June 3–October 16, 2022 Baker/Rowland Galleries at the Milwaukee Art Museum

Always New: The Posters of Jules Chéret

Posters by the French artist Jules Chéret (1836–1932) caused a sensation in 19th-century Paris. Known as the father of the poster, Chéret was one of the first artists to bring colorful, large-scale advertisements to Paris streets, creating what critics called a “museum in the open air.” People strolling down the boulevards were captivated not only by Chéret’s vibrant images, but also by how frequently his new designs appeared. Chéret had developed new printing methods that allowed him to meet the fast pace that advertisers demanded to promote their latest entertainments and products. The ephemeral nature of these posters contributed to the popular idea that rapid change was central to modern life.

Always New: The Posters of Jules Chéret presents 109 posters, prints, and drawings by Chéret that reflect the French interest in novelty at the end of the 19th century. Drawn from James and Susee Wiechmanns’ gift to the Museum of more than 600 works by the artist, the exhibition is organized into five sections that highlight the various pleasures his posters publicized: performances, fashion, the press, real and imagined travel, and consumer products. Always New brings Chéret into focus as a master of his medium and demonstrates how these posters reflect larger societal issues in their depictions of everyday Parisian life.

As per usual, rather then photographing the posters (we have had one in our home for quite a long time) there are other things to see in the Museum. These are some of the murals giving the feeling of a walk through Paris.

           

      And then there is my documentary work.

Me creating a masterpiece of Kathy, she is in front of a reflective piece of see-through glass.

Art Preserve - John Michael Kohler Center for the Arts

The Building Exterior 

YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr1bkvewgws&t=74s

The Denver-based design firm Tres Birds was tasked with creating a space that speaks to the collection, both materially and experientially. They chose humble materials such as wood and concrete to echo the frequent use of each in the work in the collection. Hugging the hillside it is built on, the building is irregularly shaped and utilizes corners, recesses, and vistas as opportunities for discovery. Noting the relationship of the design to the collection and the site, the architects write:

The collection informed the shape and form of the building in two ways. As much of the collection was built and exhibited outdoors and draws power from this connection, the form of the building was influenced by this in the way that apertures have been placed throughout the space so the art has connections to the exterior. Whether it’s a grand view of the Sheboygan River across Lower Falls Road or a view to the adjacent wooded hillside, views and light have been curated to create an ever-changing space in which the art lives. The collection has been described as work built by humble people using humble materials to create extraordinary work. The materiality of the building follows suit by using regional river rock and timber in innovative ways. For example, the regional river rock has been exposed in the exterior concrete work and the polished concrete floors. The regionally sourced “timber shades” are used to shade the interior of the space to protect the collection, but they also represent the experience of the trees located on the hillside surrounding the building.

The Art Preserve building comprises approximately 56,000 sq. ft. of floor space and over three stories, including more than 37,000 sq. ft. of dedicated gallery space with visible storage, an education area, a library, a study collection, and archive room. It is set on 38 acres, adjacent to protected property owned by Glacial Lakes Conservancy.

A NEW HOME FOR AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED COLLECTION OF ARTIST-BUILT ENVIRONMENTS

Plan your visit today! See the Art Preserve Web Site:

https://www.jmkac.org/art-preserve/

Bone towers built in a kitchen.  Concrete sculptures constructed in a yard on the shore of Lake Michigan. Elaborate fiber hangings woven in a New York City loft. These works from the John Michael Kohler Arts Center collection exemplify the wide-ranging and complex artist-built environments contained at the Art Preserve.

The Art Preserve is an experimental space designed to house the Arts Center’s collection of over thirty-five artist-built environments. More than a building, it is a platform for ongoing explorations and investigations into these environments, their makers, and the Arts Center’s role as their institutional steward. It embodies the Arts Center’s conviction that significant, original, and compelling works of art are created everywhere, by people from a broad spectrum of life experiences.

Walking through the building provides a variety of encounters with methods of display and exhibition. Most of the sites represented in the collection have a designated, specially designed display area evoking an aspect of their original location. Some collections are arrayed on densely packed monumental shelves or racks meant to feel overwhelming, while others have been installed as completely immersive environments intended to be transportive.

