.AA..M.
HISTORY OF THE ART MAG
Where it all began...
During the 2022-2023 school year, resident Ahema OdengOtu along with The Studio Peer Mentor Diya Abbas collaborated to create “the studio zine” - a hybrid yearbook / art magazine. Ahema would later become a Peer Mentor herself!
The next year, residents Akhilesh Peddi, Arista Ranka, and Isaac Fuentes launched the studentled initiative to create a full magazine of art and features of our residents. The Studio: Art Mag (aka The S.A.M.) was born.
Rowen Apollonia
Brunett
THEY/THEM
ART FORMS:
• 2D work
• Zines
• Glass blowing
10/10 RATING!!!
LATEST INSPO:
The Den Sitting next to trees, sitting on the floor, and being very sad about the state of the world. I’ve been writing poetry and crying quite frequently.
FUN FACT!
1: How did you get started with your art form?
Both of my parents are artists, so I had access to art materials my entire life. My parents are very supportive, so if we didn’t have something I wanted to try, they were usually willing to help me out. I discovered glass blowing through my mom. She inspired me to take a glass blowing class that I am really enjoying. I discovered 2D art on my own. When I was a kid, I would take a stack of printer paper and try to draw something on every page.
2:1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
Being in The Studio has helped me realize how much I enjoy community, collaboration, and social interaction as a part of my creative process. I feel like my art is better when I make it around people that I enjoy being around. In The Studio, there’s always people around me doing creative things. I think it has helped improve the quality of my art in that way. It also helps me look at things from a different perspective and think of different ideas.
3: Specific moment that you knew you wanted to major in Art?
I’ve known I wanted to be an art major as long as I’ve known I wanted to go to college. It was always art school. I’ve never considered something else. Even if I get out of school and realize I can never financially support myself with art, I would have no regrets. I think it’s such a valuable experience for growth. I’ve gained so much being here and socializing with intelligent people my age who want to learn and taking classes I didn’t know I’d be interested in. The whole experience relates back to my art, and I think that’s really cool. I may be silly goofy, but I think very much all the time.
4: Describe your art process...
I think of things throughout the day, and I write them down in my notes app. That way, when I have time to sit down and do art, I can look through my notes app. It’s nice when I have art block because I have little notes and ideas stashed away.
5: What are Rowen’s fashion musts?
Funky tights for sure. Buttoning my button up shirt at the top button—I am loving that. “Trench coat buttoned to the top in those ballerina a** slippers.” I love chunky bracelets and minimal jewelry. I think it should be quality over quantity in the jewelry section. I’m getting rid of a lot of stuff I used to wear, and I’m dumbing it down to the pieces I really like.
6: Methods of inspiration?
Pinterest cannot be beat. It is a classic. Being around people who do creative things. Doodling with my friends. I love a doodle!
Keith Santander Paniagua
SHE/THEY
ART FORMS:
• Art
• Poetry
• Piano & Drums
• Performing arts
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
• The Hive because it’s very spacious, and I like that they have big easels. I appreciate that there are lots of things you can use, like markers and stuff for the community.
• The Den because I like watching movies and chilling.
LATEST INSPO:
Movies, theater and music, yeah.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
Ever since I was in kindergarten, I really liked drawing because they made us draw our hands and stuff, and I thought that was very cool. But then I found Studio Ghibli, which is low-key actually peak. So I tried to go for more of an anime style. I thought, I might be good at this! When I was in secondary school, I made more “fun” art. During my junior year of high school, I started to take my art more seriously, focusing more on what makes me happy as an artist.
2: Methods of inspiration?
I think that my art itself is full of the emotions I feel when I’m making art. I don’t know how to explain it. I like doodling what I’m feeling in the moment. It’s important for some reason, you know?
KEITH’S GALLERY!
FASHION TRENDS BY KEITH!!!
I really like any type of Trad goth-ish. Like, I like trad goths, I like romantic goths, I like vampire goths, I like goth grunge. Why? I just like gothic styles. I think that’s it.
2:1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
You can find community within the arts. But there are so many kinds of arts, and you can still find things in common with people that don’t do the same art form as you. I think that’s pretty cool because you can learn from each other.
4: Describe your art process...
Being honest, I really like not having a plan for every piece I make. I just go with what I feel in the moment, and I feel like that really reflects in my art. And since it’s a unique experience you only feel in that moment, I think that’s what makes my art low-key special.
STUDIO SHOWCASE
FALL 2024
Showcase provides a unique opportunity for residents to perform, display, and present their art in a welcoming environment. Showcase facilitates collaboration among residents of The Studio while encouraging artists with other mediums and artistic methods.
The Studio hosts multiple showcases throughout the year: fall showcases that are “in community” and open to residents, and a spring showcase that expands the audience to a wider community.
Art has the ability to inspire both artists and the public. Showcase allows residents of The Studio to experiment with how they express themselves to an audience in addition to learning the impact their creativity can have on others.
4 Tips: How to be a GOOD AUDIENCE MEMBER!
1. Performing is about communication! Your role as an audience member is to engage with the performer by: snapping, clapping, whistling, or dancing. This is not a silent show!
2. Check the setlist: Showcase consists of 2 acts with an intermission in between. Many artists will be performing, giving you the opportunity to learn about creative genres!
3. Respect the space: Helping us keep the theater clean can ensure that we are allowed to use these spaces for future showcases!
4. Be mindful that performing can be an extremely vulnerable experience for artists. As an audience member, please try to create an encouraging environment for our performers.
Carson Klamert HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Film
• Media production
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Recording Studio
LATEST INSPO:
Bodhi’s music. Listening to music while I brainstorm script ideas.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
Junior year of high school I took a class called “Lit and Film” - half literature, half film. I made short films and mini documentaries in the class. It drew me to the art form, and I found that I was really good at it.
2: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I realized that having people that share a close interest with me is crucial to my process. Collaboration for common interests is super important.
3: Describe your art process...
I get inspired by listening to music and looking around in the world, writing down any ideas that come to me. I turn my best ideas into a script eventually. Then I evaluate the practicality of the idea, make a storyboard, and plan out the shots, although I’m always up for improvising on site to improve the film. I put together the team of actors and directors and plan a film schedule, execute filming, move on to editing, marketing, and eventually releasing.
4: What are Carson’s top movies/directors?
For directors: Steven Spielberg, Denis Villeneuve, Christopher Nolan, and Wes Anderson. My favorite movies are Dune: Part 2, The Green Book, and Inception.
Aporia’s Echo
Based on college kids struggling with mental health and depression, this 22 minute film follows a kid who finds his way through music and love.
Aporia’s Echo was written and directed by Carson himself with the help of Christiaan as co-director. Talk to Carson for more details!
Londyn Li
Music
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
ART FORM: LATEST INSPO:
The Recording Studio Documentaries from Chinese democratic movements.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I started making my own music when I was in high school. Back in 2016, there was a TV show that was really popular in China called “Rap in China.” That’s the first time when hip-hop - as a pretty niche music genre - started to be known by a lot of people in mainland China. And because the show was so popular, there were a lot of celebrities out there. So I knew about hip-hop back in 2016. I started making my own music just two or three years ago because I think hip-hop and rap, especially, is a very welcoming music genre for people who may not know musical theory.
2: Methods of inspiration?
My favorite method is to isolate yourself for a certain amount of time and not be influenced by other people’s energies. You can have a form of media in front of you and you can study that, but be by yourself and listen to what your heart wants.
3:1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
That I am pretty adaptable. I can fit into an environment pretty quickly and make it my home.
4: Describe your art process...
