Photo courtesy of No Instructions
Jamms Stepanek - No Instructions Gallery
James Stepanek opens the door to No Instructions Gallery in Bay View
This Friday, Bay View Gallery Night welcomes a newcomer to the neighborhood. No Instructions Gallery (2124 E. Rusk Ave.) is an inconspicuous storefront on a mostly residential street, just blocks away from South Shore Park.
Photo courtesy of No Instructions Gallery
James Stepanek - No Instructions
James Stepanek works on preparing No Instructions Gallery for its opening exhibit 'Extra Pickles' highlighting works by Shane Walsh
Owner James Stepanek secured the lease in February after spotting the vacant spot on Craig’s List. He’s a creative director at Trusted Media Brands, a graduate of the fine arts and design programs at Kent State and an abstract painter. His first impulse on seeing the storefront was to rent it as his studio, but on second thought …
“I’ve always had the idea of a gallery in the back of my mind,” he says. “This space just clicked right away. It’s only a few blocks from where I live and it’s the perfect size. I always thought that a gallery would be too costly. This is affordable and close to home.
Stepanek stripped away layers of old linoleum to reveal the original maple floor. He painted the walls white, turning the compact cube into a blank canvas for displaying colorful artwork.
Photo courtesy of No Instructions
Painting by Shane Walsh
A painting by Shane Walsh
Photo courtesy of No Instructions
Painting by Shane Walsh
A painting by Shane Walsh
No Instructions’ opening exhibit, “Extra Pickles,” focuses on paintings by UWM Prof. Shane Walsh. The name, Stepanek explains, refers to Walsh’s tendency to “do what his heart leads him to do, even if it means going overboard. Shane likes to keep a sense of humor in his paintings.” He’s already booked future exhibits into the fall season.
“I wasn’t part of the gallery community in Milwaukee,” he says. “I started following local artists on Instagram and cold calling them. They were receptive with working with me and having a new place to show their paintings.”
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At present, Stepanek is focused on artists from Milwaukee and Chicago. “I’d like a mix of younger and more established artists. I’m open to exploring artists from around the country but I’m still figuring it out. Learning how to curate shows opened up a whole new world for me.”
The opening reception at No Instructions runs 5-9 p.m. Friday, May 30. Regular hours will be Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during exhibits.
