About Art: 1 W Wilson State Office Building
Wisconsin Women Ceramics - the late 1800s, 1930s to the early 1960s, and contemporary works. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has exhibition space for art, located in
their historic building at 1 West
Wilson Street in Madison, Wisconsin. These spaces include a custom-built
display cabinet, as well as designated wall
space for hanging art work.
The exhibit space was specifically designed to showcase the work of
Wisconsin artists who have a connection to the Department:
- DHS employees;
- Residents or patients of DHS-operated facilities; or
- Family and friends of
DHS employees.
Overall, art displays portray a positive, uplifting message.
All selected artwork is displayed free of charge by the artist in
exchange for the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents. The
displays run continuously throughout the year. Each artist designates the
time period to feature their artwork. Generally, the artwork is
displayed for approximately three months at a time. Artists are welcome to sell their artwork once their
display period is completed. All sales will be the responsibility of the
artist and not the Art Display Team.
Where is the artwork located?
List of current artists and their display dates
- Display Cabinet - It's located on the first floor near the
central elevator lobby.
- Wall Displays - Look for wall hung art on
floors 2B, 1B, 6th and 7th floors.
Who's part of the Art Display Team?
The Art Display Team consists of staff who are involved with the artists
in accepting their applications, entering the information into a
database, communicating with the artists, interacting with the artists
when putting up or taking down the art displays, and formatting and
putting the information on the public internet site. It includes the
following people (alphabetical order): Anastasia Detert, Stan Johnson,
Robbin Kirk, Melissa Kurer, Natalie Massey (Lead), Rita Prigioni
(Advisor), and Don Wadewitz.
How did the art display program get started?
Rita Prigioni, Director of the Bureau of Continuity Management,
Facilities and Operations, had a visionary goal to display artwork in
the building she has worked in since the mid-1980s. During 2009, this
goal became a reality when she and a few DHS staff began working on this
project. They formed the Art Display Committee, chaired by Rita Prigioni,
with executive sponsorship by Gina Frank. Initial members included
Brenda Clifton, Dick DeMarse, Cheryl Judd Weeden, Kathryn Lederhause and
Tim Zinkgraf. After consulting with the Wisconsin Arts Board for
guidance and advice, they sorted through the challenges of what type of
art to display, where to display the art, how to display the art and
whom to seek the art from.
One of the first steps in implementing the project was to acquire a
display cabinet to showcase the artwork. With the assistance of some of
DHS' very own craftsmen at Mendota Mental Health Institute (MMHI), they
now have a beautiful hand-crafted display cabinet located near the
elevator lobby on the first floor of the building. Special thanks goes
to former Crafts Supervisor Trent Thom, carpenters Craig King and Ken Messer,
and electrician Gary VanNatta. The team designed and built the exquisite
wooden cabinet from natural cherry wood with a linseed oil finish.
For the wall art, the Art Display Committee selected a hanging molding
and rod system to display two-dimensional art (e.g., photos, paintings,
etc.) on designated hallway space on four floors in the building: 2B,
1B, 6th and 7th.
The Art Display Committee used to include the following people
(alphabetical order): Steve Bowe, Joe Guenther, Stan Johnson, Natalie
Massey, Rita Prigioni (chair), and Don Wadewitz.
Thank you to the following people who were part of the Selection
Committee (alphabetical order): Mardelle Ayres, Karen Green, Cynthia
Higgins, Stan Johnson, Carolyn Malm, and Rita Prigioni (chair).
When did the first displays go up?
In early 2010, a few special cabinet displays of historic significance
to the 1 West Wilson Building and to Wisconsin Women Ceramics were
featured in January and February while the first call for art went out in
mid-January 2010, with the deadline of early February. The first full
display period began March 2010.
Who to contact?
If you have any questions regarding the art display program, please
contact the Art Display Team at art1ww@wi.gov.
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to Art at 1WW Home Page
Last Revised:
March 12, 2013 |
