Find your program at the UW-Madison Art Department

Expand your perspective and connect with your classmates, your community, and the world around you!
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMGRADUATE PROGRAM

Find your program at the UW-Madison Art Department

Expand your perspective and connect with your classmates, your community, and the world around you!
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMGRADUATE PROGRAM

The University of Wisconsin-Madison occupies ancestral Ho-Chunk land, called Teejop (day-JOPE) since time immemorial. In an 1832 treaty, the Ho-Chunk were forced to cede this territory. Decades of ethnic cleansing followed when both the federal and state government repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, sought to forcibly remove the Ho-Chunk from Wisconsin.

This history of colonization informs our shared future of collaboration and innovation. We respect the inherent sovereignty of the Ho-Chunk Nation, along with the eleven other First Nations of Wisconsin.

UW Art in the News

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Conduit: Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition by Nika McKagen

February 24 – 28

Reception: Friday, February 27, 5-8pm

Location: Art Lofts Gallery, 111 N Frances St, Madison, WI

This exhibition examines the literal sites that link the aboveground and subterranean worlds, and wants to find out what the conduit connecting the two worlds might be. Nika McKagen works in the field finding and documenting abandoned mines and caves as well as the landscapes around these openings. When underground, sometimes she stumbles across things that seem like complete mysteries, like a giant gate built into the rock. There are so many of these quasi-perverse artifacts of human intervention in these spaces that are emblematic of our colonization into the underground realm. These objects feel like the contemporary equivalents of ancient cave paintings, representative of the capitalocene and the alienation experienced aboveground. McKagen wants to figure out what happens both environmentally and psychically at these sites after excavating into them and mining them for resources. Most everything we do has to do with the void, and especially with the way that we choose to approach it.

We don’t think about the underground often, but we should. We take all kinds of things from it and use it to build up our material world up here.

The Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions season continues with Nika McKagen’s exhibit Conduit. The MFA Thesis Exhibitions mark the culmination of a three-year degree program that emphasizes development of a rigorous studio art practice under the supervision of a faculty guidance committee. Exploring an interdisciplinary approach to art making, as well as coursework in art history and related fields, artists cultivate professional practices that facilitate a sustainable career in the arts. Join us in celebrating our Class of 2026 UW-Madison Graduate professionals!

Events

Spring 2026 Visiting Artist Colloquium

Come visit the University of Wisconsin-Madison Art Department!

Tours are now available by appointment, view our upcoming Art Department events for prospective students at Visit Bucky: apps.admissions.wisc.edu/visitbucky/

