Do you ever feel rushed when you’re looking at art?  Well now there’s a day designed to make you slow down, and really appreciate what you’re seeing. This Saturday, April 27, 2013, Slow Art Day will be observed worldwide – everywhere from New Delhi to New York to Paris. Here’s a list of the cities where you can find a participating slow art gallery or museum.  Be sure to scroll down to the M’s where you’ll find good old MINERAL POINT!! And, the place to be is Wantoot!!

Here’s how it works:

– Go to Wantoot, 236 High St between 11am – 12 pm
– Locate the 5 special pieces of art assigned for Slow Art Day
– Look at them slowly (5-10 minutes each)
– At 1:00 pm walk to Kusaka 148 High St.
– Discuss the art while you have lunch

To register for Slow Art Day at Wantoot, click here.

For more information about Wantoot, and its owners Ried and Kathy Knapp, please read on. They are new to town and this is their story:

HSB: Can you tell us a little about your backgrounds?
Wantoot: Before Wantoot, Ried was involved in business-to-business sales, marketing, and business management. Kathy holds a BFA, and has spent her career as a professional graphic designer for large private sector companies.

HSB: How did you come up with the name Wantoot?
Wantoot: It was the name of an ancestor’s estate. It also means “deer” in an Indian dialect. We liked the name because it’s unusual and we could use it to build a brand, without any preconceived notions that might be attached to a more conventional name.

HSB: What is the philosophy of Wantoot?
Wantoot: Wantoot is all about promoting and celebrating Modern American Art and Craft. We use “modern” as a description for our overall gallery aesthetic rather than “contemporary” because contemporary is frequently also used to describe “living” or “active” artists, rather than their actual style. By “craft” we mean fine craft such as art jewelry, studio furniture, ceramics, art glass, etc. We only represent American artist-makers: those people who actually design and make their own work. We also represent painters, sculptors, and photographers whose work we feel complements the fine craft we offer.

HSB: How do you choose the artists for your gallery?
Wantoot: Very carefully. If we return to an artist’s work again and again, that’s usually a good sign. Conversely, the artist also has to be comfortable with us, the website, the gallery and our business plans.

HSB: Why did you choose such an old town for such a modern gallery?
Wantoot: Because Mineral Point has an exceedingly rare and unusual combination of: 1) A rich history, 2) incredible stock of historic architecture that takes one back in time, 3) A vibrant diverse community of artists, 4) Genuine small town Americana, 5) Close proximity to the “big city.” We think visitors who “discover” Mineral Point, were searching for at least one of these authentic aspects that Mineral Point has to offer. Then they learn it is really much more–a blend of “bests” that makes it unique. We want Wantoot to be “discovered” — by those who are looking for authenticity, as well. In the longer term, we really hope our activities will contribute to the town’s fabric.

HSB: You’ve done an amazing job transforming a dentist office into a stunning gallery space. What was the best part about the renovation?
Wantoot: We’ll tell you when we’re done!

HSB: What’s your favorite thing to do in Mineral Point?
Wantoot: Meeting and getting to know the incredibly interesting and diverse residents has to be near the top of list. Second, probably enjoying a dip in Mineral Point’s magnificent public pool on a typical 100 degree July day.

Thanks for leaving us with that mental image. And a big thanks to Ried and Kathy for participating in Slow Art Day and putting Mineral Point on such a wonderful list of art-loving places.