Milwaukee's Best Kept Secret

Tory Folliard Gallery (233 N. Milwaukee St.) presents Marion Coffey - Kenya and Tanzania Safari. First France, then travels to Spain, Italy and Great Britain, now artist Marion Coffey brings her bold and colorful paintings inspired by recent travel to Kenya. This new body of works on hand-made paper feature the vibrant patterns of traditional African dress, wild animal prints and beautiful smiling faces of the Maasai people. Her seemingly unbalanced shapes resonate and animate the surface of the picture plane. Exhibition through July 12. Visit www.toryfolliard.com or call 414-273-7311 for more information.

Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) - [273 E. Erie St.] presents MIAD 2008 Juried Senior Exhibition. Twenty-four members of MIAD's graduating class of 2008 were juried into this summer exhibition by MIAD's faculty from the excellence of their senior work.  Representing all of the school's eleven majors, this diverse exhibition in the Frederick Layton Gallery showcases the future designers and artists who have just graduated from the state's only independent college of art and design.  Also on exhibit in the Brooks Stevens Gallery will be artifacts and graphics from the college's extensive design collections.  Exhibition through August 10. Gallery open 10-5 Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 414.847.3200 or visit www.miad.edu.

Katie Gringrass Gallery (241 N. Broadway) presents Relative Spaces, July 3 through August 28. The perception of space is mainly a sensual response to the interaction of color and shape as observed in the world, but individual memories, moods, and emotions can also have a dramatic influence on the way we see. Each of these artists use their unique vision to create work in various media: Jodi dePew McLeane - pastel drawings of travel and interiors; Joel Hunnicutt - segmented, turned and lacquered wood vessels; Deanna Clayton - pate du verre glass and bronze vessels; Tom Rauschke - intricatesly hand-carved mobiles of birds, fish and other wildlife. Artists reception Friday, July 25 from 5 to 9pm. For more information, call 414-289-0855 or visit www.gingrassgallery.com.

Eisner Museum (208 N. Water St.) presents two exhibits through the summer. First is PETA’s - "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign through August 1.  In 1991, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) launched its "We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign. This exhibit features advertising from that campaign. Next is Advertising or Design - The Big Question - through September 30. This exhibit features three of the top advertising firms and three of the top design firms. See how the two professions are the same and how they differ. Call 414-847-3290 or visit online for more information.

Eisner Museum (208 N. Water St.) presents Fossil “Vintage-Ology.” This exhibit showcases Fossil’s iconic designs represented through a variety of products and packaging. From Fossil, “Our vintage is showing. And that’s fine with us. In fact that’s what we’re all about. Vintage inspiration with a modern twist. We call the term, Modern Vintage and you’ll find it in everything we do. From our award winning design to every product we make. See the evolution of our brand, our lineage, our DNA, our Vintage-ology.”  Exhibit through December 31.  Call 414-847-3290 or visit online for more information.

Visit the Elaine Erickson Gallery (207 E. Buffalo St.) and view original paintings by Ruth Grotenrath and Schomer Lichtner. Grotenrath used 20th Century modern influences in her early work and later used the sophisticated arts of Japan. Lichtner is best known for his expressive and whimsical paintings of ballerinas and dairy cows as well as his regionalist murals. The exhibit is ongoing and exclusive to the Gallery. For more information call 414-221-0613 or visit www.eericksongallery.com.

Going to the festival tonight? Looking for parking? Check out the Historic Third Ward parking structures located at 212 N. Milwaukee St. (corner of Milwaukee and Chicago) and 225 E. Chicago St. (corner of Chicago and Water). They're just a short walk west of the festival grounds on Chicago and reasonably priced, too!

It's almost time for sizzlin' jazz in a hot neighborhood! The Historic Third Ward Association proudly presents the 10th Annual Summer Sizzle Jazz Festival, August 1 and 2 on Broadway in the Historic Third Ward. Summer Sizzle is a free outdoor festival featuring two stages of great jazz musicians, a variety of mouth-watering food, and many specialty vendors. This year's headliners include influential and gifted trumpet player Terence Blanchard on Friday, August 1 at 9pm and celebrated contemporary saxophonist Steve Cole on Saturday, August 2 at 9pm. For the complete line up of artists, click here.

Community support and a private operator have sustained free trolley service for 2008!  The Hop n’ Shop, Wine n’ Dine route will remain the same, making the trolley an easy connector for grabbing a bite, heading to a show or doing a little shopping throughout Westown, East Town and the Historic Third Ward.  The trolleys run daily 11am to 10pm, Wednesdays – Saturdays, through August 16 with 20-minute headways.  For route info, call 414-562-RIDE or visit www.MilwaukeeDowntown.com.

Click here for weekly updates and specials from Third Ward Merchant Members! The list is updated every Wednesday, so check back often.

Presented by the East Town and Historic Third Ward Associations, Gallery Night and Day is the premier art event in Milwaukee for both the experienced artist and the beginning admirer. This July, the quarterly event showcases 57 venues throughout the downtown area. Spanning Friday evening and Saturday during the day, Gallery Night and Day features free parking in the Historic Third Ward parking structures. Plus, ride the Friday Gallery Night Xpress FREE! Enjoy a five-stop route which will take you from the Third Ward to East Town and back. The 20-passenger bus makes a continuous loop from 5pm to 9pm with stops every 15 minutes. Click here for more information about participants.

Check out the Third Ward Shopping, Dining and Entertainment Guide here! With almost 130 listings, the Guide is sure you help you discover many of the great things the Historic Third Ward has to offer.

Did you miss getting a Summer Sizzle t-shirt last year? Do you need a snazzy polo to look good in? Visit the Historic Third Ward office during regular business hours (M-F 8am-5pm) and check out our Third Ward Gear!
Shirts, hats and magnets are available for purchase.
Summer Sizzle T-shirt (2007-purple) - $7
Summer Sizzle T-shirt (2006-red) - $6
Summer Sizzle T-shirt (2005-blue) - $5
Historic Third Ward Polo Shirt (green) - $10
Historic Third Ward Hat - $15
HTWA Picture Frame Magnet - $5
Cash and checks welcome!

The Historic Third Ward Association and City of Milwaukee Business Improvement District No. 2 are proud to announce that the Historic Third Ward Riverwalk project received a 2007 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Honor Award for Regional and Urban Design. The Riverwalk also earned Special Recognition in 2006 from the AIA as well as a Special Achievement Award for Public Space from the International Downtown Association (IDA), the honor of Top Project from Wisconsin Builder Magazine and an Award of Excellence at the Sustainability & Energy Efficiency Leadership Awards. In 2005, project won an Honor Award from The Waterfront Center. The Historic Third Ward Riverwalk was designed by Engberg Anderson, a business tenant member of the Historic Third Ward. Learn about the project here.

The current Get Around Guide for the Marquette Interchange Project is now available in our office. The Guide provides information about closures and alternate routes through June 2008. For more information on trip planning, visit www.mchange.org - the official Marquette Interchange Project Web site. The site has closure info, up-to-date traffic conditions and even lets you map your personal route. Or, call the Marquette Interchange Project Hotline at 262-548-5684.