Madison Reporter

Students at the University of Wisconsin are finding a creative outlet in painting vinyl records as part of the Free Art Friday events organized by Wheelhouse Studios and WUD Music. These bi-weekly sessions offer students an opportunity to engage in art projects, providing materials and guidance for creations ranging from chicken plush toys to watercolors.

On January 31, the first event of the semester focused on transforming vinyl records into artistic canvases. Participants shared their thoughts on how these gatherings serve as a relaxing alternative to typical weekend activities.

Angelica Chang, who graduated in May 2024 and is preparing for medical school, emphasized the accessibility of these events: “I think that having these kind of accessible events makes the campus a lot more accepting for those students that can’t really afford to go somewhere because they don’t have a car to get vinyls that they can paint on their own.”

Sophomore Shaurya Khati highlighted the importance of taking breaks amidst busy student life. “We’re all running around with our lives and we always have something next to look forward to,” Khati noted. “But I think it’s really important that we can slow down and really deliberate on something, so I think events like these are places where you can actually do that.”

The event drew inspiration from various sources, including Pinterest and personal experiences. Sisters O'Malley and O'Ryion Thompson attended together after seeing a flyer for the event. O'Malley expressed her initial interest despite not being primarily a painter: “I’m not really a painter; I like pottery more but I went on Pinterest before and searched some cool ideas.”

Khati found inspiration in his recent travels: “I was mostly looking for albums from artists that I like...so when I saw they had Bach, I was like, ‘that’s really cool’ so I picked that up. I’m drawing a jungle because I recently went to India and I got inspired from all the greenery there.”

Other students also incorporated cultural elements into their artwork. Sophomores Komal Kaur and Anisha Bhalla painted album covers in Punjabi inspired by songs they enjoyed.

These creative endeavors offer students a chance to express themselves artistically while fostering community engagement through shared artistic exploration.