May 25, 2026: Guest Judge, Bob Fesser from Ways of Wax
As summer starts winding up this May of 2026, the Art Guild of Menomonee Falls (AGMF) winds down its 2025-26 year. May is the month for the AGMF Member’s Art Show. Beautifully poised and placed on our gridded wall in the Art Lounge, 30-odd pieces of unique art were entered by Guild members, hung to be viewed by the public. Some were available for purchase and all of them were judged to see if their piece earned a win, a place, or a show!
The 2026 AGMF Member Show was judged by Bob Fesser. Bob is an encaustic artist who lives and works in the Milwaukee area. Encaustic painting is created using fire, wax, and colored pigments. Bob is a self-trained artist, with a goal of making people say, “Wow!” when they see his pieces. And, WOW is also the acronym for his website, “World of Wax.” Along with the pieces he has for sale on his own website, Bob currently also has art for sale in Plumb Bottom Gallery in Door County, and in Menomonee Falls’ very own Art Lounge.
Bob did the Guild the honor of weighing in on the diverse artwork: digital, photography, mixed media, and paintings of all paint types (e.g., watercolor, acryllic). Bob used the following criteria, along with his “gut reaction” – Bob wanted the winners to be those that made him say, “Wow!”
Concept: The artist putting themself into their work. It’s the message or voice of the piece. Did the artist’s medium accurately display the depth of the piece?
Composition: The artist’s design, balance, rhythm, layout, use of positive and negative spaces. How did the artist combine all of those elements combine to set the viewer’s eye across the artwork?
Craftsmanship: The artist’s technical skill with their selected medium/media. Was the artist’s control of their tools intentional and effective?
Color: The artist’s palette of hues, tones, values (i.e., darks and lights) and colors. Did the colors work together across the composition to communicate the artist’s message and balance the composition?
Capture: The judge’s gut reaction. How long does the viewer stare? How does the piece make the viewer react or feel? Do they smile, nod, and keep walking? Stare unblinking with their mouth open and a tear in their eye? Or start pulling out their wallet?
Bob’s careful survey of the pieces occurred prior to the May Membership meeting. 10 pieces stood out to him. From those ten, two honorable mentions and three winners were awarded. Your fellow Guildsmen are listed here in descending order. Congratulations to the Guild for another successful year, and to the wonderful artists who surely wowed us.
1st place: “Sheltering,” Laurie Runnoe
2nd place: “I am, I said,” Kathleen Ciskoski
3rd place: “Dancers in Grey,” Jeaninne Rapont
Honorable Mention: “In the Pink,” Jane Mirocha
Honorable Mention: “Power House,” Jerry Higgins
The ten “Capture” pieces includes those mentioned above and below, in alphabetical order by artists last name:
- Holly Erfdmeyer, “Hang On”
- Marta Gwizdala, “Bloom Me”
- Tim Savino, “Nautical Nonsense”
- Michelle Thomas, “Childhood”
- Ronny Trabeau, “Blue Tit”