Because the Art Preserve also serves as the active storage facility for the Arts Center’s collection, an area of museum operations not normally accessible to the public, visitors are invited to learn more about the collection while contemporary artists, conservators, researchers, and Arts Center staff address issues of presentation, conservation, and scholarship in real time.

Eagle Segment of The Wisconsin Ice Age Trail

On this blustery winter day, I decided to post some images of one of my favorite hikes from this past summer.

The Eagle segment of the Ice Age trail is in the southern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and features an expansive prairie, a scenic vista, and an exposed portion of the Niagara Escarpment - usually hidden underground. Wildlife, flora, and fauna all abound as the generally flat trail crosses the prairie.

I started at the northern access to the Eagle segment from STH-67 with plans to go south to Bradys Rocks. I had no idea at the time, just how far that was.

The views from the trail were quite impressive with expanses of Oak Savanah along the way.

This was by far my favorite spot, providing rest, shade and a beautiful view of the oak trees above.

Another view from the prairie.

This was getting close to Bradys Rocks... when I got there I found that the access was beyond my capabilities, especially because I was alone. So, I turned back without taking pictures from that area, my bad.

This was a high point on the way back, looking downward to what was Glacial Lake  Scuppernong.

Approximately 1/2 mile south of the entrance at STH-167 is a hunters access that has a small parking lot. It should probably be avoided during hunting season. From here, it crosses IAT, take it to the left to Bradys rocks or right a short distance to the springs. But, it might be another adventure to continue to the west. 

I plan to return here next summer from the STH-59 access point.

The Ice Age Trail is a 1,000 mile footpath highlighting the remnants left behind by glaciers during the last ice age over 12,000 years ago. Designated as a National Scenic Trail, the Ice Age trail follows the terminal moraine of the last glaciation throughout Wisconsin providing some of the world's best examples of glacial formations such as kettles, moraines, and drumlins.

The Rock Sports Complex

The Rock Sports Complex is a multi-sport complex is centrally located in Milwaukee County Wisconsin. It is a joint initiative between Zimmerman Ventures, Milwaukee County Parks and The City of Franklin to promote youth and community development through a common passion for sports and recreation.

The Rock sports and entertainment complex hosts baseball, skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing; along with numerous entertainment events – featuring the Midwest’s first Umbrella Bar.

These images here, of course are depicting the summertime venues.

The Rock Sports Complex is uniquely defined by its major league specification baseball fields. 

If you're a native-born Wisconsinite, you may be asking yourself, "What is an Umbrella Bar?" Put simply, an Umbrella Bar is the ideal location to enjoy an ice-cold glass of milk - just kidding, we serve all kinds of alcoholic drinks for the 21 and older crowd: the best Bloody Marys in Milwaukee, your favorite tap beers... the list goes on! Check out the best drink menu in Milwaukee!

Featuring a tent-like umbrella structure with an open-air atmosphere and a spectacular 360 degree view of The Rock Sports Complex, the Umbrella Bar truly has something for everyone: the best bar in Franklin, WI, seating with a double-sided fireplace, a view of our Major League replica fields, bag toss games, and your choice of shade or sunshine - did we mention drinks?

So, while the ski hill lies dormant during the summertime, there's much more to offer during the summer months.

Routine Field is a baseball park in Franklin, Wisconsin, which is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. It is the home of the Milwaukee Milkmen, an independent professional baseball team playing in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, and it will be the home of the NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers baseball team.

Of course, you will not see me missing on the other attraction areas.

Monches Farm will be closing in June.

Monches Farm has been a destination for adventurous

and discerning gardeners since 1980.

With its field grown perennials, pastoral charm and a flock of exotic chickens wandering the grounds—it will be closing on June 30, 2019.

The owners of Monches Farm also operate Ramborn Farm, a European farmstead-style wedding venue in Ozaukee County. (Ramborn is akin to the Old World Wisconsin Octagon Barn.) They also hope stage open houses twice a year in Spring and at Christmas-time.

Kathy and I have visited Monches Farm often over the years shopping in their gift house and photographing the grounds and the chickens, and will miss it.

Included here are highlights of our visits to Monches Farm.