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Miller Art Museum
Curatorial Portfolio
Giving Good | by Aaron Boyd
January 25 - March 29, 2025
First floor main galleries.
An exhibition aimed at children and families, Giving Good features the work of children’s book author Aaron Boyd (Milwaukee) highlighting the development of his unique style of illustration spanning a 31-year career. As a Wisconsin born artist coming from a diverse background, Boyd has always sought to capture and celebrate diversity in his art, wanting that children and communities see themselves reflected in his work.
The Mavericks: John Colt, Kenn Kwint, and Theodore Czebotar in the Permanent Collection
November 16 – December 30, 2024
First floor main galleries
The Mavericks presents 36 works from the permanent collection by 3 dynamic Wisconsin artists whose unique artmaking techniques made them mavericks amongst their peers. Works by John C. Colt, Kenn Kwint and Theodore Czebotar were acquired by a gift of Kohler Foundation, Inc. in 2019 and only presented as a virtual exhibition in 2020. A catalogue featuring research and written interpretations of the collection were done by curatorial intern, Sarah Egan in 2024.
(ha)kirinąk / to return home by Henry Payer
July 13 – September 21, 2024
First floor main galleries
Artist Henry Payer (Sioux City, IA) is a Nebraskan Ho-Chunk, federally recognized as the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Payer's work utilizes collage, found objects, and ledger paper where he presents narratives about the history of the Ho-Chunk people of Wisconsin and their removal westward. Payer uses the iconic Winnebago Chieftain RV as a symbol of self, home, and displacement.
Stand Together!
July 13 - September 21, 2024
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine Gallery
Guest curated by Coleen Bins, who is enrolled in the Oneida Nation, Turtle Clan. Stand Together! showcases the work of four regional Woodland Indigenous artists - Camille Billie (Chicago, IL), Weeya Calif (Green Bay, WI), Pat Kruse (Duluth, MN) and Christopher Sweet (Baraboo, WI, who stand together in unison, welcoming fellow artist Henry Payer's return to his ancestral home in Wisconsin.
Expressions of Place: Painting en Plein Air
May 25 – July 6, 2024
First floor main galleries
Expressions of Place is an invitational exhibit highlighting the origins of plein air painting, which includes the Door County Plein Air Festival hosted annually by the Peninsula School of Art, and the rich tradition of the technique on the Door County Peninsula. Works by Brian Sindler (Chicago, IL), Shelby Keefe (Milwaukee, WI), Hector Acuna (Grafton, WI), Marc Anderson (Sturgeon Bay, WI) and Stephanie Lord (Sturgeon Bay, WI).
Vestiges of the Tide: Mary Porterfield and Ellen Holtzblatt
January 20 – April 6, 2024
First floor main galleries
Vestiges of the Tide presents a selection of works by Chicago-based artists, Mary Porterfield and Ellen Holtzblatt. Porterfield is an occupational therapist and talented portraitist committed to rendering her elderly, infirm subjects with images that address recurring struggles in healthcare. In tandem with Porterfield, Holtzblatt presents works from her Song of Songs series of portraits of her elderly mother, which convey that love, desire, and the need for human contact are universal.
Newfangled | Modernism in the Permanent Collection
November 4 - December 30, 2023
First floor main galleries.
Newfangled presents 34 artworks from the Miller Art Museum’s permanent collection, which illustrate the Modern Art period and defines some of its characteristics and influences.
The Modern Art period, enduring between the 18th and 20th Century, was marked by the gargantuan effects of the Age of Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution and two world wars. This combination of revolutionary social changes served as a catalyst, instigating artists to reject traditional values in search of innovation. Modernism looked to the future with newfangled individualism, imagining an idealized society with a belief in universal truths.
In this exhibition artworks from the collection will demonstrate a variety of artistic philosophies defining Modern Art such as Formalism, Abstraction and Rationalism. The exhibit will also interpret photography’s early impact as a new technology. These artworks will also establish how major social changes between the 18th and 20th century, such as industrialization, urbanization and individualism, influenced artists and invigorated visual culture.
