Local Trolley’s first six months has gone really fast, almost faster than this summer. It’s an unbelievable experience to get to know new people and share my secret passion of writing with you, and I’m just getting started!!!
The response to Local Trolley has far exceeded my expectations, and You, the readers, have witting or unwittingly fed my desire to indulge in written gallivanting and debauchery. So to commemorate, I want to share some of my favorite pieces thus far at this semi-annual milestone.
Mostly Mammals and Minds, J.M. Kohler Art Center
Although not in Milwaukee, I had a phenomenal time at the J.M. Kohler Art Center and their current exhibit Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts looks at the transformation of memories into art. Of interest to me is that an art center the caliber of the J.M. Kohler space would feature works that were not designed for exhibition, but rather were just commandeered visual creations of savants. Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts is on display until December.
Use out of the useless at MAM After Dark, feats by Chakaia Booker
While MAM AfterDark welcomed the opening of the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibition, another was closing in the adjacent Baumgartner Galleria. Chakaia Booker’s works of industrial art posed in the galleria as an interesting juxtaposition of artist philosophies: the moving away and building out mind set of Wright, versus her conservationist urban rejuvenation mind set. Booker nearly tends towards artisan craft-person, and certainly is a industrial artist. Her works in my opinion would make good extended art excursion to chase down.
The End, Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman and
August in the Powerhouse Theater, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater had an outstanding season in 2010-11, delivering musicals in their production line for the first time with Cabaret and to a lesser extent Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Under Mark Clements, The Rep takes chances now that it hadn’t in the past, and it literally is paying off. Local Trolley didn’t write about all the productions but 39 Steps and The Rep’s intern ensemble shorts were also very good.
Retrospective: Sleeping in the Aviary
Covering the Sleeping in the Aviary show at the Borg Ward, served as one of my transitional efforts from Local Trolley’s old block Sane Artworks Blog. I’ve allowed my writing to grow-up a little bit since then but I really had fun covering this very talented act’s performance. They also happen to have a show coming up in Milwaukee (September 10th at the Power Plant) and are dropping an new album You and Me, Ghost September 6th (you can pre-order it here).
Retrospective: Levine and Heimerl, Handmade Nation
Originally appearing on the Sane Artworks Blog, my review of the world premiere of the craft culture documentary Handmade Nation really sparked my flame for wanting to found an e-zine. Covering this event also re-kindled my love affair with Milwaukee, as I had only moved back about 6 months or so prior when the premiere happened. Levine and Heimerl’s work went on to travel around the world, and it’s home base was here in little Ole Milwaukee. The creative world tends to focus on the big markets, but everything is possible anywhere.
Big Thank-ee!
Thanks for reading, to everybody who even accidentally clicked the link to the Local Trolley publication! Feel free to check out the Archives Volume 1 and Volume 2 to peruse for more interesting who, whats, and wheres.
If by any chance you are interested in submitting content (not just from Milwaukee), feel free to contact Local Trolley via twitter or email!
Pens and Keys,
L.S. Trolley
Local Trolley 
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