MAM Insider | Summer 2009

summer 2009

Lakefront Festival of ArtsJune 19, 20, 21

Kohl’s Art GenerationGallery and StudioNow Open!

2 | | summer 2009 | www.mam.org

summer 2009

on view

4 AmericAn OriGinALs June 6–Aug 23

11 FiGurAtive Prints: 1980s rewind Aug 6–Nov 29

12 cOntemPOrAry Art GALLeries reinstALLAtiOn Opens July 23

14 PhOtOGrAPhs, dAwOud bey Through July 12

16 AmericAn Furniture/GOOGLed July 9–Oct 11

17 FrOm the cOLLectiOn

profiles

18 bArry And juLie KArP

19 brAdy rOberts

happenings

20 LAKeFrOnt FestivAL OF Arts

22 member extrAs

23 FAmiLy Fun

24 KOhL’s Art GenerAtiOn

26 mAm AFter dArK

28 jAmes beArd dinner

29 whAt’s uP OnLine

30 museum stOre

Photography courtesy of Front Room Photography unless otherwise noted.

Admission to Museum Programs and Events All programs and events are free for Members (or with Museum admission for non-members) unless otherwise noted. 24

Charles Rohlfs, Lamp, ca. 1904 (detail). From

the Rohlfs home. Private collection.

20

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www.mam.org | summer 2009 | | 3

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Dan Keegan, director

Milwaukee is ripe with individualism and innovation, so it is fitting that some of the most original artists of early-twentieth-century America are the focus of the Museum’s feature exhibitions this summer. The Artistic Furni-ture of Charles Rohlfs and The Eight and American Modernisms—two major exhibitions under the American Originals banner—open to the public on June 6. I hope to see you at the Member opening celebration on June 4. The Rohlfs exhibition features furniture and decorative art by the highly versatile American craftsman and designer, and kicks off its five-venue national tour at the Museum. The Eight exhibition includes works from three outstand-ing public collections and brings together for the first time more than eighty paintings by the group of American artists dubbed The Eight—Arthur B. Davies, William Glackens, Robert Henri, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice B. Prendergast, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan. Together, the two exhibitions, both on view in Baker/Rowland Galleries through August 23, provide a rich and rounded viewing experience.

Because of you and your ongoing support, the Museum is able to pres-ent great art experiences such as The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs and The Eight and American Modernisms. You may support the Milwaukee Art Mu-seum for personal reasons, but the community is enriched and strengthened as a result. I believe museums are necessary as cities are necessary: active, vital centers where diverse groups of people can gather to exchange ideas and contemplate—places that are greater than the sum of their parts. The Museum strives to be a laboratory for ideas, a place that pulses with creativity and interaction. And this summer is no different. The lineup of exhibitions and programs promises to ignite the senses and the intellect. Explore the offerings, from a two-day, two-city symposium to information-packed 30-minute express talks and the ever-popular Lakefront Festival of Arts. Keep the enclosed calendar handy so you don’t miss a thing!

This summer marks the first fruits of our partnership with Kohl’s Depart-ment Stores. This past May, the Museum unveiled a new gallery and hands-on art studio designed specifically as places where children and their fami-lies can engage in the joy of the creative process, learning about and creating art. These enhancements to the Museum for children and families are part

the museum strives to be a laboratory for ideas, a place that pulses with

creativity and interaction.

4 |

on view | FeAture exhibitiOn

of Kohl’s Art Generation, a fun new youth art-education program made possible by a $1 million gift from Kohl’s Department Stores. The full program is detailed on pages 24–25. Along with Kohl’s De-partment Stores, we wanted to give kids an opportunity to experience and express art on their terms. And yes, we provide cleanup.

As you enjoy the Mu-seum with friends and family this summer, I hope you will consider:

• Renewing and even upgrad-ing your Museum member-ship—we need you now more than ever

• Providing a friend, neighbor, family member, or other person in your life with a gift membership, and the priceless experience of art

• Making a contribution to the Museum Fund to sus-tain education and exhibi-tion programs, and all that keeps this Museum strong

Whatever the level of your membership, please ac-cept my sincere thank you for your continued support. You make so much possible for the Museum and the Milwau-kee region.

I hope to see you in our galleries soon!

