Michelle Grabner

Untitled

Oshkosh-born and raised artist Michelle Grabner plays many roles in the arts in the midwest and the country, from artist, teacher and curator to parent, homeowner and gardener. Grabner draws from each of her realms of activity, life experience and work practices to produce paintings, sculpture and weavings. She uses domestic textiles (baby blankets, kitchen towels, kaftans) as the stencil for paintings, capturing their irregularities and glitches.

Grabner elevates hand-made, hand-me-down fabrics to fine art. In her process of translating soft fibers into durable material, she creates a modern-day version of the marble cloaks of classic Greek gods and goddesses. Grabner reminds us to honor the art works that populate our everyday lives.

Oshkosh-born and raised artist Michelle Grabner plays many roles in the arts in the midwest and the country, from artist, teacher and curator to parent, homeowner and gardener. Grabner draws from each of her realms of activity, life experience and work practices to produce paintings, sculpture and weavings. She uses domestic textiles (baby blankets, kitchen towels, kaftans) as the stencil for paintings, capturing their irregularities and glitches.

Grabner elevates hand-made, hand-me-down fabrics to fine art. In her process of translating soft fibers into durable material, she creates a modern-day version of the marble cloaks of classic Greek gods and goddesses. Grabner reminds us to honor the art works that populate our everyday lives.

Oshkosh-born and raised artist Michelle Grabner plays many roles in the arts in the midwest and the country, from artist, teacher and curator to parent, homeowner and gardener. Grabner draws from each of her realms of activity, life experience and work practices to produce paintings, sculpture and weavings. She uses domestic textiles (baby blankets, kitchen towels, kaftans) as the stencil for paintings, capturing their irregularities and glitches.

Grabner elevates hand-made, hand-me-down fabrics to fine art. In her process of translating soft fibers into durable material, she creates a modern-day version of the marble cloaks of classic Greek gods and goddesses. Grabner reminds us to honor the art works that populate our everyday lives.

Michelle Grabner

Michelle Grabner

Untitled

Exhibition

Exhibition

Materials & Dimensions

Materials & Dimensions

Bronze

72 1/2 x 25 1/2 x 4 inches

Year

Year

2017

Site

Site

Milwaukee Riverwalk at Chicago Street

Credits

Credits

Gift of The Greater Milwaukee Foundation to the Historic Third Ward Association 2018Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki / Sculpture Milwaukee.

Audio Tour

Audio Tour

0:00/1:34

John Henry

Zach's Tower

John Henry

Zach's Tower

John Henry

Zach's Tower

Sol LeWitt

Tower (Gubbio)

Sol LeWitt

Tower (Gubbio)

Sol LeWitt

Tower (Gubbio)

Dennis Oppenheim

Safety Cones

Dennis Oppenheim

Safety Cones

Dennis Oppenheim

Safety Cones

thank you

To our generous sponsors, partners, collaborators, and supporters who make our work possible.

presenting

Founding & Sustaining
Sponsors

* indicates both Founding and sustaining founding sponsor

Anonymous
Donna & Donald Baumgartner*
Black Box Fund
Evan & Marion Helfaer Foundation
Susan & Mark Irgens*
Mellowes Family*
Sue & Bud Selig*
Julie & David Uihlein*

sculpture

Wayne & Lori Morgan

Visionary

George & Karen Oliver

Exhibition Partner

leader

Anonymous
Baird Center
Heil Family Foundation
Godfrey & Kahn

Collaborator

Betty Arndt
City of Milwaukee Arts Board
Kelli Gabel & Craig Karmazin
GRAEF
Guardian Fine Art Services
Hawks Landscaping
Mark Jungers
New Land Enterprises
Raymond & Barbara Krueger
ManpowerGroup
National Endowment for the Arts
Nonprofit Management Fund
Austin Ramirez
Syslogic Inc
Wisconsin Arts Board

Connector

BMO
Foley & Lardner
Imagine MKE
MajicPro
Milwaukee Magazine
Open Pantry
PNC Bank
PwC
Russ Darrow Group
Town Bank
US Bank
WeycoGroup
Woman's Club of Wisconsin Foundation

Sculpture Milwaukee is always free and open to the public thanks to our generous supporters.

We work with trusted community partners to ensure great contemporary art is accessible to all.

Sign up to receive news about our exhibitions and artworks, announcements, events and more

© 2025 Sculpture Milwaukee

thank you

To our generous sponsors, partners, collaborators, and supporters who make our work possible.

presenting

Founding & Sustaining
Sponsors

* indicates both Founding and sustaining founding sponsor

Anonymous
Donna & Donald Baumgartner*
Black Box Fund
Evan & Marion Helfaer Foundation
Susan & Mark Irgens*
Mellowes Family*
Sue & Bud Selig*
Julie & David Uihlein*

sculpture

Wayne & Lori Morgan

Visionary

George & Karen Oliver

Exhibition Partner

leader

Anonymous
Baird Center
Heil Family Foundation
Godfrey & Kahn

Collaborator

Betty Arndt
City of Milwaukee Arts Board
Kelli Gabel & Craig Karmazin
GRAEF
Guardian Fine Art Services
Hawks Landscaping
Mark Jungers
New Land Enterprises
Raymond & Barbara Krueger
ManpowerGroup
National Endowment for the Arts
Nonprofit Management Fund
Austin Ramirez
Syslogic Inc
Wisconsin Arts Board

Connector

BMO
Foley & Lardner
Imagine MKE
MajicPro
Milwaukee Magazine
Open Pantry
PNC Bank
PwC
Russ Darrow Group
Town Bank
US Bank
WeycoGroup
Woman's Club of Wisconsin Foundation

Sculpture Milwaukee is always free and open to the public thanks to our generous supporters.

We work with trusted community partners to ensure great contemporary art is accessible to all.

Sign up to receive news about our exhibitions and artworks, announcements, events and more

© 2025 Sculpture Milwaukee

thank you

To our generous sponsors, partners, collaborators, and supporters who make our work possible.

presenting

Founding & Sustaining
Sponsors

* indicates both Founding and sustaining founding sponsor

Anonymous
Donna & Donald Baumgartner*
Black Box Fund
Evan & Marion Helfaer Foundation
Susan & Mark Irgens*
Mellowes Family*
Sue & Bud Selig*
Julie & David Uihlein*

sculpture

Wayne & Lori Morgan

Visionary

George & Karen Oliver

Exhibition Partner

leader

Anonymous
Baird Center
Heil Family Foundation
Godfrey & Kahn

Collaborator

Betty Arndt
City of Milwaukee Arts Board
Kelli Gabel & Craig Karmazin
GRAEF
Guardian Fine Art Services
Hawks Landscaping
Mark Jungers
New Land Enterprises
Raymond & Barbara Krueger
ManpowerGroup
National Endowment for the Arts
Nonprofit Management Fund
Austin Ramirez
Syslogic Inc
Wisconsin Arts Board

Connector

BMO
Foley & Lardner
Imagine MKE
MajicPro
Milwaukee Magazine
Open Pantry
PNC Bank
PwC
Russ Darrow Group
Town Bank
US Bank
WeycoGroup
Woman's Club of Wisconsin Foundation

Sculpture Milwaukee is always free and open to the public thanks to our generous supporters.

We work with trusted community partners to ensure great contemporary art is accessible to all.

Sign up to receive news about our exhibitions and artworks, announcements, events and more

© 2025 Sculpture Milwaukee