Opening reception: Friday April 24, 5 p.m. 
An ArtsFest Weekend Signature Event

Mixed Signals: UWL Senior Art Exhibition Showcases Emerging Voices

This spring, the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Art Gallery presents Mixed Signals, the 2026 Senior Art Exhibition, opening April 24 and on view through May 16. Featuring the work of nine graduating seniors from the Department of Art, the exhibition captures a wide spectrum of ideas, media, and personal narratives—offering a compelling look at the next generation of artists.

What unites these artists is not a single style or medium, but a shared willingness to explore, question, and communicate. Across ceramics, painting, digital media, textiles, and printmaking, Mixed Signals reflects the diverse paths that brought each student to this culminating moment.

Reese Jo Enge a Waunakee native, combines digital design and sculpture to examine the female experience. Her capstone marks a shift toward intentionality: “I dove deep into the recurring themes of females in my work,” she said, using the exhibition as a space to better understand her artistic voice.

Magdalena Eusevia, of Onalaska, brings a distinctive approach to metalwork, combining her art major with minors in theatre performance and Spanish. Working primarily with copper, she transforms a familiar material into something striking and unexpected. “I work with copper and find ways to make the metal that people associate with pennies into something that is looked upon in awe,” she said, crafting pieces that range from delicate tiaras to sturdy bracelets, while also experimenting with stainless steel jewelry.

Claire Hale of La Crosse brings a conceptual approach to ceramics and bookmaking, creating sculptural forms and a hand-drawn artist book. Her philosophy is clear: “My art is driven by ideas around leisure, uselessness, anti-productivity, and art for art’s sake,” challenging viewers to reconsider how value is assigned in both art and society.

With humor and experimentation at the forefront, Boscobel’s Lauren Nahas embraces unconventional materials and playful subject matter. “I work with just about everything… I play with ridiculousness and breaking the rules,” she said. Her work invites audiences to expect the unexpected—“Taco Bell, skyscrapers, and capybaras”—and maybe even “get hungry.”

Textile artist Hannah Packard from Sauk Prairie reimagines traditional craft techniques to explore themes of women’s labor, family, and memory. “My work is heavily based in textile work… exploring traditional crafting techniques… as a new fine art medium,” she explained, grounding her practice in both personal history and broader cultural narratives.

Hailing from Red Wing, Minnesota, Kylie Stockton works across oil painting, lithography, and ceramics, creating expressive, memory-driven landscapes. “I explore the interaction between memory and belonging through imagery from places I have loved,” the said, capturing a sense of place rooted in lived experience and the natural world.

Lisa Thao, a ceramics-focused artist from Eau Claire, found her way to art after beginning in biology and marketing. Her journey reflects a rediscovered passion: “I enrolled in an introductory sculpture course… and found that it reignited my passion for art.” Her work is shaped by personal and cultural experience, grounded in the relationships that defined her time at UWL.

For Aidan Weverstad, a La Crosse native, storytelling takes center stage. Working primarily in digital illustration, he presents a 27-page manga inspired by anime and gaming culture. “I like drawing expressions, cool poses, and strong compositions,” he said, emphasizing the dynamic visual storytelling audiences will encounter.

Emma Williamson, from Blue River, explores identity and personal narrative through painting and mixed media. Her featured work, The Story of Me, reflects an introspective approach to artmaking, offering viewers a deeply personal visual narrative.

Together, these artists represent a dynamic and supportive community shaped by mentorship, collaboration, and creative risk-taking. Many describe their time at UWL as transformative—not only in developing technical skills, but in discovering their artistic voice and building lasting connections.

Mixed Signals invites audiences to experience this moment of transition: a culmination of years of study and a starting point for what comes next. Visitors can expect a rich and varied exhibition that is as thoughtful as it is visually engaging.

UWL Art Gallery is always free & open to the public

Hours:

1 - 8 p.m. Monday thru Thursday
1 - 5 p.m. Friday thru Saturday
Closed holidays, UWL Spring Break, Summers