The Whimsical Journey of Marina Lee
Artist who created Snails Crossing loves working with neighborhoods and neighbors.
Jul 22nd, 2014
40 Years as a Photographer
Frank Ford has shot everyone from Mayor Maier to Paul Cebar to Divine to Richard Avedon.
Mar 26th, 2014
The Curator Who Makes Quilts
Haggerty Museum curator of education Lynne Shumow has devoted her career to the arts.
Feb 27th, 2014
The Artist as Geographer
Sarah Gail Luther maps out the lost culture of the city's abandoned lots and creates a kind of art from it.
Feb 11th, 2014
The Man Behind the RedLine
How Steve Vande Zande created the RedLine arts incubator and gallery.
Dec 30th, 2013
Road Trip
A history of later 20th-century decor, in a cottage at the Indiana Dunes.
Aug 20th, 2012
Michelle Grabner, deja vu all over again
UWM Alum Grabner's major show at Inova launches the university's Year of the Arts.
Aug 5th, 2012
Judith Romances the Stones of Marquette’s old chapel
Hundreds of years before Columbus sailed, this chapel stood in Lyon. Since 1966, it's stood in Milwaukee.
Aug 1st, 2012
Bugs Funny
Michael Nolte transforms manicure scissors into metal flies, and then there's the "Chainapede"...
Jul 9th, 2012
Richard Taylor, Beasties, West Allis Iron
Judith Ann again ponders lawn ornaments, high-brow and not-so-high-brow.
Jul 2nd, 2012
On “Lord of the Flies” and John Irving’s latest
Judith Ann encounters William Golding's classic, somehow missed in high school, and connects it to Irving's "In One Person."
Jun 27th, 2012
A comfy, heavy-metal sofa/sculpture
Judith Ann loves sitting on and looking at her L. John Andrew sofa, made from metal washers.
Jun 20th, 2012
The Hot Metal Industry of Art
At Vanguard Sculpture Services, they pour the bronze and industry meets art.
Jun 13th, 2012
Going fowl, foul… wait, it’s fair!
Judith Ann ponders kitsch and art and solves the Mystery of the Rocky Nest beneath Kilbourn Ave's flying metal flock.
May 29th, 2012
Art from 19th-century South Carolina
The expressions of slaves of West African origin on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
May 11th, 2012
“Hammer of the Gods,” on the origins of Nazism
Dave Luhrssen's new book tells the bizarre tale of the Thule Society of Munich, a precursor of the Nazi party.
May 10th, 2012
The Making of a Face Jug at MAM
Michel Bayne, North Carolina potter, probably wouldn't mind if you called him a jughead.
May 7th, 2012
Joyce Carol Oates’ new novel, “Mudwoman”
Oates here imagines a successful modern woman secretly haunted by her trials, her fantasies, her dreams, her startling origin.
May 1st, 2012
Judith Ann’s artful shopping
The Milwaukee Art Museum's shop is an important outlet for Wisconsin virtuoso crafters.
Apr 21st, 2012
Richard Knight
Judith Ann Moriarty visits Richard Knight's studio.
Apr 18th, 2012
Gallery Night & Day
To get ready for Spring Gallery Night & Day, Judith Ann Moriarty chats with artist M.J. Vieux, showing at FeatherStone Gallery.
Apr 13th, 2012
“Spiraling Jete (Up)” at Green Gallery East
Judith Ann strolls with her old friend Nicholas Frank, through his new show.
Apr 2nd, 2012
Convent painter Sister Elisabeth Fitchner
Judith Ann takes a look at works by convent painter Sister Elisabeth Fitchner, currently on display at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers.
Mar 21st, 2012
Fred Bell and Livija Patikne
After three decades of reviewing the Milwaukee art scene, Judith Ann still manages to fall hard for the images at the Portrait Society Gallery.
Mar 19th, 2012
Judith Ann, not stoned on Blarney, ponders some Irish art
St. Patrick's Day Special: Among the Accidental Geniuses at the Milwaukee Art Museum is James Dixon, an Irishman.
Mar 15th, 2012
Inside my house
Judith Ann Moriarty shares her personal collection of "Outsider Art," each piece with it's own story.
Mar 7th, 2012
Local outsider artist Jimmy von Milwaukee
Now that Anthony Petullo's collection has been donated to MAM for "Accidental Genius," Judith takes a look at local "Outsider Art" with Jimmy von Milwaukee.
Mar 6th, 2012
Amazing grace at MAM
The Milwaukee Art Museum's "Accidental Genius" prompts Judith Ann to ponder the Outside and the Inside of the art world.
Feb 22nd, 2012
Blingin’ it at Villa Terrace
"The Decorative Impulse" exhibition gives six metalsmiths a chance to shine.
Feb 17th, 2012
A broom is a broom, unless it’s art
Judith Ann ponders the definition of art, in the blurry regions between objects and concepts.
Feb 5th, 2012
Homespun sophistication
Grabner's Green Gallery East show is all about checks and weaves.
Jan 24th, 2012
Grohmann Museum’s “Working Legacies”
Images of industrial decay and rebirth by David Schalliol, with texts by Michael Carriere.
Jan 18th, 2012
Getting Frisky on Gallery Night
Madison photographer and muse/partner share the love in photos at an East Side erotic boutique.
Jan 18th, 2012
A Letter to artist Silas B. Ritchie
Dear Mr. Ritchie... you are obviously an artist with something to say...
Jan 12th, 2012
ArtBook takes up space at last
Opening January 6, Carrie Ann Seymour has big plans for the small office of ArtBook. “We’re going to cover every inch with arty goodness” she says.
Jan 5th, 2012
Bewitched, bothered & bejeweled
Milwaukee Public Museum hosts Cleopatra: The Search For the Last Queen of Egypt through April. You'll want your camera in the gift shop.
