Driving down Center Street in Riverwest, it's pretty easy to miss the Jody Monroe Gallery.
With only a postcard-sized flyer taped to the front door advertising the gallery, the building's exterior looks like so many other old industrial-type structures in the city. And though most of the first floor is still used as mechanics store, following the stairs to the second floor leads you to the small but proficient Jody Monroe Gallery, owned and run by sisters Kiki and Mali Anderson.
Inside, the space radiates the cozy and inspirational essence of an artist's alcove hidden in the heart of a city. Just past the two showrooms near the front is an artist's studio space, small kitchenette and general workspace swimming in samples of art from all around the world.
More than three year's strong, the contemporary arts gallery has hosted its fair share of local, national and international artists, writers and musicians, including embroidery artist Chris Niver, poet David Trinidad, painter Natalie Shepherd and Milwaukee photographer Peter DiAntoni.
Currently, Anne Bisone's multi-media series of small wax beer coaster paintings covers one room and Robert Harrison's ink on paper drawings hang in the gallery's front room. Harrison, also a poet, is the gallery's poetry curator and hosts readings every few months.
As the gallery's art curators, both the Anderson sisters have completely saturated themselves in the art community, each in a multitude of media. Kiki plays bass in two bands -- Master Zaster Blaster and Droopy -- and is heavily involved in the Milwaukee poetry scene. Mali is a designer at Quad Creative.
"I've worked in the arts a lot," says Kiki, who spends her non gallery-devoted time teaching all levels of French at Alliance Françoise. "It's very gratifying and addictive. Even though it's really hard work, we both really enjoy it. Based on all of our experiences, opening our own gallery just seemed like the logical thing to do."
Utilizing the most of their modest space, they usually feature two artists simultaneously -- one occupying each room.
"In the beginning, we were thinking it'd be nice to have the two artists -- one local and one national -- exhibit a similar theme, therefore offering an open dialogue between the Milwaukee art community and the art world at large," say Kiki.
But she says that after years of trying to stick to a regimented exhibit schedule, the Jody Monroe Gallery is on the verge of some spring-cleaning, so to speak.
"It was starting to feel too mechanical and forced," she says. "Starting this spring, we're just going to try to be more relaxed about it and more or less just let the shows happen."
But, realistically, is Milwaukee capable of facilitating and sustaining such a free-flowing art community?
"I think so," says Kiki. "I know a lot of artists here who are doing really interesting things. And, in some ways, it's easy to be an artist here because it's really affordable."
After spending two years in Paris, Kiki says she has come to realize that Milwaukee is an especially great home base for an artist.
"The community here makes it very easy for a person to travel around and then return and feel warm and welcome. I really like Milwaukee."
The Jody Monroe Gallery is located at 631 E. Center Street, and is open Fridays, 1-6 p.m. or by appointment. The Web site is jodymonroegallery.com.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
