Tamara Brantmeier

Tamara Brantmeier is a Professor in the School of Art & Design within the College of Arts & Human Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She has served as Program Director for the BFA in Art since 2010 and is a faculty member in the University Honors Program. Her role in Academic Affairs focuses on advancing outreach and engagement initiatives across campus and with external partners in the community, industry, and alumni networks.

Her research and artistic practice are deeply rooted in painting and drawing, with a focus on identity, perception, and the metaphorical use of natural phenomena such as weather, seasonal change, and light. Using oil and cold wax on canvas—often at large scale—her work investigates experiential universalities, with a particular emphasis on the color white as a symbol of concealment, paradox, and narrative construction. Themes of transformation, memory, and the emotional resonance of landscape are central to her creative output.

The 15 most recent artworks reflect a sustained exploration of atmospheric and environmental metaphors. Her recent pieces, such as New Season (2024) and the Landscape series (2013–2014), demonstrate a mastery of materiality and abstraction, while earlier works like Early Morning (collaboration) (2016–2017) highlight her engagement with interdisciplinary and time-based projects. Her oeuvre spans representational to abstract modes, often blurring the line between landscape and emotional state.

Her scientific and artistic achievements have been recognized through numerous awards and grants, including:

• First Place Award, Wisconsin Artists Biennial (2011)
• Curriculum Incubation Grant, UW-Stout (2011)
• Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Fellowship (2002)
• MCAD/Jerome Fellowship for Emerging Artists (2004)
• ARTCamp Artist Residency, New York (2011)

She has advised students through her role as BFA Program Director and has contributed to academic development via curriculum innovation and institutional outreach. She has led initiatives supporting student success, recruitment, and community engagement. Her collaborative work with photographer Dan Riordan exemplifies her commitment to meaningful artistic partnerships and public-facing projects. She is actively involved in campus events, symposia, and strategic planning under UW-Stout’s FOCUS2030 initiative.

Her artistic work is supported by grants and residencies, and she continues to exhibit nationally. She maintains strong connections with both internal stakeholders and external partners, working to integrate applied learning with community and industry needs.