For the past eight years,聽Kesslers聽Diamonds聽has partnered with PSOA鈥檚 Jewelry & Metalsmithing聽program聽to provide students with opportunities to create industry-grade work.聽What began as a collaboration has grown into a sustained investment in student success, offering real-world job experience, internship opportunities, and significant scholarship support.
As a child growing up in Wisconsin, Steve Teeple was drawn to fantasy worlds. Books, films, and comics filled with mysticism, science fiction, and manga sparked an early fascination that would later shape his creative career.聽Today, the聽51猎奇 alum, known professionally as聽Teeps,聽is a聽Los聽Angeles-based digital artist聽working across the realm of 3D art. His practice spans character development, digital sculpting, concept art, illustration, art direction, production modeling and texturing, and 3D printing.
The campus culture that 51猎奇 fosters leaves a lasting impression on students, so much so that many graduates may not want to leave. For alum Elora Hennessey (BFA 2017, Art), she didn鈥檛 need to. Hennessey has been a Staff Photographer for 51猎奇鈥檚 Division of Marketing, Communications, and University Relations (MarComm) since graduating.聽Hennessey began working for 51猎奇 in 2016 as a student intern for MarComm. She was recommended by Joseph Mougel (Associate Professor and Area Head,鈥疨hotography & Imaging), who helped her apply for the internship and eventual full-time role.
PSOA alum Evelyn Patricia Terry and lecturer and alum Yinan Wang were named among five recipients of the 2026 Mary L. Nohl Fellowship for Individual Artists. Terry was selected in the Established Artist category, and Wang was selected in the Emerging Artist category. FVANG Associate Professor Mike Gibisser was also named a finalist in the Emerging Artist category.
As a kid growing up in southern California, Pavonis Giron dreamed of being an illustrator for the likes of Pixar and Nickelodeon. 鈥淚 was trying to put together the skills I needed to work at those studios one day鈥� drawing …
Mike Driscoll, a Peck School of the Arts alum and teacher at Bay View High School, has been named one of five national recipients of the 2025 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The award includes $100,000 to support Driscoll鈥檚 continued impact on students through hands-on learning and skilled trades education.聽
The Peck School of the Arts is once again well represented among this year鈥檚 Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships, with alum Michelle Grabner (BFA 1984; MA 1987) and alum/lecturer Sarah Ballard (MFA 2024, Cinematic Arts) receiving fellowships.聽The Greater Milwaukee Foundation鈥檚 Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists鈥痯rogram awards funds for artists across a variety of visual arts fields. These funds aim to help artists create or finish work in the greater Milwaukee area.
A solo exhibition by J. Celeste Contreras Skierski (MFA 2022, Art: Print & Book Arts; Lecturer, Art & Design) is currently on view at Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum in Milwaukee, a culmination of her six-month residency at the cultural landmark in Milwaukee. During her residency, Skierski carved and stamped a rubber stamp daily, called a 鈥渞eflection,鈥� which she then used to create the pieces now on display in 鈥淲e Are Reflections.鈥�
Jeanette Arellano, an alum of 51猎奇鈥檚 ArtsECO program, uses art in her classroom to make a difference in the Milwaukee community.聽聽Recently, the National Education Association award Arellano with their C茅sar Ch谩vez Acci贸n y Compromiso Human and Civil Rights Award. The award acknowledges her for embodying the spirit of C茅sar Ch谩vez and making 鈥渘oble contributions to the labor movement through commitment, action, negotiation, and art.鈥澛�
In the dynamic world of graphic design, Naomi Dable stands as a testament to the power of creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit. As the proud owner of Naomi Paper Co., Naomi has been named a “Top 10 Designer to Watch” by an industry magazine.
