UW-Milwaukee’s Union Art Gallery saw its 53rd Annual Juried Exhibition from February 27 to March 12, 2026.
This exhibit showcased artwork in various mediums from college students around the Greater Milwaukee area.
On opening night, winners were decided by a panel of three local art professionals, who then received cash prizes.
The Union Art Gallery regularly has exhibits featuring a wide range of artistic talent, touching on important social, cultural and artistic themes. I interviewed multiple artists who worked in various mediums and themes, which taught me a lot about art.
Claire Casey
I was there on the opening night and was lucky enough to talk to the winner. Claire Casey is a senior double majoring in Painting and Drawing, and Creative Writing.
Being an art major wasn’t always their plan; they initially wanted to be a published author and used art as an escape from writing.
It was in college when things changed. First, it was a minor in art after taking Kathryn Martin Meuer’s 3D class. Then, in their first painting class, Professor Amy O’Neill encouraged them to major in art.
“They both gave me the courage to look at myself as an artist, and I wouldn’t be here without them or the rest of the amazing art professors at UWM,” Casey said.
In their first semester of capstone, Casey has been narrowing down their focus and working under the theme of “queer absurdist narrative” for their paintings.
Inspired by queer and lesbian contemporary history, Casey stated, “I often get stuck on the fact that our acceptance is often conditional to our behavior, to how conventional and palatable we make ourselves as queer people. For this reason, I find myself really drawn to absurdism and exaggeration, inflating the space queer people are allowed to take up in my paintings.”
Casey’s art piece, Gluttony, won first place and was much deserved. When I asked if they expected to win “Best in Show,” their shocking answer was no.
The painting is the largest one they have made, and in their words, after looking at it for so long, they could only see the flaws. But winning first place led them to view their piece with kinder eyes and be proud of the creation. It was much deserved, and I definitely considered their piece my favorite of the night.
Anya Kluesner
One of my favorite pieces came from Anya Kluesner, a fourth-year student working towards a BFA in Painting and Drawing, a BA in Art History, and a Minor in Performance Dance. They were introduced to the arts at a young age, dancing competitively for years.
After multiple injuries, Luesner knew that performance art wasn’t a permanent career, leading her to the visual arts.
Kluesner uses past experiences and the diversity of the arts as inspiration for their pieces.
In the Juried exhibit, Kluesner had two pieces on display: She’s Mine and Shit Is Bananas. Both are self-portraits.
She’s Mine is a self-produced dance film, a reflection of the person they have become over the past four years. An ode to their younger self, giving them the grace they deserve.
Shit Is Bananas represents Kluesner’s humorous side and “allows me to play a rather mischievous character.” While each piece represents a different side of the artist, both were equally memorable.
Jinelle Warner
Jinelle Warner is a fourth-year Design and Visual Communication major who focuses on working in a digital medium, with a good hand for charcoal art.
When it comes to her inspiration, Warner’s inspiration is music, hence her piece in the exhibit, Knife, based on a song with the same title.
Warner has been doing art for years and credits her family and friends for their support, getting her to where she is today.
Alana Kelly
We Are All in the Same Boat is a piece that can be interpreted differently. Made of acrylic paint, yarn, and Mod Podge on a cardboard canvas, the artwork tells a story.
Alana Kelly has been surrounded by creativity since childhood; her mother loved interior design, and her community was filled with art.
It was in middle school when she discovered her love for drawing, and in high school when she discovered it for painting as well.
Kelly uses painting as a form of self-expression and communication. We Are All in the Same Boat is a representation of everything going on in the world, even the simple things that people go through daily, and the lessons we learn from each other along the way.
In her words, “People need other people to grow.” The piece lives up to its name and is a compelling representation of the saying we all know.
Each piece in the exhibit told a story, represented a memory, or even touched on social issues. I’m sure deciding the winner wasn’t easy for the judges, as every art piece was deserving of an award.
All the artwork was meaningful in one way or another, and it’s impossible not to feel inspired after viewing the pieces that artists dedicated hours of their lives to.
The Annual Juried Art Exhibition is the perfect opportunity for local artists to share their work with the community.
Artist Instagrams:
- Claire Casey: clairvoy_arts
- Anya Kluesner: anyaellearts
- Jinelle Warner: jinellewarnerdesign
- Alana Kelly: critoxpaints_2