Author: Nick Ringelstetter

The Fusion Line started with a dream. In the dream Ringlestetter was (unknowingly) in a simulation that warped his reality into a bleak, new world order where the elderly were being sent into the earth’s core for destruction. When this unsettling scene ended his headset was removed and it became clear that he had been in a “Create Your Own Adventure” style of virtual reality movie where he was able to pick the cast and which characters he wanted to follow throughout the storyline.

An intense vision alone, this would have been enough for one night. But as Ringlestetter was returning to his conscious state, he was given another download of inspiration when he glimpsed a creation that sent him down a new creative path. As he was rousing, he saw a piece of artwork that resembled what he’s making today with his new “Fusion Line”. This is a combination of all of his past career ventures put together with three separate tiers of creation that flow together as one piece. Ringelstetter was able to access this effect through the process of destruction and recreation of resin molds.

Without this series of dreams, who knows where Ringelstetter would be focusing his creativity at this time. He’s thankful that his guides are always looking out for him to make sure his well of vast imagination never runs dry and is incredibly excited to be releasing another line. The possibilities truly are endless when you open yourself up to other realms of existence.

Darienne Keniece

Advertised as the country’s best and biggest art show, the Ann Arbor Art show has given Ringelstetter the go around many times in the past. With 1,500 artists coming in from all over the country, it can be an overwhelming experience for both patron and supplier. The four day stride of the show can really take a toll on the artists with the showtimes stretching from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. The last time Ringelstetter made an appearance at this venue in 2019 there was a wicked storm that led to the blog “Ann Arbor Horrors”, and he vowed he would never go back.

However, this was the show he won his second National award at and with the events we all experienced in 2020 he decided to give this show a second chance. Much to his surprise it turned out to be one of his best shows ever with a final payout of $20,000 that has now set him up for the rest of the year and given him the opportunity to forgo his winter tour in Florida so that he can help his budding apprentice kickstart his career as a touring artist while he paints originals live on the street. This was a surprising turn of events for both artists, but they’re thrilled with the new direction their careers are heading, and it’s all thanks to the Ann Arbor show and it’s wonderful buyers. It just goes to show that life can switch things up at any moment when you keep yourself open to possibility.

Darienne Keniece

In the last few months it has been brought to Ringelstetter’s attention that the art community has experienced some major changes. Creatives are flocking to the Dakotas and southern states like Texas and Florida because states known for the arts, like New York and California, have shut everything down, making it next to impossible to make a living as an artist there, similar to what Ringelstetter has been experiencing in Wisconsin. Show after show had been cancelled or rolled back and he was feeling defeated. Winter was setting in and starting to wear heavily on the psyche, and Ringelstetter was dreaming of warmer days filled with beaches and painting when his approval for the Tallahassee show came through and, much to his surprise, shortly after he received a notice about qualification for a PPP that could help him get there.

He submitted his application and waited patiently for weeks until he received another email alerting him that he had only one more week to meet to submit his application. Having already done this, he placed a call to find that somehow his application had slipped through the cracks and while they had his app in hand, it had not been properly submitted yet. One might typically find this frustrating, had the terms of the PPP not changed the day before, now granting Ringelstetter three times his initial benefit. Blown away by these circumstances but eternally grateful, the artist started making plans to head south and get his art back on the map.

Through his connections he was able to set up a show at the Monster Factory where they brought in a DJ and set up a tiki bar to welcome him back. While he was there he got to see first hand just how much things had changed for the art world. With so many business types flocking to Miami the art community is relocating to Saint Petersburg, (i.e., millionaires are being pushed out by billionaires) creating a brand new avenue of opportunities for artists of all kinds. But of course, a move this big comes with it’s own challenges and learning experiences for the working artist. Ringelstetter was quoted saying, “Everything I know about the art hustle has flip-flopped- it’s a whole new game out here.”

The Midwest used to be a hotspot for art but with the state of things life as we know it in the art world is changing. It’s an interesting time to be alive, and if you’re a creative our hearts go out to you. We know that this time has altered a lot, but it won’t kill the industry – we must simply adapt and evolve with the times and through the right lens, it looks like the world could be tipping in our favor.