The Modern Art period, enduring between the 18th and 20th Century, was marked by the gargantuan effects of the Age of Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution and two world wars. This combination of revolutionary social changes served as a catalyst, instigating artists to reject traditional values in search of innovation. Modernism looked to the future with newfangled individualism, imagining an idealized society with a belief in universal truths.
In this exhibition artworks from the collection will demonstrate a variety of artistic philosophies defining Modern Art such as Formalism, Abstraction and Rationalism. The exhibit will also interpret photography’s early impact as a new technology. These artworks will also establish how major social changes between the 18th and 20th century, such as industrialization, urbanization and individualism, influenced artists and invigorated visual culture.
Wildlife Biennial XXI
November 4 – December 30, 2023
Celebrating the 21st and final run of the popular invitational exhibition, Wildlife Biennial presents a diverse selection of works focused on wildlife and habitat. The exhibition carries on tradition and surveys visual artists working within the genre of wildlife.
Blind Spot by Suzanne Rose
July 22 – September 11, 2023
First floor main galleries
A collection of photographs on loan from the Museum of Wisconsin Art
by Door County photographer Suzanne Rose depicting the strained relationship of the altered landscape in the rural Midwest. Influenced by an aesthetic of the 1800s when teams of photographers and
cartographers documented the land west of the Mississippi, Rose captures the human condition as a symbolic self, as we mirror the world around us, with work that gently nudges viewers toward a more
thoughtful relationship with their environment.
by Door County photographer Suzanne Rose depicting the strained relationship of the altered landscape in the rural Midwest. Influenced by an aesthetic of the 1800s when teams of photographers and
cartographers documented the land west of the Mississippi, Rose captures the human condition as a symbolic self, as we mirror the world around us, with work that gently nudges viewers toward a more
thoughtful relationship with their environment.
Séjour: Impressions of Giverny by Brigitte Kozma
July 22 – September 11, 2023
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
The debut of a collection of paintings produced in 2021-2022 by Door
County realist painter Brigitte Kozma, who takes the viewer on a sojourn
behind the gates of Claude Monet’s gardens at Giverny in the early hours
before and evenings after when the site is void of tourists. In the
footsteps of Monet, Kozma captures the ethereal character of this
enchanting historical site, as well as life behind the scenes for the
gardeners and groundskeepers.
County realist painter Brigitte Kozma, who takes the viewer on a sojourn
behind the gates of Claude Monet’s gardens at Giverny in the early hours
before and evenings after when the site is void of tourists. In the
footsteps of Monet, Kozma captures the ethereal character of this
enchanting historical site, as well as life behind the scenes for the
gardeners and groundskeepers.
Expanding Perspectives by Mauree Childress
June 3 – July 17, 2023
First floor main galleries
Expanding Perspectives by Milwaukee artist Mauree Childress features a
collection of works in admiration of the everyday, strong woman for their
brave contributions to social justice and social well-being. Together with
this collection are works depicting a variety of day-to-day experiences
through the lens of people living with disabilities, including groundscapes
as interpreted by the artist who showcases the beauty and difficulties of
having a mobile disability.
collection of works in admiration of the everyday, strong woman for their
brave contributions to social justice and social well-being. Together with
this collection are works depicting a variety of day-to-day experiences
through the lens of people living with disabilities, including groundscapes
as interpreted by the artist who showcases the beauty and difficulties of
having a mobile disability.