I’m very perfectionist, and I can’t really do freestyle. If I want to write a song, I would listen to the beat over and over, get to know its structure, and break it down to parts and zone in on one part at a time. Then go over and over it again to see, for example, if it’s a tongue twister, then I would change it. I think about where I would make it better. So it’s not very free. *laughs*
First Wave 17th Co. OCTAVIA IKARD THEY/THEM
When will I come home?
I wonder when you know when it’s time to leave. When the skin of your body has weighed you down for so long and this land in which your grandmother’s grandmother’s grandmother bled on but could never rest in, begins to convince your feet into moving. I fear at times if I allow myself to remain away too long from my yawning town that I am bound to by generations of women who don’t know how to sit down and places that wouldn’t allow them an inch of space to do it, I wonder, at times, if I would ever bother to return.
I wonder if that would make me a traitor. To what I am loyal to consistently puzzles me and whatever has rooted itself so deep into my soul, that my whole being knows that I must stay here, I want to rip out with my hands and bare its tender flesh to the sunlight. I ask myself over and over somedays, particularly on days like this one where I am so far away from everything I’ve ever known, if I think so lowly of myself to be maternal to such a country.
A country who has harmed me. A country so mobilized by hatred and isolation that it has prowled at the edges of my vision, even before my awareness of its nature could be actualized. A country with a hunger and appetite so large and unending for the suffering of my people, that just standing in place, I could feel the saliva drying on my skin, waiting for me to shed it. A country that has and will again, chase me till the ends of my sanity, not to devour, but to remind me of the performance I am expected to put on: escape, cower, hide. A country that calls that conditioning a mercy; a country who equates mercy with survival and survival as silence.
It is this country that has welded its signature into every concept of who I am, to the point that if I were to isolate what it is, I’d have to burn every aspect of who I’ve established myself to be to the ground. And that aforementioned silence has been
implanted within me to the point that it has become commonplace: in the grocery store when I watch the entrance too closely, or in the mirror after the humidity turns my hair up, or in the smile I bare in apology when my nipples are too brown and my vagina too dark and my sexuality unfailingly explicit, that silence erodes me into something further than nothing, something that takes up no space at all. I fill it with my preaching, with my anger at how things are, at what they’ll never be, I fill it with my shouting and my laughter but all the while it is filling me, and there are weeks where I can feel it cementing in my tear ducts, weighing down the corners of my lips, and solidifying in my throat till I cannot possibly think to speak any longer. Those weeks are the most difficult, the most lonely, and the most horrifying, when reflected on a face just like mine, brown and long and waiting.
And so I must leave, I must leave immediately, I should’ve left tomorrow in fact, but it is then, when I am on the cusp of freedom and joyhood, I become too scared to take the steps forward.
Advancing would be abandonment. All of myself of that which I had been so sure was meticulously mapped out, in actuality, was created within the confines of what I knew and what I knew I did not know. Traveling beyond that would force me to run a hand over places I didn’t even know existed within me. It would mean casting off my fear for a new one, a fear more cleansed and liberating, than the one that was forced upon me.
And secretly, with moving on would come the realization of the comfort that I had found previously in existing in a cycle of mutual destruction that encouraged my apathy and emotional laziness. The hatred I could place close to my mouth when I was cold, the hope that festered that there was another like me, as lonely and spotlighted, who would be willing to attach themselves to me just so they wouldn’t do it alone. All that pain, caked upon my kinsmen for so many centuries, that it became something akin to armor, all of that would be cheese-grated away in the endeavor of leaving home.
The days where I would walk streets and meet the eyes of someone, and have them acutely aware of the plight that me and many others have faced and still recline into my subjugation for a sense of false comfort - those days would be long gone. The memories of going to school, anticipatory mouths dissecting my body and hair and lips, the familiar feeling of the anger building up in my body till it tingles my toes, those images would begin to fade to grey. The parts of me that I shoved in the backseat of my mom’s car after a group of boys followed me home, the sliver of myself that I draped in sarcasm when jokingly told that I was beautiful, the quiver of my hand that I tapped away on the counter when I realized female was a word that tugged harshly at my hair, they would all unveil themselves to the open air.
If i left, there would be a place where someone would brush their body against mine, meet my gaze, and know nothing about who I am, or what I was, or what l’ve been so long. And that unfamiliarity, that should be a reprieve, a freedom from all the things I’ve endured, instead, would leave me bewildered and terribly bare, as I would finally be left alone to become something, something that is completely my own, because unbeknownst to myself, I had always been someone else’s. (And if this were the case, then why had I gone through what I had gone through, if who I was wasn’t real enough to garner such a reaction in the first place?)
So now I must leave, but before I do I have to question and examine and try to understand one last time, before I go to a place where trying to understand won’t matter as much to me anymore. In that space of pondering I have found out this.
It is not me, nor was it ever I, who wanted to stay. Nor was it the cry of an impulsive, rebellious heart beckoning me to leave and explore. It is who I could’ve been, who I have always been afraid for, the person I told myself I could be if I waited long enough, if I stayed silent a little longer, it is that person who tells me that I must go.
I had been scared to leave home because somewhere inside of me I understood that I could not return the same. I would break every tradition, poison every performance I had put on, I would die, and then it is then that I would be forced to become completely transparent and admit that I had deemed death the only state of being in which the most intimate aspects of myself were worthy to exist in.
Is it home, if I must leave, I occasionally ask the birds outside my window.
“That moment of when you ask, is when it is especially so, because it is then when you know your home as a family; something tied to you so intrinsically, that for the love of them it is imperative that you view them from afar, at the risk of being ensnared to the same history they will fall victim to,” they answer, and fly off somewhere distant, taking me with them.
ARTIST BIO
Octavia Ikard is a young Black Nonbinary artist. They are currently a first year at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Octavia has lived all over the US, they spent their early life in Tallahassee, Florida, and another significant chunk of their life in North Carolina, a location home to centuries of their family history. Storytelling as a means of culture sustaining and lineage work is essential to Ikard’s being- emphasized greatly from beloved family members and the physical spaces they have occupied. Octavia’s work is imbued with everything about the culture of the descendants of enslaved people who have found home in North Carolina, along with honoring the stories and history of the women who walked before them.
“Every day I challenge myself to answer the question on why I write; so far I can tell you this:
I have designated myself the storyteller of my family. I put my ear to the hearts of women around me and let their tempo guide my pencil across paper. I write about my mother walking over glass with her twin sister in the eighties. I write about my grandmother, who raised her twelve brothers on her own at the young age of eight. I look at her feet, her hands, her scrapbooks filled with dreams on the person she could’ve been if things were different. I write about her brother who she couldn’t bury because the coroner left his body outside to bloat. I write about the knife in my auntie’s eye when she talks about my grandfather. I let their anger take an exhale through my words and I release with every performance on stage. My writing is the purest manifestation of my love for myself and the black women around me. I hope to live as long as possible so one day I’ll be a story worth telling.”
Christiaan Hajos
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Film
• Music
• Drums
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
• The Recording Studio for collaborating
LATEST INSPO:
• The Den - a lot of close friendships were formed there Director Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), and the Mission Impossible movie
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I’ve wanted to be a film director since 1st grade, but as one does, I went through a phase of wanting to act and be in the spotlight. Finally, about two years ago, I became more interested in writing and directing after falling in love with the film Once Upon a Time in the West. I’ve been making little Westerns for the past two years with my trusty old camcorder, and hopefully, one day, I’ll make my dream Western film. I think that sort of dramatic, operatic aspect of filmmaking is very present in my style, even when I make something like a mystery movie or a spy comedy.
2: Methods of inspiration?
I like watching films, but it’s also important to let things sit and to formulate your own ideas. I like to walk in the forest to get inspired. I imagine I’m a character in a situation as a way to come up with the story. I like to daydream.
3:1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I’ve learned about when you need to be confident when making art and when it’s ok to not be as confident. When working with people you trust a bit more, it’s ok to be open to collaborations and input. It’s important to have a vision but not be too tied to it.
