Local artist to be featured at upcoming event – Lake Geneva Regional News | Candle Made Easy

Representatives of the Geneva Lake Foundation will host the Neal Aspinall: Pure Genuine Lake Geneva art exhibition July 29-31 at the Geneva Room, 772 Main St., Suite 202, Lake Geneva.

The exhibition will feature approximately 30 artworks by Neal Aspinall. Aspinall produces artwork for posters, t-shirts, promotional items and company logos.

Kristina Tarantino, organizer of the event, said the Geneva Lake Foundation wanted to host an event featuring a local artist.

“He’s always wanted to do an art exhibition, and this is the first time that more than 30 of his artworks are plastered all over the walls,” Tarantino said. “There will be posters everywhere, and it’s the first time his collection can be seen in one place.”

Aspinall of Lake Geneva said he was honored when the Geneva Lake Foundation approached him about an art show featuring his work.

“I was thrilled,” Aspinall said. “I was very excited. I was very satisfied,”

The celebrations kick off on July 29 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with a VIP party featuring silent and live auctions, cocktails, canapés, music, art performances, Meet the Artist events and the unveiling of the latest Aspinall -Products includes poster and networking event.

General art exhibitions will be held on July 30th and 31st from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. where people can see the artworks and receive a poster signed by Aspinall.

Aspinall’s artwork is available for purchase throughout the event.

“People can go to the show on Saturdays and Sundays and look at his work in one place,” Tarantino said. “It’s something to do, and it’s a fun art event.”

Aspinall has completed artwork for several local events, businesses, organizations and communities including Lake Geneva Annual Antique & Classic Boat Show, Venetian Festival, Winterfest, Geneva Theatre, Next Door Pub, Baker House, Geneva Lake Museum , the Lake Geneva Cannery, Village of Williams Bay, Friends of Big Foot Beach State Park and the Riviera.

He has also created artwork for several national events, companies and organizations including Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks, Los Angeles Marathon, Acura LA Bike Tour, Ducks Unlimited, American Family Insurance, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Coors Brewing Company, Frito Lay, Facebook , Harley Davidson, Kentucky Fried Chicken and YMCA.

“I’ve always been more drawn to print advertising than the visual arts,” Aspinall said. “Visual art expresses itself where illustration communicates an idea or an image or a product or communicates a message.”

Aspinall makes artworks involving nature, wildlife, vehicles, boats and the Lake Geneva Region.

“A lot of times I can’t do what I want,” Aspinall said. “I do what the customers want, regardless of the topic and who the customer is.”

Aspinall said he also enjoys advertising art from before the 1960s.

“I’m a big fan of advertising from the pre-’60s, ’50s, ’40s and ’30s,” Aspinall said. “I’m just a big fan of retro advertising.”

Aspinall said he’s had an interest in art since he was a child.

“I was the youngest of four children, and all three of my siblings were interested in art,” Aspinall said. “My father was a draftsman for the Southern Wisconsin Gas Company. So there were drawing supplies and painting supplies everywhere, so it just came naturally.”

Aspinall graduated from the Art Institute of Colorado in 1985 and was inducted into the Art Institute Hall of Fame in 2007. In 1985 he started his first job as an artist and in 1994 he started to work freelance.

“I realized if I wanted to go national, I had to go out on my own,” Aspinall said. “That’s the way of business. That’s how it worked back then.”

Aspinall said he looks forward to showcasing his work during an event in his hometown on Lake Geneva.

“It’s very exciting,” Aspinall said. “I didn’t introduce it. You contacted me.”

Tarantino said the Geneva Lake Foundation plans to host more arts events in the future.

“We’re trying to improve Walworth County’s cultural arts offering,” Tarantino said. “This is a local artist, but maybe in the future we can reach out to artists from Milwaukee and Chicago and even Madison. There is a lot to do at Lake Geneva, but we don’t have an art museum so we thought it would be fun to bring in different rotating exhibitions.”

The cost to attend the VIP event on July 29 is $68, and the cost to attend the art exhibitions on July 30 and 31 is $8. Visit www.genevaroom.com to purchase tickets.

For more information about Aspinall’s work, visit www.nealaspinall.com.