Editor-in-Chief Debra Brehmer Associate Editor Calendar Editor Business Manager Mary Therese Gantz Associate Editor-Music Bobby DuPah from t h e e d t o r Associate Editor This issue marks Art Muscle's fourth anniversary, or, if your prefer, the start Nathan Guequierre of its fifth year. Did I really just type that? It doesn't seem possible that we've been doing this for four years. What a significant chunk of time. (If s the longest job I've ever held). And although we've certainly had our trials, it Photo Editor remains fun. To reminisce just a bit—Art Muscle was launched without any Francis Ford investment money. We'd sell enough ads to pay for each issue, scrimping along, constantly worrying that we might not make it from issue to issue. Four Design years later, we don't worry quite as much. (For the first time in my life, I have Chris Bleiler fingernails on one hand. If s a start). We've surfaced from enough near- disasters to know that the magazine has acquired some durability. It won't just go away in the wake of an unsuccessful issue. The magazine has become Editorial Assistant an integral part of the art community. I would hate to see Milwaukee without Judith Ann Moriarty a solid, alternative vehicle for arts criticism. Arts coverage by the popular press in all cities is usually scant and we feel Art Muscle truly fills a void and Sales speaks to a unique audience. Lisa Mahan This upcoming fifth year will be a telling one. We're ready for some changes. Volunteers We'd like to re-design the entire magazine. Our designer, Jim Catel, recently moved to Seattle after graduating from the Milwaukee School of Art and Peggy Mead & Jean Roberts G. Design and his assistant, Chris Bleiler, has taken over. This major project will be in Chris' hands. In addition to the look of the magazine, we plan to broaden Printing by Port Publications our editorial staff, bringing in some new blood that will in turn broaden the outlook of the magazine. We've finally found a dance writer after years of FRIENDS OF ART MUSCLE being unable to find a qualified writer in Milwaukee who wasn't too closely Perry & Bobbie Dinkin Ellen Checota associated with the dance community to be objective. Kathy Harding, an Barbara & Jack Recht Barbara Kohl-Spiro Jim Newhouse Thelma & Sheldon Friedman editor at Madison's Isthmus, will now be reviewing dance and writing related Peter Goldberg Mary & Mark Timpany features. We are still, however, always looking for new writers and even Theo Kitsch Dr. Clarence E. Kusik artists who think their work would make a good cover. We are very approach­ Gerald Pelrine Tina Peterman able. Just call if you have an idea. Currently, our staff is about the same as it Jay Brown Babcock Mechanical Christine Prevetti Katie Minahan was four years ago. We still have only two salaried positions—myself and my Richard & Marilyn Radke Richard Cler partner, Therese Gantz. The remainder of the magazine is done on a freelance Dennis Hajewsky Patti Davis basis by such committed talents as Francis Ford, our photo editor, and Na than Harvey & Lynn Goldstein Robert A. Holzhauer Robert Johnston Gary T. Black Guequierre, our copy editor. We hope to soon develop a salaried ad sales Polly & Giles Daeger Joel & Mary Pfeiffer position and are diligently searching for that special person. If you have an Judith Kuhn Nicholas Topping interest in selling, call us RIGHT away. Dorothy Brehmer C. Garrett Morriss Karen Johnson Boyd Geralyn Cannon Tim Holte/Debra Vest Roger Hyman Beyond our anniversary, another milestone was reached in this issue. For the Jack & Ellen Weller Dean Weller first time in our history, we've printed 52 pages. If s the fattest Art Muscle Arthur & Flora Cohen Remy ever. We've also printed 5,000 extra copies of the magazine to take to the New Sandra Butler David & Madeleine Lubar Art Forms show in Chicago, a Navy Pier extravaganza of galleries from Jimmy G. Scharnek William E. Harrold Sidney & Elaine Friedman Mike & Joyce Winter around the world. We will be representing Milwaukee's art community David & Peggy Wells Lois & Harold Solberg there. (I'm sure many of the people who will pick up the magazine will be Carolyn & Leon Travanti Mary Joe Donovan surprised Milwaukee HAS an art community.) As copy editor Nathan James B. Chase Jerome J. Luy Guequierre overheard a man mumbling in a Portland, Maine bookstore on a Cynthia Kahn Nate Holman Chris Baugniet Patrick Farrell recent trip, "I just hate that Midwestern provincialism." Anyway, in conjunc­ Riveredge Galleries Albert & Ann Deshur tion with the New Art Forms show, we've devoted a good portion of this issue Bob Brue Pam Jacobs Jewelry to crafts—an area we haven't covered in the past. It's a somewhat random Burt & Enid Dinkin Ginny & Gerry Robbins assortment of features and we decided not to