Meet Makenna Schibler and 2025 Senior Exhibition Project Day Ten

This is one in a series of online interviews with MIAD seniors, who share their thoughts about their 2025 Senior Exhibition project and their MIAD education.

Makenna Schibler ’25 (Fine Art + New Studio Practice) is from Louisville, Ken.

What is your “elevator pitch” for your senior exhibition project?

I am a practicing fiber artist based in Milwaukee. I use techniques such as freeform crochet, knitting, tufting, sewing and quilting to reimagine the digital image as a tactile 2D wall work. For my senior thesis, I decided to create from familiar imagery of the traditional American values with a combination of a deteriorating dollar bill, a pair of blue jeans with cowboy boots, and two fishbowls. The bill and blue jeans are connected in themes of blue collar with the ironicism of the use of material. The fish bowls placed underneath/adjacent the blue jeans serve as a foundation for the individual.

Makenna Schibler

Anything you’d like to share about yourself or MIAD?

I am so grateful for how MIAD helped segue me to connections outside of the school, properly introducing me to the Milwaukee art scene. I’m thankful that I am the most motivated I’ve ever been while making art and so excited to continue.

I am involved in a couple of community art projects around the city of Milwaukee that will surface later in the year. I’ll continue to submit and exhibit new and old works in and out of the city while accepting commission work. My involvement with MIAD will also continue over the summer with workshops. Very excited about what’s to come!

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