WHITEWATER — The Whitewater Arts Alliance is presenting “Collage x Five: Up Close and Personal,†a new exhibition showcasing the creative storytelling of five women artists: Ann Engelman, Dawn Hunter, Sally Koehler, Allison Russo, and Della Wells.
The show will be on display through June 29 at the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center, located at 402 W. Main Street in Whitewater.
As part of the exhibit, two free collage card-making workshops will be offered Friday, June 20, and Thursday, June 26, from 1-3 p.m., with attendees invited to create their own art inspired by the exhibition.
Admission to the exhibition and all events is free.
Led by artist and teacher Della Wells, whose work is featured in the collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Milwaukee Art Museum, and the American Folk Art Museum, the exhibition explores personal stories and shared experiences through the art of collage.
“I am a storyteller and an artist. I like to think of myself as an ‘arts provocateur.’ In my work, women guard their own fears and truths. They are not going to let anyone twist them into stereotypes,†Wells said in a release.
Engelman creates vivid art through stitched memory cloths and collage, inspired by global storytelling traditions such as South Africa’s Amazwi Abesifazane project. “Storytelling provides context of life experiences. My artistic expressions help me reflect,†she said in the release.
Hunter, a founding member and first president of the Whitewater Arts Alliance, has earned multiple Wisconsin Regional Arts Program awards and published a children’s book, “The Lavender Lady,†in 2025. As part of the exhibit, she will be holding a book signing Thursday, June 12, from 1-4 p.m. “Creative people don’t have a mess — they have ideas lying around everywhere,†Hunter said.
Koehler, of Fort Atkinson, combines her background in arts education with her fine art practice. She has participated in national arts training through the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and has continued to expand her collaborative work. “I use texture, color, and patterns to express my vision and gratitude for the rhythms and dance of life,†she said in the release.
Russo, a former art director at Scholastic Inc. and a current board member of the Public Art Fund in New York City, draws inspiration from the fleeting beauty of everyday moments. “Fleeting, precious moments shape my understanding of the world. Learning together with these women has been a gift,†she said.
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