Door County Through the Eyes of Joseph Friebert
June 3 – July 17, 2023
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
Together with the Friebert Family Partnership, the Miller Art Museum
presents a carefully curated collection of plein air sketches and paintings
of the Door Peninsula by distinguished and celebrated Wisconsin artist
Joseph Friebert (1908 – 2002). Friebert was a Social Realist whose early
painting career portrays his overriding concern for the human condition
and a deep connection to Milwaukee’s working class. Later in his career,
he transitioned to more abstract work where he employed loose
brushwork and a brighter palette—a style that the artist would favor for
the remainder of his life.
presents a carefully curated collection of plein air sketches and paintings
of the Door Peninsula by distinguished and celebrated Wisconsin artist
Joseph Friebert (1908 – 2002). Friebert was a Social Realist whose early
painting career portrays his overriding concern for the human condition
and a deep connection to Milwaukee’s working class. Later in his career,
he transitioned to more abstract work where he employed loose
brushwork and a brighter palette—a style that the artist would favor for
the remainder of his life.
Horizon Line by Robert David Jinkins
January 14 – April 10, 2023
First floor main galleries
Featuring large-scale paintings by Wisconsin-based artist Robert David
Jinkins. The artist’s collection of paintings, inhabited by formidable
characters, depict life inspired by the farm his family has owned since
1849. Dramatic horizons are littered with rustic, monumental markers
symbolic of the ghost-like labors of the past. The works are depicted in a
combination of regionalism and surrealism and, by design, invite the
viewer into a deep dialogue with the paintings.
Jinkins. The artist’s collection of paintings, inhabited by formidable
characters, depict life inspired by the farm his family has owned since
1849. Dramatic horizons are littered with rustic, monumental markers
symbolic of the ghost-like labors of the past. The works are depicted in a
combination of regionalism and surrealism and, by design, invite the
viewer into a deep dialogue with the paintings.
Oceans and Islands by Lee Mothes
January 14 – April 10, 2023
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
Oceans and Islands presents large-scale paintings and intricate drawings
of stunning shorelines and seascapes by Northeast Wisconsin artist Lee
Mothes inspired by the elemental character of dramatic surf and sky. A
Midwesterner inspired by his California roots, Mothes is compelled to
recreate the captivating movements of the water, ocean beaches and
imaginary places.
of stunning shorelines and seascapes by Northeast Wisconsin artist Lee
Mothes inspired by the elemental character of dramatic surf and sky. A
Midwesterner inspired by his California roots, Mothes is compelled to
recreate the captivating movements of the water, ocean beaches and
imaginary places.
Hanseatic: A Retrospective of the Life and Work of Karsten and Ellen
Topelmann
November 5 – December 30, 2022
In acknowledgement of the final season of a 50-year career, Hanseatic
tells the story of a family, and the building of a thriving art gallery, in
celebration of Door County legacy artists and founders of Hanseatic
Gallery, Karsten and Ellen Topelmann.
tells the story of a family, and the building of a thriving art gallery, in
celebration of Door County legacy artists and founders of Hanseatic
Gallery, Karsten and Ellen Topelmann.
New Acquisitons by James J. Ingwersen
November 5 – December 30, 2022
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
In celebration of the acquisition of 18 works by Door County legacy artist, James J. Ingwersen. The collection was hand selected by Ingwersen and includes some of his earliest portraits of family and companions from The Tree Studio, Chicago.
Landscapes of Absence by Brandon Bauer
July 16 – September 12, 2022
First floor main galleries
St. Norbert College Associate Professor of Art Brandon Bauer explores
the ethical issues around the use of Isis propaganda within the media and
the tactics of dehumanization that serve to promote propaganda as a
mediated spectacle. Large-scale landscape images that once contained
scenes of terrorist violence are rendered void of the human element in
order to acknowledge the natural settings and reassert dignity.
the ethical issues around the use of Isis propaganda within the media and
the tactics of dehumanization that serve to promote propaganda as a
mediated spectacle. Large-scale landscape images that once contained
scenes of terrorist violence are rendered void of the human element in
order to acknowledge the natural settings and reassert dignity.
No Interference | Landscapes from the Permanent Collection
July16 – September 12, 2022
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
No Interference exhibits 20 artworks, including paintings, prints and photography, from various artists, which depict landscapes void of human interference. No roads, no paths, no cabins or other man made structures, just the landscape in its natural state.
