B. Gunar Gruenke is a stained glass artist in Wisconsin.
Early life Gruenke was born and raised in Wisconsin. He grew up surrounded by artists and craftsmen creating and conserving stained glass and decorating America's historic buildings and sacred spaces. He began studying art at the age of seven, under the tutelage of his grandfather, Bernard O. Gruenke, his father, Bernard E. Gruenke, both nationally recognized ecclesiastical artists, and other artists. He studied business administration at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, graduating with a major in general business.
Career Gruenke has made his life's work to carry on the tradition his father and grandfather have passed down. He is the third generation owner and president of the Conrad Schmitt Studios based in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Established in 1889, the architectural arts studio is one of Milwaukee's pioneer businesses. It is one of the businesses shown in the Milwaukee Public Museum "Streets of Old Milwaukee" exhibit. Gruenke oversees studio operations, including managing and supervising, restoration and renovation projects, and coordinating all phases of the craft associated with architectural arts and decorative interior schemes.
The studio's collection of stained glass artwork is on display at the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows at Navy Pier in Chicago. The art studio specializes in the investigation and documentation of original decorative schemes, gilding, glazing, marbleizing, scagliolaPWC magazine, "Fabulous Faux, New life for an Old Art". and stenciling as well as the new design, replication or conservation of stained glass and murals.
Gruenke served as the president of the Stained Glass Association of America (SGAA) from June 2007 to June 2009;Stained Glass Quarterly, vol. 103, no. 4. a director of the SGAA Stained Glass School; a director of the Western Great Lakes Chapter of the Association for Preservation Technology (APT), and as an APT International Board Member. His contributions to the field of stained glass have garnered the Distinguished Service Award 2010Stained Glass Quarterly, Fall 2010. from the Stained Glass Association of America for the studio's work compiling, editing and implementing the "SGAA Recommendations for Safety in the Stained Glass Studio.”
Gruenke Foundation for the Arts Gruenke sits on the board of directors of the Gruenke Foundation for the Arts. This non-profit organization founded in 1996 is dedicated to arts education for the general public. The foundation' was established in 1991. It curates a collection of fine art that ranges from 1893 World's Trades Fair mosaics to a Giorgio Vasari painting from the early 16th century.
Projects Following is a partial list projects that Gruenke has supervised and managed:
The Broadmoor resort, Colorado Springs, Colorado St. Mary's Cathedral, Colorado Springs, Colorado Warner Theatre - Lobby, Torrington, Connecticut Springer Opera House, Columbus, Georgia Hawaii Theatre, Honolulu, Hawaii Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois Roosevelt University – Ganz Hall, Chicago, Illinois St. Mary of the Angels Church, Chicago, Illinois Symphony Center - Orchestra Hall, Chicago, Illinois Paramount Theatre, Anderson, Indiana French Lick Springs Hotel, French Lick, Indiana St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Lafayette, Indiana Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana West Baden Springs Hotel, West Baden Springs, Indiana Union Passenger Terminal, New Orleans, Louisiana Citi Performing Arts Center - Wang Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts Colonial Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor, Michigan Temple Theatre, Saginaw, Michigan Gillioz Theatre, Springfield, Missouri St. Mary's Basilica, Natchez, Mississippi Federal Reserve Bank, Cleveland, Ohio Old Stone Church, Cleveland, Ohio East Broad Street Presbyterian Church, Columbus, Ohio Ohio Theatre, Columbus, Ohio Philadelphia City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sovereign Center - Rajah Theatre, Reading, Pennsylvania St. Mary's Catholic Church, Salem, South Dakota Paramount Theatre, Charlottesville, Virginia Mosque Theatre, Richmond, Virginia Al. Ringling Theatre, Baraboo, Wisconsin Brown County Courthouse, Green Bay, Wisconsin Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Works “Beauty Restored to Historic Church: Saint Francis Xavier in Vincennes – the Oldest Parish in the Indiana Territory”. Adoremus Bulletin, vol. XV, no. 3. “Choosing Wisely Among Stained Glass Restoration Methods”. Church Executive Magazine, December, 2002. "Safety" in The Stained Glass Handbook, 2006. “Seabees Construct Stained Glass Windows in Iraq”. Stained Glass Quarterly, Winter, 2006. “Selecting a Stained Glass Style”. Religious Product News, October, 2007. “Metallic Wall Coatings”. PaintPro Magazine, November/December, 2007. “Scagliola: Beautiful Faker”. PWC: Painting and Wallcovering Contractor, November/December, 2007. “Midwestern Masterpiece”. Journal of Architectural Coatings, May, 2008. “Protecting your Decorative Investment”. Religious Product News, January, 2009. “Protecting your Church Treasures: If something happens to your Treasures, could they be replaced?”. Church & Worship Technology, February, 2009. “Objets d’Art: Insuring and Restoring Treasures Can Be Tricky”. Claims Magazine, July, 2009.
References
External links Gruenke Foundation for the Arts Official website at navypier.com Article on SGAA Distinguished Service Award 2010