Wander Brook Glen- an Art Gallery and Homestead
“Are they gone yet Don?” Remember those words because they play a significant role in this story. A story of art, family, the love of life, and deep human connection.
Tucked away in a beautiful small glen just outside of LaFarge, Wisconsin, lies a homestead a bit out of the ordinary, or maybe not, as the Driftless covers a vast area. I say out of the ordinary because Wander Brook is not only home to Don and Cyndie Rauls and their family, but an amazing art gallery the Rauls open to the public once a month from April to September.
The property was previously owned by Don’s parents who moved to Madison, Wisconsin selling it to Don and Cyndie in 2013.
At the time the Rauls were coming up on weekends until 2017. “In 2017, I was going through a change at work. I thought, you know, maybe it's time to move up here. We decided at that time that the house was getting kind of aged,” Don said. Cyndie added, “It wasn’t a forever structure, it had a shelf life.”
Knowing the trailer would need to come down and a new house built if they were to move to the property permanently, Cyndie found an architect in a Dwell Magazine article. “At the time, I knew our kids were gonna go to school in Minnesota. The architect was from Minnesota, and I thought, well, we can just stop in and see him and that got the ball rolling,” Cyndie said.
It took a couple of years though, from the time the Rauls met with the architect, to getting it designed and put together. The final design was built by Stratford Homes in Stratford, Wisconsin. The home was constructed in three parts and driven to the Rauls’ property where the three structures were joined as one.
Don and Cyndie noted they chose Stratford Homes due to Stratford’s closer proximity to their homestead, not to mention their home had a transport cost per mile figured into the price. In addition, it was important for them to support a Wisconsin business.
The finished house, well, just look at the photos in this story, the video, and the architecture and how it blends into the Glen.
Earlier I spoke of Wander Brook being a bit out of the ordinary. See, Cyndie is an artist, and their home also serves as an art gallery, a place that Cyndie can display her amazing work. Again, I refer you to the photos and video.
Cyndie shared that her love of art started at a young age. “Even as a child, I wanted to be an artist. I don't know if it was a well-intentioned relative or not, but they suggested ‘there's no way you can make a living being an artist. It's not going to happen’. I didn't even think of it in those terms. I actually went to school for psychology, and minored in art. I don't have the art pedigree. I'm still learning. Even at 56 I'm still learning technique and exploring different ways to express myself. This is all pretty much self-motivated. I did have some art classes as a minor and I did go back to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for a couple years to get a double major. I was going to get another art major, and get my foot in the door for a masters of fine arts, but then we started a family. So, I never completed that second degree but found myself exposed to some pretty cool stuff.”
The Gallery
Throughout the Rauls’ home, in just about every room, including a bathroom, is Cyndie’s art. Her art includes oil paintings, ceramics, sculptures made from wood scraps and recycled metal, glass mosaics, graphic art, and photography, which hold both personal and sentimental value.
“The gallery was something I was thinking of, even before COVID. Moving out here was a little isolating. As you can see, our neighbors are very close,” she said pointing across the glen. “They're very nice people, but it's not the same. It's not like a tight knit neighborhood. So, I felt like I wanted to connect. And the only way I knew how to do that was through art. We don't belong to any congregations. We weren't really meeting people. I thought we'd give it a try. This is my way to give back.”
Cyndie feels that art doesn't flourish on its own. “It needs to be seen, it needs to tell stories, and if it's just sitting all by itself, it's not telling stories. If people aren't seeing it, or experiencing it, or adding their own personal experiences to it, it doesn't really have a life. It's my belief that sharing art is the way to keep to give it life.” Cyndie shared a question that sums up her thought on art; “If a sculpture is created in a studio, and no one has a chance to see it, does it truly exist?” A deep but simplistic question.
You will not find prices on any of her art for good reason. “I don't put prices on anything, because I don't want people to come here thinking I'm just selling art. I want them to experience the art. I'm not so much into selling it as I am just providing an experience for people that's a little out of the ordinary for this area,” Cyndie said with a smile.
