It’s the second installment from my time at the Milwaukee Art Beat in October. To find out about the gifted individuals mentioned previously please read Part 1. Now, let’s get down to art. First up, is artist Amanda Iglinski, who enjoys working with many different mediums. I was quite fascinated with her pieces. I found them dark, clever, and at times humorous (my sense of humor can be off-beat at times).What’s more, I liked the dynamic colors, the layers, and her concepts. According to her bio, she has been creating art for as long as she can remember. You can view a few more of her pieces on her website.

Next, is artwork by Laura Meyer. Not only does she sculpt, paint, and photograph, but she is also a fashion designer who specializes in costumes and corsets. Created in 1998, her design company is called Twilight Attire and it sells locally and nationally. This may seem strange, but one thing that struck me was the placement of her pieces at Art Beat. The building interior and her artwork complimented each other beautifully. There were two photographs in particular that were hung from a wooden door, and for a moment I thought the door was a part of the art piece.

The entire space appealed to me, from the painted exposed piping to the wood cross-bracing, even to the detailed ironwork of the banister in the cafe area. The architect in me was enlivened. Mercy Hill Gallery supports talented local artists by allowing them to showcase their work at no cost to them. They host receptions, private parties, and events such as Art Beat all in support of Milwaukee’s promising art community.

As stated in Part 1, the night was filled with a wide range of performance pieces. A very unique act called The M.U.T.E.S (Marvelous Unspeaking Troupe of Entertaining Scoundrels) put on 2 very amusing skits; one of a bank robbery gone very wrong and the other poked fun at Adolf Hitler. They are inspired by silent films and bring that genre to life in front of your very eyes. The interview revealed that members of the team are heavily involved with the arts, performing in local plays, designing theatrical make-up, directing films, etc. Check out some of their Charlie Chaplin-like performances.

Oh how sweet the sound! The following artists require your auditory attention so I highly encourage you listen to their work from their websites:

Aaron Lundquist is an interesting spoken word artist, poet, and sculptor. His words are inspired by nature and when he performs he takes on a potent persona. We saw images of some of his sculpture as well, personally my favorites of his. I believe they were described as borderline “beautiful and disturbing.”

Jeremy Scott is a brilliant saxophonist, pianist, lyricist, and most recently a spoken word artist. He has played the saxophone since he was a little boy and took on the piano in his late teens. He was the last to perform that night, but I think he was definitely worth the wait.

Annie B. (producer of Art Beat) and her band Shut Up Marie opened up the evening with a couple of rousing original songs. I was entranced by the guitar part. It was imaginative and different, which is what made it so appealing. Annie B. has performed nationally in over 100 venues and her band Shut Up Marie has released songs that has made it to radio charts. Maybe you’ve already heard them.

Ladies and gents, that concludes my coverage of Milwaukee Art Beat. I was so glad that I attended. If you liked any of the artists presented in these posts, comment on them, or if you’re in the position to do so, give them your support. Keep the arts alive!

Art Beat photos are referenced from Lisa’s List.