When donors, nonprofit partners and community members visit the Community Foundation, they’re greeted by a display of local art.

Tim Mayer Photography

As part of our building’s remodeling, we left an empty wall that serves as a rotating art display where local artists are invited to exhibit their work.

The display elevates the importance of local art as a community. Featured artists rotate every few months.

Through mid-September, photographer Tim Mayer of Appleton (pictured at top), is showcasing his artwork. The executive director of a small nonprofit, Artists for the Humanities, Tim works with at-risk veterans.

Tim Mayer Photography

Here is more from Tim about his work:

“It brings me great joy.”

Tim Mayer Photography

“In 1991, I was pursuing a career as a fine art painter living in Chicago when a friend gave me a camera to help facilitate my painting process. I couldn’t afford one as I was living the ‘artist’s’ life. Over time, I gravitated to photography.

I have had a strong interest in imagery since childhood. I am drawn to composition, color and the beauty of many things. I desire to observe, find wonder in it, record what I’m seeing and feeling, and then share it with others. I painted for many years. It would take me a long time to finish a painting. Photography suits my artistic love to create and share my work. It brings me great joy. I like to share that joy with others.

Tim Mayer Photography

I’ve been operating a very small nonprofit dedicated to serving at-risk military veterans since 2007. It is called Artists for the Humanities (A4TH.org). We offer expressive art, mental health guidance, life skills and fellowship. Since 2009, we have served more than 5,200 military veterans in Wisconsin in our group programs.

I finally got serious about starting a photography business in 2019 at the urging of one of my board members. The pandemic set me back a bit, but here I am. My display at the Community Foundation includes two portraits of two veterans I have worked with in our nonprofit program. I give several prints of the pictures I take to the veterans who are willing to be photographed as gifts. I’ve been working towards creating an exhibit of my portraits and other artwork created by veterans and artists associated with our program. In 2014, our organization held an exhibit at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison. It ran for one year and was seen by more than 40,000 people.”

If you are an artist interested in displaying your work at the Community Foundation, learn more here.

Read examples of other local artists we’ve featured:

• Willow Bayer: Local Art Woven Into The Fabric Of Community Foundation
• Joann Mariahazy: Local Artist Brightens Gallery Wall At Community Foundation
• Pat Bishop: Weaving the Community Together through Art