The Last Turtlewain. Cast iron, cast bronze. 60” L x 48” W x 104” H. 2013.

Fire Turtle II: Wayne Potratz ’64

JUNE 6-7

Opening Reception: 5-7 p.m., Friday, June 6
Artist’s Talk: 1-2 p.m., Saturday, June 7

Wayne Potratz ’64, a 2014 Macalester Distinguished Citizen award recipient, has spent his career making images and telling stories with cast metal. His work draws upon a diverse set of inspirations, including canoeing and fishing, Native American culture, Asian culture and the history of spiritual practice. His research into various indigenous traditions of metal casting deeply informs the sculpture. Images of sawhorses, tools, canoes, paddles, stones and, of course, turtles frequently appear in his body of work.

A faculty member of the University of Minnesota’s Art Department since 1969, his work has been shown in more than 25 solo exhibitions and more than 340 group exhibitions since 1966. His work is represented in 23 public and corporate collections and more than 165 private collections.