Open June 6 through August 16 at RAM's Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Some Pretty Interesting Characters: Works form RAM's Collection, Chapter 1 features contemporary works in two dimensions that depict compelling characters and engaging stories.

Rosita Johanson, Tales My Father Told Me, 1994 Dyed cotton fabric, dyed cotton thread, metallic thread, and wood  Racine Art Museum, Gift of Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA Photography: Jon Bolton, Racine

Arguably, any work of art tells a story--whether through materials, the process of making, or what is depicted. In various ways and different media, the works featured in Some Pretty Interesting Characters portray people, animals, places, or objects (or all of these). They offer a particular scene that seems to be pulled from a larger series of moments, with action that happens both before and after the time or person that is specifically represented. The characters help to define the action, and provide emotion and information.

Whether portrait, fantastical scene, or historical fiction, the works presented here offer a beginning point for a larger narrative. While the artists may have had a particular tale in mind when creating a piece, they often purposefully allow for a wide variety of interpretations. Visitors are invited to use their imagination to "complete" these stories.

The concept of visual storytelling is further explored in a companion exhibition, Some Pretty Interesting Characters: Works from RAM's Collection, Chapter 2, on display downtown at the Racine Art Musuem, June 22 - September 28, 2014. Both exhibitions, drawn from RAM's collection, highlight a diversity of materials and a variety in approaches to one topic.

The Art of Storytelling

This summer, RAM explores storytelling through images and objects. While at RAM's Wustum Museum, visit Telling Tales: RAM's Community Art Exhibition, open June 5 - August 16. The exhibition features works created by area families and art students on view side-by-side with well-known regional artists who teach or work at the museum. The exhibition includes a wide range of media that reflects the stunning variety of different workshops and classes offered at Wustum.

Through August 31, visitors to RAM's downtown location will discover Once Upon A Time: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, and Contemporary Art showcasing artists that use a variety of media and techniques to craft stories about the human condition. Their imaginative works employ exaggerated, surreal, perplexing, or dreamy scenarios rooted in the traditions of fairy tales, legends, and myths.

Visit www.ramart.org to learn more about story-related and family-friendly events scheduled throughout the summer at both museum locations.