participate in that hackneyed Ello & Guido Brink Taglin Enterprises/Access Milw James & Marie Seder Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops game of trying to delineate crafts versus fine art. We even called Lee Wards, Art Blair Randi & John Clark the huge crafty store at Point Loomis shopping center to see what's hot in Robert E. Klavetter Keith M. Coilis home crafts. The best-seller these days are "Mop dolls"—It's a little difficult Linda Richman Jewelry Mary Paul to visualize, but you buy a prepackaged string mop, add arms and paint the Richard Warzyriski Joan Krause Janet Treacy Morton & Joyce Phillips face. Dress-up teddy bears are also popular, though the biggest trend is Monica Cannon Haskell Delphine & John Cannon wearable art. The artisans we address in this issue, however, are potters, furniture makers and a weaver. To become a FRIEND OF ART MUSCLE, send a check for $50 which entitles you to That about sums it up. We wholeheartedly thank all of the writers, contribu­ receive Art Muscle for one year and gets your tors and advertisers who enable Art Muscle to exist. And, as always, remem­ name on the masthead! ber—We'd love to have you as a subscriber. (It's only $12). There's a little more room remaining on our masthead for some new Friends. So keep those Art Muscle is published bi-monthly by Art $50 checks coming! Muscle-Milwaukee, Inc., 909 W. National Ave., P.O. Box 93219, Milwaukee, WI Debra Brehmer 53203, (414) 672-8485. Third Class postage paid at Milwaukee, WI 53202 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Art Muscle, P.O. Box 93219, Milwaukee, WI 53203. Entire contents copyright © Art Muscle- Milwaukee, Inc. All rights reserved, except in reviews. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Art Muscle is a trademark of Art Muscle-Milwaukee, Inc. Subscription rates in continental U.S.:$12 one year; elsewhere, $16 one year. Cover: Photograph by Francis Ford. 2 AITMUSCLE Co nTe nT S My Museum j. Shimon & j. lindemann The Furniture Makers dana veiden The Chef maurice kilwein guevara Making the River Dance ann tiiemyr Storefront Potters imda van sistine The Weaver j u d it h ann mo ri arty EsSay gregory conniff departments AGOG Letters Reviews/Previews Secondary Smc>k e Ear Muscle Calendar Madison Calendar Chicago Roundup Walk This Way t Congress postpones its name to American Inside Theatre in Crumble discharged from to acquire property at 158 N. Broadway NEA reauthorization debate conjunction with its move to Waukesha. Inner City Arts Council in the Third Ward (the Theatre X build­ U.S. House of Representatives Speaker With the start of this season, Inside The­ Milwaukee Inner City Arts Council Direc­ ing). Under the option agreement, the Thomas Foley (D-WA) postponed floor atre begins a relationship with Can-oil tor Denise Crumble has been discharged Skylight has until Dec. 1 to determine debate on legislation to reauthorize the College as their resident professional from her position by the Inner City Arts whether the site would meet its needs. National Endowment for the Arts due to theatre. They will be performing in the Council's Board of Directors. The Inner The Skylight has been looking for alter­ concern that a July vote would result in Otteson Theatre, a 240-seat house. The City Arts Council would not comment on native sites since 1984. The current build­ restrictions on federally funded art. "We season opens with August Snow, a new the incident and Crumble could not be ing lacks an appropriate-sized orchestra think more time is needed for Democrats play by southern novel ist Reynolds Price. reached. pit, backstage space and support facili­ to reach concensus on their amendments ties including production shops, offices and time for those lobbying in support of Next Act Theatre formed Artreach publishes book and rehearsal space. Theatre X would an unrestricted bill to get their messages Theatre Tesseract and Next Generation A book containing the creative writing remain in residence in its current 75-seat across," saidan aide to Foley. He also said Theater have merged under the new and artwork of people served by Artreach theatre. the bill was postponed because the three- name, Next Act Theatre. The season opens Milwaukee has been published. Milwau­ to-four hour time slot allotted for debate Oct. 12 with an adaptation of Madeleine kee Challenged Voices of Change was a Gallun receives award on July 27 was not enough time for the L'Engle's book A Wrinkle in Time. Per­ residency project in which five Milwau­ Richard Gallun, senior vice-president of "hours and perhaps days" of deliberation formances will be at Centennial Hall in kee visual artists and writers worked with FIserv, Inc., received the United Perform­ necessary to consider the 26 proposed the Milwaukee Public Library.