#barbara warren

[huariqueje]

Flowers - Barbara Warren , 1989.

Irish , 1925-2017

Oil on canvas , 24 x 20 in.

[uwmspeccoll]

Milwaukee Handicraft Monday 

Today we present more photographs that document the skills learned and work done by participants of the Milwaukee Handicraft Project. In addition to weaving and printing textiles, participants learned to craft other types of functional art such as furniture. Shown here are photographs documenting a few examples. The originals of these digital copies are located the Elsa Emile Ulbricht Papers  (UWM Mss 59,box 3, folder 7).

When we were working with these images, we noticed that the wall hangings in the first and last room photographs were block-printed fabrics that were also produced by artisans in the Milwaukee Handicraft project, which we also hold and show here. The top image of the “Peasant Couple” is found in Volume 5 of Applied design Blockprinted Textiles. An educational service prepared by the Milwaukee WPA Handicraft Project. The bottom image is a full, block-printed fabric entitled “Rubayat” by Barbara Warrren, one of the Milwaukee Handicraft Project’s principl designers. 

The Wisconsin Arts Projects of the WPA digital collection has many more photographs of participants at work and we encourage our viewers to explore the collection or, view our other Milwaukee Handicraft Monday posts.

The MHP was founded in 1935 by Harriet Clinton, head of the Women’s Division of Wisconsin’s WPA to help unskilled women laborers provide income for their families. Clinton hired Elsa Ulbricht, an art professor at the Milwaukee State Teacher’s College (one of UWM’s predecessor institutions), to direct the project. The MHP hired around 5,000 people in total throughout its highly successful seven-year existence. Read More about the Project.

The Wisconsin Arts Projects of the WPA digital collection was made possible with generous financial support provided by The Chipstone Foundation.

-Katie, Special Collections Graduate Intern

[bookstand]

Stephanie Walker lives a peaceful life until her undependable and dishonest father, Marty Walker, suddenly arrives at her home pleading with Stephanie to come with him to his Harrington Lodge in the beautiful Ozarks. Stephanie, suspicious of her father’s motives declines her father’s invitation.

After his departure, Stephanie discovers the diamond necklace she borrowed from her aunt is missing. Racing through a raging thunderstorm, Stephanie drives to the lodge to reclaim the stolen item.

But when she arrives, Stephanie finds her father dead, her aunt’s diamond necklace gone and a pair of handcuffs fitted just for her. Stephanie’s claims of innocence fail to sway the local sheriff, who produces several pieces of evidence linking her to the murder. With a shaky alibi and a vindictive stepmother, Stephanie turns to a lodge employee for help. But will Brad Wilson’s assistance lead Stephanie to the real killer or prove to be her undoing? Like a gathering storm on a warm summer evening, Stephanie’s world darkens until she’s forced to turn to the one true source of knowledge. But what she learns about her father, family and her own inner demons is more horrifying than the lies she’s come to believe. The truth can set you free. It can also kill you.

Note: This book was free when posted. Check it still is if you only want it for free.