Artist-in-Residence: Dawn Wians

Welcome to VPL's very first Artist-in-Residence program! Dawn Wians is a well-respected local artist who works in mixed media to express abstract landscapes and nature-inspired art. She has taught art at Iowa State University, Shake Rag Alley School of Art in Mineral Point, Adamah Art Studios in Dodgeville, and more. She has exhibited her art widely, including at the Farley Center in Verona and, most recently, at the Overture Center in Madison.

During her residency, Dawn will be leading workshops, teaching classes, and helping patrons pursue their own artistic aims. Patron projects will include sustainably incorporated found items from the prairie, and various elements of design will be introduced to guide participants as they create.

You will see Dawn working in her residency studio in the main area of the library (say hello and ask her questions) and can view her art exhibited nearby. 

We hope you enjoy this new program series as much as we have enjoyed planning it!

Artist's Statement: 
Trained as a designer, I am drawn to the elements of line, shape, color, value, texture and scale, as well as the forms they become and the way we experience them in nature. As an instructor, I enjoy guiding others to connect to nature and to explore experimental approaches to mixed media. In 2019, I removed plastics, toxins, and unhealthy solvents from my studio practice, and now use only materials that are healthy for the artist and the environment.

For more about the artist, please visit www.dawnwiansart.com.