Exhibit to feature Cedarburg artist

“Paul Yank: His Genius, Sculpture and Prints” will be presented at the Cedarburg Art Museum from May 18 through Sept. 24.

An opening reception will be held from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 20. Yank’s daughter Karen Yank will speak at 3:30 p.m.

The exhibit features a selection of Paul Yank’s works that represent his high level of expertise in both sculpture and printmaking.

Yank’s subject matter derives from a variety of world cultures and religions as informed by his cultural anthropological studies, found appreciation of the indigenous and ancient culture of Japan and world travels.

Yank’s early career was dominated by large-scale sculptural creations, while in his late career he focused on printmaking and used it to continue to realize his three-dimensional inspirations.

Yank received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Layton School of Art, later known as the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, in 1958 and later studied sculpture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Yank was selected in a national competition for an artist-in-residence at the Milwaukee Public Museum, where he spent seven years. He studied cultural anthropology while designing and building figural sculptures for the Native American, African and Old Milwaukee departments.

By the mid-1960s, Yank began making large scale sculptures, fountains and wall reliefs.

Yank, who moved to Cedarburg in 1966, transformed the former Weber Brewery building complex for use as a large studio space.

In the early 1970s, he helped establish the Firehouse Fine Arts Association, which became the Wisconsin Fine Arts Association and still later was known as the Ozaukee Art Center.

The museum at W63 N675 Washington Ave. is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, visit Cedarburgartmuseum.org.