PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Emilie Heidemann, Carnelian Art Gallery marketing director
920-763-6980
eheidemanncag@gmail.com
PHOTOS:
Email eheidemanncag@gmail.com, and you will be given access to a Google Drive link with visuals of paintings.
MADISON, Wisconsin, June 29 - Carnelian Art Gallery, located at 221 King St., Suite 102, in downtown Madison, is pleased to announce its September exhibition, titled "Inner Realms: An Arts for All Wisconsin Benefit Exhibition.” This is a group show featuring Wisconsin artists GG, Peter “Pita” Daniels, Fred Seger, Paulina Ivanova, Ryan “Da Da Da Da” Cain, Zelda Bean and Alan “Alwilt” Wiltgen, all of whom seek to explore and bring awareness to mental health through their respective works.
This is the first art show of its kind hosted by Carnelian Art Gallery in partnership with Arts for All Wisconsin, formerly known as Very Special Arts or VSA Wisconsin, an arts organization that serves children and adults with disabilities. Since 1985, Arts for All Wisconsin has been guided by the understanding that art builds bridges between people, supports physical and mental wellness and celebrates diversity in our community. The nonprofit’s mission – one that is near and dear to Carnelian Art Gallery’s heart – is to expand the capabilities, confidence and quality of life for children and adults with disabilities by providing programs in dance, drama, creative writing, music and visual art.
Inner Realms: An Arts for All Wisconsin Benefit Exhibition is slated to kick off with an opening reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4. The show’s end date is Sunday, Sept. 27. As always at Carnelian Art Gallery, admission on opening night is free, and light refreshments will be served. At 6 p.m. on opening night, Daniels in a live recital will read some of his poems to the accompaniment of friend and violinist, John Medura.
Daniels is a “retired social worker and teacher living in Viroqua, Wisconsin with his wife Gabrielle. He has painted with acrylic for over 20 years and more recently embarked on exploring his poetic voice. Painting and writing help Daniels manage the challenges of living with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. He is a survivor of sexual abuse, many asthma attacks, cancer, a cardiac arrest and recently began acknowledging the neurodiversity in his thinking. His current paintings and poems have been influenced by the many hours he has spent on Lake Michigan in the last couple of years.”
Also on opening night, a peer support specialist with NAMI Dane County will be on hand to provide resources to Carnelian Art Gallery visitors who might be struggling with issues related to mental health. NAMI Dane County, a chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, – an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by mental illness – is a community partner of Arts for All Wisconsin for this exhibition.
Carnelian Art Gallery, as part of this exhibition, will donate all art sale proceeds back to Arts for All Wisconsin. Donations can also be made in person (during the opening reception, regular gallery hours and private gallery appointments), online using a QR code and/or by placing a check or cash donation in a box Arts for All will have at the gallery. Gallery visitors can also purchase art in person, or online via QR code that links to an online store created by the nonprofit. The show’s fundraising goal is $1,500.
"We were delighted to receive the invitation to curate an exhibition at Carnelian Art Gallery,” says Christina Martin-Wright, Arts for All Wisconsin executive director. “AFA recognizes the significance of this opportunity for Wisconsin-based artists with disabilities to show their work in a fresh, boutique gallery off Capitol Square, dedicated to economic accessibility and fostering creative connections. This is exactly the kind of exposure artists we represent are searching for. The theme of this specific exhibition is especially meaningful for me. As someone who has faced mental health challenges, I embrace opportunities to learn from the experiences and perspectives of others. The creative minds featured in this exhibition invite exploration of inner realms and discussions of important ideas without shame or fear. We are grateful to Evan Bradbury for the opportunity to host Inner Realms at Carnelian and to our friends at NAMI Dane County for providing resources that allow artists and audiences alike to safely explore this important theme."
"We are deeply honored to partner with this exhibition,” says Jamie Milry, NAMI Dane County executive director. “Art is a powerful and vital tool for healing, offering a voice to experiences that can be hard to put into words. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of this project, and we look forward to providing resources, connecting with people, and supporting our community at the event."
“We are so proud to partner with Arts for All Wisconsin for our September exhibition,” says Evan Bradbury, Carnelian Art Gallery owner and head curator. “Not only is this group of artists talented, they bravely explore their respective mental health journeys through their art. Please join us in kicking off our September exhibition on Friday, Sept. 7, and help us support Arts for All Wisconsin’s mission throughout the month. I think we can exceed the nonprofit’s fundraising goal of $1,500.”
MORE ABOUT EACH ARTIST
Zelda Bean
“I'm an artist living in Waukesha, Wisconsin. I started making art as a child. I flourished in high school and even helped my fellow classmates win at State for Visual Arts Classic. I am self-taught and I love trying whatever medium I can get my hands on, from collage to paint to watercolor. When I'm not making art, I'm studying art history. I also love to dance for my exercise. Volunteering is another passion of mine.”
Fred Seger
Fred Seger is a self-taught artist who has accomplished many things using his artistic abilities. Early in his career, Seger worked with pen and ink, earning commissions primarily for his architectural drawings. Through this work, Fred was discovered by a monument company where he hand-etched his art onto black granite. This work was recognized nationally, and his final project was a twelve-panel memorial depicting wars fought throughout history. It is in Washington, DC. Fred now works in multiple media from graphite, ink, colored pencil and decoupage. He is also a 2019 Adult Creative Power award winner and 2020 Merit award winner.
Alan Wiltgen
“I have been sketching and drawing my whole life but started painting 12 years ago. Painting helped me move through a difficult time period in my life. I eventually fell in love and got addicted to the process. It is my safe space. It's a space where I can stop thinking and just be in the present moment. I've been featured in galleries and in group shows across the Midwest. I love doing community art-based projects and getting to collaborate with other creative humans.”
Paulina Ivanova
Paulina Ivanova is a local artist, originally from Bulgaria in eastern Europe. She emigrated to the United States of America right after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the totalitarian regime in eastern Europe in the early 1990s. She is a graduate of the First Private Art Academy “Jules Pascin” in Sofia, Bulgaria with art professors Nikolai Maistorov Dolores Dilova and holds a bachelor's degree in fine arts. She has been sketching, drawing and painting for over 40 years. She paints in the impressive, expressive and abstract styles, depending on the inspirational subject, and on her emotional state. Currently, she lives and works in her home and art studio on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin, but also periodically travels to other studios around the world.
GG
Born in Killeen, Texas and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, GG is a former middle school teacher. She lives in Madison with her family and chihuahua, Giorgio. In 2020, at the age of 29, she made the decision to drastically change her life and career shortly after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The diagnosis was the permission GG needed in order to quit teaching and focus on self-healing. With the hopes of finding relief she turned to many different healing strategies, but the one that resonated most with her is painting. Her artwork is pop art inspired and deeply spiritual. GG is a self-taught colorist and portrait artist. She strives to inspire others to be creative and kind. On Jan. 1, 2021, GG set out to share her passions and seek connection on TikTok with her 171 followers. As of March 2025, she has over 135k followers on TikTok and is expanding.
Da Da Da Da
Da Da Da Da (Ryan Cain) is a queer artist based in Madison, Wisconsin. He’s also a Korean-American ‘adoptee’ and cross-pollination arts advocate. Da Da Da Da sees art as a form of creative union for people.