4: Describe your art process...
My stuff is very character-based. I love when there is a push/pull power dynamic between characters. Usually, it starts with two characters that can butt heads easily. Then, I start with a rough estimate for how long the film will be. While I try to control the story, I sometimes have to let it go in different directions and just let the story write itself.
I
A warm welcome to Studio “RA” AND fellow Studio Alum!
The Studio House Fellow! SANDRINE
SHE/HER
Hi studio peeps!
It’s Sandrine. If you didn’t already know, my arts are poetry, singing, and playwriting. So glad I’ve had the opportunity to be The Studio House Fellow this year. I loved getting to know all the residents’ art and getting to know the people behind the art.
WE <3 YOU!
Hannah Erickson
SHE/THEY
ART FORMS:
• Theater - acting, dancing
• Writing
• Fabric art
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Hive - there are so many supplies. Everything is at my fingertips. I can make anything - charcoal, zentangles, or try new art forms.
LATEST INSPO:
Coming back to campus and meeting people. The support system here! Sense of belonging, especially in The Studio.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
My grandmother taught me how to sew at 3. Cross stitch came soon after. Writing and telling stories has always been a part of my life. Theatre started around middle school. My sister also likes theatre.
2: Methods of inspiration?
Something that helps when I’m feeling down is looking through a box that I painted and mod-podged photos of friends onto, and in it are notes and cards from the past several years from loved ones. I look through them and feel better, and that inspires me to gain confidence.
DID YOU KNOW???
Hannah’s favorite ice cream flavor is ... playdough!
3:1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I can be me on my own. I don’t necessarily need anything else and can assert that I deserve to do and feel things. It’s helped me realize my self worth. Earlier school was full of bad experiences. I’m now able to move onnnnnn.
4: Describe your art process...
For writing, I notice a moment that I want to stay in forever. Journal entries and poems about that time come soon after. Sometimes it can be about times where I want to leave a situation. I like times of life that mean something, whether it’s good or bad.
Selected poems by Hannah
It’s hard to tell the wolves apart from everyday people
They want the worst for you, but you won’t know until it happens
My what big ears you have
All the better to listen to your deepest secrets
My what big arms you have
All the better to hold you tight, never letting go
My what big legs you have
All the better to take you places you never wanted to go
My what big teeth you have
All the better to consume every part of you
My what big eyes you have
All the better to see you fall
Sometimes I’ll have a streak of good days
And then it’ll all hit me at once
Those are really bad days
And I have to be alone for a while
I’ll collapse in on myself
And when I’m alone, I let myself fall
There’s no one to be strong for
No one to convince I’m okay
I might cry
I’ll break down
On those days, I’m not okay
But that’s okay
how old was i when i learned how to cry softly, how to cry silently, to cry so silently no one would hear or suspect what i was doing? i hid my face in my hands maybe if no one saw, it didn’t happen. maybe if it didn’t happen, there wasn’t something inside me hurting. why did i have to learn how to cry silently?
Maybe I’ve been trying to prove the wrong point. Maybe they did break me.
Maybe I am broken.
But maybe it’s not that I’m not broken, It’s that broken things can still be pretty.
BACKFOOT
by NAVARRE ILIFF
SHE/HER
watercolor, colored pencils
Who are YOU
Wanna know which member of The Studio staff you are? Take this quiz and add up all your points to find out!
Your score ____/55
1) Zodiac Sign?
a) Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) - 5
b) Water (Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer) - 1
c) Earth (Virgo, Taurus, Capricorn) - 2
d) Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) - 4
e) I’m the Avatar, duh. - 3
2) How do you say caramel?
a) “Care-uh-mel” for sure - 3
START HERE
a) The West Coast (the best coast duh) - 5
b) The East Coast baby! - 1
c) The MIDwest *dramatic sigh* - 3
d) Below the Mason-Dixon line (down south) - 4
e) Literally anywhere else - 2
5) Any Certificates?
a) Nope - 1
b) Dude, what is a certificate - 2
c) I have one or two - 3
d) So many you don’t even know - 4
b) “Car-mel” is the only correct answer - 2
c) So I actually just never say it out loud. - 1
3) What’s your Major?
a) STEM all the way - 4
b) B-School Baddie -1
c) Humanities on top - 5
d) Fine/Performance Arts on top - 2
e) I have one but who knows what it’ll be next week - 3
a) Sweet - 1
b) Sour - 5
c) Spicy - 4
d) Mild - 2
e) Umami* - 3
*Means a savory taste often associated with (but not exclusive) to meat
in the STU?
7) Outside? Outside! It’s time to go outside!
a) Extrovert - “Oh yay!” - 3
b) Ambivert - “Ok sure, let’s go outside and come in early?” - 2
c) Introvert - “So you mean you’re going outside, right?” - 1
a) Yes and what about it? - 4
b) Nope, calm and collected as always. - 1
c) (Un)Fortunately I’m retired now - 3
d) ...a what? - 2
a) Breakfast (the most important meal of the day!) - 1
b) Brunch (pancakes are a must but I am not waking up early) - 2
c) Lunch (it’s getting me through those last two classes) - 3
9) Are you funny on purpose or accident? 8) Best Meal Time?
d) Dinner (the grandest of finales) - 4
e) Dessert (because this is totally a meal) - 5
a) On Purpose! - 5
b) A bit of both - 3
c) On Accident... - 1
d) Accident but it’s so frequent you’d think it’s on purpose - 2
e) Does it really matter as long as the people laugh? (the answer is no!) - 4
a) Gotta Dance (Extra point if u know that song) - 5
b) Making music to my heart’s content - 2
c) Visual Art 4 ever and a day -1
d) Certified Theatre Kid and/or Film Aficionado - 4
e) I could write for the rest of my life and die happy - 3
f) Why Choose One? - 6
a) * - 1
b) <3 - 2
c) ^.^ - 3
d) (; - 4
e) $ - 5
- CHECK YOUR RESULTS E
12-18 = JOHN
(he/him)
You are the definition of “go with the flow.” You’re down for whatever the vibes are giving, and it totally works for you. When someone asks “what have you been up to?” it’s not surprising that your standard response is usually, “A little bit of everything.” Having a good team behind you is sure to make your current projects list that much better, so don’t be afraid to reach out to friends! After all, who doesn’t love a good support system?
19-22 = CARLY (she/her)
Keeping up with you is like playing Where’s Waldo - super fun but almost impossible if you’re not looking in the right places! You love to adventure, especially if it means trying something new or taking a big chance! You have a natural flair for the dramatic so when people give you their attention, all eyes stay on you until you’re off on your next escapade. And the best part? You never go alone! You love to bring the people you care about on the journey with you, and it’s guaranteed to be a good time! As long as you remember to pace yourself (and bring snacks!) there’s no path you can’t take!
23-26 = BRI
(she/they)
If Thanos has his infinity gauntlet then you have the “soundboard of power” (or something equally as cool). Because no matter the situation, you’ve always got it all under control. Your mellow energy brings a certain calmness to any room, but we won’t get it twisted - everyone knows you’re still down to have a good time any time, and they love you for it. You might not always say much, but when you speak, the words you choose are always exactly what someone needs to hear. Just don’t forget to let others tell you how wonderful you are every now and then too; you totally deserve it.
- CHECK YOUR RESULTS E
27-30 = TEJA (she/her)
“I’ll try almost anything once” is your motto, and your friends love the constant energy and optimism you have. New Pattern? Let’s sew it! Write an Alphabet poem? Already Began Composition! Auditions this year? They just announced the season, and you’ve got 3 monologues in mind - see a pattern, busy bee?