Jan 2nd, 2012
Portraits by Arnold Newman
Photos of prominent Jewish figures by famed Life magazine photographer are on view at MJM.
Dec 26th, 2011
Baubles, bangles and art
Judith Ann buys a Christmas ornament at MAM, ponders the avant-garde, and ties it all together via Impressionism.
Dec 24th, 2011
A fairy tale for all times
A Christmas fairy tale from Judith Ann.
Dec 22nd, 2011
“Holiday Punch” goes straight to her head
Judith Ann goes to Off the Wall's Dale Gutzman holiday show, gets punch-drunk.
Dec 19th, 2011
U.S. Patent #2,893,149
Judith Ann's gleaming tree, enhanced by shiny gifts from Shimon and Lindemann.
Dec 12th, 2011
Goodbye, Hello
Gene Evans and Bridget Griffith Evans will close the doors of Luckystar to the public, dimming a bright stars in the Marshall Building's galaxy.
Dec 2nd, 2011
Scoring in Arkansas
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, financed by Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton, purchased one of Tom Uttech's paintings from the Tory Folliard Gallery.
Nov 30th, 2011
Kids go to the Theater
At First Stage's "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells," there's a kid show in the lobby, too.
Nov 28th, 2011
“Ha-Ha-Ha”
You know all about the Black Friday deals, but in the Marshall Building in the Third Ward, they're selling art by the inch.
Nov 25th, 2011
The Boy with the ??? Hair
Judith Ann encounters wacky hair color, assumes "art student," finds something else entirely under the lid.
Nov 21st, 2011
Bayre Bronzes at the Allis
Antoine-Louis Bayre, the "Michelangelo of the Menagerie," permanently snared in the collection of the Charles Allis Art Museum.
Nov 18th, 2011
Works from the Studio of James Hempel
Black sheep, a satin bedspread with nude, and landscapes, landscapes, landscapes adorn Shorewood's tea room.
Nov 14th, 2011
Richard Taylor sculptures hope to alight on Tosa’s Hart Park
The latest public art debate - over Richard Taylor's commissioned collection for Wauwatosa - has local Rotarians bent out of shape.
Nov 7th, 2011
Sean Weber’s debut show
Weber, fresh out of MIAD, with a cheeky, cartoonish approach at Jackpot Gallery.
Nov 6th, 2011
Wisconsin portraitists, vintage and current, at St. John’s
Museum of Wisconsin Art and the lakeside senior residence team up for their first show.
Nov 3rd, 2011
Perfectly campy
Dale Gutzman's take on the 1962 Bette and Joan movie, with Jeremy Welter and Mark Hagen as the grand dames, is a hit.
Oct 31st, 2011
“Cleopatra’s Wedge”
Judith Ann takes a closer look at "Cleopatra's Wedge" in Burns Commons Park on the lower East Side.
Oct 28th, 2011
Judith Ann ponders Impressionism
At the Milwaukee Art Museum, Ms Moriarty considers, among other things, girly art from Degas and Renoir.
Oct 18th, 2011
Cleopatra at the Milwaukee Public Museum
Unearthed artifacts, ancient remains and an ever-present air of mystery comprise "Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt."
Oct 14th, 2011
Sunday in the (sculpture) Park with Judith Ann
"Inside/Outside: Dressing the Monument," at the Lynden Sculpture Garden.
Oct 11th, 2011
Harvest Festival at the Allis
Judith Ann among the vendors on a perfect Saturday at the Charles Allis Decorative Art Museum.
Oct 8th, 2011
“Maroon” at MAM
Judith takes a look at Martin Puyear's "Maroon" and finds that a new perspective may not always be the right one.
Oct 5th, 2011
Taryn Simon Photographs and Texts at MAM
In this Milwaukee Art Museum show, Simon says a lot worth hearing in pictures and in words.
Sep 29th, 2011
Jan Serr’s “About Face” at UWM
Serr, a UWM alum best known for her landscapes, focuses on the human figure in a big show at Inova/Arts Center.
Sep 14th, 2011
Reality Television
There are few words to aptly describe the tragedy of 9/11. On its tenth anniversary, Judith lets art speak for her instead.
Sep 11th, 2011
Transformative
Judith soaks in the last days of summer at the Villa Terrace, musing on the museum's latest installation and admiring a piece of guerilla art lurking outside on Prospect Avenue.
Sep 9th, 2011
Christmas in September?
On a recent visit to the Grand Avenue Mall, Judith stumbles across a premature winter display and muses on the season to come.
Sep 3rd, 2011
Stick It
Judith Ann follows the MAM's admission stickers from the lakefront through downtown, and muses on the strange journeys of these sticky little devils.
Aug 30th, 2011
Forever Young
He’s young. He’s lithe. And he’s dying on the battlefield at Thermopylae. Judith spends an afternoon with The Last of the Spartans, found in the Frederick Layton gallery at MAM.
Aug 26th, 2011
A thousand little pieces
Judith spends the afternoon on MSOE's campus and finds a "Man at Work" and a Lego replica of Miller Park.
Aug 19th, 2011
Do It Yourself
As TCD staff prepares for a move to the Grand Avenue, Judith Ann muses on the new space and Milwaukee's growing creative economy.
Aug 17th, 2011
Right or Wong?
Judith Ann gains inspiration from the fashion of long-ago Chinese starlet Anna May Wong, leading to a brief meditation on art, controversy and the "Summer of China."
Aug 6th, 2011
Two for the Ride
Judith explores two equine works -- separated by several continents and 16 centuries -- currently on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Jul 26th, 2011
Ha-Ha Han
Judith Ann muses on three oft-overlooked "Entertainers" in the Milwaukee Art Museum's "Summer of China" exhibition. What tales (or jokes) have they to tell?
