Welcome to the Milwaukee, WI studio of new-to-Woodwalk artist, Pam Mehnert.

Pam has always been fascinated by vintage items like beat up games with missing pieces, toys, maps, cigar boxes, and dog-eared books. "They were so full of life, color and nostalgia and held the memories of everyone that had touched them."

Those colorful nostalgic bits along with the stories they tell, now find their way into her assemblage pieces, along with nature-inspired colored pencil and pen drawings. From clocks to reclaimed wood, found objects to paper ephemera, Pam's work celebrates childhood, home, and the natural world around us.  She creates from her home studio in a 105-year-old Milwaukee bungalow, as well as their seasonal 1930’s cottage in the woods of Egg Harbor.

WOODWALK 

Describe your work in three words

PAM

Playful, Nostalgic, Joyful

WOODWALK 

What do you love about your chosen medium?

PAM

It combines my love of vintage ephemera and collectibles with my love of nature. There are no boundaries so I can take my ideas and express them in one, two, or three dimensions. Using vintage materials means each piece is truly one of a kind. I also like to build things and solve problems. I don't use templates so each structure, like the roof of a clock, begins from scratch.

WOODWALK

Tell us about the body of work you have at Woodwalk this year.

PAM

I'll be showcasing three collections. The first is "Bird Portraits" which are 6x6 pieces constructed from vintage yardsticks featuring birds who have generously posed for their picture. The second is "Clockworks", which are working clocks constructed from cigar boxes as their base and featuring a reimagined version of the familiar cuckoo clock. The third collection "View from the Woods" will highlight birds in nature, which include nostalgic vintage boxes, arrows, maps, board games, and other ephemera.

WOODWALK 

What are some consistent aspects of your creative process?

PAM

Most of the time my work starts with an item that makes me smile. That might be an advertising slogan on a yardstick I just picked up, the colors of a map I've had in the drawer for years, or just something I'd like to draw (which much of the time happens to be birds). I usually don't know what I'll include until I find it, digging through books, drawers, bins, and collections. When I like the drawing I made...the process continues from there.

WOODWALK 

What does your ideal day in the studio look like?

PAM

When I'm on an art retreat with friends, which happens several times a year, it's mornings to evenings of creating and talking with each other, visiting each other's work in progress. When I can make time in my home studio, it's usually a weekend or an afternoon and I love to work in the same space with my spouse, who is also an artist. If I have a project already started, I may leave it sit for a few days to think about what might work for me to include and move onto starting a new project in the meantime. Studio time when the sun is out, and the cat is napping in the sun in the other room is ideal. Otherwise, she will express her artistic flair at my workstation.

WOODWALK

If you could go anywhere in the world for a creative residency, where would you go?

PAM

Germany or Switzerland. Many times, my pieces, especially the clocks, have a "cultural flair" to them and I think I'd be further inspired by the structures, colors, nature and landscape around me in either country. That idea is also really intimidating because of the craftsmanship that can be found in those countries. I would like to take up woodcarving to create birds and animals, maybe that's where that trip would take me.

WOODWALK

What inspires or influences you?

PAM

I'm inspired by many artists and friends, but my favorite famous artistic inspiration is Joseph Cornell. I'll page through art books looking for inspiration or if I'm feeling uninspired, a trip to the Kohler Art Center or Art Preserve usually kicks me into gear. And always, a trip to a summer flea market searching for vintage treasure will almost always inspire me to create based on what I collected that day!

WOODWALK

How has your work evolved over the years?

PAM

I have a few favorite pieces I saved from when I started creating again back in 2006. The colors I use now are brighter, my pieces aren't as "cluttered," and I'm building the pieces with more dimension. I've also gotten much better with the Exacto knife!

WOODWALK

Is there was another medium you'd enjoy exploring?

PAM

A few of my friends use polymer clay to create their art, I'd like to try that. Also, as mentioned earlier - wood carving.

WOODWALK

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

PAM

Much of what I create comes from an inner desire to see if I can make something work as I imagined. I find a lot of joy in creating so if my art can bring joy to someone else, I'm motivated to keep creating and trying new approaches to my work.