MAUREEN FRITCHEN
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Most current work can be found on Instagram.
Born in Chicago, I currently live and work in Racine, Wisconsin, where I have a studio at the 16th Street Studios.
The impact of consumerism on our environment is ever present in my art. Exploring industrial waste material as my principal medium has drastically changed my approach. Currently, my focus is on repurposing polyethylene foam, a material used in packaging that is not biodegradable and is a threat to our planet. In contrast, the biomorphic forms created are beautiful and sensuous. They are as alluring as they are disturbing.
Play is vital to my process; it allows me the freedom to fail. Materials that come my way also play an important role because they can dictate form and lead me to surprising outcomes. Both have influenced my current interests and for the first time in my career I’m exploring 3-D forms.
Solo Exhibitions
2024 James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI
2023 Racine Art Museum Fellowship Show
2015 Time and Again, Robert T. Wright Gallery of Art, College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL
Bits and Pieces Re:Vision Gallery, Kenosha, WI
2011 Towers, Anderson Art Center, 3-D Gallery, Kenosha, WI
2008 716 Fine Art Gallery, Racine, WI
2007 Regeneration, Anderson Art Center, Kenosha, WI
716 Fine Art Gallery, Kenosha, WI
Selected Juried and Invitational Exhibitions
2022 Magical Wilderness, Museum of Wisconsin Art
Midwestern Biennial, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL
Together, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI
2021 Waste Not, Uptown vacant building windows exhibit, Racine, WI
The Vital Art Project, Invitational, curator: Mimi Peterson, Racine, WI
2019 OS Projects, Racine, WI 2-person Exhibit
James May Gallery, Algoma, WI 3-person show
2018 Wisconsin Artists Biennial 2018, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI, Jurors
Katherine Chang Lui, Graeme Reid, Scott Zieher
Paper is Part of the Picture: Contemporary Paper, Anderson Gallery, Drake
University, Des Moines, IA
16th St. Studios Invitational, Gallery on 16th, Racine, WI
2017 14th Annual Regional Juried Exhibition, Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL, Juror Dan
Addington
Art On and About Paper, Wisconsin Visual Artists, University of Wisconsin-Parkside,
Jurors: Dara Larson and Max Yela
Kenosha & Racine Biennial Invitational Show, H.F. Johnson Gallery of Art, Carthage
College, Kenosha, WI
The Vital Art Project, Invitational, curator: Mimi Peterson, Racine, WI
Racine and Vicinity Show, Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, Racine, WI, Juror: Susan Barnett,
Watercolor Wisconsin , Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, Racine, WI, Jurors:
Peter Power and Doug Stapleton,
By Chance, Invitational Gallery on 16th, Racine,WI
2016 Midwestern Biennial, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL, Juror: Sara Krepp
FORWARD 2016: A Survey of Wisconsin Art, Charles Allis Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Juror: Susan Barnett
30x30x30, Var Gallery, Milwaukee WI, Jurors: Michael Davidson, Josh Hintz and Jason Yi
Watercolor Wisconsin, Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, Jurors: Byron
Roche and and Scott Ashley
Neutral, Invitational, Gallery on 16th, Racine, WI
2015 Watercolor Wisconsin, Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, Racine, WI , Jurors: Aron Packer and Victor Armendariz
I Am Here, Invitational, Artworks, Kenosha, WI
Transformations: Poets & Visual Artists, Invitational, Nick Ramsey, Racine Arts
Council, Racine, WI
Cigar Box Project, Libraries as Incubators, Traveling Exhibition, Hedberg Public
Library, Janesville, WI
2014 Wisconsin Artists Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI, Juror: Molly Zuckerman Hartung
Scratching the Surface, Invitational, Fine Art Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
Time Share, Invitational, Frank Juarez Gallery, Sheboygen, WI
Racine & Vicinity Show, Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, Juror: Wally Mason
2013 Why Abstraction? Invitational, Patricia A. Briggs, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Galleries, Kenosha, WI, 4-Person Show
Wisconsin Visual Artists Juried Exhibition, Alverno Collage, Milwaukee, WI
Wisconsin Visual Artists Annual Juried Exhibition, Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha, WI
Abstract II, Brickton Art Center, Park Ridge, IL
2012 Blutstein Brondino Fine Art, Invitational, Milwaukee, WI
B4S Gallery Invitational, Racine, WI, 2-person Show
Root River Response Invitational, Patricia A. Briggs, Black Eyed Press & Gallery, Racine, WI
2011 Racine & Vicinity Show, Racine Art Museum's Wustum, Racine, WI
It's Not What's on my Drawers, Black-Eyed Press, Racine, WI, 2-Person Show
B4S Gallery Invitational, Racine, WI
2010 FIVE: Racine Invasion Invitational, Artworks, Kenosha, WI
B4S Gallery Invitational, Racine, WI
Winter Juried Show, Anderson Art Center, Kenosha, WI
2009 Wisconsin Arts Board Gallery, Madison, WI, 2 Person Show
Shifting Boundaries, Racine Art Council Gallery, Racine, WI, 2-Person Show
Selected Awards
2022 Racine Art Museum Fellowship
2022 Together, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI First Place
2016 FORWARD 2016: A Survey of Wisconsin Art, Charles Allis Art Museum,
Milwaukee, WI, Honorable Mention
2011 Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, Racine And Vicinity Show, Merit Award
2010 Racine Art Museum's Wustum Museum, RAG Show, Merit Award
2009 Artworks, Curators Choice Award
2007 Anderson Art Center, Solo Show Award
2000 Charles Allis Museum, League of Milwaukee Painters, Curator's Choice Award
Publications
2018 Wisconsin Gazette, Wisconsin Artists Biennial presents contemporary perspectives,
materials.
2015 Transformations: Poets & Visual Artists, Invitational Exhibit, Racine Art Council, Book
2014 Wisconsin Visual Arts Magazine, cover featured artist, March issue
2013 Library as Incubator Project: The Cigar Box Project, National Endowment for the Arts
2012 ArtBook Milwaukee Magazine, Featured Artist
2011 Scene Unseen: Viewing Notes, Patricia Briggs Ph. D
2011 Artmail Milwaukee, Featured Artist, 2010
2010 Racine Post, Rite of Spring: Artists invite us into their studios
Presentations/Lectures
2014 Live Studio Visit from FOX 6 News Morning show with Chip Brewster
2014 Bit's and Pieces: Close Encounters of the Collage Kind, Fine Art Gallery,
Milwaukee, WI
2014 Artist to Artist Series, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, guest lecturer
Community
get bEHIND the aRTS Studio Tour, Co-Founder & Co-Chairperson, 2010-current
ArtRoot Advisory Board, Racine, WI 2013-current
Racine Arts Council Board Member and Gallery Chair, 2009-2015
University of WI-Parkside College of the Arts and Humanities Advisory Board
2010-2012
Volunteer of the Year Award-Arts & Culture, Racine, WI, 2010
16th St. Studios Annual Open House, Chairperson, 2010-2015
Art Matters Committee-Racine/Kenosha, Wisconsin Arts Board, 2009
ArtSite, Pop-Up Galleries in vacant windows, Founder/Curator, 2008-2009
Education
1999/00/05/06 University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI
2000/01/03 University of Wisconsin-Pigeon Lake, Summer Studio Program
1998 Irish School of Landscape Painters Workshop, Ireland
1979-80 Boise State University, Boise, Idaho
1976-78 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
1974-76 American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL