News & Events

Whitewater Savory Sounds Summer Concerts Become More Savory

The Whitewater Alliance’s Savory Sounds Summer Concerts – 2024, is back and suddenly becoming “more savory” than ever. With a dedication to cultural diversity this year, the concert series not only has a diversely cultural selection of musical groups, but it will also have vendors that offer a savory food selection that will match the culture of the music. Concerts include: Peggy Mueller & Friends – German Folk music, The Currach Irish Trio – Irish Reel music, Piper Road Spring Band – American Bluegrass music, Amancer y Mas – Hispanic music, and Jimmy Sugarcane – Nigerian Reggae Fusion Rock music. So, attend all the concerts for a diverse aural and flavorful cultural experience! Concerts are each Thursday, June 20, 27, July 11, 18, and 25, from 11:30am-12:45pm at Flat Iron Park, and are free to the public. The food is for sale at the vendor station – so come hungry!

This year, we have wonderful local companies who chose to fully sponsor a band: Fairhaven, The First Citizens State Bank, The Coburn Company, Premier Bank, and Olm and Associates, along with donations from Fort Community Credit Union and an Anonymous Donor. This allowed us to reach out further into the region for more diverse bands. Thank you companies!

Whitewater Arts Alliance is proud to present “The Beauty of Nature,” a shared exhibition featuring the expressive watercolors of Painter Woody Olsen and the nature inspired ceramics of Tile Artist Jennifer Alexander. The exhibition will run from June 1st to June 30th, 2024, with an Artists’ Talk on Thursday, June 6th from 5pm to 7pm at the Cultural Arts Center 402 West Main Street, Whitewater.

Painter Woody Olsen, a former member of the prestigious Arts Club of Chicago, invites viewers to experience images of playfulness and happiness through his artwork. With over 40 years of residency in Chicago, including living in Mies Van Der Rohe’s iconic modernist Esplanade apartments on Lake Shore Drive, Olsen brings a wealth of artistic experience and insight to his pieces. Having studied at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), Olsen’s paintings reflect a deep appreciation for nature and a desire to provide respite from the negative forces of the world. “I want the viewer to experience images of playfulness and happiness, allowing for a moment to forget their surroundings and the negative forces that abound in our world today,” says Woody Olsen of his artistic vision.

In contrast, Ceramic Tile Artist Jennifer Alexander draws inspiration from stained glass artwork. With a background in glazing and a keen eye for design, Alexander’s creations evoke the organic beauty of nature. Founding Alexander Ceramics in Waukesha, WI, in 2020, Alexander looks forward to sharing her unique design creativity with a growing audience. “I’m drawn to the depth of color and richness found in stained glass artwork and enjoy the organic, sweeping lines that flow through art nouveau,” shares Jennifer Alexander about her inspiration.

The exhibition will be open to the public Thursdays through Sundays from 12 pm to 4 pm. For more information, please contact Gallery Director Kim Adams at 608-201-2151 or visit www.whitewaterarts.org.

About Whitewater Arts Alliance:

The Whitewater Arts Alliance, Inc. is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and developing the arts as an essential and integral part of the community.

Richmond Cemetery Association Annual Meeting- Monday, June 3, 2024 @ 7 pm, Richmond Town Hall.

Editor’s note: This announcement was submitted by Wayne L. Redenius. The image on the homepage is from findagrave.com and was submitted by Clara Ann Straws.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Roberta’s Art Gallery at UW-Whitewater.

Engage with the world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication at Roberta’s Art Gallery with “The World of AAC” by UW-Whitewater alum and artist Anastasia (Stasia) Wilson. This exhibit showcases paintings of Wilson’s communication device icons that she sees and selects with her eyes for communication due to her experience with cerebral palsy. She wants to open the broader public to the world of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). After much consideration and planning, Wilson has created a painting of each icon on her communication device, equating to 144 individual paintings. Her artwork will be showcased starting on Tuesday, May 28.

