This series highlights working artists currently on staff at the Frye Art Museum. The Frye has a wealth of talented Seattle-based artists working under its roof in many different capacities, each with their own dedicated arts practice outside of their work at the museum. Facilitated and written by Alexis L. Silva, Curatorial Assistant, this series is meant to highlight and celebrate these individuals, showcasing their amazing work and arts practices.
By Alexis L. Silva
Spring is upon us. The damp earth is awakened by shy flower buds and small critters arising from their winter slumber. As we bask in the beauties of springtime in Seattle, one cannot help but dream of 9 pm sunsets and sitting on the edge of Lake Washington listening to the gentle lapping waves while the sun beats down on your shoulders. Seattle is truly a city that reminds you that nature exists, that our environment is more than just a large computer screen on a Tuesday morning. If you want to go out and touch grass, you can actually go out and touch grass. You can play around in the wet dirt and remind yourself that even though everything feels like it’s on fire (and it is), we still need to find moments to appreciate our existence in this world.
Maddi Wareham isolates these natural experiences and positions them often with everyday objects such as street signs or bicycles. She transforms her illustrations into prints by etching into copper plates, a meticulous process that is not for the faint of heart.
Maddi has been the Sales Associate at the Museum Store for almost two years, handling all customer transactions and using her merchandising skills to organize store inventory and highlight the unique offerings. Since the beginning of 2025, Maddi has taken the lead in the Store's social media, creating playful and colorful content to promote the amazing products and talented artists represented in the Store.
I was able to ask Maddi some questions about her practice and take a deeper dive into her life as an artist in Seattle.
Tell us about your background. Have you always lived in Seattle? If not, what drew you here and if so, what keeps you here?
I have lived in Seattle for the past five years; I moved here from San Francisco for school back in 2020. I fell in love with the city’s lights and the lively art community. My family is spread across the map, so I moved around quite often! I am originally from the south, growing up in Atlanta; New Orleans; Biloxi, MS; and even Providence. Before I moved to college, I knew I was meant to be in a bigger city, in a more expressive environment where I could surround myself with like-minded people. Now that I’m here I plan to stay as long as I can, moving around so much throughout my life has built up a desire to finally call a place home. Even though I miss my family, I've put down roots here. I've made lifelong friends and connections, with memories both good and bad, carrying sentiments that bind me to the city.
Printmaking can be such an extensive and tedious process; can you walk us through what that process looks like for you specifically?
It took me a whole year to truly fall in love with the process, but in printmaking (weirdly enough), I feel like a true artist. Not only has it allowed me to push the boundaries of my illustration, but it has also given me a way to reproduce my work continuously.
I start by carving each design by hand, using a jeweler's saw to carefully shape my copper plates. I love this part of the process because it creates a beautifully embossed edge on the paper. My illustrations are highly detailed and realistic, and I use the aquatint process to etch them, which helps me achieve natural renderings of my subjects. This step takes the longest—I work layer by layer, from lightest to darkest, repeatedly submerging the plate in acid baths to build depth and contrast.
When it’s finally time to print, I fill my plate with colorful inks, dampen my paper, and run it all through the press bed. Intaglio is a meticulous process with little to no room for mistakes, so the final reveal can be either incredibly satisfying or utterly frustrating.
Now, by this point, many people usually just nod and agree with what I’m saying. So, I love to show my process online instead of yapping their ears off! The best way to see more of my process is my IG or TikTok page.
Maddi Wareham. Continuity.
Maddi Wareham. Continuity (detail).
Maddi Wareham. Continuity (detail).
Talk to us about your color choices and how they inform the subject matter in the work.
I try to emulate realistic colors and tones as best I can in my work. I am creating realistic images, and the colors usually reflect that as accurately as possible. I used to create prints and illustrations only in black and white; I was afraid to even play with color. Now I enjoy the challenge of color and how I can get my images as accurate as possible to real life.
Are there any other mediums that call you? If so, which ones and why?
I still love illustration, in any form. Charcoal and graphite used to be my comfort, and I still regularly use these mediums to sketch designs or create pieces for practice/fun. I grew up seeing my grandfather draw in his free time. He is a wonderful portrait artist and often drew my classmates or friends when I was a kid and is the reason why I started art in the first place.
We see a lot of plant and animal matter in your work; can you talk a little more about what draws you to this subject matter?
Nature can be very grounding; for me it is a place where I do the most inner reflections and healing. I like to use fauna to represent people and action in my pieces, often tying in elements of nature to represent emotions or just to fill space! I find that these subjects resonate with many people, during shows or at markets I enjoy hearing people’s stories and connections with my work. They always share heartfelt stories of adversity or nostalgic memories.
Where can people find you? (Socials, website, upcoming openings, etc.)
