Working for the Water: Working for Each Other – Artist talk

Exhibition: Tuesday, September 3 – Friday, September 27
Opening Reception: Friday, September 6, 5:00 – 8:00 PM / Remarks: 6:00 PM
Artist Talks: Thursday, September 12, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Dive into Working for the Water, Working for Each Other, an art exhibition featuring UWM’s own alumna Melanie Ariens (BFA, Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking, 1993). Melanie’s works celebrate the lifeblood of our region – the Great Lakes, featuring works inspired by these vast freshwater bodies. This exhibition highlights the profound connections between water and community through mixed media works. As we explore themes of environmental justice, each piece reflects on how water unites us, emphasizing our shared responsibility to protect and cherish this vital resource.

Melanie has implemented a wide range of projects spanning from public art murals, community engaged art, collage, embroidery, beadwork, printmaking, photography, and assemblage, often integrating creativity into unexpected places. Because of her belief that our dependence on clean, safe water unites us, and that everyone needs access to it to thrive, she works as the Creative Arts Manager for Milwaukee Water Commons. MWC is a social and environmental justice organization that uses the arts to capture hearts around water issues.