Artist Jean Kringle
Photos by Jean Kringle titled "Library Park" and "Purple Haze"
Jean Kringle
Jean Kringle considers herself very fortunate to have lived in Belleville with her husband Terry since 1970. They moved from River Falls where she majored in French and art education at UW River Falls and her husband taught junior high science at Baldwin Woodville.
School District of Belleville Superintendent Darrell Fitch hired the couple and Jean started as a new teacher with 600 hundred students and no curriculum guide or art supplies.
“It allowed me to create my own art program and my high school courses included a wide range of media,” said Kringle. “Though I felt like a ‘jack of all trades, a master of none,’ I believe exposure to the facets of art and design served the students well. I taught art in Belleville for 34 years, a job that I loved.”
When Kringle retired in 2004, she purchased a potter’s wheel, a kiln and set up a jewelry lab in their basement to keep those creative options available.
“Finding time when you are retired is more difficult than you might imagine,” laughed Kringle.
Kringle started taking photos in sixth grade when she received a Brownie Starflash Camera, a ‘vintage’ camera still in her possession.
In 1971, Kringle and her husband toured six European countries in a VW Camper Bus, intent on photographing art and architecture.
“We bought a Mamiya Sekor 35 mm camera with manual settings and between that camera and a photography course at the University of Wisconsin, I became familiar with the fundamentals of photography,” said Kringle. “The digital camera increased my ardor for photography because it allows me to take innumerable photographs of a subject at basically no cost and I can select the ones I like best and cull the rest.”
Nature is Kringle’s favorite subject.
“We live on Lake Belle View and between the wildlife and my flower gardens, our backyard always offers photo opportunities,” added Kringle. “Georgia O’Keeffe is one of my favorite artists; her close-up renderings of objects from nature has always delighted me.”
When Kringle learned about the Friends of the Belleville Public Library Fine Art Raffle and the opportunity for matching funds, she “jumped at the chance to donate my photographs and it is very gratifying that they were well received. The new Belleville Public Library will be a splendid addition to our community.”