Art Scene MKE

Art Scene MKE Creative inspiration and arts for joie de vivre.

For me, it is my coffee cup...or cups. So many things are forgiven and restored. It is not sleep that separates me fro...
02/16/2026

For me, it is my coffee cup...or cups. So many things are forgiven and restored. It is not sleep that separates me from one day to the next, but that moment when I feel like the day and I are finally in agreement... That's when my day finally begins!

This was hard. First baby's shoes, children's sweaters hand knit with care, an Army Officer's old baseball glove... A ...
02/16/2026

This was hard. First baby's shoes, children's sweaters hand knit with care, an Army Officer's old baseball glove... A thing can only become real in time.

"'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.” --Margery Williams Bianco, The Velveteen Rabbit

Violins, pianos, ballet slippers, paint brushes, ice skates, journals... Anything that inspires the creative spirit!! ...
02/16/2026

Violins, pianos, ballet slippers, paint brushes, ice skates, journals... Anything that inspires the creative spirit!! With the Olympics on in the background, we can't help but marvel in the beauty of striving and the depth of the human spirit... We may have different tools, but mastery is familiar in every discipline.

ArtSceneMKE is a gathering place to begin with. A place where books are still read, art is still made, impromptu music ...
02/16/2026

ArtSceneMKE is a gathering place to begin with. A place where books are still read, art is still made, impromptu music fills the air, and days fly by too quickly. It is the community we curate around us that keeps us warm and filled with light.

Chairs and couches ready for the next painting class, book club, or creative writing session...

Day 6: Morning Light. Maybe I stopped posting on this day because I leave for work before the sun is up, and I leave wo...
02/16/2026

Day 6: Morning Light.
Maybe I stopped posting on this day because I leave for work before the sun is up, and I leave work at sunset...or later. This is what MKE is like at this time of year...daylight is creeping back in more substantial amounts. Today we had a rare 50 fahrenheit which felt like summer.

Morning light was my gift today. A walk with the dog, coffee, and a light jacket was the highlight of my day. It doesn't take much to make you happy when you've overwintered.

Speaking of overwintering...we're through the 15 longest weeks of the season. That's something!!

A threshold for day 5...I feel like February is its own threshold. Long cold days indoors, fighting the cold and a cold...
02/05/2026

A threshold for day 5...

I feel like February is its own threshold. Long cold days indoors, fighting the cold and a cold... You can tell it is hard for everyone, and people start dropping out of sight for long periods of time. For artists and writers, though, these days are some of the most productive.

There is something about the that we hold tightly inside of us. Ones that stream out in the darkest and coldest days of winter in the form of poetry, color, sculpture, song, dance, theater.... These are days that drain the body but feed the soul. For a little while, it is like we are only spirits.

Day 4 is a photo where your creativity happens. Mostly mine happens in my mind and heart...but sometimes it makes it ou...
02/05/2026

Day 4 is a photo where your creativity happens.

Mostly mine happens in my mind and heart...but sometimes it makes it out of my hands into something more tangible.

One of my most creative spaces is my classroom. Scores of students engage in creative writing every day...poetry, genre stories, short fiction, and this week we've been working on their memoirs. As a teacher, I certainly don't take credit for their creativity...but I know just how to amplify it!!

Day 3: Evidence of care Today, we shift our focus from the objects themselves to the act of looking after them. Evidence...
02/03/2026

Day 3: Evidence of care

Today, we shift our focus from the objects themselves to the act of looking after them. Evidence of care is found in the small, intentional gestures we make to sustain the ordinary things in our lives.

It’s the neat stitches in a visible mend on a favorite pair of jeans. It’s the way a plant is carefully watered and turned toward the sun. It’s a freshly organized shelf, a polished surface, or a bird feeder topped up in the cold. These aren't just chores; they are quiet signals of respect for our environment and the things in our care.

While yesterday was about the history of our objects, today is about the art of living. True joie de vivre isn’t just found in any grand moments; it’s tucked away in the quiet, cheerful ways we nurture vitality in things.

Take a moment to look at the regular things you tend to with love. It’s in these small gestures that we find true joy. Personally, we feel starved for images of simplistic care...the first principle of love.

Tag and use

Today for , we’re looking for the beauty in the things we use most.Maybe you have old running shoes that are too comfy ...
02/03/2026

Today for , we’re looking for the beauty in the things we use most.

Maybe you have old running shoes that are too comfy to be recycled, or a favorite coffee mug that fits perfectly in your hand. Perhaps it’s a cozy sweater you always warm up to, a well-loved book with dog-eared pages, or a childhood stuffed friend that still sits on the shelf.

There is something that outlasts all of the fancy and new... something that carries your sentiments long after its due.

Show us your well-worn treasures today. Tag or a photo friend, and use

Add a photo that makes you laugh... It could be a meme, a photo of a funny drawing or comic, a hilarious pet picture, o...
02/01/2026

Add a photo that makes you laugh... It could be a meme, a photo of a funny drawing or comic, a hilarious pet picture, or whatever causes you to chuckle! Look through your photos and find that moment you captured!!

Join us for Photo February: Traces of Light!At ArtsSceneMKE, we believe that humanity isn’t just found in faces...you se...
02/01/2026

Join us for Photo February: Traces of Light!

At ArtsSceneMKE, we believe that humanity isn’t just found in faces...you see it in the traces we leave behind, the spaces we create, and the light we let in.

Starting Sunday, February 1st, we’re launching a 28-day photography challenge called Traces of Light. This isn't about professional gear or perfect portraits; it’s about finding the sacred in the ordinary and the beauty in our everyday lives.

Each week has a special theme: Week 1: Joy Lives Here, Week 2: The Beauty of Use, Week 3: Presence & Absence, and Week 4: The Sacred in the Ordinary.

Whether it’s the morning light hitting your favorite mug or a well-worn path in your neighborhood, we want to see the world through your lens. No faces required...we just want to see your unique perspective.

How to join:

Save the calendar below!
Post your photo daily using and .
Tag a friend who needs a little creative spark this month!

Let’s connect to one another with some light. Who’s in?

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