Ray Gloeckler, best known for his wood block prints, is a Wisconsin artist whose university education began as a pharmacy major. His subjects are generally satirical commentaries based on the complexities of human nature. They are usually bold caricatures, which stylistically use bold patterns and linear contours in the depictions. Gloeckler grew up in Portage and enjoyed drawing as a child, receiving encouragement from family members but particularly from his aunts. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from UW, he taught arts education in several school districts before being hired by UW-Oshkosh. After several teaching stints in Michigan, Gloeckler returned to Wisconsin to teach at UW-Madison from 1961-97. Over time, printmaking, particularly wood engraving, became his specialty. In addition to his well-established Wisconsin presence, he is both a nationally and internationally recognized artist; Gloeckler is one of three invited members in the British Society of Wood Engravers. Today, he continues to work in his home studio in Portage.
