Joan Alexandra Gundersen moved from out East to Wisconsin to raise her 3 children, where she also discovered her love of painting and the land. She resides on 60 acres in Southwest Wisconsin, the “driftless region” of unglaciated land and found inspiration in the Mississippi river and bluffs. She completed her Bachelor of Art degree from Viterbo University in 1998 in Studio art with a focus in painting after a decade of working as a Nutritionist in a Clinical setting. As a member of the Odin Art Cooperative in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, she displayed her oil paintings in a series of group exhibitions. She had a solo exhibition, Mirror in the Sky: Landscapes of the Coulee Region in 2014 at the Heider Center in West Salem, Wisconsin. She was also commissioned to paint a Heron sculpture by the downtown arts association. Her present studies at the Academy of Art University in California have allowed her continued evolution as a painter, and she hopes to graduate in 2017 with a Master of Fine Arts Degree. Her present online studies at the Academy have helped her to focus on landscape painting. At a recent “Artspire” Festival her painting won an award. Joanie's work can be seen at Gallery LaCrosse, in downtown LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Resume (Download PDF) Education MFA Painting (in progress) Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA, 2016 BFA Studio Art/Painting Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI, 1998 Awards Artspire Festival, Best of Show Winner, 2016 Viterbo Student Show, Honorable Mention, 1997 Solo Exhibitions Landscapes of the Coulee Region, Heider Center, West Salem, WI 2014 “Freedom to Imagine” Mustard Creek Gallery, La Crosse, WI 1995 Selected Art Works, Jule’s Coffee, La Crosse, WI, 1995 Group Exhibitions Pump House Regional Art Center, “Shades of Gray” Juried Exhibition, La Crosse, WI, 2010 Artist Alley Gallery, “Trout Series” San Francisco, CA, 2004 . Odin Gallery Arts, La Crosse, WI, 2000 Bibliography Micheal Martin Landscapes with Life Force, LaCrosse Tribune, 2014 Touchstone Magazine Issues, Viterbo University, Fall 1994-1998 Commissions Ellie Menezes, Pet Portrait 2012 Gerrard/Hoeschler Realty, Heron Project 2012 Gudrun Andvord, “Lom landscape” 2010 Collections Gundersen Health Center, La Crosse, WI Art Related Experience Assistant to Regional Art center Director, La Crosse, WI, January 2000-2002 Art classes instructor at SOTA School, La Crosse, WI, 1992-1994 Painting Workshops with with Albert Handell and Ken Deward, Summer 2014 Gallery Owner of the White Moth Gallery and Tea Room, La Crosse, WI Art fair judge, Art Fair on the Green, Summer 2002 and 2016 Gallery Representation Gallery La Crosse, La Crosse, WI