By Nicole Sandler
Northside News
A new art exhibit will open this June at the Overture Center featuring a collaborative of five female artists. Together these women recognized a meaningful opportunity to create a large piece of art that “speaks to how their lives and relationships are like threads, or ribbons, weaving together to tell a larger shared story.” The piece celebrates the beauty these individual artists can create as they move together in the world — a world that has become increasingly polarized and divided — and grow stronger collectively. The exhibit is aptly named “Threading Through Us.”
One of the five artists is Janine Bessenecker, a Northsider, who has lived in the Sheridan Triangle neighborhood for nearly 35 years. A member of the Madison Watercolor Society, she specializes in watercolor painting. The other four artists each use a different medium of art. Bobbette Rose (encaustic, or hot wax, painting), Cynthia Reynolds (textiles), Eugenia Sherman Brown (mosaics) and Fabu Carter (poetry), along with Bessenecker, have worked together in the past and found mutual enjoyment in collaborating.
“Our show explores the idea that relationships are essential and shape us on our life’s journey,” said Bessenecker. “Our lives are like threads that weave together, influencing and enriching us. Though at times there are knots and tangles, those too are part of the story.”
When she’s not painting, Bessenecker teaches art through Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR). Her classes include drawing and watercolor for adults at Warner Park and MSCR East on Cottage Grove Road.
As a teacher, she especially loves seeing her students’ delight, and sometimes surprise, when they realize they can make beautiful art. Her own start as a watercolor artist was in college, but she initially found the medium frustrating to figure out. Many years went by before she started taking classes and spending time practicing her art.
Bessenecker has been painting in watercolor for 15 years now and loves the transparency and layering of color. When asked what inspires her to paint, she points to being out in nature. “I’ve created several paintings as a result of walking through Warner Park and Cherokee Marsh,” she said. Clearly, she does not take her Northside surroundings for granted. “We love our quiet neighborhood, our wonderful neighbors, being able to walk in beautiful parks, and having Lake Mendota and Lakeview Library so close,” she added.
“Threading Through Us” runs from June 17–Aug. 24 at the Overture Center, with an opening reception June 26 from 5–8 pm.
