Angela Fitzgerald catches up with the Art Cart, a program bringing arts and crafts to Dane County parks hosted by Madison School & Community Recreation and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. She has a discussion with the Youth Arts and Enrichment Specialist, Sarah Zahn, about the programs and the services that they offer. We also share stories from artists across Wisconsin.
We also find a balmy laboratory on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Fervently working to create her works is Helen Lee, a master glassblower who teaches in the UW Glass Department. Lee’s glass artwork has been featured around the exhibited around the world, and focuses on the concepts of language and bilingualism.
Then Jon Was shares his painted journey through self-portraits. Wos knows how to sketch someone’s story because he learned how to share his own. Wos was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. It has impacted his life, but he would not let it try to stop him on his journey.
Fatima Laster transforms a rather macabre space into a place where art can be exhibited and seen. Laster opened 5 Points Artist Gallery and Studios which she converted over from a historically Black owned funeral home in Milwaukee. For Laster, the community support for her project was a necessity in making it work.
A Two-Spirit artist named Ryan Young explores their history and connection with Ojibwe culture and the Two-Spirit identity. Young now uses art to provide a voice for those still searching for answers. Young’s art focuses on identity, empowerment and representation. Something Young never experienced or saw growing up.
Finally, an animated story written by Michael Perry shares a poetic memory in a country kitchen. His story reveals that a kitchen is not only a utilitarian space but a place where family and friends have conversations that bond people. Michael discovers this first hand and develops a bond that changes his own life.