Jul 22nd, 2011
Sunshine through branches at Chez Jaques
Judith Ann muses on a tree, a garden, a mural, and a perfect summer moment at a modest Walker's Point restaurant.
Jul 19th, 2011
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Irving's is a highly political novel from a highly political time, with war and politics sharing a dance macabre and where people search for meaning in uncertain times.
Jul 3rd, 2011
Notes on a film
It’s not the worst flick I’ve seen -- in fact, parts of it brought me to tears. But I got over that and lived to regret wasting two plus hours.
Jul 2nd, 2011
A Cave Man to Love
Painter Kenn Kwint's lyrical and densely layered works recall prehistoric cave drawings, reflecting on life, death and the passage of time.
Jun 30th, 2011
MARN Mentors exhibit at Gallerie M
Collaboration is key as experienced artists teach and work alongside proteges for a year, culminating in a solid group exhibit
Jun 24th, 2011
“Strange Vegetation” blooms at Villa Terrace
Inspired by the lush, fantastical wallpaper in the Zuber Gallery, artist Yevgeniya Kaganovich transforms the room into a jungle of living, breathing plant forms.
Jun 8th, 2011
Bury Me on the Lone Prairie
Judith visits her beloved hometown and takes in Monet, contemporary photography and a world-class collection of Asian art.
May 27th, 2011
RAM takes to the open road
With soaring gas prices in tough economic times, Racine Art Museum's funky mobile art project "RAM on the Road" offers hope for area students and seniors.
May 6th, 2011
The Prince and the Bald Spot (or how he got his hairball)
With the Royal Wedding is a week away, folks are in a tizzy over the Prince's hair. Judith pens an ode to the receding follicles of HRH William of Wales.
Apr 24th, 2011
A postmodern Gallery Night at Safi Studios
The gallery debuts Scott Johnson's "Walkthrough," an audio/visual study of a neighborhood in progress. Plus, new work by Safi residents and sculptor Denise Schanz.
Apr 13th, 2011
Peeps, brew, and YOU
For the sixth year, "Peeple Unite" takes Bay View by storm with art inspired by and devoted to those denizens of Easter schmaltz, Marshmallow Peeps.
Apr 5th, 2011
A story for April Fool’s Day
For me, the tradition of began one day when I sat down to breakfast and dipped into the dish marked “SUGAR,” fatefully pouring a heap of it on my steaming oatmeal.
Apr 1st, 2011
James Matson at WLC
In "Sabbatical," Jim Matson's bewitching sculptures are beautifully constructed and conceived, transporting the viewers into a world beyond.
Mar 30th, 2011
Views of the Feminine”
Generally, I ignore exhibitions focused on gender concerns. In this case, I'm glad I chose otherwise.
Mar 29th, 2011
Queen Elizabeth
No, not that one. The Elizabeth who, until the end of her life at age 79, defined old-style Hollywood Glam with a capital G.
Mar 27th, 2011
“Friends” at Portrait Society Gallery
In a time when “friends” are more often cyber buddies or faces floating in virtual space, three artists pay tribute to their own pals in PSG's latest show.
Mar 24th, 2011
A Chat with Costello
Make that Dagmara Costello, a Polish-born painter and member of the Marshall Building's The Fine Art Gallery, whose landscapes are nothing short of ethereal.
Mar 20th, 2011
Pfister names Narrator finalists
Six finalists have been chosen for The Pfister's next Narrator position. Panelist Judith Ann Moriarty offers a behind the scenes look at the selection process.
Mar 18th, 2011
An Irish tale
Each year when everyone but the Irish celebrate St. Pat’s Day, my thoughts turn to the whereabouts of me great grandmudder, a rippin' wench if there ever was one.
Mar 17th, 2011
Three poets on a spring evening at Boswell
Derrick Harriell, Ed Makowski and Nick Demske read at the Downer Ave. book shop-- and the people-watching was priceless.
Mar 15th, 2011
Dianne Soffa @ Safi Studios
Is it a close up of a super-charged orange car, or the rippled skin of an orange viewed through a microscope? Big or small, Dianne Soffa has it all.
Mar 9th, 2011
Redefining Hip
"Art Muscle" veteran Judith Ann Moriarty chats with the founder of Milwaukee's next arts-focused mag about the highs and lows of publishing in the digital age.
Mar 7th, 2011
“People, Places and Things” at Luckystar Studio
In Luckystar's debut photography exhibition, three Milwaukee photographers strike a balance twixt the outrageous and the sublime.
Mar 4th, 2011
The Best Little Holes in Wisconsin
Opulent, overwhelming, marvelous: even the restrooms at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center are a sight to behold.
Mar 3rd, 2011
“Agristocracy” at RAM
Consumption and consumer waste: Matt Eskuche's window installations at RAM invaded my head, then shattered like glass and cut through to what matters.
Feb 19th, 2011
‘Wright’ or Wrong? “The Women” by T.C. Boyle
Morphine, sex and fires galore: The plot thickens as T.C. Boyle blends fact and fiction in this page-turner about the life and loves of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Feb 12th, 2011
Charles Allis at 100
The Charles Allis Museum celebrates 100 years with "Allis in Wonderland," a nine-month long exhibition extravaganza, beginning this Friday.
Jan 31st, 2011
TINY art at MIAD
Behold the results of visual art melded with science.If beauty is in the eye of the beholder,this is a feast for orbs everywhere.
Jan 21st, 2011
Close Encounters at Safi Studio
There it sits, shining in the light, a mound shaped like a mountain…
Jan 13th, 2011
Bones of Truth
The Portrait Society prepares to open its annual winter exhibit with Linda Wervey Vitamvas' "Chapel of Bones"
Jan 3rd, 2011
Cy Twombly’s not-so-simple marks
Some viewers will snip that the marks in Twombly's "Untitled" pieces, like the one in MAM's Contemporary Galleries, are clumsy. They’d be wrong.
