{"id":13588,"date":"2026-06-04T09:01:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13588"},"modified":"2026-06-04T09:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:01:13","slug":"primed-by-immersive-experiences-uw-whitewater-art-student-alums-earn-international-recognition","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/primed-by-immersive-experiences-uw-whitewater-art-student-alums-earn-international-recognition\/","title":{"rendered":"Primed by immersive experiences, UW-Whitewater art student, alums earn international recognition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Photo<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hands-on learning at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater translated into real-world recognition alongside world-class artists for students and alums working with metals and jewelry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The artwork of four Warhawks was on display at the 32nd Korea Jewelry Design Association Member Exhibition, which took place in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artists from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States assembled to showcase their artwork, including jewelry, textiles, sculptures, and other forms of three-dimensional art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Art
Liina Heikkinen, an art student from Madison, in the metals studio at the Greenhill Center of the Arts with a piece she created on Feb. 3, 2026.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Liina Heikkinen, an art major<\/a> from Madison, was approached by her mentor, Teresa Faris, professor of art and design, about exhibiting in Seoul. The two met over the summer to choose which piece of Heikkinen\u2019s work would be displayed with Faris\u2019s art at the exhibition. They selected a brooch titled \u201cBrain Waves,\u201d which was designed to represent anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two pieces created by UW-Whitewater alums joined \u201cBrain Waves\u201d at the exhibition. JJ Thomson, who earned a BFA in art in 2016 and now works as an artist and print technician in Minneapolis, sent \u201cPlaced here for a reason,\u201d a commentary on the experience of students placed in special education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minneapolis-based artist, Ger Xiong, who earned his BFA in 2017, sent a piece titled \u201cRe\/silience,\u201d using art to explore his Hmong-American culture and family history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immersive experiences lead to great outcomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Faculty who teach classes in metals and jewelry encourage students to find their unique style and develop distinct themes in their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the metals program, we dig deep to find each person\u2019s authentic voice,\u201d Faris said. \u201cOnce people are able to reveal their authentic self, their unique visual vocabulary automatically follows. It\u2019s actually very easy \u2014 people just need to feel safe enough to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Several
In 2015, instructor Teresa Faris, left, and students Ger Xiong and Liz Christianson of the advanced metals program presented to the UW System Board of Regents at the board’s September 2015 meeting on the UW-Whitewater campus.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Beyond artistic voice, the program builds discipline in its students, a necessary disposition for a dedicated artist. Students are encouraged to create new art and innovate outside of the classroom, and the mentorship students receive in the classroom sets them up for success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I would be where I am right now if I didn\u2019t go to UW-Whitewater,\u201d Xiong said. \u201cThe professors that I met there were very caring. It was very intimate \u2014 the classes were a good size where students were able to connect and have mentors, especially within the department of art.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"UW-Whitewater
UW-Whitewater art student Ger Xiong is shown on March 31, 2017, in the metal studio at Greenhill Center of the Arts as he worked to complete copper and brass pieces for his Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition at the end of the semester.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Xiong began his undergraduate career at UW-Whitewater majoring in art education<\/a>. After his first metals class, he fell in love with metalsmithing and jewelry design. Faris encouraged him to change his major from education to fine arts, focusing on metals and jewelry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Thomson took a jewelry class as an elective while jumping from major to major within the Department of Art, and \u2014 like Xiong \u2014 switched his major under Faris\u2019s encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"JJ
JJ Thomson working on a project as a student in April 2016. A red brass necklace emerges after days in an electrically-charged acid bath, which creates different thicknesses in the metal. Each one of Thomson’s creations in copper, brass and sterling silver teaches him more about his own learning disability and shares his journey with others.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know that jewelry actually existed in this form or this format at all,\u201d Thomson said, \u201cI was really inspired, and my professor, Teresa Faris, was such an amazing instructor about conceptual jewelry and the art work, and (she) wanted her students to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Teresa
Teresa Faris, professor of art and design, reads a tribute to artist Melanie Sainz, an artist from the Ho-Chunk Nation, in Crossman Gallery in the Greenhill Center of the Arts in March 2024. Sainz, the 2024 Schuh Visiting Artist, worked with UW-Whitewater students to create “Boundaries vs. Connections,” an exhibition that was in the gallery through March 21, 2024.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Faris integrates professional practices into the metals classes to develop skills the students need for success in the artistic world \u2014 networking with other artists, developing artist bios, applying to exhibitions, writing resumes and grant proposals, and photographing and selling artwork. Students also maintain the studio, work as lab technicians, and host visiting artists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t feel like they have to start at the beginning (when they graduate),\u201d Faris said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graduate school is also a viable option for students who work in metals and jewelry. Xiong and Thomson earned their MFAs at New Mexico State University and the University of North Texas, respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTeresa Faris prepares you conceptually about your work and really prepares you for the artist world outside of Whitewater,\u201d Thomson said. \u201cWhen I went to grad school, I already understood my work, what I wanted to make, and what I was talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning passions into professions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Liina
Liina Heikkinen, an art student from Madison, is shown at work in the metals studio at the Greenhill Center of the Arts with some of the art she creates on Feb. 3, 2026.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While she completes her bachelor\u2019s degree, Heikkinen is gaining real-world experience through exhibitions and as president of the metalsmithing student organization and small business on campus, Alloy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe do run sales as a way to kind of step into the world of jewelry, sell our work, make some money for ourselves, and (promote our art),\u201d Heikkinen said.\u201cIt’s really fun to work closely alongside people and let your work be known and sold.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter the next step in their careers, art students at UW-Whitewater take advantage of immersive experiences \u2014 both on campus and in other countries \u2014 to turn their immense talents and passions into professions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Written by Abigail Dotzler | Photos by Craig Schreiner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uww.edu\/news\/archive\/2026-4-international-recognition<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hands-on learning at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater translated into real-world recognition alongside world-class artists for students and alums working with metals and jewelry.  The artwork of four Warhawks was on display at the 32nd Korea Jewelry Design Association Member Exhibition, which took place in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2025. Artists from South Korea, Japan, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13589,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[84],"story_category":[147],"class_list":["post-13588","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-whitewater","story_category-community"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13588"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13588"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}