Tag: communityart

Artist Interview: Larry Booth

Posted on by Libby Olbrantz
“Milwaukee Topo” by Larry Booth at the corner of Sherman Blvd. & North Ave.

What made you start creating topographic art? 

My degree is in architecture. Building three-dimensional models of structures and landscapes was part of our training. While studying topographic maps in class, I became fascinated by the lines of elevation on the maps and the unique abstract designs carved into the landscape by the random forces of Nature (water, wind and tectonic movement). 

The maps inspired me to start making layered, topographic models of actual landforms like mountains and canyons. These were initially made of dozens of layers of poster board. I also made topographic models of human faces and other three-dimensional objects. I called it TopoArt.

I dabbled with my TopoArt for a couple of years but put it aside to focus on illustration and graphic design (how I got from architecture to commercial art is a long, convoluted story). About 2003 I decided to pick up my TopoArt again and started making my three-dimensional pieces out of layered wood. Eventually I also began painting the designs on canvas.

“Sierra Nevada Range” by Larry Booth

Have you created any TopoArt designs of other cities?

I’ve done a couple of cities such as San Francisco and Pittsburgh, but cities are not ideal subjects because they are typically situated on flat land and also because the landscape has been so extensively reworked that the natural design of the land has been lost. The best subjects are mountain ranges and valleys. My favorite three-dimensional piece is the TopoArt I did of the Sierra Nevada Range in California (see above). My favorite two-dimensional piece is my TopoArt painting of the Iron Range in Wisconsin (see below).

“Iron Range, WI” by Larry Booth

Are you from Milwaukee? 

No. I was raised and went to college in Philadelphia, PA. I’ve also lived in Columbia SC, Washington DC and Pittsburgh PA.

What brought you to Milwaukee?

Prior to coming here, I was living in Pittsburgh, PA. A former boss, who had moved here, called and offered me a job to run the Creative Services group at his company. Never having been to Milwaukee I was hesitant but agreed to come check out the city. He knew I was an avid sailor so he made sure I saw the harbor and the sail boats on Lake Michigan (I raced Olympic-class sailboats and served as a representative for sailing on the U.S. Olympic Committee.) I was hooked. 

What are your favorite cities you’ve traveled to?

Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City (I love Asian culture), Sydney Australia and Dublin Ireland (for the people). 

What were your first art experiences? What brought you to art?

My dad was a Philadelphia fireman but was also a really talented artist. He would sketch cartoons, human figures and architectural designs for fun. I was fascinated by them and began copying his art, especially his cartoons. My dream job as a kid was to be a Disney artist. 

“Milwaukee Topo” by Larry Booth on the corner of Sherman Blvd. & North Ave.

Who are your favorite Milwaukee artists?

Ah no, that’s not fair. You’re asking me to make enemies (he said with a smile)! Let me put it this way, I appreciate every artist, especially those who make art their livelihood. I know how much thinking, time and talent goes into a piece and it is not for me to judge. Only to admire. And learn from.

What are you currently working on? 

I have been working on some three-dimensional clay-on-wood abstract pieces that grew out of my fascination with the meandering, curvilinear lines of topography. Also working on some new TopoArt paintings of locations specifically in Wisconsin but it’s difficult to find unusual topographic subject matter here because of the geologic nature of our terrain and the minimal changes in elevation.

What would you like to do next?

I would love to do a large three-dimensional TopoArt covering an entire wall. The play of light and shadow would be a really intriguing sculpture in a public space such as a museum, hotel lobby or other commercial business.

Artist Interview: Dré Black

Posted on by Libby Olbrantz
Dré Black with his piece”Chaos Emerald” on MLK & Clarke

I was really drawn to your art because of the vibrant colors and exciting patterns. How do you choose the color schemes and backgrounds for the women you draw?

The colors depends on a couple of factors. For a woman’s skin and undertones I try to have colors that complement each other. Then there’s times I like a complete contrast. So it pretty much depends on my mood, my vibe with the piece and the look I’m trying to go for. 

You channel this very beautiful divine feminine energy in your art. What makes you feel so connected to the women you draw?

Well, I was raised by an incredible single mother and I have a lot of very strong independent women in my family and life. Most of my art showcases women of color, who I feel are hugely misrepresented in society and media. My art is my tribute to them, their beauty and their wonder. Women are just fantastic human beings! 

I was really glad we got to meet up in person. You have such a positive vibe and good aura around you. How do you maintain that positivity through your own creativity? What inspires you?

Gratitude, is the key to my creativity. To be thankful and appreciate the things and people who are around me. What inspires me? Family, friends, the people of Milwaukee, life, art, change, growth, community, music, culture and balance. 

One of the purposes of art is to reflect the social context of its time. How do you see that happening now? What is it reflecting?

Working in public schools, I see women of color are grossly misrepresented in the news, and social media. This is reflected by my effort to show that brown and black women are beautiful in ways that traditional media overlooks. They are truly magic. #blackgirlmagic

What was the first piece you made that you loved?

“Glory” – It was the first 18×24 I’ve ever done and my first time using with watercolors. 


“Glory” by Dré Black

What has been your biggest struggle as an artist, and how have you dealt with it?

