Fisch tale

Today, the men are still artists pursuing the creative visions that stirred their souls when they were kids just out of college.

But the four — Patrick Duegaw, John Ernatt, Eric Schmidt and Kent Williams — are doing it in the midst of a thriving artistic community they helped spark more than 20 years ago.

On Saturday, the creative phenomenon they established will be celebrated when "Fisch Haus 21: An Artists' Collaborative Comes of Age" opens at the Ulrich Museum of Art.

The exhibition will feature more than 40 of the men's paintings, sculptures, photographs and installations.

All four still live in Wichita, and are still connected by their history, their passions and their friendships. But the chance to collaborate again — to plan a show, mount the works, even create a "show within a show" — has Williams exuberant.

"This will be the first time in a while that the four of us have come together for the purpose of a collective show," he said. "While we maintain significant levels of working relationships as artists and friends, for the four of us to pull together like this now, again, has me grinning."

Origin of the name

The four began their collaboration in 1990 after all had completed college degrees. Duegaw and Williams had studied architecture, Schmidt sculpture and Ernatt painting and drawing.

At first, they met regularly to discuss art and critique one another's work. They collaborated on shows and exhibited at different venues in a not-yet-developed Old Town.

"The artists would rent an abandoned warehouse for one evening, put up posters, hang lights and display their work, creating makeshift galleries that quickly drew a following," said Emily Stamey, curator of the Ulrich show.

The Fisch Haus moniker came about by accident early on. Trying to think of a title for one of their first exhibitions, the artists came across a neon sign on a building on North Broadway that read "Hot Fish." Struck by the quirkiness and mystery of it, they adopted the name for their show. It was a friend visiting from Germany who suggested they translate it into German —"Heisser Fisch."

From that point, and for a long time afterwards, the group used the word "fisch" in almost every show title. And when the artists bought an old building on Commerce Street in 1994 that would be transformed into their studios, living space and gallery, it seemed natural to christen it the "Fisch Haus."

In the early years of the Fisch Haus the artists had many collaborative exhibits, but gradually started branching out in different directions and showing their work individually. Their closeness and creative influence on one another has remained steadfast.

"After 21 years the artists are still a daily part of one another's lives," Stamey said. "This is the first exhibition featuring all four artists since 1997."

Their art

The artists have markedly different styles and work in various media, but allusions to the tools and machines that are used to create their art are commonly found in each artist's work.

It can be seen in Schmidt's meticulously crafted sculptures and musical instruments that have a "made by human hands" quality to them.

It's also in the paintings of Duegaw and Ernatt. Many of Duegaw's paintings have a structured, mechanical feel that comes to life in the subjects he portrays, whether that be a portrait or a painting of a mallet.

Ernatt's paintings have a cubist sensibility, vibrant in color and movement. Many of his subjects include manual laborers and workers that are shown with the tools they use.

Williams, who is an artist in many media, carries the theme of places into his works. Using found objects, screws, recycled wood and even tar, he creates abstract pieces that evoke emotion and touch on social issues.

Their exhibit includes works from the past 21 years. Many are on loan from private collections as well as from the artists' collections.

One of the surprises in the Ulrich exhibit will be a special collaboration by the four men.

"We've invited the artists to create an installation — a gallery within the gallery — that will offer a sort of behind-the-scenes glimpse into Fisch Haus," Stamey said. "This space I am turning completely over to the boys and they are going to be bringing in many works that will make up this special creative installation. That's certainly not to be missed."

Where they are

All four men are well-known in Wichita for their artistic endeavors.

Duegaw is a full-time artist and the only one of the four who still lives in the Fisch Haus, at 524 S. Commerce, although he spends about a third of each year working at his studio in Montreal. He is married to Elizabeth Stevenson, equally well-known in the Wichita artistic community, in part for co-founding the River City Biennale, which strives to broaden appreciation of Wichita's contemporary art scene.

Ernatt is also a full-time artist who owns Diver Studio, at 424 S. Commerce, with his wife, Connie, an artist whose recent work includes the bronze memorial to fallen law enforcement officers at City Hall. Their studio was the first site of Fisch Haus, which later moved a block south down Commerce.

Schmidt and Williams still have studios at Fisch Haus. Williams is well-known for public art around Wichita and for urban and architectural design as well as his own art.

Schmidt has designed a sound hole for guitar that is sold in music shops, and is also exploring wind energy and aerodynamic enhancements for vehicles. His wife, Jamie Tabor, created the Chicken Poop brand of lip balm and runs her business out of the Fisch Haus.

Ulrich show

The exhibit at the Ulrich will run through Aug. 7 and be kicked off with a party Saturday night open to the public.

"This show will be a fantastic opportunity for people to see the breadth of Fisch Haus creativity over the past 21 years and to celebrate the contributions these artists have made to the community," Stamey said.

Fisch Haus has been a driving force in Wichita's art scene and now presents not only gallery exhibitions but also musical performances, lectures, films and festivals throughout the year.

"The difficult and equally wonderful part of all this activity is that it is happening in what is essentially my living room," Duegaw said.

After 21 years, the Fisch Haus legacy deserves recognition, Stamey said.

"While other artist groups and galleries have come and gone, Fisch Haus has always been there," she said. "It is very hard to imagine the Wichita art scene without it."

If you go

Fisch Haus 21: An Artists' Collaborative Comes of Age

What: Featuring the work of Fisch Haus founders Patrick Duegaw, John Ernatt, Eric Schmidt and Kent Williams

Where: Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University

When: Opens Saturday and runs through Aug. 7; opening party 7-9 p.m. Saturday. Museum hours 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri. and 1-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Closed Mondays.

How much: Museum admission free. Party free for Ulrich members or $7 for nonmembers. RSVPs requested; call 316-978-3664.

This story was originally published April 10, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Fisch tale."