Cyndie feels people will see her art differently based on what they're bringing in their life experiences. “When people ask me, ‘what were you intending to do with this piece?’, I always say, ‘Well, what do you see in it, because what you're bringing to this experience is completely different from what I'm bringing to it. So, it might mean something completely different to you. I'm not telling people what to experience when they look at art. I want them to experience my art on their own level.”
Rewind to the beginning of this article where I asked you to remember the words, “Are they gone yet Don?”. A true believer in repurposing materials, many of Cyndie’s sculptures incorporate scraps of wood and metal from when their home was put together on their homestead.
At the end of the day when the construction crew left, Cyndie would ask Don if the crew was gone yet. If Don answered yes, then she would head out to collect the scrap spoils. “We salvaged every little piece of metal and wood. There was a dumpster out here during the building process, and they would leave and I’d say, ‘They left all this stuff and its perfectly good’. To them, it was just a job, right? Well, they didn't have the connection to the stuff that I did.”
The family
Cyndie and Don’s children, Calvin 23, and Abby 25, are artistic in their own rights, with Calvin having a period as a child where he took an interest in painting. “Calvin started painting when he turned 8,” Cyndie said. “He asked for an art studio for his birthday. We had a closet in the basement that we weren't really using, so we transform that into a little bitty studio. It wasn't a huge investment, because when they're kids, you don't know how long they're going to stick with it. We got him an easel and paints and he took off with it. We went from pre stretched canvases, to stretching our own canvases. He was prolific and he liked it. Calvin would come home from school and paint in his little studio for hours. Then, his interest slowly started to peter off and he started to lose interest at about 11, then just stopped painting altogether. But I've kept all his paintings since then and he's got a couple hanging up in his house now. But he's still creative. He went to school for architecture, and he's building furniture. He saw he's got an artistic vein there; he just found a different avenue of expression.”
As for Abby, Cyndie said she is artistic as well in a different way, adding, “She's artistic in how she approaches life. She thinks outside the box.” The Rauls did share that their daughter enjoys writing and doodling as an artistic expression to some extent. They stressed that Abby has been their learner, never getting enough of school, and recently took the bar exam and is awaiting the results.
Don, referred to as the Ideator, works an outside job to help make everything happen. In “the Gallery at Wander Brook” booklet all visitors receive upon their arrival; it states he is the intellectual tinkerer who keeps the operation running. His curiosity leads him down historic paths and future trends, often catching patterns between the two, noting his works keeps everything on the cutting edge.”
“I'm grateful. I wouldn't be able to do it without his support. I mean, if we were both artists, we wouldn't be able to do this,” Cyndie remarked smiling at her husband.
The future
“I personally, as far as the art is concerned, I would love to have a show somewhere outside of here. I have to get brave first. I know one of the artists from the Viva Gallery in Viroqua, that suggested I apply to show my art there. I also wouldn't mind going to a bigger city to attend a show. So, we'll see if it gets to that point,” said Cyndie.
Cyndie shared with me something else that inspired her to open their home to the public and share her art: the words of Poet and Professor Ross Gay. “I listened to him talking about sharing your joy. When you are lucky enough to do something that you absolutely love, it's not a requirement, but it's almost to keep things in balance. You almost need to give back. You need to share your joy. You can't hoard it for yourself. So that's another reason why I thought opening up our house and sharing our house would help with that. I am beyond lucky to be able to make art every day if I want to. I want to share that; I want to share that with the community.”
For now, the Rauls said they are very content. Cyndie looking at Don asked, “You're good?” Don replied, “I'm doing good.” Cyndie quickly said she could do this forever, but they’d run out of room and that would be a problem.
Cyndie’s artist’s statement is simple; “My art manipulates the conversation between color, shape, and space.” Maybe not my place, but in this writer’s mind, I add, …’and creates, recognizes and nurtures the human connection.’
the Gallery at Wander Brook Glen is open April to September, but year round showings are available by appointment.
Visit the Gallery at Wander Brook Glen on the web at: wanderbrookglen.com or on Instagram: instagram.com/wanderbrook_glen/
Get a glimpse on YouTube of the Gallery at Wander Brook Glen below.
