Arts & Entertainment
Taking Part in Making Art
Members of the Art Guild network, learn and exhibit together.
From painters to poets, the Menomonee Falls Art Guild brings together all types of artists. The Guild provides opportunities for its members to exhibit, learn new techniques, and network with like-minded people in the community.
“Art Guild is a place to meet other artists, see what’s going on in the Menomonee Falls art scene, learn through our workshops and participate in events,” said Maggie Brooks, the Guild’s Ambassador.
For the past five years the Art Guild has brought together creative people who want to share their artwork with others.
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“I joined the Art Guild because I needed to find other people who thought like me. It’s nice to have the support of people who do similar things as you,” said Pat Mitchell, a mosaic artist.
The Guild just exhibited artwork in the Associated Bank lobby during .
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“Our “Warm Up to the Arts” show (during Chilly Fest) was a success. About 350 people came to see our exhibit,” said Brooks.
The Art Guild hosts themed exhibitions which inspire the members to create artwork. In April they are partnering with the Falls Patio Players, and will have an exhibition called “The Art of The Musical: Annie” in the auditorium lobby where the Patio Players will perform “Annie”.
They also have an annual exhibition in June at Latitudes Coffee House in Germantown based on poetry. Brooks, who writes poetry, will be selecting six poems for the club to create artwork illustrating the poems for display.
Janet Hudachek, the club’s president, enjoys participating in the annual Art in the Park sale in August.
“The setting is so beautiful that it lends itself to art. I think every artist wants to sell their work because it validates what you do, and Art in the Park is a good opportunity for our members to make sales,” said Hudachek.
After paying the annual membership fee of $35, members can exhibit and sell artwork in eight shows per year with no entry fees.
Pete Zielinski was looking for new opportunities after being laid off from his job as a Graphic Artist.
“The Guild really got me painting again. When you have shows and deadlines, there’s more motivation to keep working on art. Artists sometimes need a kick in the butt to get going. Now, my scenic watercolors and acrylics are sold by the Stone Fern Gallery in Stockholm, WI,” said Zielinski.
The Guild consists of 50 members, with about 25 people at each meeting.
Artists in the biz
The Art Guild hosts several Artistic Development Workshops each year where they invite experts in different mediums to come talk about how they make their artwork and how they conduct their businesses.
The speaker for this month was Interior Designer Kath Teufel. She was a hairdresser and dog groomer before a friend brought her to a faux finishing class at MIAD where she fell in love with the art.
Now, she’s been doing interior design, including faux finishing walls and murals for 30 years. Faux finish is using paint and plaster to make walls and surfaces look like they are made of marble, wood, and other expensive materials.
“I’ve never had to advertise, because I get business through word of mouth. I had a job over on the east side of Milwaukee, and her sister and friend saw it and had me come to their houses too,” said Teufel, who works through her own business called Kath’s Creations LLC in Hubertus, WI, and also for Kehoe Designs in Chicago.
Teufel talked about how she got into the business and some of the different faux finish plaster techniques that she uses which produce rich effects using many layers of different colors and materials.
An opportunity to learn new techniques
The Art Guild is open to new members, and people who are interested are invited to attend a meeting.
The next Art Guild Meeting will be at 6 p.m. March 22 in the Menomonee Falls Public Library. Artist Cindy Kaja will be presenting a workshop called "Reverse Acrylic Painting."