Charles Wisseman, Mixed Media Artist

I grew up and went to school on the East Coast, trained in medicine, and became staff pathologist at Carle Clinic in Urbana, Illinois in 1982.  I have no formal art training, but I used vacations  to take workshops in various media.  Arrowmont Craft School in Tennessee became a favorite place for my wife and I to learn new skills.   I started in blacksmithing, but moved on to other media due to injuries.  I have done photography (particularly alternative processes and black-and-white), ceramics, various fiber arts, glass, metals, wood.  Recently I have become much more involved in hand papermaking and book arts.Visits to the Paper and Book Intensive workshops and Friends of Dard Hunter national paper arts conference have made me feel part of this small, but passionate, arts community.  Volunteering at the University of Illinois book conservation lab has given me a local community of friendly book arts contacts over the past few years since I retired .

   Exhibit list:

         1981-- American Society for Clinical Pathology photography contest winner in electron microscopy class

          1995-- U of I outreach collage class group show at McKinley Foundation

          2003 and 2004 -- Carle Foundation Day group art shows for physician artists

          2004, 2006 -- Champaign Park District Town and Country art shows, best in show

                           (2004 first place in regional , 2006 best in show in regional state art shows)

          2005-- Parkland College art gallery  "Shoebox shoe"   -- Best in Show

          2006-- photo in Champaign Urbana community photo show

          2006-- Evanston Art Center show and auction -- donated piece

          2006-- Springer art Center in Champaign -- box art in October show

          2008-- 14 Brushes Gallery in Urbana -- group show in March

          2008-- Morgan paper conservatory in Cleveland , Ohio --show and auction with one piece                                  retained in permanent collection

          2008-2009-- Friends of Dard Hunter members exhibition at Georgia Tech library art gallery                                   group show for national meeting

          January 17,2010--Art shown at Project AWARE peace program Champaign public Library

          Jan-Feb, 2010 -- Springer Art Center in Champaign -- one of three artist

 Gallery:  Wind, Water and Light, Champaign IL. Show in 2006 and sales to present

Permanent collections: Morgan Conservatory of Paper in Cleveland,Ohio --I-Ching wall piece of cast

                                     kozo and gampi fibers donated by Kyoko Ibe

 Articles: Featured in "Studio Visit" column of News Gazette (local newspaper, by Melissa Merli )

Radio :  "Flyover Zone " - November 5,2005  ( flyoverzone.com)

             WEFT interview by Dave Monk on "Prairie Monk" hour, along with wife Sarah (Sarah and Charlie show!)