RAM Artist Fellowships and Emerging Artist Award
Presented by the Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
The next application period will begin in late 2023.
The Mission
To showcase the diversity and vitality of the Racine/Kenosha visual arts community by supporting the professional development of its artists.
The Goal
To distinguish the region as a place that values the arts, and enhance the area’s desirability as a place for artists to work and live.
If you have questions or want to be placed on a mailing list, please contact RAM Curatorial Assistant Katelyn Mitchell at [email protected] or by calling 262.619.3541.
2022–23 Recipients
The four Fellowship recipients and the Emerging Artist were selected based on quality of artwork submitted representing a range of styles and media.
Congratulations to:
Peter F. Aymonin, Racine, Ceramics
Lisa Bigalke, Kenosha, Printmaking
Maureen Fritchen, Racine, Mixed Media
Jojin Van Winkle, Racine, Film and Photography
Kelly Witte (Emerging Artist), Racine, Printmaking and Painting
2022–23 Recipients
Photography: Varitay Studios
The four Fellowship recipients and the Emerging Artist were selected based on quality of artwork submitted representing a range of styles and media.
Congratulations to:
Peter F. Aymonin, Racine, Ceramics
Lisa Bigalke, Kenosha, Printmaking
Maureen Fritchen, Racine, Mixed Media
Jojin Van Winkle, Racine, Film and Photography
Kelly Witte (Emerging Artist), Racine, Printmaking and Painting
Fellowship and Emerging Artist Awards
These competitive awards recognize artists, at all stages of their careers, who are creating outstanding work in all media including painting/drawing, printmaking, photography, bookmaking, sculpture, installation, film/video, fibers, glass, metals, wood, and ceramics.
By increasing critical attention and exposure for recipients, the fellowships seek to foster their continued artistic and professional development.
Four $3,000 Artist Fellowships and one $1,500 Emerging Artist Award will be presented, which may be used for any expenses that will assist in the development of new work and advance their artistic careers, e.g. equipment and supply purchases, studio rental, travel, etc.
All five recipients will be featured in solo exhibitions presented concurrently at RAM’s Wustum Museum of Fine Arts. A full-color exhibition catalogue will be printed to accompany the RAM Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Exhibition 2023, August 23 – November 25, 2023.
Fellowship and Emerging Artist Awards
These competitive awards recognize artists, at all stages of their careers, who are creating outstanding work in all media including painting/drawing, printmaking, photography, bookmaking, sculpture, installation, film/video, fibers, glass, metals, wood, and ceramics.
By increasing critical attention and exposure for recipients, the fellowships seek to foster their continued artistic and professional development.
Four $3,000 Artist Fellowships and one $1,500 Emerging Artist Award will be presented, which may be used for any expenses that will assist in the development of new work and advance their artistic careers, e.g. equipment and supply purchases, studio rental, travel, etc.
All five recipients will be featured in solo exhibitions presented concurrently at RAM’s Wustum Museum of Fine Arts. A full-color exhibition catalogue will be printed to accompany the RAM Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Exhibition 2023, August 23 – November 25, 2023.
Artist Eligibility and Selection
The eligibility requirements for applying have changed over time as new dynamics emerge. For this reason, interested artists are encouraged to review the criteria for each cycle as an aspect previously rendering someone ineligible may have changed.
Application Requirements
As this is all a digitally-oriented process, good photography of work submitted is an absolute must. Applicants need to present their work in its best light to jurors who may not be familiar with it. In addition, the quality of the initial photography speaks to the capability of the applicants to provide publishable quality photography of their work at various stages during the process leading up to the RAM Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Exhibition. This does not mean that the artists must pay to have their work professionally photographed at every stage—there is a photo studio at RAM’s Wustum Museum that can be scheduled for a small fee if an artist wants to begin and/or develop their skills for documenting their own artwork.
2022–2023 Jurors
Photography: Stacy Kaats
Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Evelyn Patricia Terry practices as a full-time professional visual artist, presenter, writer, and art collector. Initially interested in printmaking and drawing, Terry additionally explores constructing artists’ books, found object assemblages, mixed media collage, painting, installations, and public art. During a more than 50-year art career, her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in addition to being widely collected. Terry, who has earned numerous commissions, grants, fellowships, and various exhibition awards herself, has experience with jurying at community art festivals, galleries, universities, and museum exhibitions.
Photography: Frank Juarez
Frank Juarez is an award-winning art educator, artist, author, presenter, arts advocate, and former gallery director. Juarez brings two decades of art education and arts management experience organizing local and regional art exhibitions, community art events, supporting artists through grant programs, and facilitating professional development workshops for artists. This has placed him in the forefront of promoting Wisconsin artists, networking, and attracting regional, national, and international artists to collaborate and exhibit in Wisconsin. Juarez is the art department chair at Sheboygan North High School, Sheboygan, Wisconsin; contributing editor of SchoolArts Magazine; and publisher of Artdose Magazine.
Photography: Camela Langendorf, Varitay Studios
Lena Vigna is currently Curator of Exhibitions at the Racine Art Museum, where she curates and oversees the production and implementation of 10-15 exhibitions per year and heads the department. Vigna has a particular interest in the contemporary fields of adornment, sculpture, fiber, and installation.
Robert Osborne is co-founder of OS Projects, a contemporary art gallery in downtown Racine, Wisconsin. He is also a founding member of ArtRoot, a Racine grassroots initiative seeking to build arts infrastructure, foster connections, and facilitate collaborations among local creatives.
Vera Scekic is the director of OS Projects, a founding member of ArtRoot, and a respected visual artist. Scekic has exhibited her paintings, drawings, and installations at art centers, galleries, and museums throughout the US.