Regards,

Daniel KeeganDIREcTOR

opening | june 6–AuG 23, 2009

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President’s Circle PreviewWed, June 3, 5:30–8:30 pm

Member Preview CelebrationThurs, June 4, 5–9 pmFree for Members, $20 non-members6:15 pm Program7:30 pm Book signing

Member Preview DaysThurs–Fri, June 4–5, 10 am–5 pm


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The Eight and American Modernisms explores through more than fifty paintings and ap-proximately thirty works on paper the under-appreciated stylistic complexities of eight artists—Arthur B. Davies, William Glackens, Robert Henri, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice B. Prendergast, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan. The artists, recognized as paint-ers of urban realism, are now emerging as the first generation of early American modernists.

The Eight, as they came to be called, caught the attention of the American art world with one astoundingly suc-cessful exhibition in New York’s Mac-

beth Galleries in 1908. In their prime and on the verge of success, the artists were seen as challenging the academic preference for the genteel tradition of “art for art’s sake,” which had dominated the American art es-tablishment for many decades. The exhibi-tion traveled to major art institutions on the East coast and in the Midwest and was the first and only by The Eight. Ever since, the conventional assessment of The Eight’s art-istic partnership has focused primarily on the themes of urban “realism” in their work rather than on their stylistic individual-ity, which Henri praised as an imaginative freedom that follows “no unity in any cult of


on view | AmericAn OriGinALson view | AmericAn OriGinALs

opening | june 6–AuG 23, 2009 | bAKer/rOwLAnd GALLeriesopening | june 6–AuG 23, 2009 | bAKer/rOwLAnd GALLeries

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painting.” This exhibition expands the schol-arship on subject matter to highlight the distinct formal qualities of each artist’s work. The Eight and American Modernisms is built from three outstanding collections of art by these American originals, joined together on the centennial of The Eight’s premiere tour.

Terra Foundation for American Art is the lead sponsor for The Eight and American Modernisms. Caxambas Foundation is the Milwaukee Art Museum’s present-ing lead sponsor. Additional support provided by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Donald and Barbara Abert Fund, at the advice of Barbara Tooman.

The Eight and American Modernisms is organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum, the New Britain Museum of American Art, and the Terra Foundation for Ameri-can Art. It is curated by Elizabeth Kennedy of the Terra Foundation for American Art and organized at the Milwaukee Art Museum by Liz Flaig.


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on view | AmericAn OriGinALs

opening | june 6–AuG 23, 2009 | bAKer/rOwLAnd GALLeries

The Eight and American ModernismsAvailable in the Museum Store and at www.mam.org/store Hardcover: $29.95/ $26.95 Member

charles Rohlfs thought of himself as an Ameri-can original. This charismatic furniture de-signer from Buffalo, New York, emphatically denied any connection to particular movements or stylistic influences. He claimed that his indi-vidual inspiration came from the natural grain of oak and his own creative imagination. He called his work “artistic furniture” or, simply,

“the Rohlfs style” and, in turn, cultivated an enigmatic persona that continues today.

The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs is the first major museum exhibition to bring together this designer’s rich body of work. Over forty of Rohlfs’ extraordinary creations will be presented in the context of ground-

breaking research into the Rohlfs family archives and new documentary sources, which reveal the origins of Rohlfs’ designs and the role of his wife, Anna

Katharine Green. Rohlfs’ devotion to personal expression has roots in the “art for art’s sake” theories of the late-nineteenth-century Aesthetic movement. Formally, his virtuosic carving and imaginative silhouettes relate to the abstract naturalism of Art Nouveau styling, combined with a wide range of inter-national design traditions. At the same time, Rohlfs’ innovations influenced the pared-down oak forms that became hallmarks of the Arts and crafts movement. combining design motifs in remarkably inventive ways, Rohlfs created furniture like none other, whose story and legacy contribute a new chapter to the history of American design.

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charles Rohlfs, ca. 1905. The Winterthur Library.

Rocking Chair, ca. 1899. The Huntington Library, Art Galleries, Promised Gift of American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation in honor of Joseph cunningham. Photo © V&A Publications.

The Artistic Furniture of charles Rohlfs is sponsored as a tribute to Henry Fuldner by the Trustees of the Layton Art Collection with gifts from the Faith and Wil-lard Henoch and Frederick Vogel III Family Funds; the American Heritage Fund; the Dudley and Constance Godfrey Foundation, Inc.; and the Milwaukee Art Mu-seum’s American Arts Society and Collectors’ Corner.

The Artistic Furniture of charles Rohlfs is organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Chipstone Foun-dation, and American Decorative Art 1900 Founda-tion. It is curated by Joseph Cunningham of American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation and organized at the Milwaukee Art Museum by Sarah Fayen.

