22 board of directors assesses what is best for the museum’s future growth, I will continue to serve For more than a decade J. Brewer has been AUG 1 NOV 15, 2020 Seasons paintings (Autumn painting pictured Nov. 22, 2019- Feb. 16, 2020 as curator remotely. It is important for me to share and explain that I will miss seeing you at the NOV quietly creating a massive collection of One artwork each by 20 of the best living and below) and other classics from the collection. Opening reception - next reception or event. Rural communities and visual arts will continue to shine with the work large-scale floral paintings from his home and working agrarian artists in the state will be a Nov. 22, 5-7pm of Bone Creek Museum. studio near Kearney, Nebraska. Bone Creek is long-lasting testament to the talent we have in proud to exhibit these formerly hidden gems. Sincerely, Nebraska. Anne Burkholder (image below) is Volunteer Christmas Party Amanda one of the 20 featured artists. 10 Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2-4pm DEC CORNFEST 2019 A picture is worth a thousand words to recap the wonderful event held in September. Guests enjoyed a unique event packed with highlights including live music by Oscar Rios Pohirieth, a dance Horizon 1117 - Spring Wheat Near Brainard Dale Nichols, Ghosts of Halloween, 30x40” performance by Orgullo Latino, poetry and Zinnias No. 35 historical conversations with David Catalán, Museum Hours dinner by Taqueria Hernandez, carriage KARL KUERNER: LOUISE BEREUTER: Wed, Fri, Sat 10am-4pm rides around the park and a silent auction. THE ART SPIRIT IN AGRARIAN ART GRAIN ELEVATORS Thursday 10am-8pm Each year Cornfest has had its own flavor APRIL 22 JULY 26, 2020 NOV 18, 2020 MARCH 2021 TBD Sunday 1pm-4pm and one of a kind oerings and we plan to Karl Kuerner brings to Bone Creek a view into Local area grain elevators, some of which are 99 continue this tradition in future years. WORTHY $ +tax the well-known Kuerner family farm in the no longer standing, are the focus of this 49 Appointments and tours available Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania in a collection by Louise Bereuter. RIVALS (Top) Oscar Rios Pohirieth reserved style that emphasizes the quiet (Middle) Carriage Rides moments of farm life. FREE admission AWARD (Bottom) Orgullo dancers WINNER 2019 402.367.4488 www.bonecreek.org MPMA AWARD Order online or Anna Nolan (Covault) and Allen Covault accepted another publication design award from the contact the Mountain-Plains Museums Association at its annual conference in Albuquerque this museum to September. Bone Creek Museum was recognized for the publication design of the 2018 book purchase Worthy Rivals: Dale Nichols and Terence Duren. We are very fortunate to regularly work with Ashley Cameron, who designed the book, written by Cole Sartore and printed by bonecreek.org Innerworkings, Inc. First Cutting Grain Elevator 575 E St., David City, NE 68632.