Every time you try something new and take to it quickly, it’s like you’re plagued with a strange sense of Teja-vu - maybe it’s the multiverse kindly telling you to pick a lane. Or at least remember to let yourself breathe between all your adventures!
31-34 = ONESTI (she/her)
Kindness takes a human form when it comes to describing you! You’ve always got something nice to say, and people can’t walk by you without being filled with the urge to smile. Even if you don’t know what exactly you’d be getting yourself into, you’re always down to help a friend and take the time to listen; a sure way you make others feel seen. Add that to the talents you can pull out like rabbits from a hat, and in all Onesti, there’s no one quite like you! Taking time just for you is essential with a personality like yours so remind yourself to do just that from time to time! You can keep others full without letting yourself run on empty!
35-38 = AMMO (he/they)
You are a fun-loving creative to the max! No one ever knows what exactly you’re going to do next, but we all know it’s going to be great, whatever it is - and the 1001 stories you’ll have to share only make you that much more enjoyable to be around. You may not be the loudest person in the room, but your smile speaks volumes and everyone knows you’re there for them (and appreciates it). Be sure to give yourself a pat on the back every now and then - you’re so awesome, you might get used to it!
- CHECK YOUR RESULTS E
39-42 = NATALIE (she/her)
A can-do attitude is one of the most admirable qualities a person can have - and you’ve totally got it! You’re not afraid to take a chance on a new task, and you’re even more excited to share what you know with the people around you! While you may not be a total social butterfly, you certainly aren’t lacking in the friendship category, as the relationships you have are high quality in nature, and everyone can feel that in every interaction with you. You’re very particular about the way you treat other people.Your art, care and attention to detail leave both people and projects feeling seen. Make sure to turn that caring gaze to the mirror once in a while, and show that perfect portrait just as much love!
43-46 = SAMMY (she/her)
No matter if it’s rainy or overcast, just like the sun, you make sure to shine regardless of what life throws your way! With your bright and infectious energy, people easily flock to you, and you have no problem keeping the energy up in everything you do, whether that be a performance, an artwork, or a simple conversation. You’re almost always down to hang out, and your friends love how easy it is to talk to you. The light inside you attracts people to you even when you aren’t trying, so don’t be afraid to let it shine bright. But remember that everyone needs breaks, so take some time to relax too. After all, even the sun remembers to take the night off!
47-50 = SHAYFER
(he/him)
As a certified “rocker” off and on the stage, any playlist wouldn’t even begin to cover your wide range of interests and activities. Everyone sees you everywhere, and you’re sure to say hi when you see them - it’s just a part of your open and friendly nature! “Chill” and “low-key” are words your friends might use to describe you, but so are “energetic” and “passionate”- in the right situation, all of which can be seen through the way you share your art (and yourself) with the world! When you’re not vibing out, you love listening to what others have to say. But cut yourself some slack if you get stuck in your head every now and then; knowing you, it’ll only last a second anyway!
- CHECK YOUR RESULTS E
51-55 = KAI (they/them)
Congratulations friend, your aura points are indeed at 1000, and the whole room knows it! And since you’re always speaking up for what’s right, it’s no wonder everyone knows who you are. When you’ve got something to say, don’t worry because people are sure to listen- you’re so confident, it’s hard not to. Some might consider you a “jack of all trades” kind of human: Artist? Check. Poet? Check. Knowledge about the entire cosmos and a sense of humor? Check and Check. Just remember, you don’t have to be on everything all the time! Taking breaks is A-ok, and besides, even your off days are on point.
Sammy Cayton
SHE/HER
ART FORMS:
• Songwriting
• Guitar, piano, ukulele
• Paint
• Crochet
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Hive. There’s always someone hanging around here and there’s so much. I also study here sometimes with my roommate (Christina!).
LATEST INSPO:
I’ve low-key been really into listening to Filipino music artists. I love some good OPM oldies. I’ve been trying to implement that more into my music, but I don’t know what that type of music it’s called. It’s giving Renaissance fairy/folklore almost?
1: How did you get started with your art form?
LIFE MOTTO?
Uhmmmm...Keep living! There’s this thing that my, whatchamacallit, friend in theater would always say: stay swag. Yeah, stay swag.
I started playing piano when I was younger. I’ve always been playing an instrument of sorts, and I’ve always really loved singing. You put on Barbie in the Diamond Castle, and I’m on the dining table reenacting the whole thing - free of charge, mind you. But then I kept singing in choirs and stuff. I didn’t really take it seriously until high school, when there were musicals and plays. I was really into the music in musical theater, so much so, that I wanted to write my own. That’s how I began to start songwriting. And so every time I write something, there’s a little bit of a theater kid in it, I think.
2: Methods of inspiration?
If I kind of just want to slowly, gradually get into the inspiration, I consume different types of media. Maybe I’ll search for a new artist, or I’ll watch a new show or something. You notice a show talks about this trope that you want to write about, or a song uses this sort of lyric structure that you think, “Oh, that’s very interesting,” and it helps me figure out something new to make. Otherwise, if I need to write something, it’s just stream of consciousness writing. You force yourself to write, even if it’s just the same word over and over again, which I have done. At some point, you’ll get to a point where you’re kind of like, “Okay, I kind of know what I want to write about.”
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
A lot comes from being uncomfortable or outside of your comfort zone. Sometimes I may not want to go out because I’m like, “Oh, it sounds so nice to stay in and watch a movie,” which is fine, but sometimes I say to myself, “You know what, Sam, you haven’t been out for a while. You need to get out.” Nine times - or usually 10 out of 10 - I’ve gone out, I’ve enjoyed it. Forcing myself to interact with people turns into, “Oh my God, this is actually really fun, and I’m glad I went out to do this.” So I learned that sometimes what my brain will find most comfortable and might want to do might not be what is best for me to do, you know? It’s like when your parent tells you to eat your vegetables. It’s like, “I don’t want to do that, but it’s good for you.”
ACA-AWESOME!
I’m in an acapella group - Pitches and Notes. They’re the competitive treble acapella group here, competing in ICCAs, which is like the Pitch Perfect equivalent except it’s IRL and it’s super cool. I auditioned as an alto, but they put me as mezzo (soprano), and I’m like, you know what? Along for the ride.
Joey Bierman
HE/THEY
ART FORMS:
• Painting
• Drawing
• Digital art
• Playing bass/electric guitar
• Writing
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Den. It’s just so cozy.
LATEST INSPO:
My latest inspo is probably other Studio members, like Rowen. We hang out a lot, and it’s just nice to see them doing art, and it makes me think, well, I want to do art too! I like pulling inspiration from my community. It’s very nice.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
This is funny. I actually started drawing because of Steven Universe, the kid’s TV show. When I was a kid, I really wanted to draw the characters, and so I kept trying. And eventually I just got into drawing. And as for music, I’ve always really loved music. I was in piano and musical theater when I was a kid, and it’s just always kind of been my thing.
2: Methods of inspiration?
JOEY’S MUSIC RECS
I’ve been listening to a lot of Tyler the Creator - Chromakopia, Igor, Call Me If You Get Lost. Yeah, those are good albums.
Looking at other art, seeing what other people create and thinking, “Wow, that’s so beautiful and cool.” Or if I’ve got strong emotions about something and am wanting to get that out.
3: Describe your art process...
With drawing, I doodle a lot, but if I want to sit down and make a piece, I usually find a reference and wait until inspiration strikes or that drive to want to actually do it. And then I’ll put on a podcast or something and just get to it. For music, I just like playing music whenever I can.
4: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
Gee, *laughs* I’ve learned that you can learn a lot from other people. Obviously, I already knew that to some degree, but I learned that there’s a lot of different people, and everyone has their own talent and cool stuff to bring to the table. It’s very cool to see that.
