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Wednesday, February 8,2012
Off the Cuff

The Collector Behind MAM's 'Accidental Genius'

By Kat Murrell
Over a 20-year period, Milwaukee's Tony Petullo amassed an internationally known art collection. Now, the retired businessman has given more than 300 pieces to the Milwaukee Art Museum. These works form the new exhibition...
Tuesday, January 31,2012
Off the Cuff

Milwaukee Finds 'Common Ground' for Foreclosures

By Emily Patti
In this era of record bonuses for Wall Street and “get out of jail free” cards for the wealthy and well connected, at least one grassroots, nonpartisan organization successfully sought corporate accountability. Common Ground achieved that with its...
Tuesday, January 24,2012
Off the Cuff

Going Wild for Theater at the Milwaukee County Zoo

By Russ Bickerstaff
Milwaukee County Zoo Theater Coordinator Dave McLellan is the man behind Kohl's Wild Theater, a program developed by the zoo and funded in part by a $1 million donation from Kohl's. Its programs deliver an entertaining way to learn about...
Wednesday, January 18,2012
Off the Cuff

Milwaukee's 'Coopetition' Not Just for the Birds

By Willy Thorn
To celebrate the city ordinance allowing Milwaukee residents to keep up to four chickens, Cream City Hens and Beintween are bringing a “Coopetition” (a design/build contest for chicken coops) home to roost. Keith Hayes, founder of Beintween...
Tuesday, January 10,2012
Off the Cuff

SkeeNation's Milwaukee Masterminds

By Willy Thorn
With SkeeNation's “Regular Skeeson” rolling along, I met with league exec Brandon Harris and local masterminds Casey Payne and Kelvin Evans alongside a pair of skeeball machines with the coin slots turned off. P.S.: It's addicting. Use the wall...
Wednesday, January 4,2012
Off the Cuff

Portrait Society's Collaborative 'Winter Chapel'

By Kat Murrell
Portrait Society Gallery is getting ready to brighten this chilly season with its annual “Winter Chapel” installation, opening on Gallery Night, Jan. 20. This year features a free-standing room constructed by Keith Nelson and decorated by Paula Schulze...
Tuesday, December 27,2011
Off the Cuff

Kevin Horrigan: Finger-Style Guitar Champion

By Evan Rytlewski
Milwaukee native Kevin Horrigan had been playing guitar informally since his teens, tooling around on the electric guitar and jamming with friends, but he didn't take music seriously until he was 20, when he became infatuated with the finger-style...
Wednesday, December 21,2011
Off the Cuff

Gathering Resources to Feed Milwaukee's Hungry

By Emily Patti
For 30 years The Gathering has been a vital presence in Milwaukee, steadfastly maintaining its mission to “provide meals and associated services to those who would otherwise go hungry.” The interfaith meal...
Wednesday, December 14,2011
Off the Cuff

UWM's John Gleeson on All Things Irish

By Willy Thorn
Native Dubliner John Gleeson is a UW-Milwaukee professor and advocate of Celtic culture. He sat down over frosty pints at County Clare to discuss Irish bards, notable McCarthys, Christmas boxes and William Butler Yeats' sexual rejuvenation...
Wednesday, December 7,2011
Off the Cuff

Kari Couture's Socially Engaged Art

By John Schneider
Kari Couture, who has had her works exhibited internationally and her political drawings and prints included in several books on socially engaged art (including Paper Politics and Reproduce & Revolt), is devoted to community art education...
Wednesday, November 30,2011
Off the Cuff

Ann Marie Craig Balances Work and Family

By Willy Thorn
West Bend's Ann Marie Craig is featured in the book Country Living: The Mom's Guide to Running a Business. The owner of Century Farmhouse, which produces handcrafted artisan soaps, is among 28 women profiled in the book...
Tuesday, November 22,2011
Off the Cuff

Milwaukee Filmmaker Creates 'Will and Testament'

By Daniel Gaitan
Eric Strelitzer is a 2006 UW-Oshkosh graduate and Wisconsin native who wrote and directed Will and Testament, currently in post-production and scheduled for...
Tuesday, November 15,2011
Off the Cuff

