Few people in New Glarus likely know a painting bearing the town’s name hangs in one of America’s most prestigious art museums. Created in 1984 by the late American artist Sam Gilliam—a man whose bold vision redefined abstract art—the piece is titled New Glarus and it carries both mystery and significance. Why did Gilliam choose to name it after our small Wisconsin village? What inspired the connection? Today, which is International Artist’s Day, a day that celebrates artists from around the world, it’s worth pausing to explore how one man’s creativity quietly linked our community to the wider world of modern art.

The piece itself—a colorful, layered print and collage—resides today in the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. It was created during one of Gilliam’s most experimental phases, when he was exploring new forms of printmaking in Wisconsin. And while we can only speculate about why he chose to name it New Glarus, the coincidence alone adds another fascinating thread to our community’s growing web of global connections.