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MIAD alum Sajnani selected as MAM 2023 annual ornament designer

Blue and white artisan painted ornament

Debbie Sajnani’s Folklorico annual ornament. Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Art Museum

The Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) selected the design of MIAD alum Debbie Sajnani ’16 (Communication Design) for its 2023 annual ornament. The ornaments are recreated each year by artisans using a reserve painting technique, according to MAM.

“I see my work as a way to celebrate my heritage while also showcasing my lived experiences,” says Sajnani on their website. “As a neuro-divergent/multi-hyphenated individual, my creative process is a reflection of my journey, my struggles and my triumphs. Through my art, I hope to inspire others to embrace their own unique identities and to celebrate the beauty of diversity in all its forms.”

Sajnani has been a featured artist for Kohl’s Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month and AAPI Month spotlights and has created work for Milwaukee Film, among many other clients.

They will sign ornaments at the museum on Sunday, November 26, and Thursday, December 14, from 1 – 4 p.m. The ornaments are also available for sale at the museum’s online store.

In 2022, alum Lauren Marvell ’16 designed the MAM annual ornament.

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