Photos & Captions
James Norcross
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Music
• Producing
• Writing
• Drawing
• Everything The Recording Studio
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
LATEST INSPO:
My latest inspiration is Nathan Fielder and the idea of turning your real-life self into your art form and blurring the line between the two. I love Nathan Fielder. Every single thing you do - schoolwork, art, life, everything, good and bad - that happens blends into one, which makes it really easy to build your life like a portfolio.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I got started in my art form because my entire family was into music. My mother, my father, my brother, and my dad’s side of the family all played guitar. During my sophomore year of high school, I got back from a trip to England and was like, “I should be playing the guitar!” So I started learning that. I was really obsessed with the artist Soccer Mommy. I wanted to write like her, so I just started to try and get some melodies going.
2: Methods of inspiration?
I’m trying to enjoy the silence, like take the headphones off and force myself to live within my brain and think a lot. I find that if I’m listening to too much music, I can’t be inspired by anything because there’s so many options. So maybe starting to take my headphones off and not go on my phone when I’m waiting for something in line to the bathroom or coffee or walking for deferred payments. No headphones, and then I start to remember things like, “Oh, I really like this song” and then listen to that type of music, and I get really inspired again. It’s so good because then you develop your ear better. And then you can listen better.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
It’s good to inconvenience yourself and do the thing that you tell yourself you can do a different time. At the start of the semester, the idea of so many Studio events, I was like, oh well, I’ll do it later. And then I’m not actively thinking about doing it later. So actively inconveniencing myself makes me feel like it’s not actually that scary of a thing. Also being open to learning new things and not putting myself in a box of, yep, this is perfect as is.
4: Describe your art process...
I’d say that my art process is very holistic. I listen to my gut very well, and I don’t try to create a certain thing. I just let it happen to me. That might come from trying to do a different thing. But I never force something to happen. Like I know that the song already exists within me, so I try to treat it like an ice sculpture, like carving out something, which was there all along.
Advice and reflections from James: A SEGMENT
I have had the best experience possible. My advice would be to never put yourself in too much of a box and think, “Oh, I’m not going to do this because it’s too scary ... that’s not my crowd.” Because I think that really cool stuff comes from collaborating with people. And if someone says they want to jam, always take them up on the offer, even though it sometimes sounds a bit like, “Oh, I don’t feel like doing this.” Even if it sucks, it’s always better that you try to get out there and collaborate with other people. Treat life like LinkedIn. Making connections is so much fun. And when those connections are friendships, it’s so easy.
Bodhi Pavlik
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Writing classical music
• Brass family - trombone, euphonium, trumpet plus glockenspiel & marimba
LATEST INSPO:
I draw a lot of inspiration from nature. Something will catch my eye, and then I’ll think about it and create a melody or a chord progression.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
PEREGRINE FALCON! When diving, they are the fastest animal in the air, and they are COOL AS HECK! (sorry, no swearing!)
The first instrument I started playing was trumpet in 4th grade. That’s where music started for me. Then I woke up one day and told my dad that I wanted to play piano. He was all for it because my grandpa played piano, my great-great-grandpa played piano, my dad plays piano. We’re all a big family of musicians. So he supported me, and I got really inspired by some composers like Ludovico Einaudi and Alexis French. I really wanted to write stuff like that because it was very emotional, very thought provoking. So I started writing, and one day my dad came up to me and asked, “Hey, what’s that?” I told him it was stuff I’m working on. He was like, “...your own stuff?” And I was like, yeah. And from then, my family realized that I had some sort of talent, and they supported me and helped my talent grow by getting teachers and stuff like that. And now here I am.
2: Methods of inspiration?
I love nature, and I’ve always been outside 24/7 as a kid. When I’m outside, I’ll get ideas, and once I get home, I’ll write those down, get on the piano and record it. I’ll reflect on my experience, and I’ll try to use that experience in my music. For example, one of my songs is called Snowy Mountains. I got the idea for that when I was hiking on a snowy mountain in Italy. I tried to replicate the delicate snow falling on the beautiful mountainscape in that song.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I thought that I would want a smaller school to go to because I like to be alone most of the time and be with my thoughts. That’s how I get a lot of inspiration for music. I was really set on going to a small school in Wisconsin because I wanted to stay in-state. And since I happened to get into Madison, and they have a really good music program and a really good psych program, I was like, okay. Let’s see how I like it. And I really surprised myself by how much I have enjoyed it - being in a city that can feel like an overwhelming amount of people, especially in Sellery Hall. I actually like it a lot more than I thought I would.
4: Describe your art process...
I would probably say the thing that I focus the most on is evoking emotion out of music. I don’t want my songs to be something that you forget about. I want it to be meaningful and for you to come back to it and feel this emotion that’s been integrated inside of it. That also plays into the nature part; based on the scenery, you feel different emotions. I try to piece that all together, but it can be a slow process - trial and error. You know, things sound good, things don’t sound as good, so you have to nit-pick it and put things together.
Bodhi’s cover art for his NEW SINGLE: Radix Gaudii
POETRY by THE STUDIO™ PROGRAM LEAD
how to draw a bunny: 11/05/24
an ekphrasis inspired by Ray Johnson
to draw a bunny, you must first make it//to the pin//pen to make it to the pen to draw the bunny, you must first decide to go to the pen. to draw a bunny- know the pen draws blood too know it’s a privilege to draw (a breath. still) know drawing (like a gun or a ballot) is something to fight over. (against? for?) decide if you can stand it. when you make a plan to stand it- know that ubers to the pen are free. today. note: that drawing a bunny will not save the world.
a bunny drawing cannot defeat fascism note:that we probably cut down more trees to draw bunnys than planted this year. when drawing a bunny, please remember that you can’t draw a bunny in this state unless you have a matching state ID. this is to stop people like me from drawing bunnys. draw your bunny anyways. it still won’t feel good. even though this is all your pen is
made to do. draw your bunny down ballot. draw your bunny on the back side too.
note: is this the same scantron from my midterm yesterday. when drawing a bunny know this bunny drawing didn’t feed nobody. know this bunny didn’t keep my mom’s lights on. know that no matter how many times i draw this bunnythe radius of my wrist can only show the bunny stagnant this pen cannot capture the flight,how fast an almost free thing flies,the way our legs are meant to collapse but also— to run.How when you’re really scared-when you’re really ready to fight for something.die for something.really really ready to leave all the things that want YOU- on the chopping block- ready to leave the papers you are penciled into- ready to leave the system that contests your rights every 4 years- how the drum of your ear will flood with each beat from your heart.When fear is the skin to everything you have to lose.When all hope is a flesh wound.when your vision rings. When all you can draw- from your throat is iron.Is the blood your pen searched for.
Draw another bunny.
KAI BROWN ARTIST BIO:
Kai Brown is a BLK QUEER radical multidisciplinary teaching artist from Des Moines, IA (also known as the New York of Iowa). They are interested in all things BLK, QUEER, and liberation minded. Brown is currently exploring drawing, cartooning, and multimedia work. Kai’s professional and youth artist history entails being a 4 time grand slam champion including the Brave New Voices festival, and several state slams, a youth activist//organizer, and a published poet. For the time being, Brown is a third year at University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Educational Policy Studies and completing two certificates in Teaching Art and Studio art with an emphasis on out-of-school time art collectives and 2D forms. Kai is a member of First Wave, a full tuition Arts and Activism scholarship program, belonging to the “Dream 555teen” or 15th Cohort.
Grayson Geiger
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Music
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
• Acting Definitely The Den because it’s where everybody is all the time. It’s an easy way to socialize with people when I don’t want to be doing homework or anything.
