May 14, 2020 – The Miller Art Museum is pleased to partner with the Door County Medical Center, Jacksonport Women’s Club, The Townsend Foundation, John and Kathy Campbell, Dennis and Bonnie Connolly, Mike and Barb Madden, and Carl and Ruth Scholz in presenting the 47th Annual Salon of Door County High School Art (SoHSA) exhibition. This year’s exhibition features representation from 83 Peninsula high school students and nearly 100 works in a wide variety of media from the 2020-21 academic year from all five Peninsula schools: Gibraltar, Sevastopol, Southern Door, Sturgeon Bay and Washington Island High Schools. 
Due to the varying circumstances related to COVID-19 and impact on each participating school, the exhibition will be available to the public through the museum’s website where it will reside for viewing virtually. The museum invites all—students, families, guests and the general public—to visit at www.millerartmuseum.org. The annual exhibition celebrates the artistic accomplishments of Door Peninsula youth with representation from the Southernmost party of the County all the way north to Washington Island Each year a diverse range of ideas and concepts emerge from this collaborative exhibition. “We are both excited and honored to partner with our community and local art educators in this capacity to share the creative work of Door County’s talented young artists,” says Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Miller Art Museum executive director.
The Museum partnered with the London-based firm Curat10n to design this year’s exhibition, using the virtual gallery space developed in 2020 that mirrors the Museum’s facility. In addition to the experience that allows patrons to flow through the Museum as they would if they were physically present, there are also individual image galleries for each school. Visitors to the virtual exhibition will be greeted with introductory and informational text followed by groupings of work by each school on both the main floor and mezzanine levels—with only slight variations to the actual space.“We, for a second time due to COVID-19, deviated from the plans we had set forth earlier in the year but the virtual exhibition honors the students and their work in a way they can and should be proud. The Salon is favorite event of the community and we’re excited about the opportunity to reach a wider audience and share the students’ successes,” she continued.
In lieu of the celebratory opening reception and awards ceremony, visitors to the virtual exhibition can access the announcement of this year’s award winners.
$100 Awards of Excellence recipients are: Audrey Viste (Gibraltar High School), Adolfo Arvizu (Sturgeon Bay High School), Riel Phillips (Sevastopol High School), and Emily Purdy (Southern Door High School). Honorable Mention Awards recipients ($50 cash prize) are: Sage Krause (Gibraltar High School), Makayla Ash (Sturgeon Bay High School), Tara DeJardin (Washington Island High School), Claudia Mancia (Sevastopol High School), and Henry Holt (Southern Door High School).
The awards are made possible with financial support from exhibition sponsors and are given in recognition of students' overall artistic achievements in art class.
The SoHSA remains a core component of the exhibition program for the Miller Art Museum annually. Museum founder Gerhard CF Miller enthusiastically supported and encouraged the involvement of young people in art; he understood, as contemporary research confirms, that participation in the arts is linked to better academic, social, and economic achievement. This exhibition not only highlights the achievements of our young people in Door County but also honors this work and the critical importance of arts education.
The 47th Annual Salon of Door County High School Art has been made possible with financial support from Door County Medical Center, Jacksonport Women’s Club, The Townsend Foundation, John and Kathy Campbell, Dennis and Bonnie Connolly, Mike and Barb Madden, and Carl and Ruth Scholz with additional financial support from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibit can be accessed through the Museum’s website at www.millerartmuseum.org.
Having been operating for an extended period by appointment only in accordance with the County’s COVID-19 protocols, the museum began welcoming visitors back with limited hours and without appointments on March 8, 2021; current hours are Monday 12 – 7pm, Thursday – Friday 10am – 5pm and Saturday 10am – 1pm. Additional hours are expected to be added in June.For more information email or call (920) 746-0707. Currently on display through Saturday, May 29 is Mike + Schomer: Cows, Color and Camaraderie. Museum admission is free but freewill donations are encouraged; an elevator is available to access galleries on the Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine. Occupancy is monitored and all visitors are required to wear a face mask or covering and maintain physical distance. For Museum Store purchases, only credit or debit card will be accepted. Visitors are encouraged to utilize provided hand sanitizing stations and are encouraged to review safety guidelines, which can be located at www.millerartmuseum.org, prior to visiting.