University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: Art Department

UW–Madison MFA student discusses art of printmaking on Wisconsin Public Radio

UW–Madison student Christie Tirado, an MFA candidate in the School of Education’s Art Department, recently appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Today” program to discuss printmaking and her artwork, which highlights the identities and experiences of migrant laborers from Mexico. Tirado, who specializes in block printing, said her motivation is to tell stories that often …

Witnessing Lives

By Kari Dickinson Through her camera lens, Darcy Padilla captures not just images, but stories of beauty and resilience in the face of crushing challenges. Approaching her subjects with empathy and understanding, Padilla witnesses the lives of those often overlooked. Her long-form narrative photography illuminates some of the most pressing social issues of our time …

A Legacy in Letters

By Kari Dickinson David Berlow’s fonts have graced the pages of many well-known publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, and The Wall Street Journal. He has created some of the world’s most recognizable typefaces, consulting for tech giants Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe. But before he was a celebrated type designer, Berlow was a …

Creative Insights: Q&A with MFA candidate Tamara McLean

Over the next few months we are offering a glimpse into the creative process of the Art Department’s graduating master of fine arts candidates, who are presenting their final thesis exhibitions throughout the spring semester. These exhibitions represent the culmination of years of dedicated study and artistic exploration, showcasing our students’ diverse talents and innovative …

Art and engineering forge partnership for practical learning in Art Department foundry

By Kari Dickinson Mechanical engineering students gained practical experience casting screwdriver handles this fall in the Art Department’s foundry in a collaboration between the two departments. For one week in October, the foundry was the classroom for ME 311 — Manufacturing: Metals and Automation, where more than 200 students worked on creating the handles they …

Lee and former student discuss art of making glass on ‘Arts Educators Save the World’ podcast

UW–Madison’s Erica Halverson started off the new year with a new episode of her podcast, “Arts Educators Save the World,” speaking with Aaron Bossen, a glass artist and PhD student in materials science engineering at Penn State University, along with his mentor, Helen Lee, the director of the UW–Madison Glass Lab. Halverson, a professor in …

UW–Madison alumna wins first prize at international glass competition

UW–Madison alumna Wai Tung Jocelyn Chan, who earned her BFA from the School of Education’s Art Department in 2021, is the first place winner of the prestigious 2024 Stanislav Libenský Award. The Libenský Award is an international competition of emerging glass artists organized by the Prague Gallery of Czech Glass. The award was established in …

UW–Madison’s Baldacchino co-edits special journal issue examining ‘degrowth’ in education

Is growth always good in education? Or is it possible that can educators and learners benefit — and systems become more sustainable — while consuming less? A special issue of the journal Nordic Studies in Education, co-edited by UW–Madison’s John Baldacchino, examines this question, delving into the concept of “degrowth” in education. In an introduction …

UW–Madison graduate student wins Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities

UW–Madison graduate student Carly “Car” Riegger has been honored with a 2024 Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities from Arts Midwest. Nine artists from throughout the Midwestern region were selected for this award from over 300 applicants by a panel of seven reviewers. The awardees will receive $3,000 each celebrating their exceptional work and recognizing their …

Los Angeles Times spotlights provocative ‘Strut’ exhibition by UW–Madison’s West

The Los Angeles Times recently spotlighted an “audacious installation” by UW–Madison’s Christina A. West at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona, California. West, an associate professor in the School of Education’s Art Department, is known for her explorations of the human form in provocative ways, notes the article. Her installation, called “Strut,” includes …