
Elaina Johann, administrative manager
There is much to be excited about for summer at the Woodson Art Museum, but with all that is happening on our gardens and grounds, and in classrooms and galleries, there is even more happening behind the scenes.
As the heat kicks up outside, so does the communication with 121 exhibiting artists in Birds in Art 2026, editing artist statements, fine tuning design element that will come across your hands and screens, and ensuring each artwork arrives safely for display. Additionally, planning for the opening weekend of Birds in Art and programming that will run while the exhibition is on view Saturday, September 12, 2026 through Sunday, January 3, 2027 is well underway, as is the production on our beautifully printed Birds in Art catalogue, available now for pre-order. If you’re not breaking a sweat, we are.

Chris Bacon, Sea & Sand (Unfinished), watercolor, 2025
This year, 672 artists submitted 1,108 artworks to be considered by a three-person jury. The 51st annual Birds in Art exhibition features 101 artists selected by that jury alongside 20 Master Wildlife Artists previously honored by the Museum who are exempt from the jury process. Of those artists, twelve represent the great state of Wisconsin, thirty-four are from outside the United States representing twelve countries, and nineteen are exhibiting for the first time in Birds in Art.

Jennifer Felton, Aria, oil on tupelo wood and brass, 2026
Stay tuned throughout the summer for more details about the exhibition’s opening weekend. For now, please peruse the list of 2026 exhibiting artists and select artworks that will be on view in September.
Birds in Art 2026 Artists
Edward Aldrich
Krista V. Allenstein
William Alther
Tony Angell
Mary Apikos
Chris Bacon*
Cy Baker
Barbara Banthien
Ute Bartels
Larry Barth
Robert Bateman
Ben Bauer
Kimberly Beck
Craig Blietz
Karen Bondarchuk
Jeremy Bradshaw
Carl Brenders
Carel P. Brest van Kempen
Ray C. Brown, Jr.
Richard Burke
Robert Louis Caldwell
Gigi Chen
James Coe
Mary Cornish
Tony Craig
Joris De Raedt
Mark Dedrie
Michael Demain
Sarah Drummond
Mark Dziewior
Mark Eberhard
Rebecca M. Engels
Jennifer Felton
Vanessa Foley
Rosanna Gaddoni
Ray Gamradt
Federico Gemma
Patrick Godin
Deana Goldsmith
Alejandro Grajal
Peter Clinton Gray
Anne Greenwood
Grant Hacking
Nathan S. Hager
Gordon Hare
Jim Hay
J.R. Hess
Thomas Hill
Matthew Hillier
Cindy House
Janice L. Hovey
Genna M. Howard
Nancy Howe
Sonja Jones
Lars Jonsson
Eugen Kisselmann
Alexandra Klimas
Terrill A. Knaack
Rebekah Knight
Rebecca Korth
Zev Labinger
Hans Larsson
Martin Lasack
Rod Lawrence
Kejie Lin
Chris Lodge
Mitchell MacNaughton
Robert Martin
Peter Mathios
Walter T. Matia
Timothy David Mayhew
Corinne McAuley
S.V. Medaris
John S. Miller
Terry Miller
David Milton
Jeffrey Mobley
John D. Mooy
James L. Morgan
John Mullane
Katie Ann Musolff
Yoshikazu Natsume
Peter Nilsson
Karie O’Donnell
Peregrine K. O’Gormley
Giorgia Oldano
Gerald Painter
Kris Parins
Jeremy Paul
Lois K. Peterson
Hilary Pfeifer
Millie Whipplesmith Plank
Carole Rabe
Don Rambadt
Jim Rataczak
Paul Rhymer
William John Ritchie
Chris Rose
Sean Russell
Wayne Salge
Lennart Sand
Shalese Sands
John T. Sharp
Michael Sieve
Tommy Stewart
David Tomb
Gunnar Tryggmo
Adelaide Murphy Tyrol
Barry W. Van Dusen
Randy Van Dyck
Tyler Vouros
Brian Wagner
Monique Wales
Carrie E. Waller
Darrell Warner
Paula Waterman
Mary Kay West
Marcel Witte
Alan Woollett
Scott Yablonski
*deceased