The power of art

THE HEALING POWER OF Art

Local artist uses her talent to reach out in crises

Artist Jennifer Miller, of Riverview Studio, holds artwork depicting Wisconsin farmland at her art gallery. The display also includes different reprints she created of the historic Burlington water tower.

by Jason Arndt

STAFF WRITER

Artist Jennifer Miller, of Riverview Studio, grew up on a quiet lake in Kansasville and found immediate inspiration from the beautiful and picturesque landscapes.

The inspiration, she said, allowed her to become a commissioned artist by the time she turned 18 and she eventually turned into a full-time career.

“I just love art and I did it commercially for awhile and then went out on my own did my fine art,” said Miller, whose background includes acrylics, watercolors and oils.

Miller, now of Burlington, decided to open Riverview Studio in 2003 housed inside a barn on a family farm alongside Honey Creek she shares with husband, Mark, and two sons Wyatt and Eli.

She expresses her artistry through landscapes in her own backyard, literally, as well as Burlington-area landmarks such as Echo Lake and the old water tower.

“I really enjoy playing with light and contrast of sunlight, moonlights. Landscapes are my passion,” she said. “Everything I paint here is what I see and feel. Most of my paintings are Wisconsin landscapes.”

Miller, also a photographer, oftentimes uses her scenic photos as inspiration for creating artwork.

“I do a lot of photography, so my painting are from my own photography, or my own inspiration,” said Miller.

“I love seeing the sun rise and the sun set, you will see that in a lot of my paintings.”

Miller, meanwhile, decided to share her artistic passion with others and launched a second business called Get Artzy.

At Get Artzy, which is on the same property, Miller offers art classes in the colorful, countryside retreat to young and old alike.

Children as young as six years old are welcomed in to learn the fundamentals of artwork, according to the Get Artzy website.

Miller additionally holds adult classes for people 14 and older.

The Get Artzy classes mainly focus on acrylics, with all materials given to students enrolled.

“I offer different themes from

landscapes, flowers, birds, wine and more,” Miller wrote on the Get Artzy website. “We all paint the same painting. I do want everyone to Get Artzy and make their painting their own, and be creative.”

Miller teaches blending, mixing and different strokes with the brushes in a relaxing environment.

“I teach art to kids and families from basic art to advanced,” Miller said. Art therapy

While Miller spends most her time crafting works inside her studio, she also responds to community needs, including recently in the cities of Kenosha and Waukesha.

In 2020, amid unrest in Kenosha in response to an officer-involved shooting, many businesses were damaged by protestors.

Miller, like other artists, helped Kenosha heal through painting murals for affected businesses.

“Kenosha, when they were having the turmoil there, I packed up my van and went out and painted a mural on one of business. I just couldn’t help it,” she said. “It is not necessarily for myself, I care about everybody and art helps everybody. It just does.”

Most recently, she helped the City of Burlington design a logo expressing the city’s support for Waukesha, which experienced a tragic Christmas parade attack that claimed six lives and injured dozens of others.

“I came up with that logo just to help represent our love for the community, unity and helping one another out,” Miller said.

“Doing art is really therapeutic, especially now,” she added.

The Riverview Studio, 34610 Spring Prairie Road, Burlington, is open by appointment only to visitors interested in purchasing or viewing Miller’s artwork. More information is accessible at riverviewstudio.com.

“My gallery is open weekly and people can set up an appointment and view my art year-round,” she said.

Miller, meanwhile, sells reprints of her original artwork as requested by customers.

Miller can also complete a custom painting for a person, or business, and prices will vary based on the scope of the individual project.

For more information on Get Artzy, including scheduled classes, visit getartzy.com.

from top: Jennifer Miller also offers group art classes for the community under the business name Get Artzy; This is the logo created by Miller to help Burlington to show support for the victims of the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy.

Lake Lawn Resort, Delavan, was recently honored by the Stella Awards with a bronze medal for Best Resort Event Space in the Midwest.

FILE PHOTO Spirit of Geneva Lakes

Lake Lawn Resort earns Stella Award

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by Jennifer Eisenbart

STAFF WRITER

Lake Lawn Resort, located on Delavan Lake, recently received its first-ever Stella Award for Best Resort Event Space in the Midwest.

The resort received a bronze medal in the category. The Stella Awards are the meeting industry’s highest honors.

“We are excited to be among the winners of this year’s prestigious Stella Award,” said Dave Sekeres, general manager at Lake Lawn. “This wouldn’t be possible without our talented and dedicated team members striving to provide excellent service and experience for our guests.”

Lake Lawn boasts 32,000 square feet of renovated event space and a new 76-foot cruise boat, the Lake Lawn Queen. The Queen can accommodate up to 115 meeting and event attendees.

It also features 22 indoor and outdoor venues that can be used for social gatherings, retreats, wellness meetings and weddings.

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