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
GRADUATE PROGRAM
What Can Art Do Show Reception Gallery 7, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students enjoy a tea party using handcrafted tea sets created in ceramics class at the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Art faculty Fred Stonehouse poses with a student in his Drawing class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Elise Berry cleans plaster-cast remnants from a glass sculpture she is finishing in the UW Glass Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
From back to front of canoe, Wayne Valliere, a Native American artist-in-residence with the Department of Art and member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, and Tim Frandy, an outreach specialist at the UW Collaborative Center for Health Equity, take a traditional Ojibwe birchbark canoe for an inaugural paddle in Lake Mendota near the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The canoe is known in Ojibwe language as wiigwaasi-jiimaan, and was handmade by Valliere as part of his residency.
A visitor views the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student work on display at the Swap Meet trade show with the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
A student snaps pictures of Ben Skiba's technique throwing a tall pot in the Ceramics Lab at the Art Lofts.
Art faculty Lynda Barry poses with a student in her Making Comics class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
An art education student practices hands-on learning teaching a youth art class. Art education students experience a four semester sequence of classes introducing students to the teaching profession, including child development, learning theories, inclusive schooling strategies, curriculum and instruction, history of American education, and rigorous Art Education methods courses, plus 200 hours of practicum and 18 weeks of student teaching.
A student works on an acrylic painting in the Advanced Drawing class.
A student constructs a sculpture project.
Student Michelle Bridwell prepares artwork to be displayed during a student art sale.
BFA Show Reception, Gallery 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lynda Barry's Art 448 Making Comics 1 students pose with their final project comics on the last day of class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Glass artist Yuki Wakamiya works with an assortment of tools and blown air to shape a piece of molten glass during a demonstration at the Glass Lab open house at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Visitors dance at Matt Mauk and Heather Sutherland's MFA Show Reception at Art Lofts, University of Wisconsin-Madison
A student touches up their drawing on a lithography print at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Graduate art student Will K. Santino poses with his work in his studio space in the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Katelyn Alain, a graduate student pursuing a master of fine arts degree in painting, works on a self portrait in her studio space in the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
John Hitchcock reviews prints with a student in the serigraphy class in the George Mosse Humanities building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student works on a project their Metals studio at the George Mosse Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
An undergraduate student works on a sculpture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Visitors explore the Biennial Neon and Light Exhibit held inside the Stock Pavillion at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Many of the sculptures and artwork were created using glass and varying light sources. In addition to UW-Madison artists, as well as independent artists from around the country, participating artists hail from schools including the Alfred University School of Art and Design, Pratt MWP, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, UW-River Falls and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
A student pulls a print off a lithography stone in Lithography class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Graduate student Justin Eccles passes out customized trucker hats at the Art Department new graduate orientation event at the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students work together with an assortment of tools and blown air to shape a piece of molten glass and form Madison'’s largest glass ornament during a UW Glass Lab event in the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The public event featured students performing a number of interesting glass experiments and working together to create a giant Christmas ornament that was auctioned off for charity.
Students work in the printmaking labs in Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during assistant professor Emily Arthur's (in red apron) Relief Printing course.
At left, Eric Adjetey Anang (standing at left), Ghanaian woodcarver, master-coffin builder and Windgate Artist in Residence in the Art Department, listens to undergraduate Jamie Dawson, a first-year student in the ninth cohort of the First Wave program, perform a spoken-word piece as part of an opening exhibit of Adjetey Anang's work at the Arts Loft at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During the event, Adjetey Anang led a gun-breaking ceremony and invited guests to participate in a symbolic breaking of the barrel of his gun-shaped coffin. The gun-breaking action was in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and against gun violence locally, nationally and internationally.
A student examines the writing on a painting at the First Year Grad Show, Witnesses, on display at the Art Lofts Gallery.
Grad student Rebecca Kautz celebrates installing her MA Show Protagonyst at the Art Lofts Gallery.
Lynda Barry leads a "drawing jam" with children during a Saturday Science outreach event at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lynda Barry reviews the work of one of her students, lecturer Allison Welch, at left, in the Making Comics class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Art faculty Lynda Barry holds up assignment instructions for a student exercise in her Making Comics class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student places movable type in a bed for a letterpress project during the Book Arts class taught by Jim Escalante at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students use a torch to heat a glass piece at the UW Glass Lab in the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ceramics faculty Gerit Grimm reviews a project with a student at the Art Lofts Ceramics lab.
Students work in the printmaking labs in Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during assistant professor Emily Arthur's Serigraphy course.
First Year Grad Show Reception, Art Lofts Gallery, Department of Art University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduate art student Noel Ash poses with her paintings in her studio space in the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
BFA Show Reception, Gallery 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Katie Hudnall, Windgate Artist-in-Residence, sketches ideas for a woodworking project at her studio in the Humanities Building, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student talks about their artwork at Gallery 7 at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Graduate art student Sarah Deppe works on a piece in her studio space in the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students watch a wheel throwing demonstration by a visiting artist in a Ceramics class at the Art Lofts.
Students work together to inflate a glass piece at the UW Glass Lab in the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Maixia Xiong poses with her artwork at the BFA Show Reception, Gallery 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students critique each others' projects in the Digital Media class taught by Stephen Hilyard the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fresh Hot Press Students pull a shirt printed with a design on the mobile serigraphy press at the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fresh Hot Press Students pull a shirt printed with a design on the mobile serigraphy press at the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student works on an acrylic painting in the Advanced Drawing class.
