Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the College of Arts and Communication, Department of Art and Design at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The Department of Art and Design in the College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater welcomes Della Wells as the 2023 Schuh Visiting Artist. Wells will be giving a free public lecture in the Young Auditorium on March 10 at 7 p.m. Prior to the lecture, beginning at 5 p.m., an hors d’oeuvres reception will provide an opportunity for everyone to view an exhibition of her work in the Crossman Gallery, located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts. 

Wells is a Milwaukee-based self-taught artist, curator, and arts advocate. In the lecture, she will speak about her journey with art in these various roles. Wells began drawing and painting seriously at the age of 42. Since then, she has created more than 2,000 images in various media and techniques, including collages. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and is represented by the Portrait Society Gallery in Milwaukee, WI. 

The exhibition, titled “Of Chicken, Myths & Fantasy: It Is Storied Tales Drives Our Dreams,” includes collages as well as drawings and paintings that are about storytelling and together reveal a magical land called Mamboland, where Black women rule and wherein Black women are both self-empowered and uplifted. The exhibition will be on view in the Crossman Gallery from March 6-23. 

Please join the Department of Art and Design for these free and public events on March 10: 

Exhibition Reception: 5 – 7 p.m. at the Crossman Gallery 

Artist Lecture and Q&A: 7 – 8:30 p.m. in the Young Auditorium 

No prior registration is necessary to attend the exhibition and reception. Free tickets for the lecture can be found online at tickets.uww.edu or by calling (262) 472-2222. The Crossman Gallery is located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. The Young Auditorium is located at 930 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. 

Ticketed events do not require a parking pass. Patrons can park in Lot 1 (corner of Prince & Main Street) starting up to 30 minutes prior to the event without a parking pass.
Non-ticketed events that happen during the week and before 5pm on Friday require that attendees have a parking pass. 

Ways to purchase a parking pass are as follows: 

• A visitors pass can be ordered online on the Parking Services website and printed at home. 
• Stop by the Visitors Center building at 826 W. Starin Road, Whitewater, WI 53190. Business hours are 7:30 – 4:30 pm. During non-business hours, attendees can stop by the kiosk located behind the Visitors Center building in the service drive-thru to purchase an hourly, daily or weekly parking permit. 

The Annette and Dale Schuh Visiting Artist Endowment supports an annual visit of a visual artist of a significant stature to UW-Whitewater. It offers a transformative visual arts experience to students in the Department of Art and Design. 

The College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater offers rigorous programs in music, theatre, dance, and the visual arts; internships; pre-professional opportunities in journalism, advertising, and applied communication; and innovative interdisciplinary studies. For more information visit uww.edu/coac.