Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery makes the most of its small space, as art covers the walls of its window shop on Second Street and continues out to the building’s halls. Photos: Chris Emeott
The growing river town is a destination for the arts.
Hudson, Wisconsin, has long been entwined with the arts—and that identity has only strengthened in recent years. With Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery and Hudson Art Gallery joining longtime anchors in the Phipps Center for the Arts and Seasons Gallery, the vibrant river town is emerging as an arts destination in one of the state’s fastest-growing counties. “It is, gosh, just so exciting right now in Hudson,” says Lee Ann Pomplas, arts engagement director at the Phipps. “It just feels like there’s sort of this groundswell of interest and excitement about visual art.”
The saying “a rising tide lifts all boats” is surely true for the town’s arts scene. When the Phipps opened in Hudson more than 40 years ago, it created a foundation that has drawn artists to the area and fostered a sense of community vitality. “I think the Phipps is such a strong element in Hudson, and really, one of the driving forces that we moved here,” says Genie Castro, an artist and curator who has called Hudson home for more than two decades. In 2023, she joined the fold and opened Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery on Second Street.
Two years later, Hudson Art Gallery opened its doors down the block. “There’s a vibrancy to the town itself that’s hard to put into words, but I think people feel it,” says Brianna Seipel, gallery manager at Hudson Art Gallery. “You can see it on their face when they walk through the door, and there’s often this sense of surprise at what they’re experiencing.”
Hudson’s First Fridays, a longtime initiative of Seasons Gallery, has been embraced by the new galleries. Now, each month brings a delightful art crawl that showcases the town’s diverse arts identity—whether visitors find themselves at open hours at Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery and Hudson Art Gallery, enjoying the opening night of a new exhibit at Seasons Gallery or exploring the Phipps’ seven gallery spaces. “There’s a real sense of love in the art community here, and it’s a wonderful thing to be part of,” Seipel says.
Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery
Genie Castro
Window shopping in Hudson became all the more vibrant when Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery joined the scene in 2023. Owned and curated by Castro, who is also a printmaker, the brick-and-mortar gallery followed a widely successful booth at the Minnesota State Fair that was created in 2015. Castro represents around 30 artists and features new and young artists in her rotating exhibits. “There’s a lot of really unique pieces in here that are, I’d say, full of love,” Castro says. The “small but mighty” gallery fills every corner and wall of its street-facing space and continues down the hallway. “People really are pretty wowed when they come in here because there’s high ceilings and incredible artwork, and they can look for a long time and discover things that they haven’t seen before,” Castro says. creamofthecropartists.com
Upcoming: Visit Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery at the West End Market at the Minnesota State Fair from August 27–September 7. Following the fair, there will be a reprisal of the exhibit in Hudson through the end of September.
Hudson Art Gallery
Gourd artist Kristen Treuting joined Kristen Palm and Carrie Price Schwert in the “Color Stories” exhibition at Hudson Art Gallery in summer 2025. Photos: Steven Arthur Johnson Photography
Hudson Art Gallery was established in 2025 by longtime Phipps volunteer Tom Adamson. The independent gallery rotates exhibits every seven to eight weeks and donates all proceeds to the Phipps. “[It’s] been really wonderful to be a presence for the Phipps on Second Street,” Seipel says.
With a focus on storytelling, Adamson and Seipel conduct informal interviews with each featured artist. “We only show three artists at a time, so we’re trying to show a good breadth of their work and really dig into who they are as a person and share that,” Seipel says. Many of these artists have had work displayed at the Phipps in the past, and Hudson Art Gallery looks to continue that journey with them.
Hudson Art Gallery is dedicated to sharing the stories of the artists it features.
“There’s this shared sense of responsibility for keeping the St. Croix a wonderful place to live and work, so one of the things that I’ve been thinking about a lot when we curate work is: ‘Does this work feel like home? Does it feel like Hudson?’” Seipel says. artgalleryhudson.com
Upcoming: An exhibit featuring the work of Lisa Buck, Morgan Clifford and Anne Landreman, celebrating artists who teach and inspire, is on through September 11.
Seasons Gallery
More than 25 years ago, Ruth Misenko opened Seasons Gallery on Second Street. Now a staple of the area arts scene, the gallery’s legacy continues under Angel MacMenamin, who took over ownership in August 2020, and gallery director Megan Riley. Seasons Gallery is known for its tradition of opening a new show on the first Friday of every month, and the gallery focuses on highlighting regional, independent artists in a welcoming environment that includes a carefully curated selection of giftable art. “With everything being on the internet and quick and easy and shipped to your house, it’s important to have an experience,” MacMenamin says. “We have customers come in, and they’re just in for art therapy. They may not buy anything, and they just come in … to take a break. And that’s important.” seasons-gallery.com
Seasons Gallery opens a new exhibit on the first Friday of each month. Photo: Joe Singewald Photography
Upcoming: Plein Air Hudson will conclude with Paint the Town weekend from August 8–9. The awards reception will take place from 6–8 p.m. on August 10. Work from the event will be displayed at Seasons Gallery, followed by a new exhibit featuring Emily McBride, Amy Monroe and Mel Tudisco, opening September 4.
The Phipps Center for the Arts
The Phipps Center for the Arts is a central fixture in the culture and experience of Hudson. Six volunteer arts councils support and direct its programming and activities, which include children’s theatre, dance, drama, music and visual arts. With continued growth, the Phipps is now home to seven gallery spaces that, in the 2024–25 season, featured 265 professional artists in nearly 75 exhibitions. “[These galleries] are an incredible resource for the community,” Pomplas says, adding that they are free and open to the public.
Artwork by Steve Smith displayed at the Phipps Center for the Arts. Photo: Chris Emeott
As a nonprofit, the Phipps’ galleries aren’t centered on sales, which allows for more latitude to bring in experiential arts. The audience, too, is unique, with many visitors stopping by after a class or before a performance. “I think people are looking for meaning, especially right now. Some people naturally gravitate toward art and finding meaning in those ways, but to provide that to people who might not be seeking it out is such a special place to be,” Pomplas says. thephipps.org
Each of the Phipps’ gallery spaces is distinct in size and scope, from little “jewel boxes” to traditional white box galleries, Lee Ann Pomplas shares. Photo: Steve Johnson
Upcoming: The Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival will return September 26–27 at Lakefront Park. It is a juried art fair presented in partnership with the Hudson Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau; last year’s event brought more than 10,000 people to view the work of 80 artists and enjoy free activities and demonstrations, a drink tent, food trucks and live music.