From back to front of canoe, Wayne Valliere, a Native American artist-in-residence with the Department of Art and member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, and Tim Frandy, an outreach specialist at the UW Collaborative Center for Health Equity, take a traditional Ojibwe birchbark canoe for an inaugural paddle in Lake Mendota near the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The canoe is known in Ojibwe language as wiigwaasi-jiimaan, and was handmade by Valliere as part of his residency.
A student snaps pictures of Ben Skiba's technique throwing a tall pot in the Ceramics Lab at the Art Lofts.
Ceramics faculty Gerit Grimm reviews a project with a student at the Art Lofts Ceramics lab.
Katie Hudnall, Windgate Artist-in-Residence, sketches ideas for a woodworking project at her studio in the Humanities Building, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Art faculty Lynda Barry holds up assignment instructions for a student exercise in her Making Comics class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Grad student Rebecca Kautz celebrates installing her MA Show Protagonyst at the Art Lofts Gallery.
A visitor views the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student work on display at the Swap Meet trade show with the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Students watch a wheel throwing demonstration by a visiting artist in a Ceramics class at the Art Lofts.
First Year Grad Show Reception, Art Lofts Gallery, Department of Art University of Wisconsin-Madison
A student places movable type in a bed for a letterpress project during the Book Arts class taught by Jim Escalante at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students work in the printmaking labs in Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during assistant professor Emily Arthur's (in red apron) Relief Printing course.
Elise Berry cleans plaster-cast remnants from a glass sculpture she is finishing in the UW Glass Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Graduate student Justin Eccles passes out customized trucker hats at the Art Department new graduate orientation event at the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
An art education student practices hands-on learning teaching a youth art class. Art education students experience a four semester sequence of classes introducing students to the teaching profession, including child development, learning theories, inclusive schooling strategies, curriculum and instruction, history of American education, and rigorous Art Education methods courses, plus 200 hours of practicum and 18 weeks of student teaching.
Art faculty Lynda Barry poses with a student in her Making Comics class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Glass artist Yuki Wakamiya works with an assortment of tools and blown air to shape a piece of molten glass during a demonstration at the Glass Lab open house at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student works on a project their Metals studio at the George Mosse Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students enjoy a tea party using handcrafted tea sets created in ceramics class at the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
BFA Show Reception, Gallery 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students use a torch to heat a glass piece at the UW Glass Lab in the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student pulls a print off a lithography stone in Lithography class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A student examines the writing on a painting at the First Year Grad Show, Witnesses, on display at the Art Lofts Gallery.
Graduate art student Will K. Santino poses with his work in his studio space in the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students work in the printmaking labs in Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during assistant professor Emily Arthur's Serigraphy course.
A student constructs a sculpture project.
Graduate art student Noel Ash poses with her paintings in her studio space in the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Visitors dance at Matt Mauk and Heather Sutherland's MFA Show Reception at Art Lofts, University of Wisconsin-Madison
A student touches up their drawing on a lithography print at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
John Hitchcock reviews prints with a student in the serigraphy class in the George Mosse Humanities building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Katelyn Alain, a graduate student pursuing a master of fine arts degree in painting, works on a self portrait in her studio space in the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Art faculty Fred Stonehouse poses with a student in his Drawing class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students critique each others' projects in the Digital Media class taught by Stephen Hilyard the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Visitors explore the Biennial Neon and Light Exhibit held inside the Stock Pavillion at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Many of the sculptures and artwork were created using glass and varying light sources. In addition to UW-Madison artists, as well as independent artists from around the country, participating artists hail from schools including the Alfred University School of Art and Design, Pratt MWP, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, UW-River Falls and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
A student talks about their artwork at Gallery 7 at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lynda Barry leads a "drawing jam" with children during a Saturday Science outreach event at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Maixia Xiong poses with her artwork at the BFA Show Reception, Gallery 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
BFA Show Reception, Gallery 7 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Students work together to inflate a glass piece at the UW Glass Lab in the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
An undergraduate student works on a sculpture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Graduate art student Sarah Deppe works on a piece in her studio space in the Art Lofts building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
What Can Art Do Show Reception Gallery 7, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lynda Barry reviews the work of one of her students, lecturer Allison Welch, at left, in the Making Comics class at the Mosse Humanities Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lynda Barry's Art 448 Making Comics 1 students pose with their final project comics on the last day of class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
At left, Eric Adjetey Anang (standing at left), Ghanaian woodcarver, master-coffin builder and Windgate Artist in Residence in the Art Department, listens to undergraduate Jamie Dawson, a first-year student in the ninth cohort of the First Wave program, perform a spoken-word piece as part of an opening exhibit of Adjetey Anang's work at the Arts Loft at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During the event, Adjetey Anang led a gun-breaking ceremony and invited guests to participate in a symbolic breaking of the barrel of his gun-shaped coffin. The gun-breaking action was in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and against gun violence locally, nationally and internationally.
Students work together with an assortment of tools and blown air to shape a piece of molten glass and form Madison'’s largest glass ornament during a UW Glass Lab event in the Art Lofts Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The public event featured students performing a number of interesting glass experiments and working together to create a giant Christmas ornament that was auctioned off for charity.
Student Michelle Bridwell prepares artwork to be displayed during a student art sale.

Arts at UW

Did you know?

The UW-Madison Art Department is:

  • #1 in Printmaking
  • Ranked among the top 15 Fine Arts MFA programs
  • Founded the 1st collegiate Glass program in the U.S.
  • 1 of only 5 universities in the nation with a Neon program

Ranking Source: U.S. News & World Report

The University of Wisconsin-Madison ART DEPARTMENT is committed to teaching art in the context of a major research university and a vibrant intellectual community. Offering the following degrees: B.S., B.F.A., M.A., & M.F.A. in Studio Art, B.S. in Art Education, Certificate in Art Studio, and Certificate in Graphic Design.

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