Dec 22nd, 2010
A tale of Christmas Trees past
Trees come and go, but two stick in my mind: the Iowa tree of my childhood and an aluminum one conceived in Manitowoc.
Dec 10th, 2010
Paint with Purpose: Morgan Oldenburg of SPILL
Color is her cue; abstraction her muse. From the spacious confines of her Marshall building gallery, Oldenburg is setting off on an art adventure.
Dec 3rd, 2010
The Lynden Garden’s embellished acres
Judith Ann Moriarty spends a brisk fall afternoon walking the embellished landscape of the Lynden Sculpture Garden.
Nov 23rd, 2010
Pfister Narrator Julie Ferris
The Pfister's first Narrator earned a Ph.D from the University of Iowa. In her spare time, she's working on a novel. Keep your eye on this one.
Nov 5th, 2010
A Walk on the Wild Side
"Excavating, tearing down and rebuilding" - painter Jane Gates talks about reinvention, finding inspiration in nature and why it's okay to break a few rules.
Nov 4th, 2010
“In the Catskills” with George Inness
Picking up where Tom Strini's summer series left off, Judith Ann Moriarty spends an afternoon with the work of a self-taught painter at the Charles Allis Museum.
Oct 27th, 2010
Thomas Schulteis
Who’s the dude sitting in a dental chair? My interest piqued, so I contacted the artist for a 5Q. He's a man of few words, but the work speaks for itself.
Oct 10th, 2010
Live from Milwaukee
Step right up -- MIAD hosts the 2010 Performance Art Showcase, a carnival-esque event that will (literally) stick with you.
Sep 21st, 2010
A harvest of beauty
The annual celebration of American Indian cultures kicks off today. Judith recommends the Circle of Art -specifically the baskets of Oneida artist Kathy Thomas.
Sep 10th, 2010
Confessions of a nail biter
Nail biters are like squirrels. You can hardly ever beat them down.
Sep 5th, 2010
Beauty, sorrow and American detritus
Kevin J. Miyazaki discusses internment camps, his charity-based photography website and the ragged beauty of abandoned fast food establishments.
Aug 31st, 2010
Architect Scott Jackson
The owner/director of Cedar Gallery discusses his ideal living quarters, favorite buildings and why condos freak him out.
Aug 23rd, 2010
The Sound of the Horn
The main character is a horn, or rather, the sound emitted from a horn, but the source of it is where? A lovely, quiet tale by Nicholas Frank
Aug 8th, 2010
From then to now
Former Milwaukee-based artist Carri Skoczek chats about living part-time in New Orleans and oil spill inspired art.
Aug 4th, 2010
The Short Life And Happy Times of The Shmoo
In the '40s, Cartoonist Al Capp created a widespread cultural impact with lovable anti-consumerist and anti-war creatures : the Shmoos.
Aug 1st, 2010
The Marshall Building’s Robert DeToro
The venerable building's co-owner is making a few changes to the Third Ward landmark and destination for the arts
Jul 23rd, 2010
Elevating Tenants
The Marshall Building's elevator grumbles about the daily grind and hints at possible upcoming renovations.
Jul 21st, 2010
A Compelling List
Any fool can make a list of alphabetized names. What’s so clever about a list? Quite a bit, actually.
Jul 16th, 2010
Grazing on Downer
What's the deal with all these sheep on Downer Avenue? And how can they graze without grass? So many questions. Judith goes in search of answers, but these sheep aren't talking much.
Jul 7th, 2010
We all scream for it
Fifteen months have passed since I quit puffing on cigs. In order to not fall back into the tar pit, ice cream has become my sin of choice.
Jul 4th, 2010
A fascination with nature
In 2008, in the deserts of New Mexico, Riverwest-based painter David Niec set out on an ambitious project: to capture an entire moon cycle on canvas.
Jun 23rd, 2010
Gilead
Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Midwestern novel examines the past and present of a small Iowa town.
Jun 20th, 2010
Shelby Keefe
The Milwaukee-based painter's work graces the poster for this year's Lakefront Festival of Arts, happening at the MAM this weekend.
Jun 17th, 2010
Restoration drama
Painter, muralist and expert restorer Andy DeWeerdt needs to clear his studio full of artifacts before moving to Oregon. The Portrait Society Gallery is happy to help.
Jun 11th, 2010
Wisconsin Artists Capture Nature
“Breathtaking natural wonders and moments of majesty,” trumpeted the press release. I’ll make up my own mind, thank you.
Jun 4th, 2010
Herman the talking lobster
An exclusive one-on-one interview with the Koppa family's favorite crustacean.
May 31st, 2010
The Good War
This book isn’t just for old gray hairs like me. It’s a lesson for all times. Trust me.
May 30th, 2010
James Boone Dryden of WriteCamp Milwaukee
Bay View’s Hide House will be the site of WriteCamp Milwaukee, a free gathering of wordsmiths intent on polishing their craft.
May 26th, 2010
Five questions for J.Karl Bogartte
Visual artist and poet J. Karl Bogartte chats with Judith Ann about surrealism, identity and sharing space with two enormous Wolfhounds
May 12th, 2010
The Road to Wellville
If you’re a sophisticated reader or a serious writer, you have to take this daily dose.
May 9th, 2010
An interview with a Moth Orchid
Judith checks in with her favorite $1.98 plant. As it turns out, moth orchids are pretty sassy.
Apr 28th, 2010
Five questions for Katina Jordan
In this bonus 5Q, Judith speaks with Katina Jordan, founder of the Milwaukee Multicultural Theatre.
Apr 19th, 2010
Of Bluebirds and new beginnings
Judith Ann Moriarty talks to Evans about her solo work and her new space in the Marshall Building.