“my designs are my own. i evolve them. they are like those of no other period nor people.” —charles rohlfs



The Artistic Furniture of Charles RohlfsAvailable in the Museum Store and at www.mam.org/store Hardcover: $65/$58.50 MemberSoftcover: $50/$45 Member


charles Rohlfs, ca. 1905. The Winterthur Library.

Candelabra, 1903. American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation.Photo by Gavin Ashworth.

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Member Exhibition Talkslubar auditoriumThe Artistic Furniture of Charles RohlfsFri, June 5, 1:30 pmWith exhibition curator Joseph cunningham

The Eight and American Modernismssat, June 6, 1:30 pmWith exhibition curator Elizabeth Kennedy

30-Minute Express Talks: American Originals every Thursday, June 11–aug 20, noon

Gallery TalksTuesdays, 1:30 pmJune 9 | The Eight and

American ModernismsJune 23 | The Artistic

Furniture of charles RohlfsJuly 14 | Framing The EightJuly 21 | charles Rohlfs:

A closer LookJuly 28 | The Eight: Story

of a collectionAug 4 | The Eight: Prints

and DrawingsAug 11 | charles Rohlfs

and the Arts and crafts Movement

Book Salonssaturdays, 10:30 amJune 13 | The Art Spirit by

Robert HenriJuly 11 | The House of Mirth

by Edith WhartonAug 8 | The Leavenworth Case

by Anna Katharine Green (Rohlfs’ wife)

rsvp 414-224-3826 or [email protected]

Symposium: What’s Modern about American Art, 1900–1930?Fri, June 19, Chicago sat, June 20, MilwaukeeExplore American modern-ism through a series of talks and panel discussions. Michael Kammen, Newton c. Farr professor emeritus of American history and culture at cornell University, delivers the keynote lecture on Friday; curators Joseph cunningham and Sarah Fayen join Elizabeth Ken-nedy and others on Saturday. For details and to register, call 312-654-2278 or visit http://terraamericanart.org/modernism-symposium.

Trunk Show: Ephraim Potterysat, July 25, 10 am–5 pm

American Originals Programs + events



opening | dAtes | GALLery

The figure, never abandoned for long, returned as a dominant subject of artistic expression in the 1980s, following on the heels of Minimal-ism and conceptualism. There was renewed interest in the art world for the sensuality and emotionality of the painted surface, and in image making. American, German, and Italian artists in particular employed familiar images as they once again turned to myth, allegory, and narrative in their work.

Figurative Prints: 1980s Rewind features approximately thirty-five works drawn almost exclusively from the Museum’s outstanding collection of contemporary prints. Among the artists represented are Francesco clemente, Eric Fischl, Susan Rothenberg, David Salle, and Julian Schnabel. Though many are pri-marily known as painters, these artists em-braced printmaking for its physicality, direct-ness, and immediacy. Etching and woodcut resurged at this time because artists deemed them the most appropriate print techniques to reflect the many dramas they were depict-ing. Some artists struggled with their nation’s historical and cultural legacy, others turned inward, exploring private moments such as dreams and unconscious states. Figurative Prints puts the work of so-called Neo-Expres-sionists, graffiti artists, and academically trained artists side by side.

Opening Gallery TalkThurs, august 6, 6:15 pmWith Brooke Mulvaney, collections manager, works on paper7 pm Reception Sponsored by an anonymous donor

Figurative Prints:1980s rewind

on view | exhibitiOn

opening | AuG 6–nOv 29, 2009 | KOss GALLery

summer 2009 | | 11


Step inside the contemporary Galleries this summer and you will see the return of several favorites. The Kinetic and Op Art exhibition Sensory Overload: Light, Motion, Sound, and the Optical in Art since 1945 will be coming down on June 7 to make way for a new installation of major works from the late 1970s through the 1990s in the Museum’s collection. “The Museum’s collection is so rich, the works off view deserve a fresh look,” notes chief curator Brady Roberts, who is organizing the comprehensive reinstallation.

“This will be a lot of fun, highlighting some of the Museum’s brilliant post-war works.”

complementing the rich selection of Abstract Expressionist, Minimal, and con-ceptual art currently on display will be ex-ceptional paintings by Francesco clemente, Anselm Kiefer, Ed Paschke, and Gerhard Richter; powerful figurative sculptures by Magdalena Abakanowicz and Kiki Smith; and a significant screenprint by Glenn Ligon, among other works.

