Artist Profile: Ally Wilber
Ally Wilber is a Port Washington-based artist who likes playing with fire. Her mediums of choice range from charcoal and oils to gunpowder, gold and insects. Graduating from Ripon College in 2017 with a degree in studio art and English, she has since been experimenting with new ways of mark-making and provoking a response from her viewers through words and imagery.
Ally also works as Curator of Public Programs for the Museum of Wisconsin Art and Executive Director for the artist nonprofit, Wisconsin Visual Artists. She is passionate about providing support and opportunities for artists throughout the state, and integrating arts into community growth.
1) How do you define the word 'artist'?
An artist is a magician. An artist feels the constant impulse to work through feelings and experiences via creation. An artist is someone in a constant state of self discovery.
There was a time when I would sheepishly admit that I was “trying to be an artist.” Then, for a few years, I was an artist. A full-time, chaos-lifestyle artist. Now that my work is more on the administrative or curatorial side of the art world, I’ll joke that I “used to be an artist.”
It seems to be a never-ending insecurity with talent level and time commitment, but I think about making art every day. Even if it’s been months since actually putting a pencil to paper, I am an artist because it’s in my bones.
2) Are there any mural or large-scale art production resources you have found to be particularly useful?
The single best resource is other mural artists! Seriously, reach out and buy them a coffee. They’ll be able to candidly share best practices and situations to avoid. And 10/10 will scold you for not charging enough. I remember one mural artist (Jenie Gao) pointing out how much it costs to simply hire a painting company to paint an exterior wall one color. Now add in time for design, plus execution of a mural on top of that. It’s a simple and impactful point.
I know that the Green Bay Public Arts Commission is drafting a step-by-step guide to assist residents, business owners, neighborhood associations and other entities through the development and completion of public art projects. I think the biggest educational need lies on the other side of this process—knowing how to budget, as well as bring public art to your area while being fair to the artists during the process too.
3) What are you most excited about in regard to projects you're currently working on this year?
I’m in the middle of curating two exhibitions that I’m thrilled about. One is Legends of Drag, a photo series of drag queen portraits and florals which highlight the elder queens who’ve paved the way for drag culture today. This exhibition opens in tandem with the Legends of Drag book release in late May, in addition to being the inspiration for a drag show event scheduled for June.
This October, I’m also putting together an exhibition at the Museum of Wisconsin Art on the magic of the Wisconsin wilderness. This will tap into the artists’ spiritual relationship with nature—think rainbows and sequined taxidermy; mushrooms; bugs; fish. All sorts of goodies that I’m drooling over.
4) Fave mural, installation, exhibition, writing and/or performance by another artist that you've recently encountered?
Gah, I’m constantly encountering new works and artists that I’m obsessed with. It’s part of my job. I’m pretty obsessed with The Bull mural by Andrew Linskens in Green Bay. So dreamy! Also if you don’t know about Ashley Lusietto, Leslie Iwai, Valaria Tatera, and Niki Johnson—look them up. Some of my favorite Wisconsin art ladies who make swoon-worthy installations.