Darienne Keniece

As of January 7, 2021 Ringelsetter has created and destroyed three versions of resin based artwork, striving for the perfect outcome. The events of 2020 have given him the chance to demonstrate how quickly he can create and evolve a concept when given the freedoms to work.

As an artist it’s no surprise that he’s comfortable with the process of creation, destruction, and rebirth. A “god” in his own world, Ringelstetter knows the importance of following the cycle of life, allowing things to flow through their own process in order to become what they’re meant to be, even if this process requires smashing apart and melting down something you’ve put hours of your time into. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that he is detached from this process as he can feel parts of himself disintegrating along with the shapes of the molds, but he recognizes this as a chance to transcend his current limits and move into the next phase of his career and continue to explore his passions.

If 2020 has shown us anything it’s proof that you can rebuild from the rumble time and time again with enough determination and the right perspective.

Darienne Keniece

In 2016 Ringelstetter was at an art fair in Miami that didn’t yield the results he was hoping for when he was approached by a patron that was interested in the “Forbidden Zone” piece. After hearing the wonderful backstory, the patron made an offer to purchase the painting for $30,000. Ringelstetter turned him down almost immediately due to the sentimental and inspirational value this piece provides him, but the patron wasn’t convinced and invited our artist to a bar later that evening.

Out of curiosity and the hope of building a new business relationship, Ringelstetter agreed to meet the man later that evening. When he arrived the discussion of “what will it take” began, but still Ringelstetter was committed to keeping the piece. The “Forbidden Zone” is such a pivotal piece for his career that he couldn’t (and still can’t) bear to part with it. He’s been given a world of grief by family, friends, and supporters for this decision, but he knows that this is a piece you can’t put into words and the experience it gives it’s viewers is a priceless thing to witness. Ringelstetter still maintains that the only way this piece will leave his possession is if it is rented out and he’s given the opportunity to tell the story along with it’s viewing. Speaking as someone who’s gotten to tell the incredible story of the inspiration and creation of the “Forbidden Zone”, I wholeheartedly agree with his decision. You simply cannot attach a price tag to the awesome experience of blowing people’s minds and reshaping the art world.

“Forbidden Zone”

On Halloween 2018, Ringelstetter participated in a fundraiser held by the Spring Green Area Arts Coalition at the Shed restaurant. The goal was to raise money for artists in the community, and the theme was ”Painting Monsters with Nick”. Ringelstetter knew that he would be using all of the characters each of the twenty participants had created to paint a new original, but at the time he didn’t know that he would be spending three months on it. 

The choice was between creating three new originals before Ringelstetter left for his Florida tour, or to put his all into this one painting. Since it was for the kids, Ringelstetter decided to take this painting a step further and make it three dimensional and black light reactive. The results were something that has never been done before in the art world, thanks in great part to every individual who partook in the event.  

Darienne Keniece

Jared Breyfogel is from Parkersburg Iowa and has always had an interest in art, but it wasn’t until life threw him a few curve balls that he decided to reshape his journey. After the passing of his step-father, the decline in health of his biological father, the loss of his job due to lay-offs, and the severance of a relationship with the love of his life, he decided to move back to Wisconsin and go full-time with his art career. In an attempt to take back control of his life, he sold off all of his stuff and teamed up with longtime friend, Nick Ringelstetter to get focused on the path of his passions. The timing seemed to work out perfectly as Ringelstetter was hunting for a place to open up a print shop with coworker Jacob Leeck, and they had recently found a cabin that would double as both a business and a sanctuary for Breyfogle. However, when that deal fell through it awakened a drive in Breyfogle to get focused. This was no longer just about passion, it was about necessity. Thanks to divine timing, Ringelstetter was currently changing both his media and his booth set up, and graciously gave Breyfogle all of his no longer needed supplies, as well as years worth of advice that set Breyfogle up for success and undoubtedly shaved eight years of struggle off of his art career.

