Art Works

TMA partners with Outagamie County Youth & Family Services to provide an immersive arts program that is carefully crafted to provide a safe, welcoming, and comfortable learning environment at the museum, in our studios, and at Outagamie County. Starting in 2018, TMA partnered with Outagamie County’s Restorative Justice program, which is for youth who are referred by the Juvenile Court System. Restorative Justice is a philosophy that focuses on restoring the community, and connecting youth to their community in a positive way through service projects and volunteerism. We provide a strengths-based focus of skill building and increase the self-confidence of those involved.

Thanks to the support of the Bright Ideas Fund from the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region, this program has expanded to include youth from Outagamie County’s Shelter Care Program, as well.

Art has an incredible rehabilitative effect and through the work of dedicated Art Educators, we empower local youth with skills to manage trauma and continue to grow, learn, and heal.

Want to support the ArtWorks program?

Made possible by a grant from the Bright Idea Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.

ArtWorks Educators

Riley Johnson

Riley Johnson is a local artist and teacher for the Appleton Area School District. An accomplished professional artist who utilizes a variety of mediums (most notably pencil on paper forms), his work pops up locally and has been featured in Wisconsin Biennial and an assortment of local group shows. Creating is his passion, but bolstering skills, interest, and confidence in others is his true passion. He’s most interested lately in using the creation of art to process trauma and develop fun ways to grow creativity in others. He graduated from UW-Madison in 2002 and is in his 18th year of teaching.

Irineo Medina

Irineo Medina is a working artist currently residing in Kaukauna, WI. Irineo enjoys working in a wide range of media including but not limited to printmaking, drawing, painting, and photography. He is a strong believer in restorative justice and community advocacy. He uses art as a vehicle to share life experiences, to teach, and to uplift as part of that journey. He is interested in the relationship of people and their environment. He explores how the environment we exist in molds our mindset. Irineo uses this analytical approach of humans, both in studying others and introspectively, to form the basis of his creative ideas.

Valerie Medina

Valerie Medina graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She emphasizes in painting, drawing, and photography. She believes that art can help others explore the process of their own emotions. Using these artistic tools can create an outlet of escape and allow ones self to inherent personal growth. Valerie enjoys working with people of the community in many facets, she is very excited to be able to work so closely with our youth and provide positive outlets to express themselves.