West Town, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Kinzie Corridor, Humboldt Park

West Town

Wisconsin

IL • MI • IN

West Loop, Fulton Market, East Garfield Park

West Loop and West Side

Evanston, The North Shore, Northern, Western and Southern Suburbs

Suburbs

Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Uptown, Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park

North Side

Michigan Avenue, Streeterville, The Gold Coast, The Loop, and South Loop

Michigan Avenue

Pilsen, Bridgeport, Chinatown, plus Hyde Park, Jackson Park/Dorchester, and Bronzeville

South Side

Superior and Franklin streets, West Chicago Ave, and down to Merchandise Mart and the River

River North

<a href=https://4ltow9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001sI1hs0mBFP1tRvHggTVYJb1S00q4x7rcAG-tvRNtR7P-JI4a1PbJpzq2O1GgfbJBxtfrCmh3LujvbL36QVFthNmhK6nJhHuAIC0c13e8eWQeYLtQxl6fl53xl1mk8CIv3QU_hUEt6tgCCEIQ2LndqYuDxly4_FHou0yrwRNqKSmqkEn0ggSylsCDp99khqjL&amp;c=pjFXsgYG1ZLc-Ee94CGUz02xlgGZETUsNFh1P07cQDT4qauXRDhODQ==&amp;ch=76Zoq1xTlvnbWa68UGsqjdx3865_CIKstNuxswiAUantj6UvCsw87A==>Low: René Amado</a>—opening at RAM on Friday, August 2—explores the creativity and community of lowrider culture through the photography and video of Racine-based <a href=https://4ltow9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001sI1hs0mBFP1tRvHggTVYJb1S00q4x7rcAG-tvRNtR7P-JI4a1PbJp6UYmQmI-wo-7hFNb2dqOxEvR3GmMPbh_08cUtFUJPKeLFvpnM_LiRMW8AbHTU0ewbcupbzG5IaFBbZcFERmvHpwbskC_6Kz6g==&amp;c=pjFXsgYG1ZLc-Ee94CGUz02xlgGZETUsNFh1P07cQDT4qauXRDhODQ==&amp;ch=76Zoq1xTlvnbWa68UGsqjdx3865_CIKstNuxswiAUantj6UvCsw87A==>René Amado</a>, alongside custom bicycles and small vehicles by various builders.On display in RAM's Windows on Fifth Gallery, this installation will be available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week—a point underscoring both the value of the ideas and the desire to make the work accessible to anyone on the street, not just those who go into the museum building.

Low: René Amado

Chicago-based painter<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://kimstoragegallery.com/artist/april-behnke#works" target="_blank">&nbsp;April Behnke</a>&nbsp;received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011 and has completed residencies at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha and the Slak Foundation in the Netherlands. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including in Mexico City, Seoul, New York City, Berlin, Chicago, London, and Basel.<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:kim@kimstoragegallery.com?subject=Mind%20Games%20Opening%20Reception&amp;body=Hi%20Kim%2C%0A%0AI%20would%20like%20to%20attend%20the%20opening%20reception%20and%2For%20artist%20talk%20for%20Mind%20Games.%20I%20will%20be%20bringing%20___%20guests.%0A%0ASee%20you%20soon%2C%0A" target="_blank">RSVP</a>

Artist Talk with April Behnke

Since 1851, Wisconsin has embraced the word "Forward" as its state motto, a simple yet powerful declaration of progress and positivity. At Lily Pad | West, we have embodied this spirit for the past eight years, consistently advancing our vision of showcasing world-class art through a dynamic mix of local, national, and international artists. As the gallery expands its horizons, we are proud to remain deeply rooted in supporting the vibrant community of contemporary Wisconsin artists. We are thrilled to present "Forward," our fourth annual group exhibition featuring an impressive lineup of Wisconsin-based artists: Marc Anderson, Steve Gerhartz, Robert M. Girsh, Michael Guinane, Shelby Keefe, Bruce Niemi, Antwan Ramar, John Waite, and Diane Washa. This year, we are especially excited to welcome Mutópe Johnson, Jolanta Kinga Rose, Michael Sutton, and Alan Eickberg. Runs July 16 - August 31, 2024•&nbsp;VIP and Press Preview Night: Thursday, July 17th from 6 to 8 pm•&nbsp;Gallery Night MKE Receptions: Friday, July 18th from 5 to 8 pm and Saturday, July 19th from 11 am to 4 pm

