The Antigo Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, located on the 2nd floor of the Langlade County Historical Museum, proudly hosts the 2025 Wisconsin Regional Art Program (WRAP) Antigo Regional Art Exhibit from March 15 to May 10, 2025. The opening reception on March 15, 2025, from 5 to 7 pm, celebrated the creativity of rural Wisconsin artists, drawing a crowd of art lovers, community members, and local creatives to the gallery. The event also featured an award ceremony, hosted by Vicki Eldridge, AVA Art Gallery Director, in place of the judge, Alicia Schroeder-Haag, who was unable to attend.
The WRAP Program, organized by the Association of Wisconsin Artists (AWA), offers rural Wisconsin artists the opportunity to showcase their work at the state level. Each year, AWA holds a state conference where regional winners are given the chance to exhibit their art at the Pyle Center on the UW-Madison campus. This year’s state exhibit will be held at the Center for the Visual Arts (CVA) in Wausau, providing local artists with valuable exposure and recognition.
Judge’s Statement: Alicia Schroeder-Haag, Outagamie County 4-H Program Educator with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension, served as the judge for this year’s exhibit. In her remarks, she expressed appreciation for the courage and creativity of all participants:
“Thank you all for being brave and sharing your amazing talents with others. It can be difficult to put part of yourself out there for others to critique. Please know that these placements, comments, and notes are my own personal opinion based on my education, experience, and preference. Consider my notes and comments as something to think about, but do not apply them as a hard rule or a list of must-do’s. Art is deeply personal. The reason someone chooses a certain medium or adds a particular color is completely up to the artist. Thank you again for sharing! Cheers!” – Alicia Schroeder-Haag
Award-Winning Works: The following pieces were selected for state awards:
- “Chuck” by Vicki Eldridge
- “A Hard Day’s A-Comin” by Rosemary Bauknecht
- “Checked Still Life” by Karen Now-Stimac
- “Welcome” by Jean Adams
- “1..2..3..4” by Hans Schmitt
- “Blue Heron” by Nancy Leder
Honorable Mentions:
- “Islands on the Wolf River” by Susan Peters
- “Midnight with Flowers” by Camille Converse-Smith
- “The Last Phoenix” by Madison Taylor
- “Melodies in Bloom” by Duane Philipps
- “Curled Beauty” by Barb Blahnik
- “The Bass” by Judith McMillen
The WRAP exhibit continues to grow each year, with more artists taking part in this incredible opportunity to showcase their work. AVA has been proud to host this event, further enriching the cultural landscape of Antigo and Langlade County.
Attendee’s Quote: Sherry Light, a local resident who attended the reception, shared her enthusiasm for the event:
“It was an amazing opportunity for the residents of our town. The diversity of art and artists was amazing. AVA is an amazing organization for a small town. We enjoyed the activity and especially the award ceremony.”
Looking Ahead: In addition to the WRAP Regional exhibit, Antigo Visual Arts is also hosting the WRAP-Teen exhibit for artists ages 13-19. This exhibition offers young artists a chance to display their work at the state level as well. The registration deadline for WRAP-Teen is March 28th, and interested participants can visit AVA’s website at www.antigovisualarts.org for more details and to register.
AVA extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Association of Wisconsin Artists for bringing the WRAP program to Antigo, and to all the sponsors and volunteers who make these opportunities possible, including the Remington Foundation, CoVantage Credit Union, Sartori, the Optimist Club of Antigo, Aspen Village, and many others who help our community’s artists thrive.