Advertisement Hemker, a Barre Mills resident, began painting in earnest about 4 1/2 years ago. “I picked it up as a hobby after my kids grew up,” Hemker said.
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Onalaska’s Joyce Diveley started pottery and other clay art forms within the past 10 years.
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She had painted in high school but family and other demands prevented her developing her talents. After taking some art classes, however, her interest has been rekindled.
“I like nature and animals. Photography and painting are my passions — I get excited about painting!” Hemker said.
Her painting medium is mostly watercolors, although she sometimes “plays around” with acrylics as well. Following her interest in animals, Hemker has earned commissions to paint portraits of people’s pets.
One recent development that she is excited about is varnished watercolors. “You don’t have to keep the painting behind glass — it’s a new thing that I hope to introduce to some people at the show,” she said.
Hemker’s photography does double duty in that she loves to paint from some of the pictures she takes. “I will have some of my photography at the show, too,” Hemker said.
Like Hemker, Onalaska’s Diveley took up her art later on in life. “I took a pottery class from Betty Kendrick at The Gallery Behind the Brewery back in 2000 and really liked it. I was instantly hooked on clay,” recalled Diveley.
A self-employed architectural designer for 33 years, she was looking for a new challenge. “After I took the class I kind of got into it. My husband built me a pottery shed in the backyard and I have my own kiln,” Diveley said.
She does both functional and non-functional work and has already won several awards, including a Wisconsin Regional Artist’s Association award.
After 33 years of working with architectural plans, Diveley enjoys the freedom of designing something exactly as the mood strikes her.
“It’s been a fun change for me. I like that it’s so creative. Although I give some thought to the market, I can do things that I like. Often I lose track of time — I can get pretty focused,” she admitted.
Diveley’s functional work can be whimsical, while her wall art can be either abstract or as realistic as an egret in flight.
“My work is light-hearted, brilliantly colored and unique. No two pieces are ever exactly alike,” Diveley said.
