For our writing class we will be writing an article for On Milwaukee. I want to write about MIAD graduates who are Furniture makers in the Milwaukee community. The Audience that I am trying to reach is people in the Milwaukee community with an interest in Art and design, and MIAD alumni and students. 

I hope that people will see what opportunities are out there for MIAD graduates. I want people to get excited about the design work thats coming out of their city. I hope that people will gain a sense of appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into making these furniture pieces. I think that people will be interested in supporting local artists. I want people engage with the work thats in the community and learn about the work that goes into creating these pieces. 

I have been working with some peers of mine who have started their careers in the custom furniture industry. Writing about the opportunities that have opened up to them since graduating because of their passion for design I will draw parallels between how their work effects the community and vice versa. Their work is going out into the Milwaukee area and it may be something that the community connects with without even knowing. Furniture pieces that range from a simple café chair that the public sits in everyday to a curated permeant collection of the Wisconsin Art Museum. 

Donovan- He is currently working for a design studio in Milwaukee creating commissioned furniture pieces. He is passionate about modern furniture and he creates designs that are sleek and elegant. I would like to interview him about his personal work and commissioned work. 

Maggie- She is currently working on commissioned furniture pieces in Milwaukee. She took home best in show from the wood working fair for her modern school desk. I would like to interview her about her work and where she sees her work going the the future. 

Ben- I would like to interview him about his studio. He's currently the owner of his own wood shop in Milwaukee he works with and hires MIAD alumni. 

Greg- He taught interiors at UWM and works with students in the community to pursue design careers. He owns his a wood shop in Milwaukee and I would like to interview him about the students he works with in the Milwaukee community. 

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Todd is a Multimedia artist and MIAD graduate he uses Print, Water color, Ink, and Videography. He got his BFA in painting and drawing from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. When exploring Todd’s website I found that he had done a very nice job of documenting his work and sharing its relevance in the Milwaukee community. One of his works that I found to be very important to his work is his experience as the Pfister residency artist while he was there this gave him a chance to continue the shadow series he was working on. the public unknowingly was involved as they would dine in the café he would pain their silhouettes. His website has a great archive of his work he could freshen up the layout to draw more attention to his work. I found some of the text hard to read and the background distracting at times. I liked his attention to organization I could easily find what I was looking for and this made it easy to learn about his work. I think his website could do a better job of setting the tone for his work his work seams to set a mood and connection to the great outdoors I think his website could showcase his pieces so they don't get lost on the brown background. ​

Another artist that I decided to look at was James he is a pilot who has logged over twelve thousand hours flying, considers the sky as his studio, material and canvas. He works directly with light and space to create artworks that engage viewers with the limits and wonder of human perception. His most significant work has its own tab on his page Roden Crater. In 1977 James began a monumental project at Roden Crater, an extinct volcano in northern Arizona. James has sculpted the dimensions of the crater bowl and cut a series of chambers, tunnels and apertures within the volcano that heighten our sense of the heavens and earth. He says his pieces have no subject that the light is what makes the pieces of work you can see that reflected in this webpage. Nothing distracts or takes away from the light when you glide your cursor over the images it gives a brief description of the piece you're looking at and once you click on the page it shows nothing but the work itself their is nothing competing for your eyes attention. James Turell is also inspired by nature and I think that his website does a wonderful job of capturing the emotion behind his pieces of work. This is a great example of a webpage that is well organized and reflects the artist vision. ​

On Milwaukee: Dining, Bars & Clubs, Music, Movies & TV, Sports, Arts & Entertainment, Marketplace, Kids & Family, Living, Milwaukee Buzz, Travel & Visitors, Events, Weather, News and much more. This appeals to millennials and young families in the community. They have family friendly events as well as articles that may cater to a younger crowd. I think that an article about MIAD alumni work would fit into their content and would spark interest with their target audience.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is more cut and dry. They seam to have a lot more reporting then entertainment media. Their articles mainly cover weather, national news, sports, and community infrastructure.

Shepherd Express seems like it's geared more towards millennials. They have fresh graphics that are new and easy to read. They have tabs at the top of the page designated for Sports, LGBTQ, Hemp, Food and Music and many more. The site seams to have more of a communal voice they talk about controversial things going on in the city.

Urban Milwaukee seams like a great place to get information about how the city is developing. They also have a variety of suggestions for popular restaurants and bars, entertainment and local artists. Their website seams like it could use a little bit of a refresher it’s a little hard to navigate and distracting to read through. ​

Milwaukee Magazine is sophisticated and well done. The article images capture the eye and its easy to scroll through the pages and not get lost. The images are high quality and show the focus of the article without having to even read the headline. The layout of the articles are also concise and clean. They’ve done a nice job of pulling together the overall image of the city by showcasing community events and cultures.

Marquette Wire run by the University it's very dry the images are low quality and the articles are not a fun read. It's interesting to know whats going on at the University and to hear what the students are thinking. However it seams as though there may not be a lot of room for creative freedom. 

Architectural Digest has a variety of subjects that cover designs that are trending to how to grow your business. The websites layout is simplistic and easy to go through. The images are high quality and nicely formatted. The website is a good resource for designers to get knowledge on up and coming design techniques as well as how to work with your clients and address issues. I think that this could benefit my writing as I start the interviewing process.


Dezeen is an architectural magazine that showcases designers work from around the world that’s innovative and new. They have a range of articles they cover from innovative furniture designs to how technology is impacting architecture. This website will help me to think about the ways in which the Milwaukee designers are creating innovative works.


These articles have helped me to think about what formatting styles I like to read through. Usually I prefer clean layout and high quality visuals. I want to make sure my blog reflects the design qualities I found to be easy to look through. I hope that like the other local news sources that captured the heart of the Milwaukee community, I can do the same through my article. I want to convey the MIAD communities relationship to the Milwaukee design community and shed light on how the alumni are able to make a difference with their design work. ​

​    My name is Laura Shea I studied Interior Architectural Design at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. Since I was in grade school I have said that I am going to become an interior designer someday. Now that I have finished my studies I have started my exploration into the design field. I also minored in Graphic Design and Marketing I enjoy the creative freedom that comes with design work and learning about a brand. My focus is not limited to architectural design I also enjoy creating using watercolor paintings and making furniture in my free time.

Writing about my work has helped me to convey the meaning behind the projects to clients. For every design that I have created I’ve taken the time to speak with the clients in order to create a narrative for the space. I have also used writing as a personal outlet, I enjoy reading and writing poetry. Poetry helps me to clear my mind and express myself. For the article we are writing I want to convey a story that the Milwaukee artist in our community are trying to tell through their work and how the community has influenced their work.

I have been considering interviewing MIAD graduates that are working in the Milwaukee community. One of my good friends is currently working as a furniture maker for a small business in Milwaukee that was founded my MIAD alums. I think that this is a great opportunity to see the impact that the MIAD community is having on the Milwaukee area. I want to show the craftsmanship and intricate design work that goes into the custom furniture pieces and the designers relationship and passion behind the work they’re creating.

What opportunities are out there for graduates?
How is the community supporting local designers?
How can we showcase local work?
What makes the designers passionate about what they do?
Once a piece is completed is it hard to see it go?