Posted inArts & Entertainment

Pentaminoes – Doug Holst

When I practically stumbled over Doug and his 13-year old Italian greyhound, Lucy, sitting on the steps outside his east side apartment, my preconceptions were instantly dispelled. The almost-40-year old artist looks more like a college student, and made me suspect that he has an aging portrait of himself in an attic somewhere. Upstairs, I was met with several rooms jammed with dozens of brilliantly colored paintings. As we settled on his futon, listening to his well-worn Iron and Wine CD, the Milwaukee native apologized for “only” having a bachelor’s degree from UWM.

Posted inWoodland Pattern

Experimental Films at Woodland Pattern

Besides bringing the best of contemporary poetry and music to the Milwaukee arts scene, Woodland Pattern also hosts the Experimental Film and Video Series. The series presents 10-12 screenings of experimental film per year on the last Friday of the month. Carl Bogner, a 43-year-old instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has curated the series for the past five years. Bogner has also programmed the Milwaukee Gay and Lesbian Film Festival for the past eight years.

Posted inBusiness Spotlight

Shiraz

Look for Shiraz Persian Foods and Spices on Oakland Ave. between the Subway shop and Trattoria restaurant, but look carefully — if you blink you could miss it. Don’t let size fool you, though. The little store’s shelves are stocked with all the ingredients that cooks need to please a Persian’s palate or anyone’s taste that appreciates good curries, hummus, and aromatic teas.