LATEST INSPO:
I hear a piece that I like, and I learn how to play it. For visual art, I have always really been into the horror genre, so I just really love the aspect of dark, gloomy atmospheres.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I got started in theater because I always have really liked acting. When I was little, I put on little plays - all that classic stuff. In sixth grade, I was going to try out for the main play, but I was scared. I had just moved schools. I knew nobody. I was crying, sobbing, all this stuff and thinking, I can’t do this because I’m just too darn scared. And then, these eighth graders came up to me and said, “Hey, do you want to audition for the thing?” If they hadn’t asked me if I wanted to audition, I would never have gotten into this. That’s how it happened.
2: Methods of inspiration?
When I make music, it’s mostly with the piano. I have repertoire on the cello - that is what I’m going to school for. But what I like to create with is piano. In the middle of playing the cello, if I’m too overwhelmed with a piece, or I just feel like I need to take a break, I will sit down at the grand piano that’s in the practice room, and I will just play that for 30-40 minutes and just improvise chords, songs, all that stuff. And that kind of winds me down.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
How nice it is to be around people that share my same passion in the arts. I mean, I had it in high school, but to be living with those people and being able to collab everyday with things is absolutely wonderful.
4:
Describe your art process...
I have to have something else running in the background. My favorite time to draw horror is during music theory class because it’s my favorite time to create. Honestly, last semester, I would always write a song that I knew onto paper during class. It could be anything from the Among Us theme song to Staying Alive by the Bee Gees. And then I’d give the sheet music to Bodhi and say, “Guess what this song is?” And he’d have to figure it out with his brain. And I did that every single lecture, two times a week for the entire semester.
FAV VIDEO GAME?
Risk of Rain 2. Best atmosphere, set design, and music. The composer is absolutely fantastic.
TOP 4 MOVIES?
• The Thing
• Blair Witch Project
• The Conjuring
• Entire Paranormal Activity Franchise
- except the 7th movie
FAV MUSIC?
Max Kirscher THEY/THEM
ART FORMS:
• Clarinet
• Knitting
• Ballet
• Origami
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
Probably The Den just because it works. It’s a really good hangout spot.
LATEST INSPO:
I don’t even know. Ideas just show up kind of. When I do take inspiration from something, it’s usually like, “Oh I already have this yarn,” or “I already have this thing, let’s make something.” I found a star pattern and thought, what if I made a bunch of stars and sewed them together and made a blanket out of them?
1: How did you get started with your art form?
My mom put me in ballet when I was four, and I just never stopped. Music’s always been something I’ve done. I started playing piano in kindergarten. In 4th grade, we got the option to join the orchestra, and I was like, “I want to play violin,” so I added that and the next year we had the option to join the band, and I was like, “I want to join the band, I want to play percussion!” We had too many percussionists, so instead I played clarinet. Clarinet was the one I ended up liking the most, and it’s the one I ended up sticking with. I was in the senior band in high school. We were all really close and were a really good band. There was so much more connection than I ever had playing music with other people. I was like, “I want to keep doing this,” so now I’m majoring in clarinet! I’m a double major in engineering mechanics and aerospace with a focus on aerospace and music.
2: What art supply would you be?
Yarn. Probably a bright multicolored yarn. I don’t know, you asked that question, and immediately, it was yarn. No particular reason for it.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I like short hair on myself.
MAX FACTS: FAV BALLET ROLE
I have two favorite roles: Nutcracker and Aurora. I went to a smaller studio, so the Aurora role had been choreographed for someone who played the previous Aurora. We shared a lot of strengths in jumps, but her stamina was insane. So it played to my strengths while also being really challenging for me, and it was just a really fun role. And then Nutcracker - also really fun. It was the only “guy” role I ever played while at the studio, and I loved it.
Because it was a guy role, there were more jumps and more strength required. Most of that role wasn’t super challenging technically.
4: If you could go back to freshman-inhigh-school you, what would you tell yourself?
Go to sleep. I was not good at getting sleep during the pandemic just because you stay in your room, and you do school, sitting in the same spot, and then you have all this energy. And you can’t sleep because you’ve been sitting in a chair all day doing school.
You’re gonna like Band more than Orchestra, so just drop Orchestra. I’m going to be honest, during distance learning. I was in both Band and Orchestra and it was in the same class period, so basically the expectation was I’d go to one every other day, but as long as I showed up to one and my attendance got taken, they didn’t care. There was one trimester where I went to Orchestra maybe four times. So yeah.
This will all be over eventually. When it’s over, go to therapy.
FOUND ART!
Take a look at some art by our students that made spaces
Noah Ehresman
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Performing arts - theatre, singing, dancing
• Playing viola - started in 5th grade but working on getting better
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Black Box Theater
LATEST INSPO:
Watching other Studio artists do their thing! It just brings me so much joy and inspiration seeing what makes my friends come alive. It inspires me to enjoy my art form and peruse it with gusto instead of through obligation.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I went to a Christian camp when I was in middle school and did musical theatre there. I’ve loved it ever since. I grew up in a musical household - mom plays piano, and my dad sings, plays drums and cajon - all things percussion. So I’m surrounded by music, especially during worship, which is still a part of my life.
2: Methods of inspiration?
I work at the Overture Center as a lead usher, and I get to see free live performances!!! Being able to see how people interpret characters and engage with audiences is inspiring and provides amazing insights. It shows how performance should and could look. Attending performances and getting exposure expands my understanding and appreciation for performance.
Most Culturally Significant Thing to Happen in 2025?
I grew up on the east side of Madison where school was really diverse. The school took part in a DLI (dual language immersion) program. ICE resurfacing has been really distressing. I remember my classmates and people in my community fearing deportation. Now it has become a serious issue, and it is very concerning.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
That my art doesn’t have to be perfect to still be valuable. It introduced me to different types of art. It’s been a great learning opportunity to gain appreciation of other art forms, like poetry. I now see less pressure with own art form.
4: Describe your art process...
I consult the music first. I take the song and find out what the character has to say in the moment. You can know a lot about a character solely through how they sing (crescendos, tempo, etc.). Once I do this, I then figure out how the character would move, talk, and so on.
My pre-performance rituals: shake down and vocal warm ups.
FRIENDS OF THE STU:
A interview with a resident from a neighboring hall!
Olani Aboro
SHE/HER
ART FORMS:
• Writing (poetry, music, prose)
• Singing
• Playing ukulele, guitar
• Theater
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
• The Recording Studio
• The Den (nice that it’s only for Studio residents).
LATEST INSPO:
Everything that’s been going on since November. Kendrick’s halftime show performance.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
Olani has napped on The Den’s bean bags AND tables! SAY WHAT!
In general, I’ve always been artistic since I’ve known how to talk and move. I’d make up songs at 2 years old. It was a way to de-stress. Got into singing in 3rd grade. Middle school was when I actually started doing theatre.
2: Methods of inspiration?
Inspo generally comes from living.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I have a lot more stuck opinions. I’m very open minded but have a very firm ground that I stand on. I sit comfortably in what I believe in and learned that that’s okay.
4:
Describe your art process...
For writing and music, I take inspo from anything. I come up with two or three lines that become the chorus, play around using an instrument or GarageBand, build from there, and find a melody.
5: Who’s your Studio in?
I met Bodhi on Snapchat during the summer and again in the Dining Hall at the beginning of the year. Now I’m friends with basically everyone.
6: How often do you visit The Studio?
I come to The Den daily (8-9pm) to do homework. I usually am watching movies and playing games. Sometimes I make art, but most of the time I spend is with people.
7: What do you love about The Studio?
The people, of course. I love that I’m never bored - there’s always something to do. Love the community, everyone gets along. People are very open and honest here.
WARM WISHES to The Studio Residents, From Olani :)
I just love you all, I really do! It’s sad we move out in May, I still want to see you after that. Requesting The Studio gets a karaoke machine... KARAOKE NIGHT!!!!!
