Pond Scum Studio has been in the works for eons- before Sky Woman fell into our world. Before the first bowl of primordial soup was served. Before Leeuwenhoek observed his own semen under a microscope. Even before- okay! We’ll fast forward a bit. But the journey to creating this really has been a lifelong effort. Pond Scum Studio is an experimental artisan space owned and operated by a man with a bit of talent and too many interests: Leovardo Q. Aguilar.

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Dredging through the muck, we strive to magnify the overlooked, undervalued and misrepresented. This is accomplished by combining visual and written arts, natural sciences, personal experiences and culture. Observed specimens include paintings, drawings, pottery, wood carvings, multi-media sculptures, foraged goods, published articles, and more. We’re based along the western shores of Michi Gami (Lake Michigan) but carry inspiration from all times and spaces.

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Editors have cautiously published our articles in magazines such as On Wisconsin Outdoors and Wisconsin People & Ideas. Visual works have squirmed their way into juried art shows, group exhibitions and benefit auctions. Your friends and neighbors may even be harboring some of our works. Our most recent feat is being accepted in UW-Madison's The Flow Project 2024.

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This project will pair us with an unsuspecting water professional working in the environmental sector. Together, we’ll create an art piece highlighting Wisconsin’s water resources. Our efforts will come to a head in April of 2024 when an exhibition will showcase all participating artists' work. In person showing will take place in Stevens Point, WI with a digital showing on UW- Madison's website.

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So why have we been using plural pronouns this whole time? Mostly to create a weird “hive mind” feeling. But also, to acknowledge all those inspirations that keep us going day in and day out. Cool rocks, random people making funny faces in the car, or a classic Edgar Allen Poe story you’ve been dying to reread. It all comes together. It congeals into a thriving mass of emotions, ideas, and possibilities. Just like real pond scum, there’s a thriving ecosystem waiting to be unpacked. Most people just don’t take the time to look.

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The Flow Project website/main page:

https://water.wisc.edu/the-flow-project/