Helen and Ben Bertelson’s Terra-Cotta Wonder Documented In New Book
New book by Milwaukee artist of the year Ben Tyjeski looks at one of Milwaukee's terra-cotta gems.
The Bertelson Building. Photo by Ben Tyjeski.
For those who love historic architecture, a new book by Ben Tyjeski takes readers on an intimate, close-up look at Milwaukee’s Bertelson Building, 2101 N. Prospect Ave. The book, The Bertelson Building: A Story in Terra Cotta, tells the story of Helen Bertelson and her son, Ben, and how their successful photography career allowed them to build this stunning work of architectural terra cotta.
“As an artist,” says Tyjeski, “it’s very exciting to learn that the Bertelsons’ art career afforded them the opportunity to erect this delightful building. Plus, the property was not only a place for the Bertelsons to work, live, and collect rent, but also it was a work of art. The owners expressed their photography business and their ideals in the ornamentation of the facade. The relief sculptures of children parading with baskets of fruit, expressive portraits, and fantastic creatures might appear random or superficial, but they are there intentionally.”
Tyjeski generously uses colored photographs to illustrate the many unique, decorative features in the architectural terra cotta of the Bertelson Building. He compares the Spanish Colonial / Mediterranean Revival to other buildings designed by the architectural firm Martin Tullgren & Sons and other sites with terra cotta manufactured by the American Terra Cotta & Ceramic Co. These comparisons are accompanied by historic photographs from the American Terra Cotta Collection in the Northwest Architectural Archives at the University of Minnesota. Some of these historic photographs show Tullgren buildings that appear much like the Bertelson Building, but are non-extant.
The book is also a contemporary source for the current tenants at the Bertelson Building, including jewelry designer Paloma Wilder. When the two went for a walk this summer, Wilder mentioned that she would be opening her jewelry shop for the Historic Milwaukee Inc. Doors Open event, and with Tyjeski’s fascination for the building, the idea of the book transpired. Also featured in the book are Strange Town owner Mia LeTendre and hair designer/East Side legend, Bert Brickner.
The author will be signing copies of the book in Paloma Wilder’s jewelry studio at 2105 N. Prospect Ave. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 23. The book will be available for sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the store on the 23rd and the 24th. Copies of the book will be available for $15 online at the author/artist’s website, www.tyjeskitile.com and at Urban Milwaukee: The Store following the event.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
