Over the last few months we have been offering a glimpse into the creative process of the Art Department’s graduating master of fine arts candidates, who are presenting their final thesis exhibitions throughout the spring semester. These exhibitions represent the culmination of years of dedicated study and artistic exploration, showcasing our students’ diverse talents and innovative approaches to art-making.

David Raleigh’s work centers on acrylic paintings that are based on the human figure. He writes: “The paintings explore psychological states, human nature, and the overlap of physical and spiritual realms.”

“With playful color choices and a wry sense of humor, I develop characters that range from loosely referential self portraits, to figures that represent the human condition, to enigmatic spiritual beings,” Raleigh adds. “These characters meander between the banal and the magical, the physical and the spiritual, and between representation and abstraction.”

Raleigh’s final thesis exhibition, “Partial Presence,” will be on view at UW–Madison’s Art Lofts Gallery from April 28 to May 3. A reception, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Friday, May 2, from 5 to 8 p.m..

We asked Raleigh to share some insights about his exhibition. Following is an edited Q&A:

Tell us more about your painting, “Oh no, I did it again.” The title for this work did not come until after I had finished the piece. It started out as an ink sketch that I made as part of a series of ink drawings on paper. I thought this particular composition, with the cluster of figures, was interesting enough to merit a larger painting, so I painted it and edited the composition a little bit, and figured out a color scheme that worked.

As the painting was nearing completion, all of the figures were faceless. One of the last moves I made was to add the face to the top figure with the exasperated gesture. I liked the juxtaposition of the faceless figures with the one expressive figure. After a few weeks, I came up with the title “Oh no, I did it again,” which I imagine is what this guy is saying to himself.

What do you hope viewers take away from the exhibition?