A Conversation on Art: From the Renaissance to the 21st Century

Kurt Wenner, Italian muralist, frescoe painter and founder of Santa Barbara’s I Madonnari, will join Westmont Professor of Art Tony Askew in the first of a series of “Conversations About Things that Matter” hosted by Westmont Downtown at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at the University Club at 1332 Santa Barbara St. Admission is free.

Wenner was raised in Santa Barbara but now lives in Italy. A talented muralist, his work graces corporate high rises, government buildings, hotel lobbies, churches and museums. One of his first murals is on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles and has been featured in several movies. He was commissioned to create an original composition to celebrate Pope John Paul II’s arrival in 1991 and the work so moved the pope, he signed the mural.

The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., honored Wenner with its first exhibition of work by a visual artist. In 1991, he received The Kennedy Center Medallion in recognition for his outstanding contribution to arts education.

In 1994, Wenner conducted a series of public courses held at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. The series was so popular, he repeated it the next year. He is frequently invited to lecture at corporate events and conduct seminars and workshops for organizations ranging from the National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Warner Brothers, Toyota and General Motors.

Askew has been at Westmont since 1982 and has been director of Reynolds Gallery since 1984. His primary interest is “painterly printmaking.” His work has been featured in one-person shows in Chicago, Nashville, Tenn., London and Oslo, Norway. His modern style in prints and watercolors reflects the optimism and zeal that he holds for life. He was the cover artist for a 1994 issue of Art/Life magazine.

As director of Reynolds Gallery, Askew has overseen exhibits such as “Un Ange Passe,” “In Memorium: Ceramics by Armin Müller,” and an exhibit by international photographer Colin Finlay.

Westmont Downtown, which is supported by the Westmont Foundation, plans to host several Conversations each year.

For additional information, contact the office of public affairs at (805) 565-7057.