Each year, the Wausau Festival of Arts selects an emerging artist to display and sell his or her work at the Festival. It is an opportunity for an artist who is new to the outdoor art festival scene to experience his or her first outdoor festival, and meet fellow artists and possible mentors. This year, we are pleased to introduce two new Festival artists, listed below as our featured emerging artists. Be sure to stop by theit booths on the 400 Block while you are downtown enjoying the Festival. They are grateful for this opportunity and looking forward to sharing their work with you.

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Nichole Linzmeier is an artist who strives to create realistic wildlife and pet portraits.She works in colored pencil, pastel, and graphite–each one possessing its own unique qualities.Her goal is to achieve artwork that makes you want to reach out and feel the texture of the fur, see the wetness of the nose, and glimpse into the animal’s soul through its eyes.

She has had her artwork displayed in the CPAs International Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as multiple local exhibitions in Wisconsin. You can find her artwork in several art magazine publications. Many of her pieces are being enjoyed in their new homes at private residences.

Nichole was born, raised and continues to call Stratford, WI home. When she’s not busy working full time as a registered nurse she enjoys spending time with her husband and two small children, finding time on the side to create new artwork. With no formal art education, many hours are put into research and experiment with finding the right techniques to help create realistic, beautiful pieces of art.

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My name is Nick Bossenbroek and I am a photographer and wildlife biologist. I currently live in northeast Wisconsin, but I have been fortunate enough to live and work in some of the most beautiful places across the U.S. 

I began my career as a field researcher working in the swamps and forests of South Carolina wading through dark, murky, waist-high water trying to capture snakes, turtles, and alligators –might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I loved it! After a while, I drove west to work for the National Park Service in Utah. Living and working in Zion National Park was incredible! My work focused on monitoring threatened and endangered species including California condors, spotted owls, and desert tortoises. 

I have now turned my skills as a wildlife biologist into a self-employed endeavor. I spend my days researching wildlife species, planning field trips, and hoping to photograph their beauty and share their story with you.