Apr 16th, 2010
Five questions for Pastor Danny Parmelee
"Raw, messy, beautiful and exciting" -- Epikos isn't your typical church.
Apr 14th, 2010
Five questions for Debra Fabian
In my living room is a 70s made-in-Sheboygan chair I found in a dumpster. On the underside was a big wad of gum. Fabian brought the chair back to life.
Mar 31st, 2010
Five questions for painter David Mahaffey
Judith Ann Moriarty resurrects an old VITAL staple with brand-spankin' new bi-weekly installments of 5Q.
Mar 17th, 2010
A Prophet & A Ford
Steny's hosts a benefit this weekend for Milwaukee photographer Francis Ford as he heals from a recent heart surgery.
Mar 5th, 2010
Designer meatballz and more!
IKEA might be a gargantuan draw in Illinois for those looking for furnishings (and perhaps even lunch) on a budget, but those savings come at a cost.
Feb 23rd, 2010
Five Questions for Fred Bell
At his wildest, Fred Bell's delectable strokes resemble those of Vincent Van Gogh during his days and nights of madness.
Feb 18th, 2010
Hey good looking, whatcha got cooking?
Worst dates are plagued by corny pickup lines, obnoxious chatter and dinners gone bad.
Feb 9th, 2010
Thomas Woodruff’s Freak Parade
Wacky and wanton, this exhibition of grotesque-ness is a must-see for those who aren't faint of heart.
Jan 29th, 2010
Life after MIAD?
Life after MIAD may not be awash in riches, but from a professional standpoint, it’s certainly been successful for this threesome.
Jan 21st, 2010
Open your eyes to the world of lobby art
Prefer a royal lobby? A Chihuly chandelier? Entryways of local condos flash artistic clout.
Jan 2nd, 2010
Five Questions for Valerie Christell of Merge Gallery
It’s not just another pretty place for pretty art. Think social consciousness instead.
Dec 29th, 2009
Sale at Dean Jensen Gallery
Art sale brings more than 100 acclaimed works by 30 artists closer into view.
Dec 10th, 2009
Larry Baker’s A Good Man
Author's tale conjures up classic character types and more than a few riveting surprises.
Nov 30th, 2009
Cheap scores at Retique
Third Ward thrift boasts a number of (surprising) high-end finds.
Nov 26th, 2009
Five Questions for Mark Flower
A passion for veterans opens doors of opportunities for local organization.
Nov 4th, 2009
Tony Matelli at The Green Gallery East
Gambling, boozing, smoking and wolfing junk food, plus some interesting weeds. Is this stuff P.C.?
Nov 2nd, 2009
War, Art & the Veteran at MAM
Young, talented and long gone. The men in these images will never grow old.
Oct 27th, 2009
Dali, Masson at David Barnett Gallery
Surrealism exhibits master the spartan, the subconscious and the subtly erotic.
Oct 20th, 2009
Slime on, slime on harvest moon
How would I rate Meadowbrook Pumpkin Farm on a 1-to-10 Scream Scale? I’d be hard-pressed to grade it as anything other than a solid ten tons of fun.
Oct 15th, 2009
Ford shoots friends
The many faces of friendship. Photographer Francis Ford captures the essence.
Oct 15th, 2009
Midwest Murals at Grohmann Museum
These murals are gussied-up imaginings of an America that never was.
Oct 8th, 2009
Rashomon
Justice and human nature intertwine in this classic tale of a twisted crime plot retold by four people.
Sep 29th, 2009
A Noir, B Noir
Two tomes explore the film genre noir, a place where fear reigns and shadows slither.
Sep 18th, 2009
Democracy in action?
Even on this day that once evoked pain (and still evokes controversy), there is beauty.
Sep 11th, 2009
Cool It
Cool is cooler than ever with the awesome photography duo J. Shimon & J. Lindemann
Sep 4th, 2009
Sixteen Blocks & What Have You Got?
Notes and observations on the In:Site Park East Corridor Project
Aug 25th, 2009
Fumes at Green Gallery East
Jittery, nerved-up new paintings by local artist Peter Barrickman at the mod pizza parlor-cum-East Side art gallery.
