|
 During
March, enjoy artwork by nationally known Galena artist, Lois
Mihok featured at the artist co-op Hello Galena! Stop in
the shop at 121 N. Commerce Street in Galena and see Mihok’s
newest of 26 Galena building replicas, The Blacksmith Shop.
In addition
to hand-painted resin buildings, her featured artwork will include
framed paper sculpture, plaster sculpture and Tyler Toys.
Lois Mihok
has been a freelance model and mold maker for 48 years. She
prepares dimensional drawings or works from blueprints, models
and sculpts original artwork, and turns plaster shapes on a
wheel or lathe. Mihok makes shells for foundry reproduction
in steel for zinc slush castings; models for vinyl centrifugal
castings; and models for silicone rubber molds for resin, wax
and metal castings.
 Many
of the popular Banthrico metal coin banks were crafted by Mihok,
and are listed in the collectors’ association catalog. Her work
continues to be in demand, as she was commissioned recently
by a bank in Mt. Prospect, IL.
Mihok was
born and raised in Chicago. When asked if she was artistic as
a child, Mihok shares, “I was always building something and
often designed farm buildings. My first sculpting medium was
bars of Ivory soap.”
Following
a brief appointment as a high school Physical Education teacher
on the eastern shores of Maryland, Mihok co-owned a ceramic
business in Maryland and then Wisconsin, and her artistic career
was launched. Other well-known companies who benefited from
Mihok’s talent as a model and mold maker were the Stiffel Lamp
Company and Haeger Potteries.
 Mihok
designs and builds scale miniatures and dioramas, which are
horse-related scenes, including one of the Grand National Steeple
Chase.
Teaching
continues to be part of Mihok's life. She inspires young artists
as she instructs elementary students at the Dubuque Lutheran
School. Her largest work is a bas relief sculpture, a 6-foot
by 20-foot set of five panels, which is installed at Our Redeemer
Lutheran Church in Dubuque. Mihok is a certified ceramic teacher
and has judged at ceramic shows.
Patrons
interested in her artwork may reach Mihok via email.
Her art is on sale at Hello Galena at 121 N. Commerce St., in
Galena. Find Hello Galena's online map, store
hours and directions.
|