Gallery Night MKE Reception for Forward

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jmkac.org/exhibition/sam-barsky-its-not-the-same-without-you/?utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--2eRtzZ4fxqVYfxThdS7P7ijOSB6jCTJ-G1ZJpJa5dTARVzQPkenI2ExLWno3o1eEsTUL0hAsvQJBz0koFrnQ0VWZBT394GhA1j1uot1yjgjMmiqQ&amp;_hsmi=343424237&amp;utm_content=343424237&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Sam Barsky: It’s Not the Same Without&nbsp;You</a> represents the artist’s first museum show, featuring over twenty of his signature sweaters. Barsky has been knitting since 1999 and has received acclaim for his wearable art, which features various landmarks and monuments. He has become “internet famous” for the photographs he posts of himself wearing these sweaters at the various locations depicted. Barsky doesn’t sell his sweaters and has rarely shown them outside of his photographs and at the workshops he hosts around the country. The sweaters are both aspirational and nostalgic. Like postcards, they are a way for Barsky to connect with places he enjoys, or those he wants to visit. Once worn, they hold memories of his time there. They also act as a point of connection–a way for Barsky to build a community, to share his experiences of travel and invite others to share theirs. In this vein, Barsky will knit a sweater featuring the Arts Center for the exhibition. Visitors will be able to borrow this sweater and photograph themselves wearing it, a la Barsky’s internet practice. See JMKAC <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jmkac.org/exhibition/sam-barsky-its-not-the-same-without-you/?utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--2eRtzZ4fxqVYfxThdS7P7ijOSB6jCTJ-G1ZJpJa5dTARVzQPkenI2ExLWno3o1eEsTUL0hAsvQJBz0koFrnQ0VWZBT394GhA1j1uot1yjgjMmiqQ&amp;_hsmi=343424237&amp;utm_content=343424237&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">website</a> for upcoming dates.

Sam Barsky: It’s Not the Same Without You

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jmkac.org/exhibition/recent-acquisition-donald-pfister/?utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Eo4SFHtrBKWEnkXwmalJ2hU97MCHRo3n1daFBiRWsoER6RUUjGVt73TbBrc_pXK-fF6X9VMfrgl7VlwtTqbOqmbpF-4fcmHRs_IxF_7ZypkKSBAc&amp;_hsmi=343424237&amp;utm_content=343424237&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Details</a> Donald Pfister (1930–2024) was a self-taught artist who grew up on a dairy farm in rural Lafayette County, Wisconsin. His parents were first-generation Americans, descended from Swiss and Norwegian immigrants. In 2006, at age 76, he constructed a wooden model of the East Wiota Lutheran Church—the church he attended as a child. He then completed ten more Wisconsin church models, in addition to a model of the farmhouse he grew up in and the parsonage of the East Wiota church. Each was made to-scale, done through a process of “foot-pacing” (measuring the building’s size with his feet). The models are constructed of repurposed and found materials, including wood, gift wrapping paper, photographs, and paint.Now in the collection of the Arts Center, this exhibition represents the first public showing of these works. ImageL Donald Pfister, Gospel Hall; Brodhead, Wisconsin, 1872 (detail), 2006–24; wood, paint, paper, and plastic; 9 3/4 x 9 x 11 1/2 in. John Michael Kohler Arts Center Collection, gift of the artist's children.

Recent Acquisition: Donald Pfister

The beloved outdoor concert series returns for its third year at RAM’s Wustum Museum on&nbsp;Thursday, July 24, 6:00 – 9:00 pm.&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ramart.org/events/groovn/" target="_blank">Groov’n in the Garden</a>&nbsp;is a collaboration with&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.blackartsandculture.org/" target="_blank">Mahogany Black Arts and Culture Center</a>&nbsp;that brings live music, food trucks, and more to some of the most beautiful gardens in Racine. This year’s event features soul-stirring performances by multiple acts:<ul><li>Crowd-favorite&nbsp;VersaTile Band&nbsp;will bring the heat with smooth R&amp;B, sultry neo-soul, and just the right dash of funk to get you on your feet.</li><li>New this year is&nbsp;The Stone Jam Band&nbsp;and their captivating blend of blues, R&amp;B, and jazz.</li><li>Plus, the night keeps moving with an electrifying&nbsp;DJ set, spinning grooves that blend genres and generations.</li></ul> Food and beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, will be available to purchase throughout the event. Enjoy hot, savory sandwiches from&nbsp;The Bomber Company&nbsp;and grab a drink from Chicago craft beer enterprise&nbsp;Moor’s Brewing Company. Or, bring your own food for a picnic if you prefer!For the first time in the event’s history, live art making will also be on display. Guests will see multiple creatives capturing the event in their own style, including&nbsp;Dee Hutch&nbsp;whose live painting will be auctioned off during the event.Early bird discounted tickets are available through July 1, so don’t hesitate to reserve your spot for the musical extravaganza today!<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ramart.org/events/groovn/" target="_blank">Learn more</a><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/groovn-in-the-garden-tickets-1409353447099" target="_blank">Buy tickets</a>This event is sponsored in part by:&nbsp;Butter Buds, Family Power Music, Jaeded Styles, Moor’s Brewing Company, Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, Prince Hall Council of Past Masters, Racine Theatre Guild, Southgate Lodge #6, and Visit Racine County