Aug 17th, 2009
One more reason to respect Iowa
“I’m almost ready to up and leave Iowa and move back to Minnesota,” one woman said angrily. “There’s something about it happening in the heartland that has got to accelerate this process for the whole country,” said another. On April 4, the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the ban on same-sex marriages, giving lie to the myth that Iowa folks are strictly conservative. Some would say they are, indeed, Progressives. Whatever your take on the same-sex marriage issue, the court’s web site had 1.5 million viewers on the day of the decision. The court’s seven members made it a unanimous decision. I have a beautiful niece, one of several. Not only is she highly intelligent, she is a hard-working and has for many years supported herself. She is loved by her father, her mother, her sister, and her devoted partner, Annie. My niece is a lesbian. In the building I occupy are several gay and lesbian couples. They come and go like other occupants, off to shop or walk their pets. One of the gay partners is a well-respected judge in our county court system, and I volunteered for his re-election campaign. If you placed these couples (or individuals) in a crowd, you’d never be able to identify their gender preference. For instance, is that fellow over there gay, the one dressed in a suit and tie? Yes, he is. He’s a parole officer. His partner works for Milwaukee’s Health Department. And the lady in the flowered suit and fashionable shoes? Oh, she’s one of our State Representatives. She’s a lesbian. The aforementioned judge and his partner throw a big Halloween costume party each fall. It’s a blast. That said, no one swings from the chandeliers brandishing sex toys. At the last one I attended, the guy I was standing next to was dressed as a Milwaukee police officer. A gay chap, he really is a Milwaukee police officer. Milwaukee has churches friendly to gay and lesbian couples. In the summer, the city celebrates Pride Fest and I can think of no place in town that would single out lesbian and gay couples as “unwelcome,” though Pride Fest is sometimes picketed by those who think their way is the only way. We have a center for “Gay Arts,” but it isn’t the art that’s gay, it’s the artists who produce it. I have a lady friend who, after an unsuccessful heterosexual marriage, partnered with a woman. When one of their mothers died last year, the two of them steered her wheelchair through small town Iowa, in a “Race to Beat Cancer,” event. Together, they grieved over their loss. A teacher gal pal married and raised a fine son who is currently serving in Iran. When her child rearing days were over, she left her marriage to live with a woman who leads a blues band. She told me she knew early on that she preferred the company of women, but societal pressures directed her toward a heterosexual marriage. Incidentally, the lady […]
Apr 13th, 2009
Drink Like An Egyptian
Who knows if King Tut was given to tippling, but when his tomb was opened in 1922, three dozen plain pottery wine jars were discovered inside, twenty-six of which had hieroglyphs telling of the vineyard location, the estate where it was produced, and the vinter who produced it. Two pots were labeled “very good.” Tut died in 1352 BC, and perhaps the labels were the first, or almost the first, examples of things to come in the world of labels. A few of the wine jars in the tomb were empty. Or perhaps laced with poison, who knows? My personal favorite label, is pasted in my Cooking of Provincial France cookbook, circa 1968. The label from a Beaujolais Saint-Amour burgundy produced by “Jaboulet-Vercherre,” is square, designed in tones of burgundy, white and metallic gold. Stamped “JV,” it includes a coat-of-arms bannered “in tenebris lumen rectis,” which means, “true light in the darkness.” I drank large draughts of the Beaujolais while mastering the art of whipping up Coquille Saint-Jacques a la Provencale, which incidentally, is best served with a dry white wine. Dude, peel me a grape. Paper labels as we know them today, weren’t developed for general use until around 1860, when manufacturers understood how to make them stick to glass. Prior to that, well-heeled households used silver “bottle tickets” hung by narrow silver chains from wine decanters. In the 1740s, European wineries sold their products unlabeled. They were stored stacked in bins and the bins were then identified with glazed pottery tags. Labels were designed to inform. Consider this from a late 1800s bottle of sweet red Tokay from Hungary: This wine having been stored in wood for the full period necessary for maturity, and all unwholesome acids being thereby eliminated, is safely included in the dietary scale of the invalid; whilst its fine delicate bouquet will please the taste of the connoisseur. Makes you want to drink yourself stupid doesn’t it? In 2001, an image of Mona Lisa sporting a red mustache took first prize in a label-making content hyped by Wine Maker Magazine An obvious rip off of “Got Milk” campaign, I wonder if it bombed? Anyone who shops for wine, knows it’s the label that grabs the eye and it’s the label that clinches the sale. Face it, it’s where “art meets commerce.” The youth of today now drink more wine than beer, and yes, these are the youths who grew up with television, digital graphics, People Magazine, and clothing “branded” with labels. Come on now, who wouldn’t want a bottle of “Marilyn Merlot,” named after Marilyn Monroe who died way back in 1962. She’s there on the label in living color…head thrown back, rosy lips parted to reveal pearly teeth. Her famous eyes are partially closed. Clad in a ribbed white tank-top; a delicate necklace dripping seal shells and polished stone hangs around her famous neck. A wine expert claims Marilyn Merlot (2003 Napa Valley Winery) is “middling,” and it’s suggested that perhaps connoisseurs should […]
Apr 1st, 2009
A Grouch Worth Considering
Artist Kenn Kwint goes bonkers when he sees his first name spelled incorrectly. I’ve know him for 20-plus years, enough to know that he whines a lot, but who cares? This chap is a “painter’s painter.”
Dec 12th, 2007
Cinco Jugueteros de Venezuela @ Latino Arts Center
I hate sounding like Scrooge, but my memory bank is filled with nights-before-Christmas spent assembling toys for my kids. If you’ve ever tried finding a minuscule screw in inch-high shag carpeting, you know what I mean. There were endless batteries to test, a parade of dolls (Chatty Kathy, Baby Wets, Raggedy Ann) and, atop our aluminum tree, a revolving purple-and-blue light on the fritz. And where were Barbie’s pink shoes and Ken’s shirt? Would my 5-year-old like the green cowboy boots I bought in Mexico? I learned later that not one kid in his preppy pre-school wore cowboy boots, let alone green ones. What was I thinking? The turkey thawing in the kitchen seemed to be the only thing not giving me tizzies. On these nightmares before Christmas, I slugged down extra eggnog. Cinco Jugueteros de Venezuela (Handcrafted Venezuelan Toys) was scheduled to open Friday, December 7 (5pm-7pm) at the Latino Arts Center, 1028 S. 9th St. When I arrived for the gala opening, it had been rescheduled. The new date is Friday, January 4, 2008. The show will run through January, so you’ll be able to greet the New Year with a selection of toys crafted entirely by hand, with no assembly required and no lead-paint problems. As I write this, the shipment of toys is sitting somewhere in Memphis, held up due to changes in Venezuelan shipping regulations. “The toys don’t talk, they don’t walk. They run entirely by imagination,” said Zulay Oszkay, a member of the Milwaukee Arts Board and Artistic Director of Latino Arts, Inc. She added that she and her staff had painted the 300 sq. ft. auditorium room entirely white so as to better “show off” the toys. They tracked the Fed-Ex shipment for several days, right up to the last minute, but alas! No toys in time for the December 7 opening. The toys were to be accompanied by the artisans who made them, but they were unable to get visas for the visit. While writing this, I found a website blasting Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez. It seems he thinks Barbie and Ken represent “disgusting stupidity”; his holiday choices are items made in Venezuela. For boys, he suggests wooden rocking horses and/or “Ilaneros” (cowboys), and for girls … rag dolls. However, I doubt if politico Chavez was actually thinking about simpler times. Call him a dictator or a Democrat; he does seem a bit sexist when it comes to toys. Venezuela is in the throes of political turmoil, which contributed to the delayed shipment of toys. As Zulay and I sipped coffee and chatted in the auditorium, kids came in to participate in “toy-making” workshops and the United Community Center Youth Cuatro Ensemble arrived to perform. Images of the exquisite toys flashed by on a nearby television screen. Despite the cancellation of the opening, the mood was upbeat and the room sparkled with decorated trees. This is a wonderful facility and worth a visit anytime. Later in the evening, a friend and I […]
Dec 10th, 2007
Carrying A Knife In To The Gunfight
His real name is Edmund Makowski, but around town he’s known as poet Eddie Kilowatt. It suits him to a tee: his persona is electric indeed, and it shines through in his slender new book of poetry, Carrying A Knife In To The Gunfight.
