A nonprofit art organization promoting art, artists, and land conservation.

What is unique about Gallery 224?

 

Gallery 224 has a 10-year history in the Port Washington community. From humble beginnings as a pop-up student art gallery in a vacant storefront, we've evolved into a nonprofit arts organization that has exhibited the work of over 600 artists. Partnerships and artists residencies have always been an important part of Gallery 224. We are currently focusing on ARTservancy, a year-long artist-in-residence program, partnering local artists with land trusts, preserves and conservancies throughout Ozaukee, Milwaukee and neighboring counties. The art works created through the residencies are featured as solo exhibitions at Gallery 224, rotating monthly throughout the year. We are dedicated to exhibiting and selling the work of ARTservancy artists both past and present. Gallery 224 is located at 303 N. Franklin Street.

 

What is ARTservancy? 

 

ARTservancy are yearlong artist residencies run by Gallery 224. The program facilitates 12 partnerships between artists and land trust properties. It is a yearlong engagement, providing artists the opportunity to explore their selected property through all four seasons of the year. The artists create a body of artwork inspired by their experience, culminating in an exhibition at Gallery 224. In addition, the artists offer programming featuring their work throughout their residency year, this might include on-site tours, performances, demonstrations and activities. Artists are also featured in an ongoing blog called

A Wealth of Nature authored by Eddee Daniel.

 

How are the artists and the properties selected for ARTservancy?

 

The artists for ARTservancy are selected through an application process. The application is available on our website July of each year and is circulated through MIAD, UWM School Peck School for the Arts, our artists’ contacts, previous ARTservancy residents and social media. The application is due August 31st, and artists are notified of their acceptance by the end of September. The artists are chosen by a selection committee. In the past, this committee has been made up of MIAD faculty, Gallery 224 staff and representation from at least one of our partner organizations. 

 

Why ARTservancy ?

 

• Increased Conservation Visibility:  ARTservancy provides more visibility for both artists and conservationists. Partnerships increase and build a more diverse audience.   It is an opportunity to reach people who might not be aware of the ongoing and difficult task of preserving green space. 

 

• Increased Public Awareness:  ARTservancy fosters an increased awareness of the value of green space on a personal and experiential level. Artists are able to tell a story and inspire people in a way that information alone does not.

 

• Education:  ARTservancy helps create a more informed audience by providing an educational and interpretive component for audience engagement. The more we know about these special places, and the animals, birds and insects that inhabit them, the better we can appreciate and protect them. 

 

• Artist Support:  ARTservancy supports artists by providing a small stipend to help defer their expenses, by promoting their work throughout their residency, and by providing them a solo exhibition at Gallery 224. All of the artwork at Gallery 224 is by ARTservancy artists both past and present, providing ongoing visibility and income for ARTservancy artists beyond their residency year.

 

Why Support ARTservancy Financially?

 

The arts and the natural world help us transcend our everyday existence; they nurture us and give us a different perspective on our lives.  Both the arts and land conservation efforts are fragile, and can disappear quickly as we have witnessed in the past few years.  As the program grows and expands so do our expenses.   You can help sustain both by giving to ARTservancy.   Financial support for ARTservancy drives the continuation of deep collaborative partnerships and provides artists the freedom that allows creativity to bloom.  With your support, Gallery 224 will be able to provide direct financial support to ARTservancy artists for programming and projects, while providing a unique opportunity to get to know the artists who bring ARTservancy to life.  

 

How do we hope to grow and expand ARTservancy?

 

ARTservancy began September of 2018 as a partnership between Gallery 224 and The Washington Ozaukee County Land Trust.  In just three years, the residency has grown from a single partnership to include five Partnerships, including Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. This year’s current cohort of artists, represent the most diverse group of artists to date, and the most diverse representation of art media, including a filmmaker, a movement artist, a sound artist, a projection artist, a fiber artist, a ceramicist, and an installation artist.  We invite diversity, and envision including writers, theater, and musicians in the future.  We also hope to increase the educational component of ARTservancy, and to encourage more family activities, perhaps even school classroom involvement. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to create meaningful public engagement for all populations.

 

How is ARTservancy different than the residencies at Studio 224?

 

Studio 224 is a collaborative studio space and home to a project-based artist-in-residence program. The studio includes a dark room, a monotype press, and an etching press, as well as individual and common workspaces. The studio also includes a small gallery. Studio 224 is committed to preserving, teaching, and providing the space to engage in alternative photographic processes, printmaking, and papermaking. Programming includes workshops and informal sharing and learning opportunities for artists. The studio has supported over 40 project based residencies to date. Artists are selected through an ongoing application process. Studio 224 is located at 211 N. Franklin Street.