Groov’n in the Garden 2025

While traditional museum etiquette expects visitors to observe from a distance, RAM’s 2025 community art show invites guests to break from convention by interacting with the art directly. Activating the senses beyond sight alone, museum-goers are encouraged to make emotional—and physical—connections by getting up close and personal with community-created pieces. Explore the galleries by feeling, trying on, adding to or subtracting from, listening to, or smelling works specifically created to awaken the senses. Image: RAM’s Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Photography: Jessica Zalewski

Awakening the Senses: Art that Invites Interaction

Line Weight&nbsp;is guest curated by Teralyn Brown, our 2024-2025 University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate Student Curatorial Assistant. During her time working at Tandem over the past year, Brown familiarized herself with many of the prints that have been created at Tandem Press. As one of her final projects, she was challenged to conceptualize and curate an exhibition of prints, selecting pieces from the Tandem Press inventory and contextualizing them to create a unique statement.The concept of line weight refers to the ability for texture, depth, value, and emotion to be conveyed through line alone by way of varying the thickness and qualities of line marks.&nbsp;In this exhibition of prints, the weight of the artists’ intentions is carried by the illusions of the printed line across multiple techniques.This exhibition includes prints by Suzanne Caporael, Manabu Ikeda, Michelle Grabner, Cameron Martin, Mickett/Stackhouse, Swoon, Dan Rizzie, David Shapiro, and Steven Sorman.This exhibition is supported by the Anonymous Fund.

Line Weight 

Artist Talk: Saturday, July 19 beginning at 1PM (Gallery Day)Kim Storage Gallery is thrilled to present "Mind Games," a solo exhibition by Chicago-based artist April Behnke. This captivating show features a new body of work showcasing Behnke's exploration of perceptual play through paintings and drawings. The exhibition delves into the ways we use vision to perceive patterns and make sense of the world. Behnke skillfully interrupts these patterns, mixing up foreground and background to create a visual experience that is both familiar and disorienting. Visitors will be intrigued by the dynamic interplay of colors and shapes, which challenge and engage the viewer's perception. "Mind Games" not only references the show's main theme but also invites viewers to participate in a playful and interactive experience. Behnke's work draws inspiration from both board games and early video games, incorporating structured patterns and visual interruptions that evoke a sense of nostalgia and curiosity. This exhibition marks Behnke's first solo show at Kim Storage Gallery, and it promises to be a thought-provoking and visually stimulating event. Join us for the opening reception and artist talk, where Behnke will provide deeper insights into her creative process and the conceptual underpinnings of her work.Electric Dreams, Flashe on canvas, 48 x 60"

April Behnke: Mind Games

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jmkac.org/exhibition/pao-houa-her-the-imaginative-landscape/?utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9VbXI1XhnuOkY2pdmZU_NZq3wIlmhgym-XsG-_AP0JQQqSLmVczzoyXE16kal6bCSA4jIi9GhjDEMeV2_iPA3WjmiQDFGoq6KBMISH9l4Mpi83jvg&amp;_hsmi=343424237&amp;utm_content=343424237&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Details</a> Pao Houa Her uses her camera to explore the longing and desire of a community culturally defined by an elsewhere. Rooted in the experience of her HMong community and shaped by family experiences and lore passed down by her elders, Her takes a formally rigorous approach to photography to explore the complex intertwining of artifice and desire bound up in dreams of homeland.Pao Houa Her: The Imaginative Landscape&nbsp;is the first survey of Her’s practice, covering nearly twenty years of work, with selections from six major series to date, as well as new work made in the jungles of Laos. Co-organized by the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) and the San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) in California, the exhibition embraces the diverse U.S. contexts in which HMong communities have adapted and fabricated homelands. Though specific to Her’s own HMong-American experience,&nbsp;The Imaginative Landscape&nbsp;is a meditation on the construction of homeland that resonates across a variety of diasporic experiences. In both Sheboygan and San Jose, the exhibition will exceed the institutional space with lightboxes in local restaurants and community gathering places, wheat pasted images in public locations, and billboard displays. A complete list of sites will be announced closer to the exhibition opening. * HMong is written with a capital H and M to be inclusive of White Hmong and Green Mong dialects. Speakers of the White dialect pronounce “Hmong” with a silent “H,” indicating a nasal aspiration or puff of air out of the nose. Speakers of the Green dialect pronounce “Mong” without. This exhibition is co-organized by Jodi Throckmorton, JMKAC chief curator, and Lauren Schell Dickens, SJMA chief curator.SJMA’s exhibition will be on view July 15, 2025, into early 2026. Image: Pao Houa Her, untitled (real opium behind opium backdrop), 2020, lightbox, 52 x 65 in. Courtesy of the artist and Bockley Gallery.

