Bridge Work 2024
An Annual Exhibition Featuring Regional Cohorts of the Bridge Work Program
On View
April 12 - May 31, 2024
Exhibition Details
Bridge Work at Cultivate is a regional exhibition showcasing the works of recent art school graduates as they navigate their transition into the professional art world. On view from April 12 to May 31, the exhibition features artists Margaret Griffin, Elizabeth Sheeler, Julia Bradfish, Hannah Stevenson, and Ellie Garry. Each artist presents their unique exploration of contemporary themes—ranging from the interplay of industrial and human forms to introspective takes on identity, control, and the natural world. Supported by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and Lowell Arts, "Bridge Work" exemplifies a collaborative effort to foster the professional growth of emerging artists through mentorship and networking opportunities within the Midwest's vibrant art scene.
Press
Exhibition Statement
Bridge Work is an exhibition presented by Cultivate, focusing on supporting recent art school graduates in their transition to professional artists. Initiated by Jason S. Yi and Leah Kolb, this program is a collaborative effort to offer opportunities for emerging artists to develop their careers by enhancing their professional networks and experiences.
This exhibition is on view from April 12 to May 31 and features the works of Margaret Griffin, Elizabeth Sheeler, Julia Bradfish, Hannah Stevenson, and Ellie Garry. These artists, through their distinct artistic practices, engage with various themes and subjects.
Margaret Griffin explores the relationship between the human body and industrial elements through sculpture. Her work demonstrates an examination of physical forms and the impact of industrial processes on human life and the environment.
Ellie Garry's works present abstract forms that represent personal struggles and the complexity of the natural world. Through her art, Garry aims to encourage viewers to reflect on their perceptions and experiences of pain, trauma, and joy.
Elizabeth Sheeler's interdisciplinary art focuses on themes such as identity, control, and empathy. She creates environments that challenge viewers to consider their own perspectives and their interactions with the surrounding world.
Hannah Stevenson specializes in painting and fibers, creating pieces that discuss womanhood, sexuality, and the representation of women. Her work combines traditional crafts with contemporary themes, highlighting the role of women in art and society.
Julia Bradfish's paintings and drawings explore personal identity and artistic expression. Her work is a reflection on the challenges and experiences of emerging artists, emphasizing the importance of personal growth and professional development.
"Bridge Work" is supported by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and Lowell Arts. It is a part of a comprehensive regional program that includes mentorship and collaboration with colleges and galleries across the Midwest, aiming to facilitate the professional growth of emerging artists.
On view from April 12 - May 31, 2024
Opening Reception Shared After the Opening
About the Artists
Margaret Griffin
Margaret Griffin is a sculptor based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her work investigates themes of the body and industry while being visually inspired by the Post-Minimalism
movement.
After receiving her BFA from Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Griffin was accepted into Plum Blossom Initiative's Bridge Work professional development program,
a 10-month program that assists emerging artists in transitioning from an academic setting into professional practice. In 2023, she collaborated with other artists on a public art project for Sculpture Milwaukee’s “Dear Nature” exhibition held in downtown Milwaukee. Griffin has exhibited her work throughout the Midwest, including Wisconsin,
Illinois, Missouri, and Michigan.
Ellie Garry
Ellie Garry was born in Rapid City South Dakota, but has lived in various cities across the United States. She is currently based in Milwaukee WI and received her BFA from
The Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2023 in New Studio Practice and minor in Art Management.
Garry produces around the idea of wonder and enjoys making works that push the beauty of our world into a magical realm. She conveys personal struggles, using abstract forms as visual metaphors for pain, trauma, and joy. Garry finds the
natural world to be a source of inspiration plus catharsis, inspiring both herself and art.
The audience is encouraged to look beyond first impressions and see the world in its true form, full of complexities, pain, and delight.
Elizabeth Sheeler
Elizabeth Sheeler is a Madison, Wisconsin interdisciplinary artist who has been involved in multiple areas of creativity. Elizabeth was born and raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas where she found her passion for art. She received a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art with a concentration in 4D at The
University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2022. In 2019 Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with an emphasis in Sculpture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education with an emphasis in Printmaking.
Her work explores themes of identity, control, ownership, blindness, power, equality, and empathy. She creates environments where the participant is forced to look inward examining themselves and their environment to find their own way to an intro-perspective empathy. Her newer work will emphasis power dynamic, equality, and perception through senses other than sight. Elizabeth has attended several residency’s including at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.
Her work has been published in the Scout Guide Magazine and has been shown nationally and internationally including VAE Gallery: North Carolina, The Rome Center: Italy, The Kennedy Center: Virginia, and Arapahoe Community College: Colorado.
Elizabeth is a recipient of the Student
Support Endowment, and the James B and Susan S. Patterson Graduate Student Fellowship.
Hannah Stevenson
Hannah Stevenson is a recent BFA graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design and an emerging multidisciplinary artist whose material usage specializes in painting and fibers. Her achievements include earning her place on the university president’s list from the years of 2019-2023 and being named the 2023 fine arts excellence award winner.
She participated in the Michigan Arts in the Legislature Program, a juried exhibition where her work was displayed in
the Michigan Legislature Building for a full year and is a current participant in the Bridgework mentorship program.
Stevenson takes a conceptual yet explorative approach when creating her work, stitching together juxtaposing elements that contribute to an ongoing conversation about womanhood, female sexuality, and objectification. With a strong emphasis on traditional women’s craft, Stevenson strives to be taken seriously in the contemporary art world (and as a self-proclaimed “crazy cat lady”), despite her humorous handling of serious topics.
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Julia Bradfish