For the Love of Chardin
May 28 – July 11, 2022
First floor main galleries
In celebration of the still life genre, For the Love of Chardin presents 45
works inspired by the 18th-century French painter, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon
Chardin from members of the New York-based art collective, Zeuxis. The
artists of Zeuxis offer analysis and tribute to one of history’s most
accomplished still life painters.
works inspired by the 18th-century French painter, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon
Chardin from members of the New York-based art collective, Zeuxis. The
artists of Zeuxis offer analysis and tribute to one of history’s most
accomplished still life painters.
The Still Life : Storytelling and Secret Messaging
May 28 - July 11, 2022
Illustrated by works from the Miller Art Museum's permanent collection, this exhibit follow the genre of still life as it makes its way through the centuries. Starting with its earliest incarnation in Egyptian tomb paintings to its most modern uses.
Until Next Time By Elysia Holland Michaelsen
May 28 – July 11, 2022
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
Featured artist Elysia Holland Michaelsen (Fish Creek) presents 6
paintings focused on recreational areas in that awkward moment
between what has happened and what will happen again. Imagery is
distilled and recombined to create compositions that are at once static
and emotionally charged.
paintings focused on recreational areas in that awkward moment
between what has happened and what will happen again. Imagery is
distilled and recombined to create compositions that are at once static
and emotionally charged.
Marine Life from Shore to Floor by Peggy Macnamara
January 15 – April 11, 2022
First floor main galleries
With a focus on wildlife, Peggy Macnamara has been the artist in
residence at the Field Museum, Chicago, IL, for 30 years. Marine Life
from Shore to Floor presents 35 large-scale watercolors created in
partnership with Ocean Conservation Scientist Janet Voight, as
Macnamara illustrates Voight’s subjects, work and findings.
residence at the Field Museum, Chicago, IL, for 30 years. Marine Life
from Shore to Floor presents 35 large-scale watercolors created in
partnership with Ocean Conservation Scientist Janet Voight, as
Macnamara illustrates Voight’s subjects, work and findings.
New Acquisitions by Wisconsin WomenJanuary 15 – April 11, 2022
Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine
Featuring artists Sally Duback, Pamela Murphy and Sandra Shackelford. In 2021, the Miller Art Museum welcomes three new living, Wisconsin, women artists to the permanent collection.
Scandinavian American: Photography by Erika Skogg
July 24 – September 20, 2021
Presenting National Geographic photographer and explorer Erika Skogg’s intimate portrayal of Scandinavian communities around the great Lakes and never before published black and white photographs of Door County from the National Geographic archives.
Factory Made: Artists and the Industrial Scar
June 5 - July 19, 2021
Artists Brendan Baylor, James Cagle, Holli Jacobson, Melissa Resch and Katie Ries examine how industry shapes the landscape and alters the environment.
San Diego Museums
Preparator Portfolio
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
Cool Globes
Restoration project on traveling exhibition of public art.
San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego Museum of Art
New Americans Museum
New Americans Museum
New Americans Museum
New Americans Museum
New Children's Museum
Textured Forrest by Tanya Aguiniga
New Children's Museum
Pink Bridge by Maurycy Gomulicki
New Children's Museum
Fibonacci's Coop
by Rene Peralta
by Rene Peralta
San Diego Natural History Museum
Uncrating the beautiful Verona, a Burmese Python exhibited in Reptiles, a traveling exhibit from the Museum of Natural History, NY.
San Diego Museum of Art
An online article giving perspective on the installation of Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman. I was quoted as saying "I could paint an eyelash on a dime."
San Diego Natural History Museum
Article giving a behind the scenes perspective of the installation process for A Day in Pompeii.
San Diego Natural History Museum
Assembling the diorama for Dinosaurs, a traveling exhibition from the Museum of Natural History, NY
San Diego Natural History Museum
Left alone to vacuum in the gallery with the bodies of Body Worlds.
New Children's Museum
Article about the making of the museum.
San Diego Museum of Art
Fabricating miles of base board for the galleries.
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