Robert Gober’s Untitled and cornelia Parker’s Edge of England will also be com-ing back on view. Gober’s piece, a seemingly prosaic suitcase on the floor, reveals a portal to a surreal, subterranean vista with the legs

on view | cOLLectiOn

contemporary Art Galleries reinstallation

opening | juLy 23, 2009–OnGOinG | cOntemPOrAry GALLeries

Cornelia Parker, Edge of England, 1999 (detail). Gift of Friends of Art. Photo by Larry Sanders.



opening | juLy 23, 2009–OnGOinG | cOntemPOrAry GALLeries

“the museum’s collection is so rich, the works off

view deserve a fresh look.”

of a man and a child wading in the shallow water of a subconscious realm. The ethereal curtain wall of Parker’s Edge of England, comprised of chalk from the celebrated cliffs of Dover, is in essence an abstract symbol of England. The striking white cliffs of Dover form a natural barrier at the narrowest point of the English channel that protected the country from foreign invasion for centuries. Yet in Parker’s installation, the light, other-worldly aspect of the chalk in suspension be-lies a darker reference: the Edge of England is also a location where many people have jumped to their demise.

LectureThurs, July 23, 6:15 pmWith chief curator Brady RobertsSponsored by the Contemporary Art Society

Francesco Clemente, Untitled, 1983 (detail). Gift of Friends of Art. Photo by Dedra Wells.

Robert Gober, Untitled, 1997 (detail). Gift of contemporary Art Society, with additional funds from Donna and Donald Baumgartner, Terry A. Hueneke, Marianne and Sheldon B. Lubar, James and Joanne Murphy, Bud and Sue Selig, and Lynde B. Uihlein. Photo courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery.



class Pictures Photographs by dawoud bey

Artist Q&ATo create the compelling portrait of America’s youth presented in this exhibition and its associated book, Dawoud Bey spent many years with students in schools across the United States. curator of Photographs Lisa Hostetler asked the artist about his work. See exhibition images, join the blog, and learn more at www.mam.org/bey.

Do you recall a particularly memorable portrait session?While there is no one most memorable ses-sion or student that I photographed, I was taken aback by the story Kevin told, of his father being in jail and his mother barely able to function. He was so evocatively descrip-tive in his articulation of his difficult child-hood that I was deeply impressed with his sense of himself and of what he needed to do to succeed in the world. I didn’t read what the students had written until after making the picture and until after they had left the room; I really felt for him.

Do you keep in touch with the students?Kevin was actually one of the few to keep in touch with me. I heard from him a couple of

years after I had made the photographs; he was a student at Morehouse college. He got in touch to let me know that everything had worked out well for him, and to let me know how much it had meant for him to be singled out and photographed. For the most part, I don’t hear from the students afterwards, but every now and then one will get in touch with me.

What do you hope people will take away from the exhibition and book?I never presume what kind of experience the viewer should have. If anything, I hope they gain insight into another human being, a stranger, and then realize that art and pho-tography have the ability to create a deep and momentary connection with the world and with other people in it.

class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey is spon-sored by the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Contemporary Art Society, Rockwell Automation, and Joanne Mur-phy. Additional support provided by the Milwaukee Art Museum’s African American Art Alliance. Aperture, a not-for-profit organization devoted to photography and the visual arts, has organized this traveling exhi-bition and produced the accompanying publications. The exhibition is coordinated at the Milwaukee Art Museum by Curator of Photographs Lisa Hostetler.

Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud BeyAvailable in the Museum Store and at www.mam.org/store $45/$40.50 Member

closing | ends juLy 12, 2009 | KOss GALLery

Gallery TalkTues, June 16, 1:30 pmWith curator of Photographs Lisa Hostetler

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on view | exhibitiOn“i was deeply impressed with his sense of himself and of what he needed to do to succeed in the world.”



In this experimental installation, some of the Museum’s best-loved nineteenth-century fur-niture will be on view, but curators won’t have the voice of authority. commentary about each object will be drawn from today’s all-purpose resource—the Internet.

