💌 Love letter recap from our LAYERS event!
Illustration by Aly Miller @aly_illustrations
This month Aly mentored @carolineartsy17, check out her illio!
There were layers upon layers of sweetness at our February’s CM event. To begin, we met at Urban Ecology Center’s recently renovated branch in Washington Park 🌿. Branch Manager Terry Evans welcomed us and shared the many ways to get involved with UEC. Check out their events calendar to sign up for early morning bird walks, yoga, game nights, and much more. Thank you, Urban Ecology Center for connecting us with nature! Our annual partner, Discourse Coffee, provided the caffeine ☕. Ruby’s Bagels donated an assortment of freshly baked bagels & schmear🥯. Needless to say, all 153 of us attendees were well taken care of.
🎭 To kick off our morning together, Gina Cornejo, an Americana Peruana multidisciplinary artist, stunned us with their performance of their work titled “Ink. Inca. Inti. Milwaukee.” It was breathtaking and an honor to experience. Lucky for us, there is more of Gina’s work to explore. Home Remedies, their chapbook published by Bottlecap Press, is out now.
From Bottlecap:
The balm for the ailment of homesickness is elusive. Home Remedies is a five piece collection dedicated to the collective ache of those seeking treatment for this ancient melancholy. Part travelogue diary, part nostalgic excavation, and part dreamscape protagonist, Cornejo is a deeply enthusiastic connoisseur of home; either grounded in it, departing from it, longing for it, or never knowing it, she examines the fascination between the alchemy and reality of where we might hang our hat.
Get your Copy of HOME REMEDIES
CreativeMornings HQ featured Rachal’s talk in the global newsletter, reaching over one hundred thousand friends. For those who were present, we’re not surprised. Rachal’s musings made a palpable impact on us all.
A clip from the global newsletter:Rachal Duggan’s talk on the theme of layers starts whimsical then goes deep. As an illustrator, she uses humor to spark conversations about body issues. She believes that creating art is critical to coping with life’s challenges. Watch her talk for our Milwaukee chapter for a lesson in embracing the complexities of life and taking pride in yourself and your accomplishments. Thank you, Rachal, for the care you put into putting your talk together. Your commitment to expressing your truth is a gift to us all. Thank you for drawing like everyone you know is dead. It helps us all feel less shame and more connection. And thank you for your humor. You remind us that we’re allowed to laugh after we cry.
Rachal Duggan | Permission to Layer | CreativeMornings/MKE
🎬 Filmed & edited by Precious “Jae” Burrell from Epic Media
Rachal is hosting a comic workshop!! If you’re interested in making comics but not sure where to start, this is the workshop for you. Here’s what you can expect:
〰️Run through ways to get ideas flowing for storytelling
〰️Practice different ways to convey stories from montages to multi-panel series to mini zine making
〰️Try out various drawing prompts to see your natural style come through
〰️Rachal will talk about her personal illustration methods and how her practice has changed over time
📅 Date: Saturday, March 22nd
⏰ Time: 1 - 3pm
📍 Location: Little Fire Ceramics Studio in The Hyde House, 2612 S. Greeley St. Suite 204, Milwaukee, WI 53207
📸 Portrait by Linda Smallpage
CreativeMornings is about shining the light on our communities. One way we do this is via 30 Second Pitches. This is where we invite a few people to the stage and share a pitch. Our 30 Second Pitch Nomination Form is always open! Feel free to self-nominate :)
A BIG thank you to Daniela Varela of Ruby’s Bagels for treating us to a fresh and delicious bagel breakfast! Ruby’s Bagels is a small, woman-owned business that focuses on high quality bagels that bring people together. Her shop is committed to foster a sense of community, providing exceptional service, and building a welcoming space where everyone feels valued.
Daniela’s passion drives her to consistently deliver the best bagel experience. You can find Ruby’s Bagels at Zócalo Food Park in Walker’s Point and visit their newest location in Wauwatosa (5513 W North Ave.) this month!
BearBear launched as a Risograph hub and creative studio in 2019 by two artists — Diana H. Chu and Ben Grzenia. Inspired by DIY zine culture and gig-poster screen prints, BearBear Risograph prints and publishes quality art books, band posters, and paper ephemera.
Connect with them at Milwaukee Zine Fest 2025 on 4/19 at the Central Public Library branch. BearBear is AAPI and minority co-owned.
Shelly McClone-Carriere and Cris Siqueira are co-owners of Lion’s Tooth bookstore café and art space in Bay View. Lion’s Tooth is a mission-driven shop specializing in zines, prints, small press books and comics for kids and adults. Shelly and Cris curate quality underground and radical publications and work to support local artists and authors.
Check out the Lion’s Tooth website for upcoming events, book clubs and news.
Stephanie Bartz is a Milwaukee photographer and artist, working on an ongoing, self-funded photo series called “Women’s Work.” The group art exhibit Stephanie created, “Breaking Barriers,” features 18 women in professions traditionally occupied by men. The gallery show will also include several other Milwaukee artists: Ann Baer, Dara Larson, Roxane Mayeur alongside MATC students.
You’re invited to the opening reception on March 13, from 5-8pm, then check out the art exhibit, running from March 7-April 14 at MATC - Downtown Milwaukee (700 W State St.).
Event day photos by Holly Schisler. Lots more love in our Flickr gallery.
