The Friends of Our Gallery organization is a group of volunteers who support the local Rountree Gallery and currently showcases their annual FOG exhibition.

For the most part, FOG members are creative people who do every aspect of art. UW-Platteville’s Clay Club has also joined FOG.

“We exist as supporters of the mission of Rountree Gallery,” Cindy Schave, local artist, owner of a custom framing business and member of FOG, said.

Rountree Gallery is a community-founded gallery that has changing exhibits throughout the exhibition season from mid-March to mid-December. Once a year FOG members are invited to display up to five pieces in the FOG exhibition and get an opportunity to sell their work. The exhibition is open to the public and free of charge.

“The show consists of a wide variety of paintings and all other mediums, such as drawings, photography, sculpture and textiles,” Schave said. “It is a great opportunity to experience items created by local artists and artisans.”

The support by FOG for the gallery includes donations to assist with computer hardware, display equipment, pieces from the permanent collection and maintenance for the art resource library.

Members also help hang up art at the show and promote the gallery, David Meinhardt, communication technologies instructor and president of FOG, said.

Another monthly activity of FOG is the Sweet Art Sunday event. SAS takes place in a local business and features one or more artists. Future activities of FOG include donating some of their funds to the gallery to install more track lighting and apply for the non-profit organization status.

Starting in 2008, a FOG-supported art resource lending library with about 300 volumes will be available to the public.

“This is a great opportunity for everybody to research about art … outside of what the campus library offers,” Jens Lindner, counseling education major, said.

FOG is open to everyone, and membership for students costs $5. The organization focuses on bringing the aspects of art into the community and makes them accessible to everybody.

“We want to get a lot of community involvement,” Meinhardt said. “The arts are important for the life and the soul of the community.”