These two are now on fire. With multiple shows on the books, Breyfolge hasn’t been denied to an event yet. Even with the unfortunate circumstances of his first national show in Minneapolis getting canceled due to all of the violence, Breyfogle cannot be stopped. He has three more shows coming up this fall and is on the waitlist for two more. He’s enjoying this new world of touring and he’s thrilled to have the opportunity to prove himself. Life’s circumstances have given him a motivating chip on his shoulder and he’s prepared to pave the way for his career no matter what else is dished out to him. We can’t always control the cards that the universe deals to us, but we can choose to make the best out of the hand we hold and come out on top if we put our minds, hearts, and souls into it. Sometimes the scariest leaps deliver the most rewarding adrenaline rushes.

Darienne Keniece

Back in 2010, Ringelstetter’s second year of creating art, he began to dabble into different mediums and forms of art in his free time. One of the projects he played with was the recreation of earth rocks. He used different paints, stains, and drywall spackle to create the rocks. When they were finished he felt inspired to turn them into caveman paintings. He felt connected to this concept because if the world were to take a turn for the apocalyptic, he feels it would be his duty to record events, capture moments however possible, just as the cavemen did. The pieces in this series are a depiction of the world according to Ringelstetter in 2012, the year in which they were finished. 

Darienne Keniece

When Ringelstetter’s career began it’s ascent toward success it was the most exciting but bitter sweet thing he had ever experienced. In 2019 when he received three national awards for his work he felt like he was at the pinnacle of his career, and while he enjoyed every moment of it he also felt it would be short lived and a once in a lifetime experience. But when the biggest plot twist of 2020 hit and wiped out his business, it created a bit of a rest in Ringelstetter’s universe. He was shut down for a year and a half, selling possessions just to stay afloat, and still trying to find ways to pursue his career. He was finally accepted into an art show this April and given the opportunity to make his first sale in what felt like ages.

At first it seemed like a small purchase, a piece of his art in exchange for thirty five dollars and smiles from a happy family. But as he stood there and had his photo taken with his new patrons a familiar euphoric feeling washed over the artist and he realized that the payout on this sale was more than monetary. This moment renewed his passion and since his determination has skyrocketed. He went on to make several more sales throughout the remainder of the show and has been on a rampage ever since.

Darienne Keniece

At the start of 2020 Ringelstetter had been planning to take the art community by storm with his entry into every possible show he could get into, but between the flood in the fall of 2019 and the global pandemic, Ringelstetter was forced to grow and set his sights in a new direction. The artist has been home since his last show in February of 2020, which took place in the neighborhood of Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida. With the unexpected time off due to Covid-19, he was able to do some home renovations which has helped with his morale and therefore his work.

At this time Ringelstetter is planning to attend a show in Dallas, Texas this coming April, but the experience looks a little different now than when it was scheduled. This year has hit many of us right in the pocket book and Ringelstetter is no exception, but he’s doing every possible thing he can think of to keep himself creating and sharing his work with the world. This twist in the plot hasn’t been all bad though. Thanks to the unexpected free time the artist was able to enjoy his downtime, catch up with old friends, and explore both old and new hobbies while steadily trucking toward his dreams at a comfortable rate.

It is my belief that this time spent pursuing his highest joy is what has allowed Ringelstetter an even deeper access to the spiritual realm and therefore the ability to channel at a much clearer and quicker rate. These messages have helped steer him toward a new lens for the future, which is why this year we’ll likely see him collaborating with other artists on a larger scale and building up Atomic7 Studio into the incredible entity Ringelstetter envisions in his mind.

For many of us 2021 is a year of rising from the rubble and reclaiming our lives, and Ringelstetter is no exception. Stay tuned to see what he alchemizes from his own ashes.

Darienne Keniece

Ringelstetter is a believer that everything in life is an orb, so he follows this same school of thought when contemplating life and soul energy. He believes that if you were to look into the energy realm you would see orbs constantly, coming and going from this dimension to the next. Each of these pieces is meant to attract a different personality type by essentially being a reflection of one’s own soul energy. This is a series that begs you to look within and connect into yourself. 

Darienne Keniece