2025 We Read Bubbler Artist-in-Residence
2025 We Read Bubbler Artist-in-Residence
The We Read Bubbler Artist-in-Residence (formerly Bubbler Artist in the Neighborhood) runs June to August 2025. This program connects the vision and expertise of local teaching artists to individual library communities - creating connections to literacy, creative self-expression, and hands-on learning for children and families.
Each year, the Bubbler Team matches a community teaching artist to each of our nine neighborhood libraries for a summer long residency, encouraging repeat interactions and art making with patrons to build relationships, explore creative practices, and have fun together.
Find a time to get to know YOUR We Read Bubbler Artist-in-Residence and make something together!
Read more about We Read, the program, and check out the past artists on the IMPACT blog and in the residencies archive.
Explore the library’s full event calendar.
We Read Bubbler Artist-in-Residence
Alicia Ashman Library
Deck Salm (they/them)
Website
Deckard Salm is an illustrator and designer in the Madison, WI area. They specialize in children’s illustration and hope to illustrate picture books soon! Deckard’s favorite things to draw are words, plants, and animals. In their free time, you can find them knitting, reading, and playing cozy video games - all cuddled up on the couch with their two cats.
Alicia Ashman Library: Tuesdays, 2-3:30pm | June 24 - July 29, 2025
We Read Bubbler Artist-in-Residence
Dream Bus
Kailea Saplan (they/them)
Kailea Saplan (they/them) is a mixed and non-binary artist-scholar originally from Hawai'i. They have been lucky enough to call Madison their home since 2016, when they moved here for graduate school. Kailea earned their B.A. in Theatre at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, and they graduated this spring with their Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Wisconsin, Madison. Kailea has been a teaching artist with Madison Public Library for as long as they've lived here and they're thrilled to be returning this summer to work with the Dream Bus for their "farewell tour" prior to moving across country to pursue their M.F.A. in Acting at California Institute of the Arts.
This project is funded in part by a grant from the Madison Arts Commission, with additional funds from the Wisconsin Arts Board.
Goodman South Library
Monroe Street Library
Rosi Bermúdez McHugh (she/her)
Rosi is a bilingual teacher at Lighthouse Christian School, where she has been teaching for over eight years. Rosi often guides her students in creating with color using materials like paper (collage) and paint to express concepts, emotions, and the beauty of nature. She also integrates art into lessons about different cultures in order to foster a sense of community, encouraging mutual support, and nurturing self-confidence.
Additionally, Rosi has been an active member of Unidas por Hilos (United by Threads), a group of Latina artists who share their experiences of life in a new country through embroidery. Her ongoing projects with these women continue to influence both her personal art and teaching practice.
Goodman South Madison Library: Every other Wednesday, 2:30-4pm | June 11-August 6 & August 13, 2025
Monroe Street Library: Saturdays, 10:30am - 12pm | June 14, July 12, August 9
Hawthorne Library
Savannah Starlin (she/her)
Instagram
Savannah was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. She is an inspiring self taught painter of 4 years, although she’s kept her hands busy with art projects since she was 4 years old! A main goal of Savannah’s art practice is to bring the community closer together through sharing unique creative ideas and bringing those ideas to life.
Hawthorne Library: Mondays, 4:30-6pm | July 7, July 21, August 4, August 18
Lakeview Library
Elias Mittelstadt (he/him)
Website
Elias is a designer and artist based in Madison, Wisconsin. His practice is inspired by technology, nature, history, and cartography and utilizes 3D printing, digital design, and found objects. In addition to his practice, he assists local artists and specializes in CAD design for products and 3D printing. Elias has created courses, workshops, and programming for people of all ages and enjoys working with an array of materials. This is his third summer working with the Bubbler.
Lakeview Library: Wednesdays, 4-5:30pm | June 25 - August 13, 2025 (no program on 07/16 or 08/06)
Meadowridge Library
Lashay The Artist! (she/her)
Instagram
Lashay The Artist! is a resilient mother of four who embodies the spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship. Despite the challenges she faces, Lashay's entrepreneurial drive and passion for art propel her forward in life.
As an artist with many facets of lived experience, Lashay the Artist! expresses herself through poetry, motivational speaking, and hairstyling. Her natural ability to inspire others shines through in her connections to the community. Lashay the Artist! especially enjoys working with youth and encouraging positive change though their creative expression.
Meadowridge Library: Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm | July 8 - August 12, 2025
Pinney Library
Renee Gavigan (she/her)
Website
Renee is an artist and elementary art teacher from Waunakee, Wisconsin. Her passion as an educator is to create welcoming environments for artists to take chances and make art they are intrigued by.
In Renee’s practice she work frequently in watercolor and quilting, but loves experimenting in all media. She is looking forward to creating art installations in the Pinney space, as well as lots of other fun make & takes.
Pinney Library: Tuesdays, 10-11:30am | June 17 - July 22, 2025
Sequoya Library
Meghan Rosing (she/her)
Instagram
Meghan is a local Montessori teacher and loves making art alongside children. Her artwork reimagines a hodgepodge of fairy tales, poetry, children's stories, and Victorian novels. She loves working with ink, brushes, and dip pens to bring these inspirations to life, as well as adding texture by tearing up pages from old books and layering them over her drawings. The layers of overlapping collage evoke the many layers of narratives that inspire her work, especially folk tales that have been told through the centuries, with each teller adding their own layer to the story.
Sequoya Library: Wednesdays, 10-11am | June 25 - July 23, 2025
These artist residencies are funded by the Friends of Madison Public Library, Madison Public Library Foundation, and the City of Madison.
Dream Bus Artist-in-Residence is funded in part by a grant from the Madison Arts Commission, with additional funds from the Wisconsin Arts Board.