Pao Houa Her: The Imaginative Landscape

Forward

Lily Pad East Gallery is proud to share our newest collection of original artwork with the 15 star Ocean House Resort in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The opening reception will be held on Thursday evening May 22, featuring several of our featured artists, such as Del Bourree Bach, Shirley Cean Youngs, Joann Ballinger, and more, along with Alan Perlstein the Gallery owner, and managing director, Lisa Szaro.

Ocean House May 2025

Domestic in A Foreign Sense&nbsp;is a solo exhibition by José Lerma featuring large-scale portraiture created in thick impasto and limited brush strokes. The title of the exhibition is a transposition of the phrase “foreign in a domestic sense,” which is how US Supreme Court Justice Henry Brown described Puerto Rico in his 1901 decision that placed the island as neither fully part of the United States nor an independent country. This contradictory statement led to years of uncertainty for Puerto Rico. This paradoxical nature is apparent in the artist’s paintings, which feature copious amounts of paint but few brushstrokes, challenging viewers’ expectations of both painting and portraiture. His work uniquely collapses historical and autobiographical elements, creating pieces that are part art history and part personal mythology. With a career spanning over two decades, Lerma’s return to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is particularly significant, as it was here that he had his first museum exhibition in the 1999 Wisconsin Triennial after earning his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. José Lerma (b. 1971, Spain; lives and works in San Juan, Puerto Rico) received his MFA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2002. He has had over twenty solo exhibitions at galleries such as Kavi Gupta in Chicago, IL, Galerie Xavier Hufkens in Brussels, Andrea Rosen Gallery in New York, NY, and at museums such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. His works are represented in numerous collections, including the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, the Saatchi Collection in London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Lerma served as an Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from 2009 through 2023. Image: Jose Lerma, “Dreamer”, 2002-3. Oil, 19 3/4 x 19 1/2 inches. Gift of Nancy Mladenoff and J.J. Murphy, Collection of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. © Jose Lerma.

Domestic in a Foreign Sense

The Wisconsin Triennial is a cornerstone of MMoCA’s exhibition calendar. Every three years the exhibition charts the latest art being made across the state, capturing the richness and variety of artistic expression in Wisconsin. MMoCA’s curatorial staff selected new works of art by established and emerging artists through a rigorous review process beginning with an open call for entries in late September. From the over 250 applications from artists in every corner of the state, more than 30 artists were selected for additional review through an in-person studio visit. The final selection of 24 artists represents a wide range of artistic approaches and subjects. From painting to performance and figurative to formal abstraction, the exhibition reflects the rich diversity of Wisconsin’s visual arts scene. “The process of selecting the final roster of participating artists is always a formidable yet exhilarating challenge for a major survey like the Wisconsin Triennial,” says Paul Baker Prindle, MMoCA’s Gabriele Haberland Director. “We are confident that we have curated an exceptional group of artists whose practices beautifully reflect the richness of Wisconsin’s contributions to global contemporary art.” The 2025 Wisconsin Triennial jury is comprised of Paul Baker Prindle, the Gabriele Haberland Director; Mel Becker Solomon, Associate Research Curator at the Art Institute of Chicago; Eleanor Pschirrer-West, Assistant Curator at MMoCA; and Bob Sylvester, Director of Education and Programs at MMoCA. Together, the curators will organize an exhibition that provides audiences with a visually engaging and thought-provoking experience that highlights the creativity and innovation of Wisconsin’s artistic communities. Baker Prindle concludes, “For nearly 125 years, MMoCA has had the great privilege of amplifying creative voices. We continue this tradition by supporting artists as they explore the ever-evolving meaning of contemporary life and inspire critical conversations within our community and beyond. This year’s Triennial is not only a celebration of artistic excellence but a testament to the power of art to connect, question, and transform.” <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mmoca.org/events/2025triennial/" target="_blank">Details</a> <h6>Participating artists:</h6> Theresa Abel (Madison)Tom Antell (Hayward)Lois Bielefeld (Milwaukee)Yeonhee Cheong (Madison)Angelica Contreras (Madison)Cassie Marie Edwards (Oshkosh)Nomka Enkhee (Milwaukee)Sarah FitzSimons (Madison)Jolene Frechette (Madison)Gerit Grimm (Madison)John Hitchcock (Madison)Kelli Hoppmann (Madison)Katie Hudnall (Madison)Tom Jones (Prairie du Sac)Helen Lee (Madison)Taj Matumbi (Madison)Guzzo Pinc (Fort Atkinson)John Riepenhoff (Milwaukee)Christina Ruhaak (Madison)Lauren Semivan (Manitowoc)Leslie Smith III (Madison)Michael Velliquette (Madison)Shane Walsh (Milwaukee)Christina A. West (Madison)

