Primed by immersive experiences, UW-Whitewater art student, alums earn international recognition
Written by Abigail Dotzler | Photos by Craig Schreiner
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, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States assembled to showcase their artwork, including jewelry, textiles, sculptures, and other forms of three-dimensional art.
Liina Heikkinen, an art major 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’s work would be displayed with Faris’s art at the exhibition. They selected a brooch titled “Brain Waves,” which was designed to represent anxiety.
Two pieces created by UW-Whitewater alums joined “Brain Waves” 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 “Placed here for a reason,” a commentary on the experience of students placed in special education.
Minneapolis-based artist, Ger Xiong, who earned his BFA in 2017, sent a piece titled “Re/silience,” using art to explore his Hmong-American culture and family history.
Immersive experiences lead to great outcomes
Faculty who teach classes in metals and jewelry encourage students to find their unique style and develop distinct themes in their work.
“In the metals program, we dig deep to find each person’s authentic voice,” Faris said. “Once people are able to reveal their authentic self, their unique visual vocabulary automatically follows. It’s actually very easy — people just need to feel safe enough to do it.”
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.
“I don’t think I would be where I am right now if I didn’t go to UW-Whitewater,” Xiong said. “The professors that I met there were very caring. It was very intimate — the classes were a good size where students were able to connect and have mentors, especially within the department of art.”
Xiong began his undergraduate career at UW-Whitewater majoring in art education. 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.
Similarly, Thomson took a jewelry class as an elective while jumping from major to major within the Department of Art, and — like Xiong — switched his major under Faris’s encouragement.
“I didn’t know that jewelry actually existed in this form or this format at all,” Thomson said, “I 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.”
Faris integrates professional practices into the metals classes to develop skills the students need for success in the artistic world — 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.
“They don’t feel like they have to start at the beginning (when they graduate),” Faris said.
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.
“Teresa Faris prepares you conceptually about your work and really prepares you for the artist world outside of Whitewater,” Thomson said. “When I went to grad school, I already understood my work, what I wanted to make, and what I was talking about.”
Turning passions into professions
While she completes her bachelor’s degree, Heikkinen is gaining real-world experience through exhibitions and as president of the metalsmithing student organization and small business on campus, Alloy.
“We 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),” Heikkinen said.“It’s really fun to work closely alongside people and let your work be known and sold.”
No matter the next step in their careers, art students at UW-Whitewater take advantage of immersive experiences — both on campus and in other countries — to turn their immense talents and passions into professions.
