This interview turned out to be an adventure! Mindy Clausing Huntress is another former student of mine. I should have known this would be a learning experience when we arranged to meet at her art studio/gallery in Banbury Place, Eau Claire.
Mindy attended Oaklawn Elementary and improved her art skills . When asked what classes and teachers she remembered most at MHS, her immediate response was her pottery teacher Grant Ruegnitz, her metals/jewelry-making teacher Bill Norton, and Margaret Kitze, her English Composition teacher who demanded excellence in students’ writings. All three of these educators left their mark on Mindy.
During high school Mindy also participated in cross-country and high school band, playing the saxophone. In addition she participated in Color Guard and Rifle & Saber Spinning winter competitions.
During high school Mindy worked in Walmart’s jewelry department, providing her with valuable sales and marketing experience.
After graduating from high school, Mindy attended UW-Stout for one year, then took a year off to have her son Dominic in 2002. She later returned to school from 2003 to 2006 before eventually moving to Colorado. By that time, painting had been her primary passion.
In 2011, she began selling her art online. That same year, she had her first gallery show at the Caggio Gallery in Milwaukee, where she was offered the main exhibition room. Her work was also featured on promotional postcards for the show.
Mindy returned to Menomonie in 2012 and later landed a spot at the Blue Heron Gallery in Port Washington, Wisconsin, where she exhibited her work for eight years.
She moved to Eau Claire in 2015 and continued exhibiting with Blue Heron Gallery until it closed in 2020. When COVID impacted daily life in early 2020, Mindy remained largely sequestered, spending much of her time painting.
After the pandemic, Mindy began focusing on local markets, outdoor art fairs and regional shows. She became a member of Artisan Forge Gallery in 2022.
Since then, Mindy has been steadily building her artistic reputation in the Eau Claire area. She founded Eau Claire Creatives, a group that meets every two weeks and alternates between social gatherings and art critiques. She is also involved with the Valley Art Association.
Mindy has a studio and gallery space in Banbury Place. Prints of her colorful, imaginative paintings fill the walls and are available for sale. Her original acrylic paintings have an enthusiastic following, with collectors both locally and across the country. Mindy gladly shares her artistic visions and fantasy-based inspirations with any visitors who ask about her work.
Mindy’s son Dominic helps with the business by assisting with show setup and teardown, cashiering, and preparing artwork for shipment.
In addition to her prolific painting practice, Mindy also applies her organizational and writing skills to producing promotional materials for Banbury Place. She heads up the Banbury Art Crawl, coordinating vendor placement and creating marketing and promotional content for the event.
Outside of the studio, Mindy and Dominic love spending time outdoors, especially hiking. One of their favorite destinations is the Minnesota Zoo, which Mindy hopes will someday inspire a series of animal paintings. She also enjoys plein-air painting whenever possible.
In closing, I asked Mindy what she most remembered about growing up in Menomonie. Attending the Ludington Guard band concerts and participating in the high school band were special memories, and she fondly recalls the community pie socials at the Congregational Church.
After spending time with Mindy at her studio, I strongly encourage you to visit her there. Her work is unique, colorful, symbolic and stunning. In fact, I ended up purchasing one of her large prints for my home!
Although I’d had Mindy as a seventh grader, I discovered that I really knew very little about who she actually is. Her soft-spoken enthusiasm and thoughtful energy are inspiring. Menomonie is fortunate to call Mindy Clausing Huntress one of our own!
website: mindyhuntress.com facebook page online store
Studio: Banbury Place, Studio 120, 800 Wisconsin St, Eau Claire
Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her or to request an interview she may be contacted at [email protected]
