Milwaukee, WI

In 2001, the Santiago Calatrava Quadracci Pavilion of the Milwaukee Art Museum drew attention to our fair city as a place where art really can and does happen. The city is also home to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, and even UW-Milwaukee offers graduate programs in fine arts. But aside from the colleges and tech schools, what does Milwaukee offer as far as art classes for the average person?

Lots, if you look hard enough.

The Milwaukee Art Museum itself features a number of classes and lectures both on technique as well as art appreciation. Prices are not at all out of line for the calibur of class offered, and the offerings are unusual and interesting - definitely worth a periodic visit to the Museum’s website.

Artist and Display, the north side’s finest art supply store, features an ecclectic offering of classes, from staples like watercolor and colored pencil to the more unusual such as art clay silver crafting and versals. The prices vary wildly and may reach beyond the budget of students and retirees, but the unique subjects make them the only game in town for many of the featured classes. Artist and Display also offers a number of children’s art classes.

Greenfield News and Hobby on Layton offers a very practical selection of art classes on a regular basis, including airbrushing, watercolors, and calligraphy. The prices are more than reasonable, and there are even a number of free art classes such as model kit building, designed with kids in mind.

Michael’s Craft stores, which are located all over Milwaukee, typically feature some basic art and cake decorating classes at low costs. The classes vary by location, and schedules are available at the individual stores.

Occasionally, even the Classes section of the local Craigslist features some art-related gems. While that option is hit-or-miss, it is worth the occasional browse.

There are art classes in Milwaukee for every taste and every budget if you look hard enough.

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Mental & Emotional Health

Last Sunday I finally had the opportunity to go see the Bodyworlds exhibit at the Milwaukee County Museum. I had been regretting my decision to pass it up a few years back when it was at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago - the lines were exceedingly long there. The exhibition running in Milwaukee is Bodyworlds 1. It is my understanding that there are now three Bodyworlds exhibitions touring worldwide, with a fourth to be added starting in Europe in the future.

Bodyworlds is an exhibition of the work of Gunther von Hagens, a German anatomist that invented the technique of plastination, which is used to preserve tissue. Rather than displaying the human body as one would see it at a funeral, the plastination process apparently allows the display of different organs, muscles, etc. The effect is a bunch of “skinned humans” sliced open to allow the viewing of their internal workings. The bodies are posed and dissected in different ways to display different tissue types.

To the question I posed at the start of the blog: was the display science, or was it art?

I went to the exhibition thinking that I was seeing science. There was a great wealth of information about the inner workings of the human body displayed along with the plastinated bodies. But alongside the scientific explanations were philosophical quotes about the nature of mankind, of life and of death. As I moved further through the exhibition I began to see less of the science aspect of the contorted bodies and more of the art. The two dancers, one perched elegantly for all eternity…the man locked forever in an unending chess game. That’s art…isn’t it?

Interestingly, the observations I heard the most from people around me were not commentaries on the gruesome nature of the displays, as I had expected. Rather, many people seemed fascinated by the displays exhibiting illness - the turned spine or the smoker’s lungs. That in itself was an interesting commentary on human nature.

In any event, the exhibit was an interesting one and although it was uncomfortably crowded I did enjoy what I saw. Rather than leaving me with questions about the frailty of life and the nature of the soul it left me with questions about the boundary between science and art and whether there necessarily must be such a boundary. I’ve been thinking that over for the past few days, and that alone was worth the price of admission.

On Monday a man was found dead in his car in Waukesha. Police suspect that he may have been there since Friday, when he was evicted from his apartment.

Patrick L. Greinke, 60, had been evicted from his apartment on the 400 block of N. Washington Ave. and although the cause of death has not been determined, exposure to the harsh elements this weekend seems a likely culprit.

Although homeless shelters were filled this weekend due to the weather, tragedies like this one do not need to happen. While the Salvation Army had no room over the weekend, there are other shelters which can take in the overflow, including the Hebron House which typically only shelters families and women. The Hebron House says it will accommodate men who are turned away from the Salvation Army shelter due to bed availability. Although the Salvation Army and many other shelters have been at capacity all winter this year, the shelters in Milwaukee work together in finding a shelter for those in need. In the event that all of the shelters are filled, hotel vouchers are available to ensure that no one needs to endure exposure to the elements.

Should you see someone sleeping in a car or out in the elements, call a shelter or the police immediately. A car will not provide sufficient shelter from the extreme temperatures that we have experienced this winter. The harsh weather is nothing to trifle with, and there’s no reason that anyone should have to try to endure the elements.

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Think warm thoughts.

Although Chinese restaurants are common throughout the city, Milwaukee isn’t exactly known for its Chinese cuisine. Chinese food in Milwaukee tends to suffer from predictability in selection and flavor, but Yen Ching on Milwaukee’s Northwest side stands out among the crowd. With lavish decor, quick service, an excellent menu and very reasonable prices, Yen Ching has a great formula for success in its market.

Be sure to start off your meal with one of Yen Ching’s eight different soups. Along with the typical egg drop and sweet and sour selections, Yen Ching features a few more unusual soups, including the incredible sizzling rice soup and a vegetarian spinach bean curd soup.

The menu is organized by main ingredient, so vegetarians will have an easy time finding their selections. Chicken, pork, beef and seafood are also featured, with ample selections available for each.

The tangy Sweet and Sour Chicken ($8.75) includes chicken breast with pineapple, green pepper, onion and mushrooms. As is true with all Yen Ching’s vegetables, the peppers were crisp and flavorful and complimented the dish well.

Above: Sweet and Sour Chicken

The Sizzling Rice Chicken entree ($9.25) is my personal favorite. The sizzling rice crust is combined with the chicken and vegetables at the table, making the sizzle sound that gives this dish its name. The chicken is flavorful but it is the rice crust that makes this dish a standout. Served with crispy vegetables, this dish is consistently an excellent choice.

Above: Sizzling Rice Chicken

The menu is huge, as are the portions, so don’t be afraid to go with friends and mix and match your entrees.

Yen Ching also features a smaller lunch menu, including smaller portions and smaller prices. Most lunch selections are available for less than $6.00.

If Chinese food is on your mind, don’t miss Yen Ching - you won’t be disappointed.

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Big on Broccoli