News
Senior Exhibition 2023: Dominick Streff
Reimagining the possibilities of tabletop gaming, Dominick Streff ’23 (Product Design) is working to revolutionize gaming possibilities in his senior thesis, a game called “Heroes and Hydras.” A tactile and auditory experience designed for people with vision impairment, Streff conducted extensive research and synthesized his findings into a sensory tabletop game.
Milwaukee PBS features Veteran Print Project
As part of a documentary on Milwaukee’s Soldiers Home, Scottie Meyers of Milwaukee’s PBS interviewed printmaking students at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). Grace Ranz ’24 (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts and Illustration) and Grey Higginbotham ’24 (NSP: Fine Arts) created a print currently housed in Milwaukee’s Soldiers Home.
MIAD receives inaugural grant from Ruth Foundation for the Arts
The nationally recognized Ruth Foundation for the Arts (Ruth Arts) has awarded the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) an inaugural grant through its new Wisconsin Grants to Artists program to support research and development of work by individual artists. The MIAD grant is part of the Ruth Arts’ regranting program to three Milwaukee-centric organizations. Lynden Sculpture Garden and The Open Fund also received grants.
Senior Exhibition 2023: Jon Demirel
Jon Demirel ’23 (Communication Design) knew he wanted to be a graphic designer ever since he was a kid creating flyers for meme pages on Facebook. Since moving from Istanbul, Turkey to the United States at 15, Demirel has honed his craft far beyond his early start.
MIAD Values Recognition Award: Matthew Stricker
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) has announced the March recipient of the MIAD Values Recognition Award. Matthew Stricker, Associate Director of Student Services, received nominations for his phenomenal support of the MIAD community and its values, particularly his commitment to Kindness and Inclusiveness.
“Dear Nature” collaboration installed at The Avenue
Sculpture Milwaukee’s newest collaboration, “Dear Nature,” features work by students from four Milwaukee colleges. Students in Jason S. Yi’s New Studio Practice: Fine Arts course at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) installed work at The Avenue ahead of the exhibition’s opening on April 21, 2023.
Imagine MKE features MIAD in 414 Day video
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) was honored to participate in this year’s 414 Day video through Imagine MKE. The video celebrates Milwaukee artists and creatives and the vibrance they bring to the community.
Senior Exhibition 2023: Margaret Griffin
When Margaret Griffin ’23 (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts) transferred to the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), she hoped to dig deeper into her artistic practice. Now in her final semester, Griffin’s work is catching the attention of the Milwaukee creative community.
Finalists win funding through Grilled Cheese Grant
Five art and design students, including three seniors from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), were selected as finalists for this year’s annual Grilled Cheese Grant. After an extremely successful event on April 1, 2023, all five students will receive full funding for their senior thesis projects for the first time in Grilled Cheese Grant history.
MIAD Values Recognition Award: Rithi Punyamurthula
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) has announced the February recipient of the MIAD Values Recognition Award. Rithi Punyamurthula, Coordinator of Equity + Inclusion, received nominations for many of MIAD’s Core Values, particularly Kindness, Inclusion and Community.
MIAD’s Design Internship prepares students for professional fields
Milwaukee boasts a vibrant community of artists and creatives. The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) is proud to bolster this community through the Design Internship, a program for Milwaukee-area high school students intended to prepare them for careers in art and design.
NSP: Fine Arts junior selected for Yale Norfolk Summer Program
Chad Alexander ’24 (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts) is one of only 26 students nationwide to be accepted into the prestigious Yale Norfolk School of Art Summer Program. Alexander, currently a junior at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) will participate in the six-week residency in Norfolk, Connecticut.
MIAD River Rat recognized on World Rat Day
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) celebrates its iconic River Rat mascot on World Rat Day, April 4, 2023. Situated along the Milwaukee River, the institution proudly spotlights its favorite scrappy and resourceful rodent.
MIAD Gallery at The Ave celebrates opening
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) celebrates its first offsite gallery during its grand opening on April 6, 2023 from 6 – 8 p.m. MIAD invites the public to attend the event and to explore the new Gallery at The Ave, located at 301 W. Wisconsin Ave in The Avenue near the 3rd Street Market Hall.
First-Year Exhibition 2023 winners announced
Four winners and three honorable mentions were selected at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s (MIAD) First-Year Experience Student Exhibition opening reception on Friday, March 24, 2023. Renato Umali, Mariah Tate Klemens and Gabrielle Banzhaf, the three jurors, commended all the participating students for their strong work.
Communication Design senior lands Nike Internship
Catherine Currie ’23 (Communication Design), a senior at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), was selected for the highly competitive graphic design internship at Nike. The internship will take place over 10 weeks this summer at Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.
MIAD Defines 2023: Day of play
For the 2023 iteration of MIAD Defines, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design dedicated Tuesday, March 21 to playing. With the aim to connect, converse and learn across majors, years and disciplines, this year’s MIAD Defines was a resounding success.
Peter Barrickman selected as NSP: Fine Arts full-time faculty
Following a national search, Peter Barrickman has been selected as the newest full-time faculty member in New Studio Practice (NSP): Fine Arts at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). An internationally recognized artist, Barrickman also co-founded Mazzzagine, a publication dedicated to supporting artists and fostering collaboration.
Associated Bank sponsors MIAD Pre-College students
For Kyla Chester-Hopkins and Matthew Goss, the summer 2022 Pre-College program at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) meant a new perspective on their artistic practices. Presented by Associated Bank, the MIAD Pre-College program is dedicated to developing high school students’ artistic skills and preparing them for a college career in art and design.
MIAD alum on maximizing college and intuitive making
From teaching pre-college classes at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design to planning international residencies, Alan A. Peralta Martinez ’21 (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts) relies on his intuition. The multidisciplinary fine artist also known as pinchegato recently hosted a solo show at TASK ahead of his two-month residency in Guadalajara.
Remembering Adam F. Nilson, Fine Art alum
Adam F. Nilson ’03 (Drawing) passed away on March 5, 2023. He was the owner of nationally recognized Nilson Studio, where he created many beloved Milwaukee area murals. Generous with his community, Nilson also hosted art supply drives and mentored students to ensure children had access to the arts.
Product Design alum talks disability and design
Emily Siira ’17 (Industrial Design) started her education in mechanical engineering, but discovered industrial design (also known as product design at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design) unexpectedly through a journey of disability as a young adult.
Thirty seniors receive MIAD Alumni Senior Thesis Awards
Thanks to the generosity of alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the college, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design will award $6,857 to an unprecedented 28 seniors to directly support the fabrication and installation of their Senior Exhibition capstone projects. Winners were selected by a panel of 21 MIAD alumni with experience in fine art and design career fields.
Layton School of Art alum passes away
Leon Emidio Travanti ’56 (Painting), a graduate of Layton School of Art, passed away on January 21, 2023. The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design currently houses work by Travanti from his time as a student. The prodigious artist also donated two of his works to MIAD’s annual gala Creative Fusion.
First-Year Student Exhibition promotes professional skills
The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design hosts the First-Year Experience Exhibition from late March through September 2023. A juried exhibition of work by MIAD’s first-year students, the installation celebrates the creative and personal growth that students experienced over the course of the year.