Madison Reporter

With support from the Robert and Judith Atlas Family Foundation, the Chazen Museum of Art has introduced the Jeannette K. Goldenson Student Program Series. This initiative aims to make student-focused events at the museum more accessible and welcoming across the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus.

The new program is named after Jeannette K. Goldenson, whose life reflected a broad engagement with art, music, literature, and a connection to Wisconsin. Goldenson was born in Chicago in 1907 and maintained close ties to Wisconsin through time spent at her brother’s farm in Cambridge, where she produced much of her artwork.

Goldenson began painting watercolors in her fifties and earned awards for her works inspired by Cambridge. Her artistic interests included music, poetry, dance, and even professional whistling during her earlier years in Chicago. In the 1950s, she took courses at the University of Colorado despite being in her late forties—a move described by her granddaughter Karen Ver Voort as an example of lifelong curiosity and courage.

“She taught us all not to be afraid,” said Ver Voort when reflecting on her grandmother’s influence. Goldenson often shared what she learned with others and encouraged them to try new experiences. “She would have absolutely loved making a museum feel welcoming to everyone, even people who maybe at some point thought museums are for other people,” Ver Voort added. “If anything, she lived with joy in the world, joy and connectedness.”

The decision to establish student-centered programming at the Chazen was influenced by family ties to UW–Madison and connections to Cambridge. “We thought, you know, what would be a good way to honor her, that my mother would love? Things that welcome students from everywhere and every type of background—I think she would have adored it,” said Ver Voort.

Berit Ness, chief engagement officer at the Chazen Museum of Art, noted that the series will strengthen existing student events such as Back to School Bash and Study Day while expanding offerings over several years. “The Jeannette K. Goldenson Student Program Series will allow us to enhance our signature student events, like Back to School Bash and Study Day, while expanding and enriching other student offerings over the next several years,” Ness said. “It’s a meaningful way to connect students to the museum and to each other.”

Goldenson died in 1988 but is remembered by her family for remaining engaged with life until her passing. Her art continues to serve as a point of connection for relatives today. “It’s like you’re looking through her eyes,” said Ver Voort. “This is a tribute to her—and that’s where we want the focus to be.”