2025 Wisconsin Triennial

Tim Anderson: Stay the Course

RAM is thrilled to announce the return of its premier annual fundraiser! Save the date for&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://4ltow9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y0giOV3dXHrLhen9at4PNcklNHOzPl_vaqBypfu1Q-V5d-iUsMvwQRr6mvA6k4mklrQ7XF6k4BqidlJm66F1G33BGmqptz_XFcknW7cgl_sczMha0XnUEU3VtV7fN89e95_1BzmaUUEy6q9YgS8FYoaQ2e47F5Q9sf4bLQuXeZo=&amp;c=eQ3Qa_yjxb4scjUBTP0IXBto9mTjOgcLtVUhdIYyhIxPAUKGOOmQ-A==&amp;ch=0TOspyf_bnH7P8b-IKCzAj3A0JH3ujz_Y0LtzasHFbT1inmLu9I_eA==" target="_blank">SAVOUR 2025</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;Saturday, September 27, 5:30 – 10:30 pm at RAM's Wustum Museum.This year's extravaganza is set to be the most artistic, stylish garden party you have ever seen.&nbsp;SAVOUR 2025: Garden Gala—Cultivating Creativity&nbsp;will be filled with music, dancing, delicious food, and gorgeous flowers.Stay tuned to RAM's newsletter and social media channels—including&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://4ltow9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y0giOV3dXHrLhen9at4PNcklNHOzPl_vaqBypfu1Q-V5d-iUsMvwQankUkxJP55PcuriLK2QMO8cJOFolTlTHeFZsAmhMvtc-NgJDfyOgIpiO_rLl3jithrZO-W_47vPe6fDUSTB3msRVw_W_j4MdLXb-vm5VE1qOhU13P6sCm-i4BrUl5-tF654bJprg_Ij&amp;c=eQ3Qa_yjxb4scjUBTP0IXBto9mTjOgcLtVUhdIYyhIxPAUKGOOmQ-A==&amp;ch=0TOspyf_bnH7P8b-IKCzAj3A0JH3ujz_Y0LtzasHFbT1inmLu9I_eA==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://4ltow9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y0giOV3dXHrLhen9at4PNcklNHOzPl_vaqBypfu1Q-V5d-iUsMvwQcm9wp1HNFJJJ-vJROOFIIOuNwJU2TNt4qeLon78JyxheAT_bAoTfYrXnGQmBp2nT18VWyecAP_pU2rpUtTARu-y8iOR52GhK1cztqfOo3HFLIKkWlKUYttKRDwc1h0Ev-XB830SdgRZ&amp;c=eQ3Qa_yjxb4scjUBTP0IXBto9mTjOgcLtVUhdIYyhIxPAUKGOOmQ-A==&amp;ch=0TOspyf_bnH7P8b-IKCzAj3A0JH3ujz_Y0LtzasHFbT1inmLu9I_eA==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>—to learn more about this un-bud-lievable event when more details are released.

SAVOUR 2025

Catherine Sollman

What does the work mean? There is some mystery, some beauty, some drama, some surprise, and a little wit. There is much about being human and being part of or apart from the natural world. There is a lot about the passage of time and the persistence of the past. There is a great deal about celebrating the joy of seeing. That said, the content remains nearly as open for me as it does for you, the viewer.&nbsp;—Ron IsaacsMost of Ron Isaacs’s work—a combination of two-dimensional imagery and cut and sawn wood—operates in an in-between space. Isaacs identifies his work as “trompe l’oeil&nbsp;painted constructions.” He further goes on to state, “I never actually made it to three dimensions; I seem to have stalled at two and a half.”This exhibition debuts a new-to-RAM archive of works created by Isaacs between 1968 and 2020. This grouping—the scope of which is unmatched at any other organization—includes early acrylic on canvas paintings, a drawing, art jewelry, and over 20 painted wood constructions.

Collection Focus: Ron Isaacs

At RAM’s Wustum Museum Contemporary art jewelry often investigates cultural, social, personal, and environmental topics. Distinguished by a vocabulary of diverse media from precious metals to recycled objects, it also reflects artists’ interests in material exploration and notions of wearability. RAM’s holdings in art jewelry—with examples from artists from across the globe at varying stages in their careers—have grown rapidly. Artistic self-consciousness often drives those who make work considered “art jewelry,” though this is just part of a much larger conversation. Makers explore a wide variety of issues, materials, and themes, while utilizing media—both precious and non-precious—that encourage the exploration of jewelry and its history. In this selection of seven artists of color from RAM’s collection, the emphasis is on materials not traditionally anticipated for use in jewelry, such as polymer, safety pins, and silicone. While there are theoretically no limitations to the materials any artist can use, there have historically been barriers to some artists of color in the United States—indirect or otherwise—to access tools, materials, or studio spaces. At this moment, more and more efforts are being made to support and encourage the work of artists of color while drawing attention to existing work.Following the&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--link_color);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ramart.org/exhibit/nicole-acosta-hoops/" target="_blank">solo exhibition of Nicole Acosta</a>, which featured photographs of people of the global majority wearing hoop earrings, this exhibition emphasizes an idea that RAM often explores: how adornment can go beyond decoration to become a symbolic and layered space for meaning. While some of the work in this exhibition has been shown in the galleries at RAM, all of these pieces are making their debut at Wustum. Image: Lorena AnguloMilagro Heart Tree of Life, 2022Bronze, coral and turquoise beads, brass wire, and stainless steel wire4 7/8 x 3 7/8 x 3/4 inchesRacine Art Museum, Windgate Foundation Contemporary Craft Acquisition GrantPhotography: Jon Bolton

