 "I get tanked and I think," Prang quipped when asked about the name
of his new studio.Lincoln Art Institute and Think Tank will be
open during the art and balloon festival each evening until around
8.
"Basically, we'll be hanging out here," Prang said. "After that,
we'll usually be open for a couple of hours during the day, or
people can call 217-651-8355 for an appointment."
Formerly from Chicago, he and his wife, Polly, purchased the
building three years ago from John Woodfield of Chestertown, Md.
Woodfield operated Lincoln Antiques and Furniture in the historic
structure, which is also the former home of the International Order
of Odd Fellows.
After converting the back half of the first floor into living
quarters, the Prangs moved in a year ago. He works for a Chicago
company from home, using a computer.
"We had to do something with the front," Prang said of the
towering brick building. "We're on the main street of Lincoln. We
wanted something that didn't require rigid business hours, something
cultural.
"My cousin, Bill Brant, lent me his generous help and expertise,
and Denton Wilson, who's local, is helping me finish up.
"Both contributed to helping make a little dream come true."
The new curator said his main goal is to display art in the
1,500-square-foot gallery. His collection contains an eclectic mix
from internationally known artists, as well as friends and
acquaintances.
There is work by Paul Wunderlich, a German painter who often
created works referring to mythological legends. Carolyn Wogan
Durieux, a New Orleans native of Creole descent is represented, as
is Karl Appel, a Dutch artist known for his frenetic style and
vibrant colors.
Rockford native Morris Henry Hobbs has work in the new gallery.
So do Pablo Picasso, the internationally known painter and sculptor
famous for co-founding the Cubist movement; R.C. Gorman, who was
called the "Picasso of American Indian art" by the New York Times;
and M.C. Escher, a Dutch artist known for mathematically inspired
pieces.
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Prang himself is inspired by Brian Bonebrake of Chicago, who
makes his living selling his paintings of such mundane objects as
candy apples. Locally produced gallery pieces include paintings by
Lee Dowling and high-definition photographs by Randy Washam.
Prang has included some of his own paintings and wood sculptures.
"I enjoy making things from recycled materials," he said. He is
working on a tabletop formed of three pieces of glass sandwiched
together. The center section is broken into small fragments that
will be accented with paint. The frame for the glass was made from
one of the window frames Prang removed when he remodeled the front
of the building.
Prang said he hopes the Lincoln Art Institute can become "an
interesting other little stop in town."
"It would be nice to promote anything going on with the arts. I
think it would be nice to have a little art community in Lincoln,"
he said.
"This could possibly be a place for showings by local artists
here in Lincoln."
Prang said the new gallery might also give the next generation a
new point of reference. He's hopeful that youngsters will come to
know the building as the "Art Institute," just as their parents now
refer to it as the "Lincoln Furniture store."
He intends to put up a website "sooner or later" and would
welcome assistance from someone in the art community who knows how
to complete the project.
"Deep down inside, we're all artists," said Prang, who holds a
degree in philosophy.
[By NANCY SAUL]
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