WEST BEND — The Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA), 205 Veterans Ave., is currently hosting its 2024 Wisconsin Artists Biennial Exhibit, which will be available to view inside MOWA through April 14, and recently it has announced the biennial award winners.

According to Facebook posts from MOWA, Kelly Jean Ohl was their 1stplace winner with her ceramic installation piece, “Biophilia III,” 2023.

“Ohl attended Minnesota State University, where she earned a BA in theater and art and an MA with an emphasis on ceramics,” said the MOWA Facebook post.

“She also holds an MFA degree from the University of Michigan. Her ceramic pieces are full of textures and patterns inspired by nature, carved using Scandinavian kitchen tools passed down to her from her grandmothers.”

As the 1st-place winner, Ohl will receive $5,000 and a solo museum exhibition, which will run concurrently with the 2026 Wisconsin Artists Biennial.

Coming in 2nd place was Scott Espeseth for his piece “Box With Cat,” 2023.

“Espeseth earned an MFA in printmaking from the University of Wisconsin- Madison where he worked with storied print artists such as Frances Myers and Warrington Colescott,” said the Facebook post. “His work often depicts familiar spaces charged with a sense of dark presence, hauntings, or consciousness. For Espeseth, paper becomes the screen of his mind’s eye, resulting in monochromatic works that reflect our most human instincts.”

Third place was won by Hannah O’Hare Bennett, with her piece “Landscape Construction III,” 2023.

“Bennett holds a BFA in Printmaking from the University of Kansas and an MFA in Design Studies from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Prior to becoming an artist, Bennett worked in agriculture most of her life in constant proximity to land,” said the Facebook post. “Bennett’s belief that humankind’s collective choices impact the world we live in appears throughout her work. Using paper and textiles, Bennett explores concepts about land use, domestication, fragility of the body, and the world we live in.”