Our Place is Yore Place in Egg Harbor.......
Artist in residence.....Gaylord (Gay) Herbst
but, just call me Giz and don't ask why!
PaPa Giz is a 1962 graduate of Sturgeon Bay High School, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. He received his BS Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Industrial Arts Education in 1966 and his MS Degree from Stout in 1967 in Guidance and Counseling. In 2000, PaPa Giz retired after 33 years as a graphics teacher, athletic director and coach from the school district in Seymour, Wisconsin. PaPa Giz and Momette Linda, so named by granddaughter Emma, purchased 7892 Hwy 42, in Egg Harbor in 1985 and opened YORE PLACE in EGG HARBOR in 1986 at that location. PaPa and Momette have been at YORE PLACE for a long time and plan on remaining for many more years. PaPa paints while Momette bakes the best cherry pies, ask her family and friends.
As PaPa Giz, the painter, many times I've been asked what kind of painting I do. My answer, “not house painting for sure, but watercolors.” “Well, what kind of watercolors?” I never really did have an answer other than things like lighthouses, historic buildings, farms, maritime subjects...lately I've been doing some commissioned works, especially farm homesteads, churches, businesses...you know those kinds of things. A book cover layout commission was completed in 2011.
Finally, in the summer of 2010 the answer came to me through two separate sources. While displaying some of my works at the Jacksonport Cherry Fest Arts and Crafts Show, a stately lady, I won't say older or elderly, but instead a stately 'mature' lady, was looking over my paintings. She stopped to talk and asked, “you grew up in the '50s, didn't you?” I answered, “yes, why do you ask?” “Because your paintings are so 'soft'.
So, now when people ask what kind of paintings I do, I have half the answer. I do, “soft paintings”.
And then my ol'friend Monty, while we were out and about the county on a photo shoot said, “Giz, you've been at this for a while now, we've got to pigeon hole your art work, I'll work on it.” Several days later came the e-mail, “Giz, you're an Architectural Folk Artist.” “OK, Monty, I'm an Architectural Folk Artist.”
So finally, now when people ask what kind of painting I do. It's, “ I do soft architectural folk art.”
PaPa Giz at his Seymour Museum Art Exhibition opening
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PaPa Giz's "Fish Creek Fantasy" from his Covered Bridges of Door County series was accepted into the fall '11 Miller Art Museum's juried art exhibit.
Along with PaPa Giz Herbst's original "soft architectural folk art" of historic and scenic Door County, as well as some other non-Door County subjects, Yore Place in Egg Harbor features Fred Herbst's functional wood fired stoneware and porcelain pottery. One of the daughter-in-laws, Nicole Herbst, has some of her drawings and paintings on display. So you can see, Yore Place is homespun, no imports here.
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Son Fred, our 'potter', graduated from Seymour High School in 1990 with an interest in art. In 1994 he graduated with a BFA Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Art with an emphasis in Sculpture. He received his MFA Degree in 1998 in Ceramics from the University of North Texas. From 1998-2000 Fred was adjunct art faculty and studio technician in ceramics and sculpture at Brookhaven College in Dallas, Texas. From 2000 to the present, Fred has been at Corning Community College, Corning, New York and is now an Associate Professor of Art. Often, summertime brings Fred and his wife Alicia and daughter Emma back to YORE PLACE in EGG HARBOR. Recently, Fred taught summer seminars in France in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and in early autumn of 2010 he added a seminar in Germany to his teaching resume.
YORE PLACE in Egg Harbor is the sole source in Wisconsin for Fred's wood fired pottery. For more information on Fred, check Fred Herbst Pottery in the Navigator.
