A selection of portraits, still life, and landscape paintings and drawings by Fergus Falls artist Tom Rieschick will be exhibited at M State’s Waage Gallery, on the Fergus Falls campus, from March 3 through May 6.
An Artist Reception will be held at the gallery on Thursday, March 23 from 1-3 p.m. There is no cost to attend, and all are welcome.
Titled “Pittura dell'anima,” or “Painting of the Soul,” the exhibition will feature a sampling of the many works created by Rieschick over the past 15 years of his life in Fergus Falls – paintings and drawings that he says he’s created “for the pure joy of study and growth as an artist.”
Among the exhibited works will be a never-before-seen collage, which Rieschick spent years creating, featuring the familiar faces of 100 famous people.
“Portraiture is so difficult, as the slightest variation changes the image of the person,” said Lori Charest, M State art collection curator and ceramics instructor. “I first saw Tom’s work at the Phelps Mill Festival and was so impressed with his ability to capture the personalities of the people he painted. He is so good at creating the perfect detail to make the person’s image shine.”
Rieschick discovered his interest in art at a young age and spent countless hours tapping into his imagination while growing up in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area. By high school, he realized he had a particular passion for portraiture. He earned a scholarship to attend the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C.
In those earlier days, Rieschick primarily explored the use of color through pastels. By his 30s, his artistic skills had branched out to include stippling (the art of creating images using numerous small dots), for which a Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph pen was, and still is, his tool of choice. A technical pen often used by draughtsman and engineers, the Rapidograph allows for a wide variety of textures and effects.
Rieschick’s talents began to draw attention and earn him commissions; for a time, he created portraits and prints for individual clients, public television events, newspapers and periodicals.
In 2000, Rieschick moved to Minnesota with his wife, Michele. They settled on a farm on Dead Lake and he began exploring a newfound love of oil painting. He painted a series of portraits that became the basis for his first solo exhibition at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, and he pursued art as a full-time endeavor, participating in art festivals around Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Today, Rieschick continues to take on the occasional commission, and he’s still painting and drawing “for the pure joy” of it.
See Rieschick’s latest exhibit at the Waage Gallery from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is no cost for admission.