Hi, I’m Leslie and this is my Maebird story.

After drawing my way through my childhood, I took flight and studied design at the University of Cincinnati. I practiced design all over this country, never stopping, never taking a breath. I ended up with a ton of great experience, but exhausted.

I decided to depart that world to further my knowledge of printmaking and fine arts, with the ultimate goal working as an artist and opening a creative workspace. If you can, do what you love, right?

I attended printmaking classes at Penland School of Crafts in NC, the Clearing Folk School in Door County, Alma del Sol Studio in Guanajuato, Mexico, Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point and Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Two Rivers. I eventually signed a lease for a beautiful little space, and Maebird took flight.

Maebird Studio opened on April 1st, 2023 – a printmaking studio, art gallery and workshop space – to smiling faces with a show of a Milwaukee artist/friends’ work, and continued on with 3 more gallery openings, 1 pop-up event, 2 artwalks and a bunch of workshops.

The gallery housed work created by both myself and my friends from across the country. My workspace and method goal was to keep it all as non-toxic as possible. Maebird Studio operated in the most environmentally and socially friendly manner possible to keep our planet, hands and minds healthy. Inks, cleaners and solvents are non-toxic. Many plate materials are scraps and upcycled materials and that I use multiple times. Recycled paper, magazines and junk mail were all used in many of my processes.

Community and schools visits, 3 more more shows and numerous workshops were scheduled when a fire broke out in the building on September 25, 2023. It displaced us all, the building and apartments above were vacated, and the restoration process began.

It was a short run but it was an amazing experience. I’m still finding my place after the loss of Maebird Studio, but I’m now a member of Q Artists Cooperative and show at Gallery Q along with Paoli Road Mercantile. I’m also looking for another way to create, educate and share my love of printmaking with my local community.

Maebird will always be about my passion for design, exploring where art and design collide, finding design in nature and engaging with my community in the wondrous field of printmaking.

Cheers!

Leslie