Gallery Talk Forward 2014 – A Survey of Wisconsin Art Now

Milwaukee, WI – The Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave, is pleased to announce a gallery talk featuring Forward 2014 Grand Prize winner Terrence Coffman, Forward 2014 Award of Excellence winner Colette Odya Smith, and widely renowned artist JoAnna Poehlmann, Friday, June 27 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Marking the closing weekend of this year’s biennial survey of Wisconsin Art now, the artists will speak about their work in the show and their careers as artists. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Special $5.00 admission includes both the talk and entrance to the Charles Allis Art Museum to view the show. Museum Members receive free admission.

About Terrence Coffman
Terrence Coffman, Former President of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Artist-in-Residence at the Burren College of Art, Ireland and Fellow of the Lacoste School of Art, Provence France, as diverse artistic talents. Coffman is an accomplished painter, author, musician/songwriter, actor and an internationally recognized leader in art education. He studied at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.

About Colette Odya Smith
Colette Odya Smith is a widely exhibited, award-winning artist working primarily in soft pastels to create her “intimate landscapes” that skirt the edge of realism and abstraction. A former art teacher, she is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, the Pastel Society of New Mexico, Wisconsin Visual Artists, and the League of Milwaukee Artists. She has received numerous awards in national exhibitions, and has had her work featured in the Pastel Journal, International Artist (formerly Pastel Artist International), Pratique des Arts and American Artist magazines.

About JoAnna Poehlmann
JoAnna Poehlmann’s art is a rare combination of superb draftsmanship, meticulous observation, droll humor, and effusive joy. Her graphite drawings, watercolor paintings, and multimedia collage drawings, hand-colored lithographs and etchings, and limited edition books are infused with a deep appreciation of art, literature, and the natural world. Poehlmann’s pieces are housed in collections both public and private across the world, including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), István Király Muzeum (Budapest), and Museum für Kunsthandwerk (Frankfurt).

About the Charles Allis Mansion
On the National Register of Historic Places, the lavish 1911 Tudor-style mansion was originally the home of Charles Allis, first president of Allis-Chalmers Corporation and his wife Sarah. The Charles Allis Mansion was designed by prominent Milwaukee architect Alexander Eschweiler. Construction on the home began in 1909 and was completed in 1911. Special attention was paid to the exterior walls that are constructed of thick concrete to keep the Allis’ substantial art collection safe from the ever-present threat of fire. It was one of the first private residences in Milwaukee to have electricity. Interior materials included fine Italian marble, used for the hand-carved fireplaces found in almost every room as well as the grand staircase and the Marble Hall, Lincrusta Walton, an embossed wallpaper, and Cirassian walnut paneling found in the French Parlor and Library. The Charles Allis Art Museum is a treasure, preserved intact in its original form with some items in the collection being the only known examples of their kind in existence.

About Charles and Sarah Allis
Charles Allis and Sarah Ball were married in 1877. They were active in the Milwaukee community throughout their lives, Charles was one of the founding members of the Milwaukee Arts Society, a trustee at the Layton Art Gallery, and served on the boards of many other arts organizations. The couple amassed an extensive art collection including Japanese porcelain, ancient glass, Renaissance bronzes, and 19^th century French and American paintings. Their intention was to bequeath their mansion, built for the purpose of preserving and showcasing
their collection, and art to the public in order to delight, inspire and educate. Today the Charles Allis Art Museum also provides arts programing to emerging teens, veterans and MPS students and changing exhibitions feature local and regional artists, making the museum a vibrant center for Wisconsin arts not to be missed.

General Information
Museum Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 1-5 p.m. General Admission: $7/adult, $5/student & senior (62+), Free for museum members, children 12 & under, and active military. Group tours available. More information at (414) 278-8295 or www.charlesallis.org

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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