Over 20 Riverwest artists forced to start over after fire

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee's art community is hurting after Tuesday's five-alarm fire that destroyed a Riverwest building housing Joe's East Coast Car Shop, along with artist dwellings and galleries.

The fire started inside the auto repair shop on the first floor of the 25,000 square foot building near E. Center St. east of Holton St. just after 9:00 a.m. Tuesday.

There were two major galleries affected by the fire, and artists were preparing for an upcoming exhibit. Some literally had everything they owned inside the building.

Sara Daleiden is one of the artists who lost her workspace and her home.

"For artwork, which is sensitive material, it's expected none of that survived," Daleiden said.

Daleiden and the other artists who utilized the building pride themselves in diverse, cutting-edge paintings, sculptures and drawings. The work created inside the building has become a fabric of Riverwest.

"These were really kind of the movers and shakers of the art world being affected here," Daleiden said.

Daleiden says the monetary amount of what was lost is around the half-million mark, but that doesn't compare with the intrinsic value.

"The intense number of labor hours an artist puts into their work, and to think about all that work added up collectively, to have that destroyed, you're completely starting over," Daleiden said.

After the fire, over 20 artists are forced to begin with a blank slate, in more ways than one.

"Art is a person too. Art is a little piece of everybody's soul, and it's all gone, so it's tough," Daleiden said.

Several organizations are collecting donations for those displaced by the fire, including the American Red Cross.

MARN, the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, has set up a fund requesting donations for those affected by the fire.

Donations are being collected at the Riverwest Public House.

Suggested donations include...
- non-perishable foods
- clothing
- toiletries (all)
- shoes
- loaner bicycle(s)
- art supplies (any and all)
- cameras
- kitchen supplies

Tax deductable donations for these artists can be sent to:

MARN
5407 W. Vliet St.
Milwaukee, WI 53208
(please indicate “Riverwest Artists” in the memo line)

MARN also says they're planning benefits for the artists.

CLICK HERE for more details on how you can help.

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