Beginning Dec. 3, the walls of West Allis’ Inspiration Studios will be adorned with colorful works by Allison Estry. The exhibition title, “Organic Nonsense,” is revealing. Estry paints biomorphic abstractions, favoring shapes found in nature without overtly representing anything in particular, leaving the interpretive legwork to the viewer. “There must be billions of ugly, uncomfortable ways to arrange color and texture on a canvas,” Estry says, “but the act of sifting through all of the wrong things to make a piece that’s serene, or whimsical, or unsettling, restores a sense of power and purpose.”
A comparison with inkblot tests is fitting given the self-taught painter graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in psychology. Estry’s description of her creative process even sounds inspired by psychoanalytic expeditions into the subconscious: “I pull some interesting colors off the shelf,” she says, “and smack them across a canvas, over and over again, until I find something relaxing creeping out of the weave.” “Organic Nonsense” opens with an artist reception from 4-6 p.m. on Dec. 3 and is up through Dec. 31.
“Lacerations”
Gallery 2622
2622 N. Wauwatosa Ave.
With 2018 in the offing, it’s time to begin prepping those New Year’s resolutions. Could I stand to lose some weight? Save some money? Or perhaps just reevaluate my artistic direction? Local painter Benjamin Fairly chose the latter path, ripping up—or lacerating, if you will—his work from the past five or six years before reassembling them in search of fresh possibilities. “Lacerations” opens at Gallery 2622 on Friday, Dec. 1, from 6-9 p.m.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
“Here We Make Our Home: Journey Stories”
Latino Arts Gallery
1028 S. Ninth St.
Latino Arts, Inc. has teamed up with Wisconsin youth for a searching artistic examination of personal journeys. Centered on the symbolically charged image of the birdhouse, students from schools across Greater Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin have created works representing their personal journey stories. The aim of the exhibition is to foster an environment for respectful conversations surrounding the timely topics of immigration and settlement. The opening reception for “Here We Make Our Homes” takes place Friday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m. The exhibition is on display through February 2018.