RAM Showcase: Focus on Adornment

Whether or not something is real or fabricated has become a compelling conversation in a contemporary context as technology allows for the simulation of reality on multiple levels. Artists have been interested in exploring the dynamics of representation and authenticity for many years, but what that actually looks like depends on the artist’s interests as well as what is happening in society at that time. For example, trompe l’oeil&nbsp;(French for fool or deceive the eye) artwork has been an artistic pursuit for centuries. The art form has been historically associated with two-dimensional imagery that appears as three-dimensional space or objects, but can also be applied to three-dimensional objects that, to put it simply, are deceptive in one context or another. Using clay and enamel on copper, respectively, Canadian artists and married couple Karen Dahl and James Doran explore these concepts through their well-known&nbsp;trompe l’oeil&nbsp;sculptures. The two are not collaborators, but their work is rooted in similar subject matter and a desire to explore what still life means in the modern era. A recent gift of 27 works by Dahl and Doran joined three pieces by Dahl already in RAM’s collection—establishing archive holdings for each artist. Shown intermingled in this exhibition, the works of Dahl and Doran encourage extended viewing and consideration of art history, object meaning, and process. James DoranEntomological Doodle, 1989Enamel on copper11 1/2 x 9 1/4 inchesRacine Art Museum, Gift of Holly Hotchner and Franklin SilverstonePhotography: Jarvis Lawson

Fool Me Once: The Trompe L’oeil Sculpture of Karen Dahl and James Doran

The first mid-career survey of the artist’s work,&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jmkac.org/exhibition/ashwini-bhat-reverberating-self/?utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Ui-15B_CcQknU9GEDGXMjBqDrNc-DTSKdHoyu63GuASVBzt71GYE_-e31PGV6S0Mplqp9YfAjLuTlga8VG8STj3QakJsCm2tjyDUB9eTtkUkzkDY&amp;_hsmi=343424237&amp;utm_content=343424237&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Ashwini Bhat: Reverberating Self</a> contains artworks made over the past decade alongside newly made work that has never been shown. The exhibition illustrates her journey since moving to California—creating a new home and securing a sense of belonging through communion with her environment and art making. The artworks evidence Bhat’s technical skill and intuitive approach to diverse materials and techniques, including cast bronze, hand-built ceramics, video works, and an artist-led collaborative community installation. All works on view are part of&nbsp;Assembling California,&nbsp;the artist’s ongoing project of place and self. The series concentrates on natural phenomena including post-fire forests, climate change, large-scale forces, mapping, and relationships. As an immigrant from southern India, Bhat works to find a sense of belonging and self in her home in California. She does this through walking, hiking, and spending time with local ecologists. Bhat’s past is infused into the present and imaginings of possible futures. She weaves time and experience through her sculptures by naming a body of her works depicting California flora after nature spirits, or Yakshis, entities that are part of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious practices. Bhat firmly roots her practice in recognizing humankind’s interconnectedness with all living beings and places—through contact, communion, and witnessing. She creates sculptures to share moments of her journey—of seeking self within her ecologies and invites viewers to relate to their environments by building relationships and spending time with other beings, human and nonhuman alike. Image: Ashwini Bhat. Photo: John Janca, courtesy of the artist and Shoshana Wayne Gallery.

