September 19, 2025 – The Miller Art Museum invites the public to the opening reception of its 50th Juried Annual on Friday, September 26, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the museum’s downtown Sturgeon Bay location at 107 S. 4th Avenue. This milestone exhibition showcases 58 two-dimensional works by 54 Wisconsin artists, highlighting the rich diversity of the state's contemporary visual arts scene. Welcome remarks and awards will be presented at 6pm.
The Juried Annual, one of the state’s longest-running juried exhibitions, has been a pillar of the Miller Art Museum’s annual exhibition program and serves to support and celebrate regional visual artists. Established in 1975, the exhibition was created to elevate artists from Door County and the greater Northeast Wisconsin region, offering both visibility and recognition within the broader community. Over the years, it has expanded in scope to become one of the Museum’s most anticipated and beloved exhibitions—enriching Door County’s cultural fabric while bringing together artists from throughout the state. This year’s call garnered a record 346 submissions from 186 artists, with the pool narrowed to a carefully curated selection of 58 works by jurors Dan Anderson, Fred Stonehouse, and Stephanie Trenchard. The selected works encompass a range of media, including painting, mixed media, and photography, reflecting the dynamic and evolving landscape of contemporary art in Wisconsin.
Stonehouse, who is a Milwaukee-based artist and Associate Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, reflected on this year’s exhibition, “I was personally very impressed by the high degree of skill and creativity in the submissions overall and I think that this exhibit is a real testament to the excellent work that is being made across the state of Wisconsin.”
The opening reception is free and open to the public, and will offer attendees the opportunity to meet exhibiting artists, view the exhibition, and enjoy light refreshments and live music by Craig Schultz. In addition to the exhibition, a total of $1,950 in cash awards will be presented; these include the Gerhard Miller Award of Excellence ($500), the Bonnie Hartmann Award for Outstanding Creativity ($100), and three each Juror’s Choice and Special Merit Awards. These awards recognize the exceptional talent and creativity of participating artists.
Exhibiting Door County artists includeMichael Chiaverina (Sturgeon Bay), Dennis Connolly (Sturgeon Bay), Bonnie Connolly (Sturgeon Bay), Alicia Daubner (Sister Bay), Debbie and Steve Frank (Egg Harbor), John Guger (Sturgeon Bay), Thomas Jordan (Sturgeon Bay), Mike Judy (Sturgeon Bay), Stephanie Lord (Sturgeon Bay), Michael Nitsch (Egg Harbor), Tim Nyberg (Sturgeon Bay), Marissa Renée (Sturgeon Bay), Mary Ellen Sisulak (Ellison Bay), Arlene Stanger (Baileys Harbor), Hermke Timm (Sturgeon Bay), and Carleyrae Weber (Sturgeon Bay).
Participating artists residing outside the Peninsula include Tyler Albrecht (Neenah), Joe Arts (Wisconsin Rapids), Willow Bayer (Appleton), H. Buchholz (Franklin), Trace Chiodo (Mount Pleasant), William Dais (Green Bay), Michael Darby (Milwaukee), Randall Dettmann (Algoma), Doug Fath (Madison), Thomas Ferguson (Kohler), Tom Friese (Green Bay), Barbi Gossen (Green Bay), David Graham (De Pere), Jeanne Heuer (New Franken), Kristine Hinrichs (Milwaukee), Emma Hitzman (Oshkosh), Bruce Hustad (Cedarburg), Rebecca Jabs (Manitowoc), Jayne Reid Jackson (Madison), Rebecca Kautz (Sun Prairie), Karen Lindholm-Rynkiewicz (Wauwatosa), Cheryl Mahowald (Newton), Linda Marcus (Milwaukee), Nancy Marks (Oshkosh), Nika McKagen (Madison), Christopher Murphy (Madison), Tanya Otto (Wausau), Jack Pachuta (Cedarburg), Brian Pirman (De Pere), Megan Piunti (Madison), Marilyn Prescott (Appleton), Denise Presnell (Sheboygan), Judith Radtke (Oshkosh), Lori Jae Ricci (De Pere), Christian Rieben (Kewaunee), Jean Roberts-Guequierre (Shorewood), Ciel Skål (Madison), Laurie Talbot Hall (Middleton), Heather Trost (De Pere), and Terri Warpinski (De Pere).
The 50th Juried Annual is presented with financial support from The Cordon Family Foundation, Wisconsin Arts Board, Huehns Family Charitable Trust, Barb and Mike Madden, and the MMG Foundation, Inc. with additional support from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the State of Wisconsin. The exhibition will be on view through Saturday, November 8.