A Life’s Calling: The Serendipitous Journey of Nature’s Gallery in Kenosha

“This was not an accident- it was a gift. That I was here… in this place at the right time.”- Sherri

A Studio and Gallery

Settled into the beautiful Union Park Arts District in Downtown Kenosha, you might notice the storefront where Nature’s Gallery Resides. Unlike many other spaces- Nature’s Gallery is Sherri’s art studio. Craft room. The room where it happens, where she creates. As soon as I stepped inside I noticed the wall decked in every color wool you could imagine, mannequins adorned with one-of-a-kind creations, hand-bound journals lining a shelf, scissors, and foliage, scattered about. There is something so incredibly human about stepping into an artist’s safe space- sanctuary- and knowing that they welcome people into that space. That is so special. Because Nature’s Gallery is Sherri’s studio her hours are subject to her creating time and availability- but she loves having people see her work- so if you don’t catch her artwork at Lemon Street Gallery or other local art sales, you can give her a call to stop in the studio.

Now, let’s start at the beginning.

In the late 60’s, Sherri nervously approached her father to tell him, “I want to be an artist.”

As the vein bulged in his neck, and his face began to turn red, he said, “No daughter of mine would be a bum- and all artists are bums. ” Little did he know- with or without his blessing, Sherri was already an artist by nature, but with the respect and understanding of the importance of education she gave up her dreams of art school and pursued her career in nursing, where she would go on to care for countless patients. She had a gift that went beyond the basic bedside manner of other nurses at the time- as she recounted to me the countless times she spent the final moments of her patients’ lives giving them connection, kindness, and a listening ear.

“As I cared for people with cancer I realized how vulnerable they were and how they needed someone to care about them. One of the things you were taught in nursing school is you take care of your patients- and you don’t share. But I spent a lot of time crying with my patients. They were giving up their life – and they wanted someone who actually got it. As I was giving them their IV chemotherapy we would often cry softly together, because they wanted to know that someone actually got it. And actually cared.” – Sherri

As the years went on, her husband was forced to travel out of the country for work, and Sherri would go on to find herself without work overseas, as her nursing license only allowed her to practice in the States. While away, she made it a point to learn new mediums of art in each location. Entranced by other artists who hone their craft and teach workshops and other educational forums, Sherri became an incredible art student after all -despite never going to conventional “art school” as her father wished. 

As she challenged herself creatively by dipping into a variety of mediums throughout the years of traveling and creating, the unifying trend among her pieces showed that she found a way to incorporate nature into all she makes. Primarily, however, she utilizes silks, wool roving, leather, botanicals, and materials for handmade journals.

Now, back to real present-day inside Nature’s Gallery, I stare at the wall adorned with every color of wool you could imagine, as she demonstrates the wool roving process for me, slowly adding in locks of wool and turning the hand crank on the machine.

“Locks of wool are pulled through the machine to get roving, and the roving is then laid down to go on the piece, the way you lay out the wefts will change how the item shrinks, and the direction you lay will affect how the item shrinks” she explained.

When I asked to see a finished dress- she explained it took at least 5 days and about 10-12 hours each day to create the beautiful ivory-colored dress. When the dress is complete- it is seamless, one complete piece of fabric, and approximately 35% smaller than the original size.

How would you describe the pieces you create and sell?

“I am an eclectic maker of things that at first don’t seem to have any relationship to one another, and yet the relationship is really strong, in that it truly is individual. Not to be mass produced, not to ever be replicated, individual pieces that represent the gifts from mother nature.”

What made you come to Downtown Kenosha?

“Shari Urquhart. She bought this building, the 3-bedroom apartment upstairs, and turned this into a studio.”

Can you tell me about Shari?

“She couldn’t help but create,” Sherri explained while walking to the obituary card pinned on the wall of the studio, “She used rug hooking to make masterpieces, Shari Urquhart, she was the one who started it.”She explained to me that the art was ahead of its time—and it’s true. A modern-day da Vinci, if you will, the method and aesthetic of her pieces will likely be commended for their quality and her visionary work far more in the era after her passing. Her works were truly larger-than-life masterpieces, with many conveying creative, bold statements. She had worked a long time in New York City to pursue her passion as a serious painter and fiber artist and then made her way back to the Midwest. Eventually, she bought the building where Nature’s Gallery now resides.

Shari decided to rent the art studio out to artists while she was fighting cancer and living in the upstairs apartment. During that time, Sherri and another artist shared the space we now know as Nature’s Gallery. When Covid hit- the other artist left the space. Sherri told me, “I knew that Shari counted on us for rent, and taking care of her dog, Lily Bear, so I went home and talked to my husband…bless his heart. And he said it was okay so I kept the studio, and Shari and I became very very close.”

With the downstairs left alone to Sherri- she was finally able to just simply be with her art. She finally had her own studio. “As she was dying, we would keep the door open and her dog Lily Bear would come down by me too,” she said.

“In the end, I was cooking for her, cleaning, doing nursing duties for her. She told her brother she wanted me to buy the building, and I didn’t have the money, so she told her brother whoever bought the building- please ask them to keep Sherri on. And the people who did buy it, Ernie and Laura, bought the building and they didn’t make me move and they kept me here ever since knowing that that was Shari’s wish. I’ve tried to be the very best renter that I could. The day that she ended up going to hospice I went with her. My husband came and said- Lily it’s time to go home. And she just went ‘okay’ and she came home with us.”

The lightbulb went off in my mind as Sherri described the unique circumstances that brought her into this space in Downtown Kenosha, as I realized, she became an artist despite being told not to be one- and used her nursing skills here to spend the end of someone’s life with them. She was a nurse and an artist after all. And now she creates almost every day in the studio- because her friend, mentor, teacher, and landlord Shari, made it so she would have no choice but to keep on being an artist.“This was not an accident- it was a gift. That I was in this place here- at the right time.”

 

“I have been given a gift in being here in this place. Shari was going to make sure that I would be able to stay here and make it so that I had to be here by myself. And wasn’t worried about infringing on anyone- I just got to be a mess — I was given a huge gift.”- Sherri

She explained to me that she told Shari she would care for her dog Lily Bear, and remain in the building. And Sherri did just that. She has remained in the building with “Nature’s Gallery” and went on to care for Shari’s dog Lily Bear until she passed away from cancer too. 

“She said I trust you, and I said you should. She said ‘You also need to promise me something else, I’ve seen your work and you have a rare gift, don’t quit.’ And I thought wow coming from her that was something else- and especially after Lily died, I would come into the studio and the lights would flicker, and I know it’s Shari.”

 

What is your favorite thing about being located in Downtown Kenosha?

“I love to walk through downtown and look at how the people that are there who have struggled to stay here in Downtown, and all the stuff that has come through, the hard times Kenosha has had, and yet people still love the downtown. Still want to be a part of the downtown, still want to make it strong. You can feel the sense of community- people want to make it work. You can feel it.”

What would you tell someone new to Downtown Kenosha?

“When I first came I was amazed that it seemed like everyone I met was related in this town- and people already had their stories to tell. And I thought that didn’t include new people. And I would tell anyone who comes here- that this is not the case. After being here for 20-some years I’ve realized how wrong I was, and how many generous, open, very exciting people who have so much to share are here if you give them a chance. This community is so open if you give it a chance.”

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 • Article Written by Jenna Zeihen