Dec 1st, 2007
Time Machine
Three days after listening to Russell Bowman’s lecture at the Milwaukee Art Museum, I drove with a friend to re-visit the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) in Sheboygan. Bowman, the former Executive Director of MAM, spoke so eloquently and in-depth about when and how MAM’s “folk art” collection came to fruition; it seemed the perfect excuse to take another look at JMKAC’s collection of art, specifically Sublime Spaces & Visionary Worlds: Built Environments of Vernacular Art, which runs until January 2008. Let’s forget about labels for the time being. Whether you choose to refer to work produced by self-taught artists as “folk,” “outsider,” or “visionary,” bear in mind that the distinctions overlap more often than they divide. Blurred boundaries can be a good thing. Sunday, November 11 may not have been the best day to travel north, though my friend and I fortunately dodged the crowds rushing to Lambeau in massive vehicles bound for the Packer-Vikings game. The upside was finding JMKAC virtually empty, so we more or less had the glorious place to ourselves. There is no admission fee and on that day, parking was certainly not a problem. My travel companion, self-taught artist Jilan Glynn, lives in a tiny Walker’s Point home resembling an art installation. She uses a cane to get around these days, but not just any old cane. She made hers, and it was a perfect accessory for a perfect day. Walking through the galleries is somewhat akin to entering a voluminous tent where a circus is underway. Step right up, folks. Don’t be afraid. What you are about to see is not an illusion. With twenty-one artists represented, artists from here, there, and everywhere, you’d expect to feel claustrophobic, because many of the artists produced massive figurative works originally intended for “natural” environments such as yards and wide open spaces. Thanks to the excellence of JMKAC’s curatorial staff, though, each artist’s work clearly has its own space and never seems isolated. Nothing is crowded or crammed awkwardly. The interior architecture embraces the collection. Intricate, concrete constructions lead to stately clusters of figures fashioned from fabrics and clay before giving way to the light and airy wire fantasies of the wildly prolific Emery Blagdon. Standing there, I wondered what it might be like to live inside of a delicate web spun by the mind of an artist. My friend remarked that she wished there was a fan blowing nearby, so she could see the slender objects move. When we looked skyward to pieces suspended from the ceiling, indeed, some were moving, but ever so gently, in the whispering air currents. A fan would have been a travesty! In his lecture, Russell Bowman remarked that sometimes when the work of self-taught artists is removed from its natural environment to an institutionalized setting, it acquires another meaning. I agree with his statement, but such is not the case with this outstanding exhibit, which avoids being “precious.” At the risk of sentimentalizing the entire experience, it did […]
Nov 16th, 2007
A Vision Defined
Nov. 3 – Dec. 1 Opening Reception: Nov. 3, 6-9pm A year ago, Whole Foods Market opened to much hoopla and artist Matthew Kirk’s work was selected to add some “local flavor” to the sprawling food emporium. The installation of his work, arranged by Hotcakes Gallery proprietor Mike Brenner, went off without a hitch. It was removed shortly thereafter. Whole Foods explained “it didn’t fit Whole Foods’ Corporate image.” However, it is a good match for Hotcakes, a gallery at 3379 N. Pierce St. in Riverwest, known for innovative and quality exhibits. Kirk’s solo event, his second at this venue, opens with a reception on Saturday, November 3, and runs through December l. In his artist statement for hotcakesgallery.com, he says he “makes pictures to convey the sense of loss and aimlessness that I feel from growing up in a society that has only one vision, and one place, for what an American Indian is, or should be.” His biography notes he was born in Arizona on a Navajo Indian reservation. But need we feel sentimental about that? Painting a Hat, 1914. Edward Curtis. I’ve seen the paintings and prints of Karl Bodmer and George Catlin, and nostalgic photographs by Edward Curtis, and though they depict American Indians, the makers of the art are non-Indians on what smacks of a sentimental journey. However, the images are gorgeous and are important in the history of art making. In the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Bradley Collection, there used to be (and I hope there still is), a painting (Untitled, 1976) by Fritz Scholder, the first artist to paint American Indians surrounded by flags, beer cans and cats – a big leap from the formal portraits produced by Curtis in the early twentieth century. Scholder’s work intrigued me, not because he was an American Indian, or because his painting depicts an American Indian. What intrigued me was his bold palette and broad painterly strokes, so typical of the unfettered art world of the ’70s. Indian in the Snow, 1972. Fritz Scholder. A few years ago, I saw the paintings of Shonto Begay at the Phoenix Art Museum. His website identifies him as a Navajo artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California College of Arts and Crafts, practicing since 1983. I emailed him about the Hotcakes exhibit and asked for permission to use one of his images. He replied thusly: “I have no problem helping a fellow Navajo showing far from home or anywhere … It is an interesting situation being a Native visual artist, and how we view ourselves. Marginalized and anthro material even in our most creative and free expression. Anyway, Curio or not, we love what we do and hope to continue.” “Curio. Marginalized and anthro material.” Kirk and Begay have never met, but it sounds like they share similar thoughts about “loss and aimlessness.” Kirk’s artist statement expands on this by saying it comes from “growing up in a society that has only one vision, and one place, for […]