American Furniture/ Googled

opening | juLy 9–Oct 11, 2009 | decOrAtive Arts exhibitiOn GALLery

sat, July 25, 10 am–5 pmVisit the grounds of the Museum on Gallery Day and explore the works by more than eighty emerging and established Milwaukee- area artists in a relaxed and informal setting. One-of-a-kind paintings, drawings, jewelry, prints, sculpture, ceramics, wearable artwork, and more will be available for purchase. Event is held rain or shine. Free.

milwaukee Artist marketplace


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Gallery TalkTues, aug 25, 1:30 pmWith Mel Buchanan, Mae E. Demmer assistant curator of 20th-century design


The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs is the culmination of a unique three-way partner-ship between the Milwaukee Art Museum, our long-term collaborators at the chipstone Foundation, and the New York-based Ameri-can Decorative Art 1900 Foundation. “To celebrate our very successful partnership, ADA1900 Foundation is giving to the Museum the Rohlfs carved Hall Chair from the exhi-bition,” says Bruce Barnes, president and founder of ADA1900. “It is our great pleasure to make this gift in honor of Glenn Adamson, former curator at the chipstone Foundation, whose conversations with guest curator Jo-seph cunningham and me first launched this exhibition and book project.”

Among Rohlfs’ most iconic designs, this tall-backed chair with abstract silhouette and naturalistic carving is an important ad-dition to the Museum’s collection of turn-of-the-twentieth-century decorative arts. This chair model was sold from Rohlfs’ Buffalo workshop and in chicago by Marshall Field & company, but this particular example of the Hall Chair features more carving at the crest than any other known example. For now, the chair will continue to travel with the exhibi-tion on its nationwide tour, which closes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2011. The Museum deeply appreciates the great generosity of its friends at ADA1900 Foundation and eagerly anticipates having the chair in its galleries.


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profiles | members mAtter

Barry and Julie Karp don’t remember when they first became Museum Members, but Julie does know they made a point to be-come Art Advocate–level Members after a few years of entering the Lakefront Festival of Arts (LFOA) at noon on Friday, the public entrance time, and noticing that people were already there—and, she adds, “because I love the Museum.” As Art Advocate Members, Barry and Julie can attend the LFOA Sneak Preview, in addition to enjoying the added benefits of membership at that level. Julie, who said “there are way too many” when asked what their favorite work in the collec-tion is, finally settled on two and offered up a few more details.

How long have you been going to the Lakefront Festival of Arts?I enter that date on my calendar every year; I’ve been attending for at least 30! I used to go alone, so I could walk at my own pace, but now I go with my husband or mother or bring a friend.

What is the advantage to attending the LFOA Sneak Preview?I like having first dibs on the artwork and seeing friends, and the crowds are smaller. I almost always find something. My favorite piece is a beautiful ceramic urn that stands outside our home. I enjoy it every day.

What else makes the Art Advocate level of membership worthwhile?I use my reciprocal membership privileges often, most recently, at the Museum of con-temporary Art San Diego in La Jolla. Long ago, I was fortunate to go to Santa Fe with then-director Russell Bowman, but today, work keeps me from taking many of these trips.

barry and julie Karp

age: late 50sDay Job: owners of shoreTrips Favorite artwork in the Collec-tion: Sunrise by arthur Dove and Sunny #4 by alex Katz Members since: For as long as we can remember


profiles | members mAtter

brady robertschief curator

A self-described “art junkie,” Museum chief curator Brady Roberts is a native midwest-erner returning after eight years serving tenures as curator and director of EVO Gallery, a contemporary art space in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as curator of Modern and con-temporary art at the Phoenix Museum of Art. Before heading west, Roberts attended the University of Illinois, champaign-Urbana, and UW–Madison, and worked at the Dubuque Museum of Art and Davenport Museum of Art (now the Figge Art Museum). We know Roberts has great plans for the Museum’s collection (see page 12), but more impor-tantly, what kind of music does our new chief curator have on his iPod?

What newspapers/magazines do you read? I subscribe to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and to Art Forum and Art in America magazines. Online, I regularly read Modern Art Notes, The Art Newspaper, and Artnet magazine.

Do you have a favorite restaurant or bar yet?convenience may be a contributing factor here—as I can walk to both restaurants—but I quickly discovered and enjoy Buckley’s and Osteria del Mondo. A friend introduced me to The Sugar Maple in Bayview, which isn’t exactly walking distance, but I’ve found it’s quite easy to maneuver around this “little big city.”

What’s on your iPod?I would characterize my iPod selections as a random assortment that defies logic. I glean my playlist largely from studio visits: I like to

Day Job: Chief Curator, Milwaukee art MuseumFavorite artwork in the Collection: all of them, of course!Member since: 2009

hear what artists have on their iPods. Latest discovery: columbo by The Verve.

