November 1, 2024 – The Miller Art Museum is pleased to announce the opening of its final exhibition of 2024, The Mavericks: John Colt, Kenn Kwint, and Theodore Czebotar in the Permanent Collection. The exhibit will open to the public with a free reception on Friday, November 15 from 4 - 6 pm. The exhibit will be on display at the art museum, located in the Door County Library downtown, through December 30.
This exhibition showcases a selection of 41 artworks and sketchbooks, gifted by the Kohler Foundation, Inc. in 2019, from Celebrated Wisconsin artists John N. Colt (1925–1998), Kenn Kwint (1937–2020), and Theodore Czebotar (1915–1996). Each piece invites the viewer to explore the unique vision and approaches that define the artists’ careers. Through Colt’s abstract compositions, Kwint’s bold expressionism, and Czebotar’s evocative landscapes, the exhibit highlights the diverse techniques and artistic depth of these figures, celebrating their contributions to modern American art and the Wisconsin art community.
Born in Madison, WI, John N. Colt was a pioneering figure in the Wisconsin art landscape––a master colorist in both painting and print. He was the son of art educator Arthur Colt, who taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Following in his father’s footsteps, Colt worked as a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1957 until his retirement in 1990, where he influenced generations of artists, emphasizing a disciplined yet experimental approach to art. His work often explored organic forms and intricate textures, reflecting a deeply personal connection to both natural and constructed environments. Colt’s legacy endures in Wisconsin as a maverick who expanded the boundaries of modern art.
October 4, 2024—Each year, the Miller Art Museum’s Juried Annual brings an opportunity to Northeast Wisconsin for the public to see a survey of contemporary work by Wisconsin visual artists. Shan Bryan-Hanson, a visual artist, professor, and curator, will examine and discuss the museum’s 49th Juried Annual. The program will take place on Thursday, October 17 at 5:30 pm at the museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay; it is free and open to the public.
Bryan-Hanson, a visual artist creating vivid, colorful paintings and intricate mixed-media work lives and works in Sturgeon Bay. She creates layered, intricate works that celebrate fragile and beautiful species through a mixed-media practice grounded in painting. Each piece stems from a specific experience: an encounter with a barred owl at a bird sanctuary, the sight of a starling murmuration in Italy, standing amidst her backyard bees as they swarm. From there, she layers references to art history, the natural world, architectural elements, and geometry. Much of the imagery used in the work is both a direct representation of the subject as well a metaphor. Flying insects and birds act as intermediaries between cultivated places and wilderness as well as between material and immaterial worlds. Patterns represent visible and invisible structures as well as the infinite possibilities that result from replication. Bryan-Hanson holds an M.F.A. from the University of Montana and has worked as an art professor and curator at several institutions, most recently as the director and curator of the Art Galleries at St. Norbert Galleries. Her art is held in both private and public collections and has been exhibited in regional and national exhibitions.
The 49th Juried Annual features 69 works spanning both levels of the museum and includes paintings, photographs, mixed-media works, and prints on paper. The exhibit is scheduled to be on display through Saturday, November 9, 2024.
October 3, 2024—On September 27, the Miller Art Museum unveiled its 49th Juried Annual—a survey and celebration of contemporary work by Wisconsin visual artists—with a public reception. Eight regional visual artists were recognized with awards for exemplary work. Awards presented included the Gerhard CF Miller Award of Excellence, a $500 cash award, the Bonnie Hartmann Award for Outstanding Creativity, a $100 cash award, and Juror’s Choice (3) and Special Merit (3) awards, $250 and $200 cash awards.
Jurors Hector Acuna, plein air artist and educator from Grafton, Laura Bickford, curator at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, and Rebecca Carlton, an accomplished artist and co-owner of Juddville Contemporary Studio Gallery in Fish Creek, carefully evaluated submissions. While the nature of the process is ultimately subjective, general principles guiding the selection process are technical proficiency and artistic voice.
“Jurying for open calls, like this one facilitated by the Miller Art Museum, are exhilarating reminders of the exciting breadth and depth of the artistic expression taking place across our state,” says Laura Bickford. “The final choices were the result of a long, engaged, and engaging conversation between me, Hector, and Rebecca.”
This year’s award winners are:
September 20, 2024—The Miller Art Museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay has announced the opening of its 49th Juried Annual on Saturday, September 28, 2024. An opening reception will be held on Friday evening, September 27 from 5:30 – 7 pm; is free and open to the public. Welcome remarks and awards will be presented at 6 pm with a total of 8 award winners will be announced: Three Special Merit Awards ($250 each), three Juror’s Choice Awards ($200 each), the Gerhard Miller Award of Excellence ($500 and medallion), and the Bonnie Hartmann Award for Outstanding Creativity ($100).
The exhibition will be on view in downtown Sturgeon Bay through Saturday, November 9, 2024, This year’s exhibition features 69 artworks from 69 artists from Door County and across the State of Wisconsin.
A total of 278 works were submitted for consideration and each entry was carefully evaluated, and the final selections were made, by a panel of three jurors. This year’s panel included Hector Acuna, artist and educator (Grafton, WI); Laura Bickford, curator at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan, WI); and Rebecca Carlton, artist and co-owner of Juddville Contemporary Studio Gallery (Fish Creek, WI).
Years prior, the call for art was limited to Door and five other surrounding NE Wisconsin counties. In 2021, the call was expanded to include all counties across the state. The exhibition was expanded to include both the lower-level main galleries and the upper-level Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine to offer increased visibility for regional artists.
September 16, 2024 - The Miller Art Museum, located in downtown Sturgeon Bay, has announced that its Artist Open Studio will return on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. The program is open to artists of all skill levels and abilities and takes place at M3, the Miller Art Museum’s satellite education space, located at 142 S. 3rd Avenue in downtown Sturgeon Bay.
Open Artist Studio is a weekly studio session providing artists 
a place to come to create and find community. It is held weekly on Wednesdays from 9:30 am - 3 pm. Artists are asked to bring their current work/project and needed supplies. Artists can attend for the full day or drop in as long as they wish. To participate, there is a $10 drop-in fee per session or artists can pay monthly for $30; there is a reduced fee for museum members––please inquire with museum staff to learn more about museum membership. For a calendar of events or more information about Miller Art Museum programming, visit the programs and events page at www.millerartmuseum.org.