Milwaukee at Night

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 20x16

Milwaukee is a vibrant and progressive city with an active arts scene. I grew up in Milwaukee and I will always be grateful for the wonderful art experiences I was exposed to as a young artist, through scholarships provided to the Milwaukee Art Museum Saturday program.

Milwaukee's Calatrava by Moonlight

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 16x20

The Calatrava design of the Milwaukee Art Museum is a spectacular achievement in beauty and engineering. The Quadracci Pavillion and the open "wings" of the Burke Brise Soleil face the cold glow of the full moon over lake Michigan.

Milwaukee Art Museum and Skyline

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 24x30

The Calatrava design of the Milwaukee Art Museum on Lake Michigan is a spectacular achievement in beauty and engineering. The open "wings" of the Burke Brise Soleil are accented by the skyline of Milwaukee with the War Memorial on the right and a dramatic evening sky above.

Milwaukee My Hometown

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 16x20

Available from the artist for $950.00

I was born and raised in Milwaukee and began my art career in this great city by a great lake! As a teenager I was awarded scholarships to the Saturday Art Program at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Some of the best and most talented student artists in the city were given an opportunity to create art with professional materials and study with top notch art instructors, like Eugene Mecikalski and Ralph Cieslik, every week. We were also given free reign of the art museum and its world class collection of art to study, discuss, inspire and enjoy. I knew my way around the art museum like my own room. What an opportunity for a young artist to have! But the best part was meeting other kids that loved art as much as I did. Keith Halonen was one of them. You can view his website at http://keithhalonen.com/artist.htm , check his Biography.

To my knowledge there has never been a program like it before or since and I'll always be grateful to my city for a chance to be part of it during my "wonder years". Thank you Milwaukee!

Milwaukee Art Museum architect Santiago Calatrava

 High Tide at the Calatrava - Milwaukee Art Museum
Original Painting - Acrylic on Canvas 20x24

The Calatrava design of the Milwaukee Art Museum on Lake Michigan is a spectacular achievement in beauty and engineering. The open "wings" of the Burke Brise Soleil in this view reminded me of the tail fin of a gigantic sea creature diving beneath the waves. The Quadracci Pavilion is used here as an icon of art and civilization being swept away by the forces of nature in a cataclysmic event of epic proportions. I actually painted a similar theme over 30 years ago using the Milwaukee War Memorial as my subject. Perhaps I'll post a photo of the earlier piece at a later date.