Ashwini Bhat: Reverberating Self

In 2022, RAM organized a landmark exhibition for its street-facing Windows on Fifth Gallery. With artworks chosen from RAM’s collection,&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--link_color);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ramart.org/exhibit/on-fire-women-glass/" target="_blank">On Fire: Surveying Women in Glass in the Late-Twentieth Century</a>&nbsp;offered a cursory look at how women were shaping glass as an art material in the 1980s and 1990s. The exhibition title alludes to certain techniques of physically working with glass as well as the idea that some artists were innovating and making names for themselves—that they were “on fire” in their art world trajectory. This exhibition, an expanded version of the 2022 show, offers a deeper dive into this vital period in contemporary craft by outlining the concerns of artists who explore the sculptural, visual, metaphorical, and creative potential of glass. Seen through the eyes of women, it reflects developments with the medium as an art material two and three decades after studio glass concepts were being implemented into university programs and contemporary practices. Notably, a portion of the gallery is dedicated to supporting materials, such as images, articles, and books, which offer a broader context for understanding the artists, medium, and field.Glass does not have a single history as it has been used in many different ways. Its usage in a decorative context still exists, but the twentieth century also saw the academic establishment of it as a viable art-making material. This exhibition includes various examples of work produced within the studio glass framework—as self-consciously made art reflecting artistic investigations of materials, processes, and ideas. Artists represented include Sonja Blomdahl, Kimiake Higuchi, Concetta Mason, Flo Perkins, Kari Russell-Pool, Ginny Ruffner, Acquaetta Williams, Ann Wolff, and Toots Zynsky. Expanding on the 2022 exhibition, this iteration also features examples from collaborative teams, such as John Littleton and Kate Vogel and Benjamin Edols and Kathy Elliott. These artists explore numerous topics, including identity, beauty, color, pattern, nature, abstraction, form, the figure, metaphor, process, and the properties and abilities of glass as a material. There is also a range of techniques represented, including blowing, lampworking, casting, fusing, carving, polishing, pâte de verre, assembling, and various surface treatments. In essence, the exhibition summarizes the experimental nature of the artists and studio glass in general. A critic of another recent all-female glass exhibition lamented about needing to draw attention to the fact that all of the artists were women—are they artists first or women first? These conversations can also be limiting as they sidestep more fluid gender dynamics. Yet, in this particular moment in time, it is indeed important to draw attention to components beyond the objects themselves. Who the makers are and how they move through the world influences the work even if it is not the identifiable subject matter. Image: Ginny RuffnerTempest in a Spoon&nbsp;from the&nbsp;Structuring Beauty Series, 1999Glass and enamel paintRacine Art Museum, Gift of Stanley and Evelyn AsraelPhotography: Jarvis Lawson

On Fire Part II: Surveying Women in Glass in the Late-Twentieth Century

Opening at the Racine Art Museum (RAM) on March 12, 2025,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(247, 143, 57);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.lVpDCVeqdBsS0YynwBNnWsI6uzjI-2B9jc-2BcioV3sOeK-2FjDPvzcE-2F0N1PM-2BTx4Y3zd7FZ-2Bd1Ua-2FLcgXQzE0mtRbw-3D-3D_2Re_a1zzESVdmgLIQ4rlql6kbXT9QXaGGWYBxHAPtO1QqWO5GLp4idxebnEhHBD62PapFGhVibvX636tV4VNXI9Yc1fC3t6I93nvs128KylNuVSG4w8b6TD-2BSQhnOlpvnvnpFtzUMvSCikhZbhybTpfD-2B0ndfu50xgxCFjZQzQqK1fOcTlhX-2BRrO0O4nAgDPUkTGaehksClVOLINAXSjtnUzXR8ZKWwGh0QTjvG3iPLVYcP1XK0LCRdt1sQ26HiP09DlJp7-2BEeaYHrmf0yLvpEVBeX27-2Bo4o3I15g1nbUfpCnnAFVTVTkMvPT9eRTmr7HrsmEnIs7xUu4UKb0NikvQZYBcM7YnX8adZ3hMT5S-2FGRV2eXnUDwiTvGWMtJfSk2gec7x5dVdBaKQpeUrJDHQPJFhg-3D-3D" target="_blank">RAM Showcase: Bodies</a>&nbsp;features works created from clay or washi paper that explore the human body as form and content. This exhibition will remain on display through February 21, 2026.The human figure is often used to tell stories, symbolize existence, and represent the human condition. Featuring works from RAM’s collection,&nbsp;RAM Showcase: Bodies&nbsp;reflects people’s desire to study, analyze, and respond to the notion of the human body, with pieces on display that underscore the enduring artistic interest in the body as subject. The&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(247, 143, 57);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.lVpDCVeqdBsS0YynwBNnWsI6uzjI-2B9jc-2BcioV3sOeK9KXaQ6SLoxPqPiJ1ykV514-2B1mdaYq5n3BVmc6w-2B-2FQgWQ-3D-3Df65z_a1zzESVdmgLIQ4rlql6kbXT9QXaGGWYBxHAPtO1QqWO5GLp4idxebnEhHBD62PapFGhVibvX636tV4VNXI9Yc1fC3t6I93nvs128KylNuVSG4w8b6TD-2BSQhnOlpvnvnpFtzUMvSCikhZbhybTpfD-2B0ndfu50xgxCFjZQzQqK1fOcTlhX-2BRrO0O4nAgDPUkTGaehksClVOLINAXSjtnUzXR8ZKWwGh0QTjvG3iPLVYcODwwQL4fAtoF-2Fq7rWfMz4fjDbJH6uf8-2BsEl7BV4h2Gv7UTGoLpb8LGW7ObuWGLPZzA2KwFMqauzqimyjGEyNVrI-2Bb9eBa6z-2B5RT5h4d-2Bqaysd-2Bh1Dnn72ToJnaCvH1mJcLs6EAPT-2BTclF92v-2BlNnPF0uVT7slnEOdQZbLt-2BmZVvA-3D-3D" target="_blank">RAM Showcase&nbsp;exhibition series</a>&nbsp;at RAM and its second campus, RAM’s Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, focuses entirely on the work of contemporary artists of color. The fact that all of the works in&nbsp;RAM Showcase: Bodies&nbsp;were made by artists of color is a significant additional layer to the subject matter and ways it is depicted. This distinction is critical for some contemporary artists of color, as their work adds narratives to art histories that generally marginalized or excluded them.Individually, the artists represented in this exhibition explore a wide range of issues, including social and cultural dynamics, the sensual body, emotions, the connection between human beings and animals, history, and relationships between duality and otherness. Sometimes self-portraits, sometimes not, the subjects portrayed are envisioned or recorded through flat, drawn images or sculpted forms and reflect vibrant voices and engaging perspectives. Exhibitions at Racine Art Museum are made possible by:&nbsp;Platinum Partners—The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd, David Charak, Judith and David Flegel Fund, Ron and Judith Isaacs, Racine Community Foundation, United Way of Racine County, Windgate Foundation;&nbsp;Diamond Partners—Ruffo Family Foundation, Ruth Arts Foundation, Diane Zebell;&nbsp;Gold Partners—Anonymous, A. C. Buhler Family, Robert E. Kohler Jr. Fund, Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, Reliance Controls, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, W.T. Walker Group, Inc., Wisconsin Arts Board;&nbsp;Silver Partners—Anonymous, Sandy and Gus Antonneau, Baird, Lucy G. Feller, Ben and Dawn Flegel, Sharon and Tom Harty, Dave and Judy Hecker, Paula Kalke, Horizon Retail Construction, Inc., Johnson Financial Group, Lang Family Foundation, Dorothy MacVicar, Jan Serr &amp; John Shannon, Sandra Shove, Willard and Mary Walker;&nbsp;Bronze Partners—Carol Baylon, Rose and Peter Christensen, Dave’s Wine Garage, Educators Credit Union, Patricia and Richard Ehlert, Express Employment Professionals, Deborah Ganaway, Carol Griseto, Hitter’s Baseball, SC Johnson, Bill and Debbie Keland, Nancy and Nick Kurten, Susan Manalli, Norbell Foundation, JoAnna Poehlman, Rasmussen Diamonds, Harold and Lois Solberg, Kathy Stanghellini, Tito's, Twin Disc, Janna Waldeck, Barbara Waldman;&nbsp;Media Sponsor—Radio Milwaukee. The two campuses of the Racine Art Museum—RAM in downtown Racine at 441 Main Street and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum) at 2519 Northwestern Avenue—are located in Racine, Wisconsin, a historic community on the shores of Lake Michigan. RAM is home to the largest contemporary craft collection in North America and has a reputation for its award-winning architecture and nationally recognized exhibition program. Wustum is home to the organization's diverse, award-winning art education programs and has presented significant art exhibitions since 1941. Both campuses of the Racine Art Museum are currently open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission rates are $10 for adults; $8 for students, seniors (62+), and veterans; and free for RAM members, children under 12, active military personnel, and NARM, ROAM, and AAM members.

