Upon entering the Weisman Art Museum one immediately sees WAM’s iconic 1964 World’s Fair Mural by Roy Lichtenstein, greeting each visitor as she enters through the front doors. The mural portrays a young and radiant woman who (from a Minnesotan’s perspective) seems to be overcome with the joy of feeling winter melt away. Her excitement is palpable as she feels the refreshing breeze of a warming spring.

This semester still feels new. WAM Collective is still falling into a new rhythm with all of our new partnerships, programs, and members. It seems that everyone has just figured out their schedules. There is still a white blanket of snow on the ground and the promise of endless creative possibility in every class, meeting, and event.

Please join us in welcoming a fresh batch of creative, driven students to the WAM Collective family! These are our new Spring 2016 members.

Hometown:
I moved around a lot, [but I] spent time in Central Minnesota, Minneapolis, Edina, Kansas City, [and] Texas.

Strolling through the WAM galleries last weekend, I was drawn to Julia Jacquette’s 1999 oil painting, Radiant. It’s hard to miss, vast in size with pop-art colors, nods to pin-up culture, and a dramatic tone reminiscent of Lichtenstein. The piece features (mostly white) women’s faces and feminine hands sensually depicting various activities and languid lines. Of note, in several of the tiles, is the obvious existence of an engagement/wedding ring, or an obvious comparable lack thereof.

Most students who grew up in and around Minneapolis have many memories of running around the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Home of the Spoonbridge and Cherry, Claes Oldenberg’s iconic sculpture that has come to serve as an emblem for Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a Minneapolis must-see and draws in large crowds of visitors year round despite Minnesota weather.