Students in a studio led by architecture professor Whitney Moon collaborated with FuzzPop Workshop to design larger-than-life inflatable sculptures for ArtBlaze, a free community art event hosted by Joy Engine.
ArtBlaze 2026 marks the second year of the partnership among the School of Architecture & Urban Planning and FuzzPop Workshop for this creative collaboration.
This year’s exhibit is inspired by archaea, single-celled microscopic prokaryotes. The installation features transparent materials and inflatables hidden within other inflatables, simulating a cave-like environment for event attendees to interact with.
TMJ4’s Tiffany Ogle spoke with Joy Engine Executive Director Steph Salvia and FuzzPop Workshop CEO Daniel Murray about ArtBlaze and how UWM students contributed to the exhibition.
“We’re really excited that with the ideas and support of Joy Engine, we have been able to partner with students from UWM’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning for the past two years,” Murray said. “We’ve taught a course on inflatable architecture. Who knew there was such a thing?”
On WUWM’s Lake Effect, Master of Architecture student student Quinn Fister reflected on the experience in the AIR studio.
“I think there’s so many fun aspects of working in this project, especially the fact that it’s more organic, but also that it is taking place in a community event,” Fister told WUWM’s Audrey Nowakowski. “Oftentimes we’re just creating drawings and designs that never actually come to life. So seeing something that I had a part in designing and being a creator of is super cool to see it in person.”
In addition to participating in the studio, Fister joined ArtBlaze as an intern this summer.
The project has garnered significant media attention through several articles and publications, including TMJ4, Radio Milwaukee, Milwaukee Magazine, WUWM and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.