RAM Showcase: Bodies

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jmkac.org/exhibition/familiar-texture/?utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--3ltRN229IYW6amwf9BwlVoynj9P-wWQnCqcp7iqRNGTlfMqSkuurGL0gvDRvyto79NLfEDi-NC3vxrvl6oHLkgUth4KUD_YekpyhDAXRiMjpD1io&amp;_hsmi=343424237&amp;utm_content=343424237&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Details</a> Childhood memories of home are reconstructed in the form of textiles and fibers by artists Hangama Amiri, Keith Jackson, Yvette Mayorga, Tressa Prisbrey, and Dalila Sanabria. Each artist presents interior settings such as a bedroom inspired by fantasies, a living room of communal gatherings, or a storage space that marked the passage of time. Each of these sites memorialize social and environmental influences that shaped the future of an individual. The use of or reference to textiles and fibers, such as clothing, blankets, boxes, carpet, or upholstery, imbues memories and feelings with a tactile quality found in the rooms re-created by each artist. Importantly, they do not depict themselves or others in these scenes. This anonymity encourages imagined conversations, interactions, sounds, or scents of homeland to emerge from a variety of perspectives. By relying on textures—both literally and figuratively—the exhibition provides context for domestic spaces where an origin story is found, and a familiar emotional weight is recognized. Together, the works celebrate the right to choose from narratives of the past and how these stories inform and enrich the fiber of one’s being. Image: Yvette Mayorga, Bedroom After 15th (detail), 2022; acrylic piping on Disney TV, purses, shoes, lotion, wooden shelves, lamp, ceramic, bookbag, sneakers, Hello Kitty bubble blower, clock, faux books, mirrors, wood, pillows, wall paintings, nightstand, acrylic piping on bike, acrylic piping on canvas, and video; 9 x 9 x 10 ft. Courtesy of the artist.

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