Pabst. Schlitz. Miller. These brands are synonymous with Milwaukee where, until Prohibition, business was booming. Modern advertising was revolutionized during this time and brewers took advantage in order to convince a thirsty public that their brews were the best. This resulted in iconic images, elaborate signage, and unforgettable slogans that are still used today. Art on Tap | Early Wisconsin Brewery Art and Advertising is on view at MOWA July 16–September 24, 2016.

Award-winning poet Lawrence Kessinich is the author of “Cinnamon Girl,” a new novel set at UWM and on Milwaukee’s east side from 1969-70, one of the most tumultuous years in our history. He recall the social upheaval of the era and asks us to consider: what caused it, and what did it accomplish? UWM’s Master Chats feature distinguished professors and alumni speakers presenting on a range of engaging topics. Sponsored by the UWMAA Emeritus Board, Presidents’ Circle and UWM Libraries. Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public. Reserve your spot at attend.com/masterchats Paid parking is available in the UWM Student Union parking garage.

Opening Reception for “ECO ephemeral”: Works by Thomas Ferrella and Artists’ Books from Special Collections September 16 @ 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Please join us for the opening celebrations on September 16, 2016 at the UWM Golda Meir Library. All are welcome! At 4 p.m. there will be a walking tour of the exhibition, guided by the curator, Pamela Caserta Hugdahl. The tour will include several of artist Thomas Ferrella’s temporary outdoor installations on campus. Meet at the Grind cafe on the first floor of the Golda Meir Library. From 5 to 6 p.m. there will be a reception in Special Collections on the fourth floor of Golda Meir Library. This thesis exhibition approaches environmental concerns through an art historical perspective by considering works of art by Dr. Thomas Ferrella, M.D. and artists’ books from Special Collections at UW-Milwaukee Libraries. The exhibition evades conventional boundaries of galleries in order to present artists’ books in their intended manner and to display Ferrella’s outdoor installations in context with UWM’s award-winning sustainability initiatives. The results exemplify how we shape earth and in turn how our actions upon earth impact us, emphasizing human interdependence on fragile ecosystems. Ferrella’s artworks and medical expertise in combination with the content in the artists’ books and UWM sustainability initiatives argue for a holistic approach to environmentalism that is yet to be embraced by much of the world’s human population. The exhibit, located in the Grind and in Special Collections, runs from Sept. 10 to October 12, 2016. Exhibition and accompanying catalogue made possible by the Jeffrey R. Hayes Graduate Research Award, granted through the Department of Art History, and by Jan Serr and John Shannon. Co-sponsored by the UWM Libraries.

The two main Galleries will feature an expansive new body of work by Mark Mulhern which reflects his ongoing interest in the figure and its surroundings. Introspective but unselfconscious, the work is filled with subtle gestures and freely painted locations that invite contemplation on the part of the viewer. Inspired by the Brocante (vintage markets) of France and garden parties, these paintings expose moments of everyday life through simplified abstraction. Mulhern’s paintings capture fleeting moments, but are the result of making marks, revising, amending, and finally, accepting the end result.