Corey Smith: Micro/Macro

An area of Milwaukee I have always found interesting is the plot of land that contains: Wisconsin Paperboard Corporation, Cambridge Dormitory, RC's Beer Garden, the vacant building that used to hold La Piazza, Rotary Centennial Arboretum, and a building whose residence I do not know located between RC's and the vacant bar/grill.  The diversity of usage that occurs on this plot of land draws me to it. Another aspect that hooked me was the odor that is given off by the Wisconsin Paperboard Corporation.

The material object I believe represents this plot is a material itself - cardboard.  Cardboard is part of all of these places.  It comes from trees, it is used to move into and out of dorms, food and drinks are shipped in cardboard packaging, it is used to cover up windows of unused buildings, and it is collected into a giant landscape of cardboard and recycled by the paper mill.  It has the ability to fulfill many uses, and with the right tools it can even transform into anything.

I recently said goodbye to a treasured possession, my first car.  A hand-me-down minivan from my mother.  The piece I have selected is one of the only parts that remains - the vanity plate.  

The plate stands for Creative Connection - the name of my mother's business.  Leaving her job as a social worker she started off on her own as a community artist.  At first Creative Connection helped found an NPO, Family to Family aimed at getting the families of Chapter 220 students and the families of local Whitefish Bay students to spend time together at large picnics centered around sports and art. This entrepreneurial venture designed to bridge the gap between social, geographic, economic, and racial boundaries reminds me of Milwaukee RedLine.  Below, I have inserted quotes from RedLine's website http://www.redlineartmke.org/.

MissionRedLine Milwaukee, a 501(c)(3), is an urban laboratory that seeks to nourish the individual practice of contemporary art and to stimulate the creative potential of the local community to which we are linked. Through residency, education, outreach and challenging exhibition programs with a focus on socially relevant topics, RedLine inspires and impacts new generations of cultural and civic transformers.

What is RedLine?RedLine Milwaukee was founded by local artists Lori Bauman and Steve Vande Zande in October 2009. Goals of professional development, access and social justice are met through RedLine’s Programs: Residency, Exhibition and Education. The 22,000 square foot building includes exhibition space, artist studios, a community printshop and paper making studio, a computer lab, and classrooms. Milwaukee’s only artist-in-residence program, RedLine houses nine emerging artists, five mentoring artists, six teen residents and several visiting artists annually. Additionally, RedLine connects artists with community organizations through workshops, classes, and outreach.