“Art gallery per capita” is a good indicator of a neighborhood’s health and vitality. Such spaces suggest that the denizens value creativity enough to financially sustain the galleries, which, in turn, function as mirrors that reflect a community’s identity back at it. Groovy Dog Gallery opening at 2401 N. Weil St. will be doing just that for Riverwest.
“The idea for Groovy Dog Gallery came out of August’s ‘Fitz and Friends’ art fest that I curated,” says founder Shaun Watson. “The exhibition was such a success that a gallery seemed possible. And Riverwest has such great, affordable spaces.”
Groovy Dog Gallery will feature arts that are omitted from traditional galleries. “We’ll primarily exhibit illustration, but also things like zines and pins—stuff that’s affordable so everyone can take something home,” says Watson. “Every month new artists will be showcased and although I already have two Chicago artists booked, we’re trying keep it local.”
Groovy Dog Gallery’s inaugural exhibition opens with a party on Friday, Nov. 11 from 7 p.m. to midnight. To get the gallery off the ground a $5 donation is requested. Local poet KJ Prodigy will give a reading and Watson will exhibit 10 prints, T-shirts, stickers and paintings.
“Asher Israelow: Craft and Lore”
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
273 E. Erie St., Fourth Floor Raw Space
“I am attracted to most art forms and have a hard time distinguishing art from design,” says Asher Israelow. “I think when design is done well, it becomes art.” On Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m., Israelow will give a talk as part of MIAD’s Creativity Series. The furniture and building designer emphasizes the importance of origins by using only ethically and locally sourced materials that are carefully crafted to last generations. Israelow will speak about his “studio process as well as projects in which inlay, mapping and storytelling are major components of the work.”
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“Why Wallpaper”
Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum
2220 N. Terrace Ave.
Wallpaper is a 16th-century invention that promised chic interior decoration to those on a budget. In the past 20 years, contemporary artists have begun exploring wallpaper as a serious artistic medium. “Why Wallpaper” collects works from six artists hailing from New York, Rhode Island, Jamaica, Milan, Chicago and Paris. In their hands, wallpaper becomes a canvas for political commentary, social change and forward-thinking aesthetic ideas. “Why Wallpaper” opens with a reception on Thursday, Nov. 10 from 6-8 p.m.
