Tom Lidtke

Artist Statement:

My sculptures have always been influenced by a variety of esthetic factors. Throughout my career I derived satisfaction in arranging form, shape, texture and media into a visual art statement or presence. Each media and style that I have explored throughout my career has presented its own set of challenges. The confluence of all this was filtered through a broad spectrum of esthetics from many different cultures and times including Polynesian, Micronesian, ancient Native American art (effigy mounds) Greco- Roman and oriental traditions.       

Artist Biography:

The artist has been creating sculptures in a variety of media and styles for over 45 years. His first sculptures were produced in wood and bronze powder resin and were completed in Manitowoc, Wisconsin where he also taught art.

His first cast bronze pieces were produced in the mid 1970’s at foundries in Hamburg, Germany and Adelaide, South Australia where the artist lived, taught art and was assigned to the granting committee of the Australia Special Innovations Grant Program. While in Australia, the artist was also a member of the South Australian Contemporary Artist Society and exhibited in their annual exhibitions.

Upon returning to the United States, the artist continued to teach until 1982 when he was employed by the West Bend Gallery of Fine Arts. His career at that museum lasted three decades and included spearheading the museum’s transition into the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) where he honed his understanding of Wisconsin’s Art history. In 2006 Milwaukee Magazine included him in their annual, “Best of Milwaukee” edition under the heading of, “Best Art Visionary”. Throughout this time period he continued to teach art and art history and has taught art at every grade level form first grade through graduate level courses. He has written about Wisconsin’s art history for several German and American publications and has been featured on several Milwaukee public radio programs. It was during this time period that the artist created his series of cast bronze and aluminum sculptures based on the human form. Some of these sculptures were exhibited at the Paine Art Center’s (Oshkosh, WI) outdoor sculpture exhibition which was an invitational exhibition of Midwest sculptors work.   

During the 1980’s and 90’s the artist was represented by the David Barnett Gallery, Milwaukee. His work is included in numerous private collections in Milwaukee and the collection of the Milwaukee Art Museum. His sculptures are also included in other collections such as Cedar Community, West Bend, the Vollrath Company collection, Sheboygan, the West Bend Friends of Sculpture / City of West Bend collection and the West Bend Mutual Insurance company’s corporate collection of Wisconsin art.  

Towards the last decade of the 20^th century the artist created his last series of bronze pieces which were inspired by a visit to the Polynesian and Micronesian sections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The shapes of these heavily patterned and textured bronze castings were derived from the Oceania aesthetic that was used to create most of the Micronesian tools, crafts and ceremonial objects that were on display at the MMA.

During the last decade of the 20^th and the first decade of the 21^st centuries, the artist created a series of earthwork maquetts, one of which was realized in full scale. ”Ajuga Daydream” is located in West Bend’s Riverside Park.

Most recently the artist has created a series of indoor bas relief sculptures made of composite materials.

The artist was awarded a Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to Wisconsin art.