“I was talking with my art mentor about my struggle to make art about my disabilities, and he encouraged me to start right away by painting my assistive technology. I began with a couple of paintings of my hand braces. Then, one day, I was thinking about what to paint next. I asked myself, ‘Girl, what is in front of your face almost 24/7?” says Wilson. In addition to the 144 icon paintings, Wilson’s four-piece Emotions series will be displayed. These pieces, completed in 2005, are part of the Crossman Gallery’s permanent artwork collection. “As an adult, I am so appreciative of this device that gives me my voice. By creating this piece, I will introduce the broader public to the world of AAC. I want to show other people who use AAC that they aren’t alone and provide some support on their journey to accept their augmented voice,” says Wilson.

Anastasia Wilson is the founder of HeadStrong Art. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a minor in English from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Wilson uses specially crafted headgear to hold the paintbrush as she paints because her head has more mobility and control than her hands. Wilson has exhibited previously at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Inspiring Hope Ministries, and is currently collaborating with the Wisconsin-based Chatter Matters overnight camp for AAC users and their families for this exhibit. The open house reception will take place on June 20, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., is open to the public and will include light refreshments.

Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center at 190 Hamilton Green Way, Whitewater, Wis. The gallery collaborates with campus departments, student organizations, and community artists to coordinate and sponsor exhibits. The gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday, with extended hours to 4:30 p.m. during SOAR orientation days on May 29 and 31, along with June 4, 10, 12, 14, 18, and 20. Roberta’s Art Gallery is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

At Roberta’s Art Gallery, we pride ourselves in providing free and open exhibits to the public, and attending certain events can earn students class credit. If you are interested in being featured in the gallery, please contact us for a proposal request. Reach us at ucart@uww.edu or 262-472-3193. Visit our website for any questions or inquiries, and follow our Instagram @uww_rag for updates on exhibits. Anyone interested in learning more about Wilson and her artwork should check out Headstrong Art on Facebook. For more information on Chatter Matters Camp, visit: /www.uww.edu/ce/camps/additional/chatter.

Due to the Memorial Day holiday, all of John’s Disposal’s pickups are being delayed a day. City of Whitewater residences will be picked up on Friday.

The National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan Weather Forecast Office (NWS) has completed its preliminary assessment of the volatile weather in areas near Whitewater in the early evening of Sunday, May 26. Highlights from their report are shown below. NWS determined that there were three EF-0 (the weakest level) tornadoes, including one that ended “in the vicinity of Hwy 12 between Whitewater and Fort Atkinson.” Peak winds were estimated between 65-80 mph. No injuries or major damage were reported in any of the cases.

Tornado – West of Janesville (5 ENE Footville) to Milton
COUNTY NAME: Rock

Date	5/26/24
Time (Local)	5:00 – 5:21 pm
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	80 MPH
Path Length	12.23 miles
Max Width	50 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0
Summary:Tornado began west of Janesville and tracked northeast toward Milton where it went through the High School area and the north central part of town. Mainly tree damage was noted but a bleacher section of a baseball field was lofted over a fence at the high school.

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Tornado – Lake Koshkonong to west of Fort Atkinson
COUNTY NAME: Jefferson

Date	5/26/24
Time (Local)	5:27-5:37 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	65 MPH
Path Length	5.57 miles
Max Width	30 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0
Summary:Developed over northeastern Lake Koshkonong and tracked toward the northwest side of Fort Atkinson. Minor tree damage long its path.

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Tornado – Harmony/Lima Center (East of Janesville) to between Fort Atkinson and Whitewater)
COUNTY NAME: Rock and Jefferson

Date	5/26/24
Time (Local)	5:15 – 5:38 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	80 MPH
Path Length	15 miles
Max Width	50 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0
Summary: It developed east of Janesville and tracked northeast into Jefferson county, ending in the vicinity of Hwy 12 between Fort Atkinson and Whitewater. Trees were uprooted, an empty grain bin was tipped, roof was damaged.