Wisconsin originality - and it's many faces of color

What is it about Wisconsinites? They just seem to step to the beat of a different drummer — their own. Their passion for life, for fully engaging in the moment, is infectious. When you travel within Wisconsin, you just become more alive. And the people you meet along the way somehow make fun, well, more fun. In fact, it is the unique people of Wisconsin that make this Midwest state unlike any other. It must be something in their cultural DNA that inspires people — all kinds of people — to do their own thing here. And the passion is cross cultural as these Wisconsin originals will attest:

Ferne Caulker — dancer, founder, executive director — and keeper of traditions.
To have a conversation with Ferne Caulker, a native of Sierra Leone, West Africa, is to awaken your senses. Nearly 40 years ago, Ferne founded the Ko-Thi Dance Company in Milwaukee. And in so doing, she brought a personal passion — and rhythmic, pulsating, energetic performance art — to the city unlike anything it had experienced before. Her zest for life is still apparent in the fullness of her voice; on this day, it is surprisingly alive despite a recent visit from the flu.
"I am an artist because I have no choice," Ferne admits. "I am doing that which gives me joy. No one can ever take that from you. Money is not connected with happiness, integrity or passion. That is what this [art] is all about."
A full-time professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Dance, Ferne brought a vivacious texture to the school's curriculum through a trio of dance modalities, African, African-American and Caribbean —and created the first course of its kind.
Ko-Thi's stage presence is thunderous, raucous, traditional and authentic. Twice a year, the troupe performs at Pitman Theater on the Alverno College campus, located on the outskirts of Milwaukee. In addition, Ko-Thi has taken their powerful, original art form on the road, performing in cities from New York and Chicago, to Tokyo and Toronto. And for those who get swept up in the spirit of the dance, Ko-Thi offers classes in dancing and drumming for adults and children.
When asked what's behind one of the most exciting and unique cultural movements in Wisconsin, Ferne replies, "Why Wisconsin? This is where I live. Where you are is where you're at." For more information, call (414) 273-0676 or visit www.ko-thi.org Montano — Sharing a way of life through song   
      Frank Montano and a quartet of brothers along with seven sisters, grew up in northern Wisconsin on the Red Cliff Reservation. Frank's mother was Ojibwe, his father, Mexican. At an early age, the Montanos moved to Milwaukee which prompted a family tradition with his father who was a metal worker — and musician who often played in mariachi bands. Every weekend, Frank's father carved out time to teach Frank (and siblings) how to play the mandolin and guitar.
"Honestly, music has been with me since the beginning, it's a natural way of life," he quietly remarks, adding that he also paints, sketches and writes poetry and songs. "I was born in Bayfield and as an adult I returned to the reservation to reconnect with my Ojibwe people and culture. But my craft has taken me all over the world," he says. "I just came back from Croatia where I spent two weeks and I have traveled to Switzerland, Germany, and Japan. Nothing really surprises me anymore, not even about me!" 
An accomplished musician, Frank's true muse is the Woodland flute. Woodland Indians, such as the Menominee, Potawatomi, and Frank's own tribe, carve this traditional instrument out of wood. Frank makes his own flutes. They are an art form unto themselves, not just in the way each instrument is made, but also in the way it is played. And that is with an awakening of the mind and soul. He demystifies his approach, saying, "I play what I feel at the time. Each second and minute is different than the last." And that makes Frank a true Wisconsin original. No performance dates to tout.
For more information, call (715) 779-5333 or visit www.arts.state.wi.us/static/ folkdir/montano1.htm

Frank

Todd "Speech" Thomas — From Milwaukee to Grammy
Every summer, Milwaukee is the scene of the world's biggest outdoor music festival — Summerfest. Seven hundred bands perform over eleven days for music lovers from every walk of life. You'll also see Milwaukee native, Todd "Speech" Thomas, at Summerfest. Not on stage, but working his family's business — Robby's Roasted Corn. Todd took over the business from his father a while back and has returned to his hometown and Summerfest to serve up the sweet golden ears to hungry concertgoers for years.
Now that's different, original, and so very Todd. After all, Milwaukee is the place where D.J. Speech has laid down both his original tracks and his Wisconsin roots.
Back in the late 80s, when the upbeat, forever-smiling dread-locked Todd gave this writer a ride home from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, little did I know where his unique style and message would take him. All I knew is that he always walked around campus as if he had somewhere to go, some purpose for the future.
I also recall that when vagabond wasn't vanguard, it was for Todd. He mixed baggy tattered jeans with loose fitting shirts, multicolored over wear along with a signature strut into his own personal style.
In short order, Todd's innovative confidence and his hip-hop/rap beats and contemporary, socially relevant lyrics took him far. In the early ‘90s, Speech and Arrested Development won two Grammy Awards, one for best new artist, the other for best debut album.
Not bad for a kid born in Milwaukee in 1968 and who did duty with his mother, who managed and still oversees the Milwaukee Community Journal, the state's largest Black newspaper. Forward thinking, she exposed Todd to the bigger, broader world with trips to Africa and Tennessee. The song “Tennessee” quickly became a ‘90s MTV most-requested video “Everyday People,” another hit song, grew from the kinds of relationships he created, even with strangers on the street. For everyone he had a hearty conversation. In fact, his music is known for bridging gaps and encouraging relationship and community — from some of Milwaukee's most promising hoods — to the Lollapalooza alternative rock festival. And who knows, stop by one of Robby's Roasted Corn booths at Summerfest, and you just might get an earful.
For more information: call 770-460-8102 or visit www.arresteddevelopmentmusic.com Hernandez - Muralist with a message
Visually, Wisconsin's art scene is eclectic and reflective of multiculturalism at its finest. Case in point: muralist, Reynaldo Hernandez. You have to look high, and not just low, to see the impact he has had on the state. Reynaldo has made his mark, over 125 times in various mural masterpieces. They adorn schools, community centers, and buildings, indoors and out, in communities such as Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha. Embolden with bright savory colors and Mexican, African American, and Native American themes, his murals are juicy with life and emotion.
One of Reynaldo's most famous works is the 80-foot high and 160-foot long "Mural of Peace," on the exterior of Milwaukee's south side Esperanza Unida International building. It is as much a part of Milwaukee's cityscape as any landmark building. It took six months to create and, like so many of his works, it was a communal project. Friends, family, and persons from the surrounding community helped bring Reynaldo's vision to life. And that alone speaks volumes about this artist. For Reynaldo, art is public. His murals are meant to communicate, to educate, to deliver a social message. As an artist and visionary, he uses his extraordinary gifts to make life in Wisconsin more beautiful, if not more meaningful. See for yourself. Check out these Reynaldo outdoor canvases:

Reynaldo

 The Mural of Peace. Esperanza
Unida International Building. 
1329 West National Avenue, Milwaukee.

African American Wall of Fame and Children Mural. 
Center Street Library. 
2727 West Fond du Lac Avenue, Milwaukee.

Harambee Mural.
Clinton Rose Senior Center. 
3045 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee

Lincoln Center of the Arts
820 East Knapp, Milwaukee

For more information: call (414) 339-6271 or visit           www.reynaldohernandezart.com