What is the most impressive/impactful exhi-bition you have seen recently?You want me to name one? Impossible. Marlene Dumas at LA MOcA was seductive, visceral; Giorgio Morandi at the Met, beautiful; Tomma Abts’ paintings at the Hammer Museum—a smart, memorable installation; and most re-cently, the drawings of Tara Donovan at Pace Wildenstein, powerful.

LFOA Sneak PreviewFri, June 19, 10 am–12 pmMembers at the Art Advocate level ($150) and above—meet the artists and purchase great art before the festival opens to the public; simply show your membership card

to enter. Individual, Family, and Dual Members—enhance your level of membership today and join us! call the Mem-bership Hotline at 414-224-3284.

Volunteer!Make LFOA a success. Volun-teers work in the promotions booths, help with the silent auction, assist in the chil-dren’s Area, and more. call 414-224-3856 or apply online at www.mam.org/lfoa.


3 days only | june 19–21, 2009

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Discover work by more than 172 jury-selected artists at this year’s nationally recognized Lakefront Festival of Arts (LFOA). Fewer than half of the artists participating were at the 2008 festival, with thirty-one representing Wisconsin. “You just never know what new artist you’ll discover here,” says Director Dan Keegan. From ceramics and paintings to jewelry and textiles, there are a variety of artworks available in a range of prices.

“We have something available for everyone,” notes Friends of Art President Valerie clarke.

Festival-goers can visit one-on-one with the artists as they explore the different booths under cover of a state-of-the-art tent, or engage in any number of activities on the Museum grounds: enjoy hands-on fun in the

children’s Area, listen to live music, relax in the Milwaukee Magazine Wine Garden, pick up a great piece of art in the silent auction, recharge with selections from the food court, shop the LFOA boutiques, explore the sculp-ture garden, and more.

“Lakefront enjoys a wonderful reputation in the artist world,” says Pennsylvania potter David Greenbaum. “It is always mentioned in the context of the best shows in the country.”

Don’t miss a thing! Visit www.mam.org/lfoa for festival activities and details. Friends of Art presents the Lakefront Festival of Arts as a fundraiser to support the Museum’s Art Acquisition and Exhibition Fund.

AdmissionTwo Free TicketsPurchase a Museum mem-bership at the LFOA entrance gates to receive two free LFOA admissions, plus enjoy Member benefits year-round.

Advance Tickets$7 at the Museum Store and participating Milwaukee-area businesses. Visit www.mam.org/lfoa for locations or call the LFOA Hotline at 414-224-3854.

Tickets at the Gate$10/$7 Members (children 16 and under free with a paid adult); provides non-mem-bers with half off Museum admission, which includes the two American Originals exhibitions.

happenings | PrOGrAms + events


3 days only | june 19–21, 2009“you just never know what new

artist you’ll discover here.”

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saturday, July 11, 2009Join us for a day trip to this private estate in Lake Bluff, IL, which showcases a remark-able collection of American and English Arts and crafts furniture and decorative arts. Enjoy a guided tour through thirty rooms in five restored farm buildings. The rooms fea-ture extensive collections of Gustav Stickley furniture and have been arranged as set forth by Stickley in The Crafts-man magazine. Many period examples of pottery and tex-tiles are also on view, includ-

ing Teco pottery, rugs by Wil-liam Morris, and artwork by charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Our day begins with a tour of The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs at the Museum with chipstone Foundation curator Sarah Fayen, followed by lunch at The Grille on Lau-rel in Lake Forest and a short ride over to crab Tree Farm. crab Tree Farm is not open to the public, so don’t miss this exclusive opportunity. Please note: the buildings are not wheelchair accessible.

Cost $125 (includes tours, lunch, and transportation) Proceeds support The Artistic Fur-niture of charles Rohlfs exhibition.

This trip is open to Members at the Art Advocate level and above, as well as to Members of the American Arts Society support group.

Individual, Dual, and Family Members—upgrade today and join us for free!

Space is limited. rsvp to the Member Hotline at 414-224-3284.


member extras day trip to crab tree Farm

summer 2009 | | 23


Photos by craig Dugan ©

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Summer Art Camps

Sampler Art CampTues–Fri: July 7–10 Ages 6–10: 10:30–12:30Ages 11–15: 1:30–4:30

Art in 3-D: Sculpture CampTues–Fri: July 14–17 Ages 6–10: 10:30–12:30

Painting Art Camp Tues–Fri: July 21–24 Ages 6–10: 10:30–12:30Ages 11–15: 1:30–4:30

Drawing and Printmaking Art CampTues–Fri: July 28–31 Ages 6–10: 10:30–12:3oAges 11–15: 1:30–4:30

Visit www.mam.org/learn or call 414-224-3803 for prices and a full listing of classes.

