Open Today 9 am - 4 pm
The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum provides hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and enriching programs led by passionate guest artists. These programs have something for people of all ages and life stages to enjoy!
Find our guidelines for applying to become our next artist-in-residence.
Guest artists have the opportunity to utilize our studio facilities 24/7.
Throughout the year, guest artists share their skills with our community with artist-led workshops, lectures, and gallery walks.
November 12 — 20, 2026
Tyler Vouros crafts immersive, hyperrealist works that conjure imagined landscapes, where animal presence and natural symbolism intersect with echoes of Old Master paintings. Rooted in a childhood spent in a log home surrounded by wilderness, his practice reflects a lifelong entanglement with the natural world.
His drawings and paintings collapse the boundaries between observation and invention, reverence and ruin, anchoring mythic narratives with tactile mark making. As both medium and metaphor, charcoal and oil serve as vessels for precision, atmosphere, and memory.
Currently, Tyler lives with his wife and children in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, where his professional studio practice resides. He is an Associate Professor of Art at the Community College of Rhode Island.
Visit our events calendar for a list of programs and events during Tyler’s residency.
January 2027
Marina Mangubi was born in Moscow and grew up in California. A painter, printmaker and installation artist, Mangubi works on thematic projects that probe hidden meanings in familiar historical and philosophical constructs. Her visual and performance art series, titled Painting Biathlon, posits an artist as an athlete. Launched at Banff, Painting Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and painting–referencing the endurance sport with military roots and millennia-old history of hunting on skis, in the Altay Mountains of Asia and in Northern Europe. Currently, she is collaborating with the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, in Wausau, Wisconsin, and the Wausau Nordic Club on staging a Painting Biathlon Race, scheduled for winter, 2027.
Mangubi holds an A.B. from the University of California, Berkeley, in Art and in Psychology (Neuroscience), and an M.F.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her work has been exhibited in the United States and internationally, including Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Spain and Uzbekistan, and is in permanent collections of the Portland Museum of Art in Maine, the Gilkey Center for Graphic Arts at the Portland Museum of Art in Oregon, Kala Institute in Berkeley, and University Sains School for the Arts in Penang, Malaysia. Mangubi has participated in numerous residencies, including the Banff Centre Leighton Colony, Canada, Siena Art Institute, Italy, Joshua Tree National Park, and Breckenridge Creative Arts, and was the artist fellow at the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France. Her Camargo fellowship project, Eight Board Feet, inspired by the Northern Baroque Landscape tradition and concomitant discoveries in mathematics, was profiled on French national television. Music “on the Bones”, the series of prints about records cut on discarded X-rays in the wake of WWII, received wide recognition in television and print media. Marina Mangubi is based in Wooster, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is Eugene and Charlene Derge Sussel Professor and Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at The College of Wooster.
Every visit to the Woodson offers new opportunities to learn and grow.
From interactive workshops and family-friendly events to artist talks and guided tours, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
SEP 12, 2026 - JAN 3, 2027
Off the Wall
Off the Wall celebrates wallpaper as an inventive yet often disregarded decorative art. Fragile, fashionable, and easily replaced, wallpaper has frequently vanished from the historical record. Featuring wallpaper samples, paintings by wallpaper designers, and prints created on the backs of discarded papers, Off the Wall reveals how this ephemeral medium has shaped interiors, reflected changing tastes, and inspired generations of artists.
AUG 23, 2026 - AUG 23, 2027
Form & Flower
Form & Flower welcomes viewers to explore the vase as both a functional vessel and expressive work of art. Among the oldest and most widespread decorative objects, vases have served as containers, planters, trophies, storytelling devices, and symbols of beauty and abundance.
SEP 12, 2026 - JAN 3, 2027
Birds in Art 2026
With their stunning plumage, beautiful songs, and delightful mannerisms, birds inspire us in endless ways. The 51st annual exhibition celebrates avian wonders through fresh interpretations by some of the world’s most talented artists.
Artist residencies in Wausau held at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum offer a great chance for visitors to learn from professional guest artists. You’ll be able to learn from a diverse roster of visiting artists through a variety of engaging programs. These offerings go beyond traditional workshops—creating a rich tapestry of interactions between participants.
Ready to immerse yourself in a hands-on experience? Explore the creative possibilities with our engaging artist-led programs.
These diverse opportunities enable visitors to connect with art on a deeper level, encouraging creativity and fostering a sense of community. At the Woodson, we provide these interactive ways to connect with your artistic side while learning directly from accomplished artists.
Gallery chats at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum create a welcoming space for informal conversations with guest artists. These intimate discussions allow visitors to engage directly with creators—learning about their artistic journeys, techniques, and inspirations.
Our goal with gallery chats is to encourage meaningful dialogue between visitors and our talented guest artists.
We want to help visitors have a personal connection to the artwork and its creator. If these programs or our other art workshops in Wausau interest you, come visit the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and engage with art in a meaningful way.
Art demonstrations led by guest artists bring the creative process to life. Witness skilled professionals at work as they craft intricate artworks, revealing the techniques and inspiration behind their creations.
These live sessions offer a rare opportunity to see artistry in motion and ask questions directly to the artist. You may be an aspiring creator, or maybe you’re simply curious about the process. Either way, these demonstrations provide a captivating and educational experience that enhances your connection to art.
Our specialized tours at the Woodson offer visitors the chance to experience exhibitions through the informed lens of a talented guest artist. These tours provide detailed insights into artistic themes, techniques, and inspirations—teaching visitors a new way to interface with art in a meaningful way.
Led by accomplished professionals, these guided experiences connect participants with the stories behind the art, fostering a deeper appreciation for creativity. These tours are perfect for anyone wanting to make a memorable connection to the visual arts at the Woodson.
One of the most enriching aspects of our art workshops in Wausau is the chance our visitors have to work directly with accomplished guest artists. These professionals bring experience, new perspectives, and invaluable insights into their artistic craft.
Participants have the opportunity to learn about the creative process, refine their techniques, and gain inspiration from artists who are passionate about their work. Artist-led workshops also allow participants to connect with artists on a personal level, creating an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual respect. This one-of-a-kind experience helps bridge the gap between artist and audience, turning each session into a new creative journey.
At the Woodson, our guest artist programs foster connection and creativity, not just within Wausau but throughout the greater north central Wisconsin area. These programs bring art to life through school outreach initiatives, live demonstrations, and collaborative experiences that spark shared learning and exploration.
By hosting talented guest artists, the Museum serves as a regional hub for artistic engagement. With our guest artist visits and programs, we’re able to provide exceptional artistic opportunities for schools, community groups, and people across north central Wisconsin.
