For Hub City Times

SPENCER — 1976 was a memorable year for the U.S., celebrating its bicentennial. For Jim McKnight, it was a year of college at UWSP. To complete his major, he took two watercolor classes to fill out his required electives. That was the extent of his art lessons.

Since those two stints in the electives, he painted sporadically until 2013, when a more flexible schedule allowed him to devote more time to painting. The fruits of his work will be displayed in the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts gallery during the month of November.

An open house will be held on Friday, Nov. 4, from 5-7 p.m.

McKnight enjoys exploring the relationships between landscape and structures in some of his paintings, where the human hand of the builder is guided by the native materials and the space the building occupies relative to the specific physical surroundings. McKnight said, “Trying to express that harmony makes a good subject for me.”

Art enthusiasts can view Jim McKnight’s work during the open house, during performances, or by appointment. Call 715-659-4499 to set up an appointment. The LuCille Tack Center for the Arts box office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.