Registration Is Easy! call 414-224-3803. As always, Members receive discounts on classes. Gift certificates and scholar-ships are also available.

Family Fun

Travel back to the early twentieth century with period music, leisure pastimes, activi-ties, prizes—a full day of summertime fun in-spired by the American Originals exhibitions. come early, bring a picnic lunch, and stay all afternoon.

Sponsored by

Additional support provided by Assurant Health.

The Museum, in partnership with Kohl’s Department Stores, is happy to announce Kohl’s Art Generation, an umbrella program designed to engage area kids and their fami-lies in the creative experience of art. Kohl’s Art Generation includes activities every weekend and an interactive gallery space at the Museum, as well as outreach programs—all of which provide kids and families with numer-

ous ongoing opportunities to explore art and its many materials and techniques through hands-on projects. The centerpiece of the Kohl’s Art Generation outreach program is a mobile art experience called Kohl’s color Wheels. This roving center of creativity will be stationed at several of the summer festivals, offering fun, accessible (and free!) art activi-ties and instruction for all.

visit the Kohl’s Art Generation website at www.mam.org

for details on programming, and to track the location of

Kohl’s color wheels.


Because a creative kid is a happy kid

GALLERYcolor stories | through dec 31, 2009

In this hands-on gallery, children of all ages can discover how colors fool your eye, inspire stories, and mix with one another to create an entire rainbow.

STUDIOIn this creativity-generating space, kids can make a mess—and they may just make a mas-terpiece! The studio is open to the public every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for art making and explorative play.



Every Saturday and Sunday, kids of all ages can paint, draw, and explore other ways to learn about and make art at Story Time in the Galleries, Sketching in the Galleries, and in the Kohl’s Art Generation Studio. Each month features a different theme; each weekend, a new and different opportunity to explore that theme through art. Families can drop in for five minutes or stay all day.

June: Landscapes, cityscapes, Seascapes July: DIY Design august: People and Places

Saturdays Story Time in the Galleries 10:30 amcome hear a story that relates to a work of art in the galleries, and then create your own story drawing to take home.

Sketching in the Galleries noon–3 pmDrop in and try your hand at sketching from works in a different gallery each week. No experience necessary!

SundaysKohl’s Art Generation Open Studio 10 am–4 pmSwing by anytime and explore different art materials and techniques used to create the works in the Museum’s collection.


color wheels This mobile art experience brings creativity and ingenuity into area communities. Watch for the Kohl’s “A-Team” and art educators at area festivals, schools, and other events throughout the summer, and make a hand-made work of art you can take home! All art activities are free.

school family nights2009/10 academic year

Fifty area schools are invited to host stu-dents and their parents for an evening of shared creative art experiences. Families follow up this program with complimentary visits to the Museum.


Fridays, June 26, July 24, and aug 28 5 pm–midnightMAM After Dark has a summer lineup not to be missed! Details on the monthly after-hours art parties will be rolled out at www.mam.org/afterdark, or text MAM to 30364 to receive up-to-the-minute updates emailed to your mobile*.

Here’s a teaser: In July, in conjunction with the American Originals exhibition The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs, The Warped cast (thewarpedcast.com) will pay homage to Rohlfs’ wife, a murder-mystery novelist. They will perform the cult-classic movie Clue in Lubar Auditorium—all in real time, with the movie playing as a backdrop.

You can always expect a fresh new pro-gram at each event, together with the regular features: after-hours access to the galleries, curator-led tours, music by Radio Milwau-kee’s hottest DJs, free snacks, cash bar, and more. Don’t have a MAM After Dark reputa-tion yet? Step in front of the Photo Booth camera in July and August—and possibly

star in our next ad campaign! And whether reclusive or boisterous, everyone’s an art superstar with his or her one-of-a-kind cre-ations at the DIY Studio! Meet friends, old and new—everyone is here!

For more details and photos of past events, visit www.mam.org/afterdark.

Put the “recess” back in “recession!” Members get in free. Non-members—join at the door and get in free with a friend; other-wise, pay $10 at the door or $5 in advance at www.mam.org/afterdark.

*Carrier’s standard rates apply; you may discontinue mobile updates at any time.


mAm After dark

nOrthwestern mutuAL FOundAtiOn Presents

“mAm After dark…has emerged as a reliably entertaining and hip (but not too hip) entry point for non-gallery-goers to check out one of the city’s great artistic resources.”