OLANI’S NAP SCALE:
1,001
1,000 COMFORT POINTS NAPTIME IN THE DEN= COMFORT POINTS!!!
0
COMFORT POINTS
Locke Howell
THEY/THEM
ART FORMS:
• Multimedia
• Visual art
• Exploring 3D materials
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
Definitely The Hive. It’s really nice to have all of the supplies just easy access.
LATEST INSPO:
My friend started making a comic. I think that that’s super duper cool and super duper awesome. I did a couple pages of a comic for my final for one of my classes last semester. So that’s been on my mind lately.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I remember I used to make stories with my brother when I was maybe 4 or 5. We would go back and forth, making books with each other. Then we would trade them and read them to each other. It was really fun. I stopped drawing for a while during elementary school, and then when I was in 6th grade, my family gave me a big kit of art stuff for Christmas. I shot straight back into all of the art stuff, and I kept up with it all the way until now.
2: Methods of inspiration?
My favorite method to get inspired is listening to music, which is like the most generic thing ever. Everybody loves listening to music. Past that, I like to just observe other art or really just engage with my art friends. They’ll say something here or there that will catch my attention.
3: Describe your art process...
My art process is pretty impulsive, honestly. To an extent, I plan things, but it’s pretty common for me to just have an idea pop into my head, and then I’ll just be like, yeah, I’m gonna make that now - it’s gonna be great.
4: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I haven’t really learned too much about myself since being at UW, cause I’ve already been there, done that. But one thing in particular that I’ve learned is that I significantly enjoy being around other art people, as opposed to non-art people. Because I came from a pretty small town where there were maybe five other people who took art seriously at my old school. So it’s definitely a bit of a different environment, and I do appreciate the switch up.
Locke’s Art Gallery!
WHO’S that CAT???
Here’s the SCOOP on this year’s Studio Mascot
It’s Palette! the painter cat
From Locke Howell, the creator of Palette:
I actually didn’t entirely intend to enter the mascot competition. I was in The Studio Fall Seminar, and I needed to figure out “art” to make as the singular project that is required for that class. The mascot competition caught my attention - I was like, yeah, I can do that. That’ll be fun, and then it’ll be completely connected.
So when I sat down to make Palette, I did not even remotely have Palette in mind. Actually, I had separate ideas for all of the four options for different animals that could be the mascot. I went with a cat because I really, really like cats, and I think they’re cute and awesome. Initially, I had designed a little pair of cats - one of them had a microphone, and the other one had a guitar - because there’s a lot of musicians here in The Studio. But it didn’t quite feel right. I felt like I kept over-complicating it and kept wanting to add more, so that it could [represent] the people that I know here in The Studio.
I decided to pull back and simplify because when I think of a studio, I think of an art studio, generic painting and stuff. If you go up to someone and ask, “What do you
MASCOT RUNNERS UP!
• Octopus - each arm as a different art practice
• Octowolf - mashup!
• Penguin
• Bumblebee
think of when you think of an artist?” They say a painter or something - like that is the bare bones of it. So I decided to have that be my start. I had the idea for a little painting cat.
The Studio logo itself has struck me as interesting because it’s a very basic logo. It’s a very clean design - it’s completely in black and white, and it doesn’t have anything overly impulsive or creative about it. It caught my attention that The Studio logo was unique in that regard. So I wanted the design to fit that - be very clean and straightforward and on the neater side. In my mind, I have a pretty big association with black and white, as in, old time-y black and white cartoons, which is why I chose a bit of a more cartoony style for Palette.
So I have several pages worth of little painter cats in my sketchbook, actually, and I just kept going over it and going over it until I came up with the idea of Palette.
Who was this silly little paper cat who kind of sat, shaped like a literal palette?!
And then he had paint on his back because maybe he just puts it there while he’s painting. Or maybe he spills an awful lot. He was perfect for what was “needed” because then he could be black and white in fitting with the logo. He could also introduce a bit of that color that I felt like may or may not have been missing from the logo. And then he’s also just really cute because he’s just a little cartoon cat with a paintbrush and paint. Everybody loves that because we all love cartoon cats with paintbrushes and paint.
And then the add-on to The Studio logo of him hanging there is pretty obviously inspired by a lot of those, like hanging cat, inspirational posters and memes and whatnot, but I felt it was still fun and funny and just pretty cute too. That little edge that’s on The Studio logo, it just felt really great for him to be holding on to. It sure was a process, but it was really fun making him. It was mostly just thinking through what I was doing that had him come together so nicely and have a lot of side meanings in his design.
And I’m pretty happy that he was chosen to be the little guy of The Studio.
STU DA POT
by Kai Brown THEY/THEM
“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” - John Lewis
“Keep stirring up good trouble.” is a quote that is often paraphrased from political activist John Lewis. It’s thrown in at the end of keynote speeches and rallies, often addressed to youth. What does it mean to stir up good trouble- to be actively seeking disruption?
“Stu Da Pot” is not only a cheeky play on words- but speaks to the positionality of
The Studio residents in the broader spatial context of UW-Madison, a bustling college campus. The residence hall, like many institutional places, has policies and regulations, but also is informal in comparison to what is expected in other places on campus. Students make their home in the dorms, often creating an informal and unstructured space where they can exist as a person outside of schooling. The Studio further centers our residents by providing resources and support for the collective creation of a community that they have the capacity and desire to be a part of. This creates a space where residents can show up, outside of the classroom or academia.
With this context in mind, at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, The Studio staff decided to continue the Orientation Day tradition of making a collaborative art piece. We wanted our residents to walk away from our grand introduction with a piece of The Studio- knowing that this place is theirs. This birthed our beautiful collaborative canvases with the message “Stu Da Pot’’ a wonderful reminder to take up space in a world that often does not value the humanity of a collective. This is an invitation as well, for residents to be mindful of the space they occupy and the collective they joined. Making art is political—art is not neutral and exists within the context of all the work and worlds that come before it. To truly “Stu Da Pot” is to invite//allow your positionality to spark the artist in you.
Lucas Pawlikowski
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Singing
• Guitar
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
• The Recording Studio - it’s got all the music equipment, obviously. Big for a music guy like me.
• The Den is a nice space to have and hang out in. It gets me out of my room.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
When my dad was a kid, he really wanted to be a rock star. He grew up in the 80s and then was my age in the 90s. So he was seeing a lot of the grunge scene at that time. It was always his dream to be a big musician. He kind of passed that on to me and signed me up for guitar lessons and then vocal lessons a couple years later. It just kind of stuck! It’s become such a core part of my life now that I just do it, and I love it. I did a program called School of Rock back at home. They had lessons, performances, and I worked a bunch with other kids my age. My kind of eureka moment came from sitting in one of the practice rooms alone. I was learning some song that I needed to know for one of my shows. I was playing, and I had a moment where I realized what the song was without actually looking at tabs or anything. I learned it by ear in two minutes, and it was just easy. Then I thought back to two months before that when that song would have been super difficult, and it was just a feeling of satisfaction. I can actually do this now! It’s crazy.
LUCAS as an ANIMAL : A SEGMENT
I’d be a lizard. It seems super chill and fun. Just sitting in the sun and soaking up the heat all the time.
2: Methods of inspiration?
For song writing, a lot of my inspiration comes from just sitting down with my guitar, playing random stuff until I find something I like. Or if I have an idea for lyrics I want to write about, I’ll start with a melody and kind of work back from there. It’s kinda interesting because those songs always end up having very boring instrumental parts. And if I started a song with instrumentals, the instrumentals would be cool, but the vocals would be boring. Usually whatever I start with is going to sound much more interesting and stick out more than the other parts.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
Honestly, I would say this is just college in general, but I think I’ve gained a lot of selfconfidence. When I was coming up here, I was really worried about meeting people, making new friends, sticking out, just usual stuff like that. And I kind of just realized that everyone has the same issues, and it’s a very normal feeling to have. And it just helped me to get over it.
