The Starving Artists' Show at Mount Mary University

Saturday, September 10th at 10:00 AM the sweeping lawns of Mount Mary University will play host to a highly attended and long-running art show.

The Starving Artists’ Show of Mount Mary University is an annual outdoor art show featuring local and national artists specializing in ceramics, fiber art, glass work, jewelry, painting, sculpture and more. All of the available pieces sell for $100 or less.

The show, now in its 49th year, is sponsored by the Mount Mary University Alumnae Association. All artists are juried by a committee of passionate Mount Mary University alumnae. A portion of the proceeds from this event fund the Alumnae Endowed Scholarship for students. It is the Association’s most significant fundraiser of the year. For the artists involved, there are many benefits to participating in this collegiate tradition. Artists keep all of the proceeds from the affordable show. The show is also attended by nearly 5,000 patrons of the arts each year, offering the artists a chance to connect with new fans.

Each year, the Starving Artists’ Show offers several artists of all mediums the opportunity to have their work further showcased to the eager public. This year’s featured artists include:

Angela & Ryan Steenhagen (Delafield, Wis.): Together, they specialize in making cufflinks and jewelry out of vintage watches. Some can be worn every day, while others are larger statement pieces.
Connie Pelzek (Hales Corners, Wis.): Inspired by how colors and patterns interact within nature, she incorporates actual leaves and uses a combination of dry brush, transparent overlays, spattering and dripping in her paintings.
Nicholas Bowers (Mequon, Wis.): Embracing the freedom in making art, his glass works are organic, free-flowing and based on botanicals.
Theresa Brunson (Milwaukee): Intrigued by different textures and fabrics, she often incorporates fabric from Nigeria and Mali to merge her African culture into her handbags.
Karen Williams-Brusubardis (Milwaukee): Welcoming the fluidity of places from her memory, she paints each place as an evolution of her memory.
James Steeno (Milwaukee): Enjoying the immediacy of working with transparent watercolor, his paintings features Wisconsin landscapes mixed with a little bit of humor.
Pam Talsky (Waterford, Wis.): One of the many unique baskets she has woven is structured like the winding mountain roads she traveled up and down while in India.
Ryan Peters (Waukesha, Wis.): Loving the uncontrollable nature of raku firing, he makes each piece of pottery one-of-a-kind through original designs and layers of color.
Alicia Miklavicic-Franz & Janie Esposito (Waukesha, Wis.): This mother-daughter pair hand-dyes recycled clothing for scarves that feature innovative design elements, such as collars, hoods and pockets.

“There is an incredible energy at the Starving Artists’ Show,” said featured artist Alicia Miklavic-Franz. “We love the beauty that each artist brings and how well received and appreciated the art is by those that come to view and shop. The show has a long-running history that brings participants back year after year.”

Many visitors to the annual art show attend every year. Keen to support their favorite artists and find new favorites, many arrive well before the 10:00 AM start time to get the best spots.

The diehard supporters have shared strategies for best navigating the event. Along with good company, coffee and blankets for your dawn arrival, regulars offer the following advice:

Bring cash: That way, buyers can act fast.
Act quickly: If you see something you like, put your hand on it to claim it “or it will walk away,” Chris said.
Steer clear: When the bell rings at 10 a.m., stay out of the way of the entrance, as buyers run, not walk, to the booths of their favorite artists.

The success of the show can in part be attributed to the over 100 volunteers that make this day possible. Whether it’s Mount Mary alumnae, students, staff or members of the community, anyone can be a volunteer. Volunteers help at the entry gates, sell refreshments, direct vehicles for parking and more.