How to find my place in this art world? Where do I fit? Will my art be accepted? What would happen if I changed up my style and tone? Will people still like my art then? I have dealt with it by repeating “it’s going to go the way it’s supposed to go”. I just have to be in tune with my guidance that I’m on the right path. It’s been working out thus far, why quit now. 

Who are a few local artists that you really enjoy?

@Tystarr of course. His style is dope! @artisticabyjc, Josseline Castillo. Their abstract acrylic is amazing! @Xeronie_illustration , Yessica Jimemez. Her art leaves me in wonder.

What’s next for Dré Black??

More public art! My goal is do more murals and installations! I want to start painting with oil more and incorporate that into my mixed media style.

Tyler “Tystarr” Copes Interview

Posted on by Libby Olbrantz
Tyler “Tystarr” Copes with his design “Seasons 414” on 27th & North Ave.

You mentioned you’re a Brooklyn native, so I’m super interested in your experiences. What was it like growing up there? What brought you to Milwaukee?

I was raised in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY. Coney Island is a peninsula 3 avenues wide and about 25 streets deep but that relatively small amount of land is filled with large project buildings, town houses, parks, beaches, boardwalk, a gated community and the famous amusement park. Growing up there were tons of kids my age so going outside was always an adventure and I’ve met so many characters. My childhood was amazing, as a young adult it was kind of the opposite. The danger became more serious the older I got and the struggle became real. Then Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast and it was the most devastating natural disaster I have ever experienced. The only home I knew all my life was ruined so for a couple of months I was homeless bouncing from friend’s houses to hotels. When I was told I had the chance to move to any city with all expenses paid I remembered my short visits to Milwaukee and settled here. The rest is history.

You also mentioned that you just left the country, where’d you go? Do you travel often?

I recently went on a week long cruise that stopped in Labadee, Haiti, Falmouth, Jamaica, and Cozumel, Mexico. I try to travel outside of Wisconsin at least twice a year.

Favorite places you’ve been?

St. Louis was a pretty cool city (love their pizza) but I LOVED the scenery in Arizona and Utah. The American south west is where you can really experience purple mountains majesty above the fruited plains. It’s actually a real thing. But my number one place would have to be Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The vibe is just so chill. Basically I love any place that has mountains, bodies of water, and most importantly good food (Italian food in Italy is magical!)

What are your biggest influences as an artist?

I think my childhood after-school and Saturday morning cartoon days played a big hand in my art influence. Because cartoons weren’t 24/7 like it is now I had kid books and daily newspaper comics fill in all of the other hours to absorb all the cool illustrations from a plethora of artists. So my biggest influences were animation and comic strips. Also I vividly remember the character based graffiti I would see. For some reason they just really popped out to me.

“Seasons 414” by Tyler “Tystarr” Copes on the corner of 27th & North Ave.

How/why did you become an artist?

I wanted to be an artist as long as I could remember. I think the idea of creating something that brings joy to others was always appealing to me. Expressing ideas through images just works so well. Dr. Seuss books are my earliest memory of being handed something and being entranced by the world the illustrator created. These images didn’t move like cartoons on tv but when the page turned your mind opened up to a world of imagination. I wanted to recreate that feeling.

One of the purposes of art is to reflect the social context of its time. How do you see that happening now? What is it reflecting?

I like how artists are feeling more free than ever to just create what they want. They get to put themselves into the work and it’s instant. It’s all so timely and responsive to the now. It’s more than a mirror to society, it’s an uncut live-stream playing out to the masses and the masses decide what they want to see and what they don’t. It’s interesting.

How do you see the art scene today?

Right now art is accessible in ways we never imagined it could be. The gatekeepers are gone. All you need now is creativity and passion and your art can be seen by everyone, anywhere, any time. We get so many voices now that truly reflect the diversity of the planet. We’re not just looking at a limited scope of creations from certain individuals but everybody and it’s exciting.

What do you think is missing to encourage new artists to engage with the arts?

More art in school. More music in school. I think I had one music class in my whole academic life. I see what learning an instrument does to people. They’re more engaged, creative, appreciative of the arts. We need more of that.

What advice would you give to an artist who is starting now?

CREATE ALL OF THE TIME. And when you’re not creating observe, soak in all the visuals from everywhere. You can’t run out of creativity. The more you use it the better.

What was the first piece you made that you loved?

My comic book, Twisted Comix Vol.1. It was a collection of comic strips I created from high school to college and to see it all in one book made with the help of my friends was one of the first times I felt like I was really making headway in this artist thing.

What has been your biggest struggle as an artist, and how have you dealt with it?

Self-doubt and fear. It’s a struggle every day and social media has not helped. There are so many talented artists online and it feels like those “likes” and “follows” are measurements of self-worth. I had moments where I thought, “why create when there are other artists doing it better than me”. But it’s not a contest, comparison is the theft of joy, and I have to remember why I started to create in the first place. Art is expression and bottling it up serves no one.

Who are few local artists that you really enjoy?

Della Wells, Andre Brown (artbydreblack), Pharoah Black (action figure photographer), Jasmine Wyatt (of the Bronzeville Collective) and I really need to get out more to meet more local artists. So much talent in this city.

What is your dream location that you’d like to create in next?

I don’t have a location in mind but I do know the always wanted to design a billboard or on something that size. I’ve come close a few times. Just something huge where people can see it from afar.