Whitney Gould, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, recently penned a beautiful piece about the coming transformation of Reservoir Park, which likely will include public art. Considering the flap over the recent Gordon Park sculpture, perhaps folks should consider a discrete “earthworks,” a non-intrusive sculpture, shaped by a sensitive landscaper. A sensational alternative is to visit Hotcakes sculpture garden featuring the glorious works of L. John Andrew, a chap who sure knows how to weld washers into pure beauty. The Milwaukee Arts Board should drop by. Can you believe it, The Charles Allis Museum’s Lucky 13 exhibit was the most attended event ever in the history of the staid old venue. Never have those hallowed halls been so privy to piercings, tattoos, wild hair, electric energy, and well, the electrifying attitude of the mostly under-40 artists. Overheard at the event from a wowed 90-year-old: “By Golly, this is fuuun!” Riverwest’s artist side was represented by Matt Fink and Ilse Klink. James Kloiber’s haunting charcoal of “Venus Braiding Her Hair” had a wall unto itself, all the better to show the talents of one who recently left INFO to pursue his dreams. More about Klink..She labors at Geo.Watts’ elegant emporium, where a new line of plates and Christmas ornaments bearing her depiction of Milwaukee is for sale. Expect a feature about Ms. Klink soon. If you’re already thinking about funky ideas for gift-giving, consider Rivereaster Mike “Ringo” White who’s made a career by reshaping what other folks throw out. Before winter arrives, stop at the Villa Terrace Museum to see the Susan Frackelton exhibit, a perfect cap to a project underwritten by the Wisconsin Herb Society. Last spring, a select group of female students from the Milwaukee School for the Arts planted herbs at the Villa, then throughout the summer attended various hands-on projects and educational seminars to introduce them to career choices in horticulture. Recently Murray Hill Pottery helped the young middle-schoolers incorporate herbal images into ceramics, a nice touch, as Ms. Frackelton was a noted ceramicist. Eighteen mostly local sculptors will be strutting their stuff in the Third Ward through October 24. A great adjunct to that has been the three-series presentation of public sculpture seminars at MIAD. The end result will bring one of the three artists to the Third Ward with a permanent public sculpture in the Fall of 2005. The winner will be announced in December.
October