Ron Faiola's Rock Posters: Remembering the Real Alternative

By David Luhrssen
Back in the days before texting, when a staple gun and a telephone poll were the cheapest ways of getting the word out, posters were a popular medium for promoting bands. Some excellent poster art (as well as some interesting dreck) was inspired...
Wednesday, November 9,2011
Off the Cuff

Artist Shelby Keefe Captures Milwaukee's Beauty

By Peggy Sue Dunigan
The Pfister Hotel's third artist in residence, Shelby Keefe, started painting at a young age. As a child she often made doodles and drawings. Keefe followed that passion in college, completing a BFA in graphic design at Cardinal Stritch University...
Wednesday, November 2,2011
Off the Cuff

ArtWorks for Milwaukee's Youth Outreach

By Willy Thorn
Since its inception in 2001, ArtWorks for Milwaukee has hired and trained more than 400 youth in a variety of unique arts-based programs. The local nonprofit is hosting its third “Night by the River” benefit 7-10 p.m. Nov. 11...
Monday, October 24,2011
Off the Cuff

Milwaukee's Kathryn Lofton on Oprah, Religion

By Sarah Terez Rosenblum
Kathryn Lofton grew up walking Milwaukee's East Side with her sister, each sporting a Walkman. “She had cool music like Joy Division,” Lofton says. “I had Steve Winwood's 'Higher Love.'” Now, after the publication of Lofton's lauded...
Thursday, October 20,2011
Off the Cuff

Balls to the Wall

Brookfield Native Penelope Spheeris' Latest Film

By Daniel Gaitan
Balls to the Wall is the new comedy directed by critically acclaimed Penelope Spheeris. Spheeris' eclectic career includes directing the blockbuster Wayne's World, and writing the memoir of Janis Joplin The Gospel According to Janis...
Wednesday, October 19,2011
Off the Cuff

Blind Eye Studio: Following Bliss, Picturing Zombies

By Lora Nigro
For many wide-eyed Gen Yers bequeathed...
Monday, October 17,2011
Off the Cuff

What Democracy Looks Like?

An Interview with Randy Brice, Arrested for Protesting Ron Johnson

By Willy Thorn
Randy Bryce was one of 19 people arrested last week in Senator Ron Johnson's downtown Milwaukee office. Take One. Well first… Sorry, I can't hear you. I'm stuck behind a megaphone at Occupy Milwaukee...
Wednesday, October 12,2011
Off the Cuff

Kimberly Kreines' Strength Shows at Writers Boot Camp


By Willy Thorn
Franklin native Kimberly Kreines is a scientist, researcher, author and screenwriter. Kreines' sci-fi novel Seer won her a stint in Writers Boot Camp...
Tuesday, October 4,2011
Off the Cuff

Annie B., Artbeat Showcase Milwaukee Talent

By Kevin Lynch
“Let's do it!” the wildcat voice cries on the opening moments of the album Fancies of a Random Heart by Annie B. and the Vagabond Company. Annie B.'s unbridled exuberance marks a clarion new voice in Milwaukee rock. Cam DeWinter's incisive...
Sunday, October 2,2011
Off the Cuff

Painting the Fifth Ward

The Couto Brothers' Mural

By Peggy Sue Dunigan
The striking mural at 1st and Pittsburgh is signed is the work of two brothers, Alex and Chris Couto, who only two years ago combined their talents in a serious effort to create art. The self-taught Brazilian-born brothers have enjoyed remarkable...
Tuesday, September 20,2011
Off the Cuff

Voice Over Milwaukee Teaches the Art of Speaking

By David Luhrssen
It's not just advertising and movie trailers anymore. Those voices you hear everywhere—at the Amtrak station or the airport, using soothing tones to warn about unattended...
Monday, September 19,2011
Off the Cuff

Milwaukee Playwright Adds Salt to Festival

By Daniel Gaitan
Jeffrey James Ircink is a UWWhitewater graduate and recently moved back to Milwaukee as a playwright and actor. The new short film Pass The Salt, Please will be at the Milwaukee Festival. It is adapted from his stage play, and targets sexuality...
Monday, September 12,2011
Off the Cuff

High Frequency Media's East Coast Tour

On the road with Juniper Tar, Strand of Oaks

By Matthew J. Prigge
Anthony Lopez and Jon Salimes founded High Frequency Media in 2009...
 
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