Photographers Julie Lindemann and John Shimon, associate professors of art, have been named Wisconsin’s Artists of the Year for 2014 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel art critic Mary Louise Schumacher.
Among their contributions to the state art scene was their installation “We Go From Where We Know” at the John Michal Kohler Arts Center as part of it’s “Connecting Communities” program.
Centered around a 1949 Nash automobile filled with hand-cast concrete corncobs, the project explored the idiosyncrasies of Wisconsin as place.
Their work has been featured in more than 90 solo and group exhibitions in venues ranging from the Art Institute of Chicago to the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego and their photographs are part of 15 permanent collections, including the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
Lindemann and Shimon also have authored five books and catalogs of their work, the most successful of which is their artistic tribute to the aluminum Christmas tree, many of which were produced in their adopted hometown of Manitowoc.
The book, “Season’s Gleamings,” generated national attention when it was published in 2004, resulting in stories in the New York Times and USA Today and featured segments on CNN and “CBS Sunday Morning.”
They have collaborated professionally as artists for 30 years and have shared a classroom as teaching partners for 27 years. They first joined the Lawrence faculty in 2000 as visiting instructors and five years later were given a tenure-track appointment.
They were recognized at 2012’s commencement ceremonies with Lawrence’s faculty award for Excellence in Creative Activity.
About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.
