For Hub City Times

SPENCER — Shawn Ganther was born on a small farm in Marshfield. He enjoyed romping through the farm fields with aspirations of baseball stardom dancing in his head. As high school came, his interests shifted toward music and self expression, and his senior schedule was filled with art classes.

His love of art followed him to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, but financial hardship brought college to a halt after his sophomore year, and he found his way to an Air Force recruiter. Ganther enlisted and served from 1998 until 2002.

As with many people, 9/11 changed his life forever. For Ganther, life would never be the same. Ganther served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Northern Watch.

After the military, Ganther decided to return to college and graduated in 2012 from UWSP with a Bachelor of Science degree in media production and studio art.

A professor invited Ganther to help out with a military art show, giving him the chance to express his feelings and open up about his time in the armed forces. The venue gave Ganther the opportunity to release the trauma he experienced while serving in the Air Force.

Ganther is now a painter and print maker who uses oil paint and automotive repair epoxy to create images that depict American culture and the influences that model human behavior. His work is on display at the Pentagon, Lincoln Center, and in private collections at Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, and Yale University’s art libraries.

Images created by Ganther will be on display at the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts during the month of November. An open house to view his work will be held Nov. 3 from 5-7 p.m. His works can also be viewed during performances.