Every artist has a different way of creating their art. Michaelangelo sculpted his visions; Pablo Picasso painted. But there is one artist who perfected his craft, and you would think he did it differently. Leon Pescheret etched his visions and used them to create art.
The Whitewater Arts Alliance hosted an exhibition on Pescheret called “The Etchings of Leon Pescheret.” From Feb. 27 to March 30, Whitewater residents and tourists had the chance to visit the Arts Alliance’s gallery to view these etchings.
“We made a decision last fall to go ahead and do a collaborative exhibition on Leon Pescheret because he was an artist who lived in Whitewater for 30 years,” said Whitewater Arts Alliance gallery director Kim Adams. “We were approached by Ed Hale, who has a collection of about 150 Pescheret, and we liked what we were seeing and his stories.”
The exhibition is filled with etchings on loan from the collections of Hale, Pat Blackmer, Dan Richardson and the Crossman Gallery. Each collection had over 150 etchings with very few duplicates. This made it very difficult to narrow down what etchings would be shown at the exhibition. In the end, 80 etchings were presented at the exhibition.
Pescheret moved to Whitewater in 1936, purchasing a house on West Main Street. There, he opened his art studio, where he would print his etchings for over 30 years.
Being a Whitewater resident, Pescheret did a lot of etchings on local landmarks, including UW-Whitewater’s Old Main Hall before it burned down in 1970, the Birge Fountain and the Chamber of Commerce. He also traveled to Chicago and Madison to do etchings of buildings there, such as the Wisconsin State Capitol, the Chicago World Fair and more.
“Not only did he capture many buildings and people from this area, but he traveled internationally and captured buildings and scenes and landscapes from other parts of not only our country,” said Adams. “I think he just had that special eye.”
Some of his works were inspired by places in the United States such as The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas and Antworth Harbor, Alaska. His international travels included visits to landmarks such as Notre Dame in Paris and Westminster Hall in London.
Pescheret’s way of etching was seen as unique to the United States during this time, as it was believed he was the only artist doing color etching in America. Pescheret would etch his drawings onto a copper plate, submerged in acid then paint with watercolors. He would do this until the entire plate was colored, then he would take it to his press and press it onto a damp piece of paper, stamping it onto the paper.
The Whitewater Arts Alliance not only celebrated Leon Pescheret but also highlighted the unique beauty of his etchings. Through his work he captures the essence of both local and international landmarks, presenting them in a way that was rare during his time. For Whitewater residents and visitors, this exhibition served as a tribute to an artist who left his mark on the city.
