MEET THE MAKER: Blacksmith Artist Bob Tuftee & Oil Painter Michael DeFrancesco
Fri, Sep 11
|Longbranch Gallery
Join us for a special Artist Reception featuring blacksmith artist Bob Tuftee and original oil painter Michael DeFrancesco. Experience Tuftee’s striking forged metalwork alongside DeFrancesco’s expressive paintings in a weekend celebrating craftsmanship, creativity, and two unique artistic visions.
Time & Location
Sep 11, 2026, 5:00 PM – Sep 12, 2026, 9:00 PM
Longbranch Gallery, 203 Commerce St, Mineral Point, WI 53565, USA
About the event
Join us September 11–12 for a special Artist Reception featuring the remarkable work of blacksmith artist Bob Tuftee and oil painter Michael DeFrancesco. This unique exhibition brings together two artists deeply devoted to craftsmanship, tradition, and the lifelong pursuit of artistic expression.
Michael DeFrancesco’s journey as an artist began early when, at just 15 years old, he was awarded the prestigious Robert Allerton scholarship through the University of Illinois extension program in Monticello. Inspired by the classical beauty of the campus and its Florentine atmosphere, he credits the experience with teaching him how to truly “see” as an artist. A few years later, he traveled to California where he became one of only twelve pastel portrait artists selected to work for Walt Disney Productions at Disneyland. Returning to Chicago, he earned his Fine Arts degree from the American Academy of Art and apprenticed under renowned illustrator Kunio Hagio, whose mentorship…