4: Fav song to play on the guitar?
Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits. It’s kind of the same thing for five minutes, but the guitar solo in it is super clean, and the rhythm part has very satisfying, fun chords.
Emily Mattson
SHE/HER
ART FORMS:
• Singing
• Theater
• Poetry
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Black Box Theater
LATEST INSPO:
Lately, I’ve gotten back into my Hadestown phase. The music and themes of the show along with the incredible performances have definitely inspired my recent art.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
I auditioned for a summer school production of Alice in Wonderland. I looked very similar to the girl they casted as Alice (but obviously a lot shorter), so they cast me as “little Alice.” Doing that show was the first thing that really clicked with me. Even though I was only 10 years old, I could tell that I really loved it and that theater was something that I was very passionate about.
2: Methods of inspiration?
Listening to music has always been a huge source of inspiration, whether it’s lyrics or the general vibes of the song. A lot of the time, I will hear a lyric that makes me think or reminds me of something in my own life. That’s when I feel the most inspired to write.
3: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I’ve learned to trust myself creatively. I sometimes fall into the trap of wanting everything I create/perform to be perfect. Being in an environment that is encouraging and supportive has helped me push myself. I have learned to trust the process, which has given me a love for creating for the sake of creating, rather than wanting a specific outcome.
4: Describe your art process...
I don’t have a specific process for poetry. I notice things around me that make me think and give me an emotional reaction, which has been good for me because it has helped me appreciate the things I used to take for granted. For theater and singing, before a performance I make a playlist that helps me center myself. I also have a couple of vocal/ physical warmups I try to do before every audition.
Justin Russell aka JEXIZIS
HE/HIM
ART FORMS:
• Poetry
• Hip hop / rap
• Video production
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Recording Studio
LATEST INSPO:
Open Mike Eagle, and his song
Art Rap Party. So smart.
1: How did you get started with your art form?
Funny story. In sixth grade, my math teacher actually skipped me with the snack bin. Me and this math teacher had been going back and forth all quarter and I had enough. I was like, you know what? It’s time he gets what he deserves. So I wrote a diss track on him in my journal, and I rapped it to a few kids in the next class because I was too scared to do it in his class. And then ever since then, I was known as the kid who makes diss tracks against teachers.
2: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
You’re not always going to fit in with the rest of the people. But you just gotta find your place within all of this chaos and find ways to keep yourself sane, whether that’s creating, working out or whatever. Just find ways to keep your mental serenity.
3: Methods of inspiration?
I love just going on YouTube and clicking on random videos that look interesting to me. That’s how I learned most of my talents. I know how to play a few songs on the piano because I just clicked on a piano song. I love to dive into things that look interesting to me. Or, you know, if I’m out on the street and I hear something cool, I save it in my voice memos. And then I come back to it, and I think about how I can apply this to an artistic lens.
4: Describe your art process ...
I would say my art process depends on what art I’m doing. A lot of it is just impulse. Inspiration will hit me - my mind is very free flowing. I can also sit down and write a song. I guess there’s multiple ways that I go about my process, and I’m really into diversifying it if I can.
My friend Toshi.splus, who’s in my rap collective and I were supposed to do a performance at the first Showcase for The Studio. We had it all planned out. It was going to be dope. And then bro got grounded for speeding. His mom took his car, so bro just didn’t have a mode of transportation. It was basically up to me. So I ran down to The Recording Studio, and I recorded a song. We get to Showcase, they say, “Now introducing ... JEXIZIS!” The crowd cheers. I’m like, okay, I got this, I got this. I get on stage, the music plays. ...
Im in a all black coop right now, we bout to go up, I take 3 shoots to the head, 2 to the chest, 1 to the gut, we lit as f**k and then I just forget my lyrics. Everything that I had planned, everything that I practiced: Gone - in an instant. All I could do was look at the crowd and laugh awkwardly. But hey, you know, it happens. I came back the next time and performed the same song, and I’d say I killed it. *laughs*
Ava Knudson
SHE/THEY
ART FORMS:
• Photography
• Singing
• Collage
FAV STUDIO SPACE:
The Recording Studio
LATEST INSPO:
Lately, I’m very much very inspired by my friends. I feel like I always have one friend that I work on art with. We just make art together, and I see their processes, and I kind of learn from them and take from them in a way. I’ve done it with so many different people because my friends very much inspire me. Also Pinterest. When it comes to drawing ideas and stuff like that, Pinterest is my best friend. There’s this one artist, I don’t know her name, but it’s Vee on Instagram and a lot of their stuff comes up on my Pinterest, and I love her work. Love it, love it, love it.
1:
Methods of inspiration?
SCREAMING: A STUDIO TIP FROM AVA
Me and my friends, we just scream in The Recording Studio. You ever hear screaming coming from there? It’s us, A little bit of rock and roll and screaming, and it’s awesome. I love it, it’s so much fun.
I think music overall. Just hearing noises is my number one inspiration. I look at art a lot, but I listen to music a billion times more and get inspired to draw something from it. I see something as I hear a song, and I’m like, “Oh I gotta draw whatever I’m thinking.” That has been happening for a while now, and it’s super awesome. Music obviously inspires my own musical journey, so I’m like, “I’m gonna try singing this song or do something with it! I’m gonna fixate on it until I can’t hear it anymore.”
2: 1thing learned about yourself in The Studio
I think I’ve learned a lot more about my passion for music. I’ve always really loved singing and listening to music, but now I’m learning that it’s possible to pursue it - that I can actually do something with that. I’m really excited about that. I really do have to thank The Studio for that because without the resources we have and the people I’ve met, I would not have had a realization about my music.
3: Describe your art process...
I have crippling ADHD so getting in the zone is really a struggle for me. But once I’m there, I’m there. I feel like it just has to be something that I really love, and like I said before, working with somebody else really helps me get focused. Also I think what I need to do to improve my art-making skills is just to do it. Just do it, you know?
4: Any other stories you want to share with our readers?
The minute I arrived here I felt like I was changed in a way. I feel like a lot of our souls change when we leave our homes for the first time. It’s a big thing, and I think it’s something that definitely changed me a lot. I feel like I’m changing so much more every day whereas before I came here, I wasn’t changing that much. I think I can see myself growing in a way - I’ve met a lot of mature people and have mature friendships whereas in high school, you’re not going to get that. I mean it’s rare, and it teaches you how to be a better person.
S.A.M. CREW & CREDITS
The Studio Support Team: Program Manager: Ammo Eisu (he/they)
Interim Faculty Director: Prof. John Hitchcock (he/him) Program Leads: Carly de la Masa (she/her)
Kai Brown (they/them)
Peer Mentors:
Bri Bernard (she/they)
Natalie Furtado (she/her)
Onesti Ekholm-Dean (she/her)
Sammy Dyrud* (she/her)
Shayfer Huitt (he/him)
Teja Davis (she/her)
*Magazine Production and Creative Direction
Special thanks to:
Artist Entries:
Interviewer Extraordinaire: Lincoln Dillavou (he/they)
An artist, musician, poet, and polaroid photographer from the 17th cohort of First Wave, Lincoln helped organize and interview five people for the S.A.M. this year. He really enjoyed interviewing and hopes to do something similar in the future for fashion magazines. He also wants to thank the S.A.M. team for their support, and The Studio for allowing him to meet so many wonderfully talented individuals he gets to call his friends.
Hannah Erickson (she/her)
Kai Brown (they/them)
Navarre Iliff (she/her)
Octavia Ikard (they/them)
Sabrina Ortiz (she/her)
THANKS FOR READING :)
WE <3 THE STUDIO!