—Onion’s decider.com

summer edition—don’t miss a single event!


Every profession has its mark of success. For a chef, it is being invited to cook at the James Beard Foundation. café calatrava’s Executive chef chris Hatleli was awarded this honor this past Valentine’s Day. New Yorkers were delighted with Hatleli’s culinary artistry; you have the opportunity to experi-ence his talents six days a week!

Hatleli’s adventure to the Big Apple was featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (February 19, 2009), excerpted here.

After a 14-hour drive, part of it through a downpour, navigating an alternative route and then finding a place to park in Manhattan, Christopher Hatleli found cooking dinner for 80 New Yorkers a breeze.

He traveled there with [Café Calatrava] chef de cuisine, Nicholas Burki, [cook Erica Janczak], and food and beverage director David Jones.

“The easy part was cooking dinner,” Hatleli said. “Those are all variables we’re familiar with.”

The biggest hit of the dinner might have been the honey-glazed butternut squash soup with Hudson Valley foie gras and spiced pecan essence, Hatleli said.

Hatleli and company spent 45 minutes with the guests after dinner, answering ques- tions and even signing autographs.

Stand Apart from the Rest

Schedule chris Hatleli and the catering by café calatrava crew for your next corporate meeting or special event at the Museum. Explore the stunning rental spaces, both indoors and out, at www.mam.org. call 414-224-3297.

Café Calatravaopen Tues–sun, 11 am –4 pmsunday brunch, 11 am–4 pm


james beard dinner café calatrava chef in new york


Learn about current and up-coming exhibitions anytime online. Explore the two highly anticipated exhibitions of Amer ican Originals, The Ar-tistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs and The Eight and American Modernisms, at www.mam.org/american. Discover the backstory to the artists, preview works in the exhibition, and select from a variety of related programs to enrich your experience.

At www.mam.org/bey, acquaint yourself with some of the high school students in Class Pictures: Photographs by Dawoud Bey. Forty por-traits by the chicago-based artist and accompanying statements by the students comprise this poignant, pen-etrating view into the lives of America’s youth.

With the 47th annual lakefront Festival of arts just around the corner, June 19–21, be sure to check out the newly redesigned website for event information. Visit www.mam.org/lfoa for details on the approxi-mately 170 artists who will be selling their work and on the silent art auction, college student art show, children’s art activities, live music, and more. The three-day art festi-val has been going strong for more than four decades, drawing thousands of people each year to the Milwaukee lakefront.

Finally, if you haven’t stopped by the Museum’s YouTube page recently, you will want to take a look at the new videos. Some of the highlights: artist iona rozeal brown talks about the artistic influences for her painting sacrifice in the Museum’s collection, and Barbara Brown lee returns with another episode in her Art Lives Here series that fea-tures works in the collection by artists from The Eight, including Robert Henri, Arthur B. Davies, and John Sloan. View all the videos at www.youtube.com/MilwaukeeartMuseum.

happenings | new mediA

what’s up Online

museum store | smArt shOPPinG

Gifts that make a statement

Reproduction of Charles Rohlfs’ Hall Chair by John Thiesen A stunning example of Rohlfs’ “artistic furniture” in oak, complete with branded mark. $3,600/$3,240 Member

Meet the MakerThurs, June 4, 1–8 pm Fri, June 5, 10 am–5 pm

Schlabaugh Craftsman Tile Clock Expertly handcrafted clock by the family owned Schlabaugh & Sons, with copper face and dark green Motawi tile. $330/$297 Member

Dale Tiffany Floor Lamp A classic Tiffany lamp, combined with amber mica panels and mica bronze finish.$285/$256.50 Member


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museum store | shOP OnLine Anytime At www.mam.org/store

Chihuly Basket Poster The first new poster release in six years with chihuly’s original drawings expertly reproduced. $35/$31.50 Member

Chihuly Blackby Barbara RoseThe largest publication on the artist’s work to date, featuring twelve fascinating series. Hardcover, leather-bound, 208 pages, 138 color photographs$95/$85.50 Member

Ginger Plum Seaform—Chihuly Signed Studio Edition Each piece includes a vitrine and Chihuly Seaforms (44 color photographs, essay by art critic Joan Seaman Robinson). $5,000/$4,500 Member

Give the Gift of Art.

send a gift membership today!

Visit www.mam.org

for details.

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MAM Insider | Summer 2009

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