About me

Bio

Lydia Zoells (she/her) is an artist and educator based in Madison, Wisconsin. She teaches painting, drawing, and printmaking to undergraduates at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and to adults at Madison College and Atwood Atelier, among many other community art hubs in the Madison area. Her first career was in book publishing, which she left to pursue her M.F.A. in painting from the New York Academy of Art. As a beneficiary of continuing education programs for adults, she loves sharing her skills with other artists at every age and level, to build their abilities and confidence so that they can make art they are passionate about. Lydia’s paintings and prints have been exhibited in New York at Susan Eley Fine Art (NYC), the Salmagundi Club, Eyes On Art, The Living Gallery, LIC-Artists, and (of course) the New York Academy of Art, and in Wisconsin at American Feral, MIAD Galleries, and the Green Lantern Gallery.

Workshops and classes

I teach painting, drawing, and printmaking workshops in Madison, Wisconsin. Please reach out if you would be interested in booking me to teach a class (private or open to the public).

Upcoming offerings are featured in my Linktree.

Past classes include:

  • Acrylic Painting at Madison College (Spring 2026)
  • Painting Faces at Madison College (Spring 2026)
  • Painting People at Atwood Atelier (Spring 2026)
  • Linocut Workshop at Madison College (February, April, and June 2026)
  • Linocut Workshop at Monroe Street Arts Center (August 2025)
  • Expressive Portrait Painting at Monroe Street Arts Center (July 2025)
  • Woodcut Printmaking at Wheelhouse Studios (July 2025, March 2026)
  • Linocut Printmaking at Wheelhouse Studios (June 2025)
  • Political Printmaking at Communication Madison (May 2025, August 2025, April 2026)
  • Printmaking for the People: Linocut Workshop at Madison West High School’s annual Equity Day (April 2025 and 2026)

Thanks

My eternal gratitude to Carolyn Lyford Catalano, who taught me art from ages 10 to 18 and gave me the foundation in drawing fundamentals, materials, color theory, and basic anatomy that made it possible for me to grow on my own for so many years. Most importantly, she instilled a love of the process of art-making and a confidence in my own abilities that has carried me through.