Oct 29th, 2007
The Doo-Wop Box
I spent my teen years in Kansas City during the ’50s, and like other suburban girls of my era, gloried in wearing Mamie bangs and pony tails, Poodle skirts and saddle oxfords. A few years ago I bought a pair of those famous black and white shoes with pink rubber soles, copies of the originals which are still being churned out in California. Hey nonny ding-dong. Thank heavens, some things never change. Doo-wop. Do you remember doo-wop, the music of the 50s and 60s, rooted in the urban streets and hearts and souls of black Americans? When The Chords, five black guys, cut “Sh-Boom” in the spring of 1954, I was a senior in high school. My best friend introduced me to the sound, a sound so black that the beat stuck in my head and feet for years. To my lily-white ears it had a dangerous edge that signaled freedom and something other than the privileged “Pleasantville” suburbia of my teen years. It was sexy and sweet and heartbreaking. Filled with tears, moons and stars, it addressed the yearnings of most teenagers, but come to think of it, didn’t actually guarantee any answers to our prayers. In many ways, doo-wop resembled a stone-hearted God that we worshipped on a daily basis. Today I’m sitting in my office writing and listening to The Doo-Wop Box, 101 vocal group tunes compiled in 1993 by Rhino. The four CDs cover the years from 1948 to the doo-wop revival era stretching from 1959-1987. Included is a smart book stuffed with black and white photographs, historical information, and a list of 33 “nonsense” syllables, used to replace traditional instrumentation. Can you identify #17: doo wop, doo wadda, or #31: wah wah, shoop shoop? Along the way, I noticed that many of the vocal groups from the early years were named after birds … The Orioles, The Ravens, The Flamingos, The Wrens, The Penguins. But there were also groups named: The Nutmegs, The Jewels, and The Valentines. These folks did not lack for imagination. In 1956, I floated off to a college dance, in a strapless turquoise tulle gown and huge rhinestone earrings, my hair sheared off in a “Duck’s Ass.” It was a daring haircut, but my date, an uptight dental student intent on fixing tooth decay, never asked me out again, even though we sipped rum and Cokes and danced to “In The Still Of The Nite.” The Five Satins recorded the tune in a basement, and the book in my Doo-Wop Box informs me that despite the hollow sounds, it was one of the two most popular oldies of all times. The other was The Penguins, “Earth Angel.” Their name came from the icon on the Kools cigarettes pack. Earth Angel, earth angel, won’t you be mine? Tonite. Tonite, may never reach an end. Long Lonely Nights by Lee Andrews & The Hearts set my heart on fire. It still does. So, what’s an old lady like me doing listening to doo-wop, […]
Oct 1st, 2007
Shoot-out at the corner of Superior & Russell
Artist Jimmy von Milwaukee (JVM) has had his share of ups and downs as a gallerist known for hot times in colorful venues around town, for example his hit-and-run stint as the proprietor of the moveable feasts like Leo Feldman, River Rat Gallery (formerly staged in narrow alleys) and, lest you forget, his annual irreverent Xmas Craft Show. 2007 wasn’t so hot for JVM, who battled AIDS and coped with the death of his dog Spot, who could jump through hoops and often entertained during his master’s wild soirees. Call him a “survivor” – JVM is back at it, this time to curate a River Rat Gallery Night & Day exhibit (Cowboys & Indians), opening October 19 (through January 3/08) at the Palomino, 2491 S. Superior St., in Bay View. Gallery Day can be dull, but if you arrive at 10 a.m. and stick it out, you can rustle some brunch grub. Jimmy Von Milwaukee at the Palomino I’ve known JVM for several decades and early-on wondered about his sanity, and the sanity of the artists he exhibited. Were they eccentrics hankering for publicity, or were they bona-fide artists seeking a place to call their own? In retrospect, I believe they were a bit of each. Despite, or more likely because of his audacious approach to art, JVM managed to charm the late great art critic for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, James Auer, and the media has been feasting on him ever since. He’s 51 now and his edges have softened a bit – but only a bit. Some see him as Milwaukee’s “Andy Warhol.” That may be a stretch, but Warhol was no slouch when it came to cowboys and Indians. Andy Warhol, Double Elvis, 1963 So what can you expect when the exhibit kicks up dust at the Palomino during that most revered of events – Gallery Night & Day? Will it be just another “outsider artist” show, or will it rise above that useless label, a label more or less put to rest when Miracles of the Spirit: Folk, Art, and Stories from Wisconsin, a major book, was published in 2006. One of the artists who received full coverage in Miracles, Bob Watt, will make his Palomino debut with paintings of Indians. There will be an interpretation of Brokeback Mountain and a Warholian salute to Roy Rogers by printmaker Randy James, a hand-crafted “Smallpox Blanket” by Chris Ward, photographs of cattle castration and branding by James Brozek, plus more stuff for your saddlebags: Heather and Jerome Voelske’s cowboy-themed glass items installed on the interior of the north facing bank of windows, Rebecca Tanner’s soft-sculpture Winchester rifles, paintings by Lemonie Fresh, and a sculpture by Matt Fink, known in these parts for his stinging social commentary. JVM has legions of fans and a tendency to exhibit too much work, and the Palomino is already awash with cowboy kitsch, but maybe in this case, more will be more. I’m betting on it. “Cowboy” from a working ranch, Mimbres, New […]
Sep 25th, 2007
