Milwaukee’s main airport is Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE).
It is the responsibility of all attendees to find transportation from the airport to The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. It’s an approximately 15-minute drive.
You can find information about ground transportation at the airport here:
https://www.mitchellairport.com/parking-transportation/ground-transportation
See these helpful tips from our past sponsor Gamblin about traveling with oil paints.
https://gamblincolors.com/tips-for-traveling-with-artists-materials/
MIAD suggests parking at this structure:
Historic Third Ward Parking
225 E. Chicago St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
There are also other nearby parking lots, as well as street parking.
Here is the location of MIAD on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q28phbojhQ2fD3DX9
Warning: Please lock your vehicle. Do not keep valuables in your vehicle during the workshop. Neither MIAD nor Fantasy Art Workshop is responsible for your vehicle or any items left within it.
We encourage you to join the Fantasy Art Workshop Facebook Group. It’s a great place for workshop attendees to ask questions and coordinate with other attendees on travel plans (shared Uber/Lyft/taxi rides).
Keep in mind that all members of the Fantasy Art Workshop Facebook group can see this thread, including those members not attending the workshop.
Monday, June 10th, 8am – 9am
Check in just inside MIAD’s main entrance at 273 E Erie St, Milwaukee. We’ll have a table beside the security desk where you can get your welcome bag (if you didn’t already get it at Sunday’s social). You’ll then be escorted or directed upstairs to the art rooms. Please wear your Fantasy Art Workshop badge at all times throughout the event as it serves as your building/security access and also helps us all get to know each other.
Art rooms also have a good amount of natural light as seen above.
You will be able to set up your workspace in one of three art rooms starting at 8am on Monday, June 10th. There are no assigned spaces. It is first-come, first-served. Art rooms will be clearly marked as Art Room 390 (oil painting room), Art Room 399 (mixed media room), Art Room 395 (mixed media room).
Attendees working in oil paints
All oil painters will be setting up in Art Room 390 (oil painting room). This room has a special ventilation system to deal with oil paint fumes.
Attendees working in a medium other than oil paint
You are free to set up your workspace in any room you wish, including the oil painting room IF there is room for you there. Priority in the oil painting room is given to artists working in oil paints.
Digital artists
If you bring a desktop computer to set up, it can be left in the art room each night. If you work on a laptop, iPad, or other small device, we suggest you take it with you to your hotel room or back home (if you’re not staying at a hotel) each night for safekeeping.
Fantasy Art Workshop will have power strips and extension cords for digital artists to plug in their devices. However, you must bring all other necessary cables for your device.
The art rooms will be locked every evening by either Jeff or Silvia. That means your art, art supplies, computers/Cintiqs will be secure overnight. Each morning either Jeff or Silvia will be the ones to unlock the rooms as well. MIAD also has on-site security guards.
Friday, June 14th, end of day
Let’s leave MIAD with a good impression of Fantasy Art Workshop. Please take all your belongings and only your belongings, taking care to not accidentally pack MIAD’s supplies in with your own. Feel free to keep your Fantasy Art Workshop badge as a souvenir.
Need to get to the airport or train station?
Try to coordinate with other attendees who may be heading to the airport or train station to see if you can share an Uber/Lyft ride.
If you need items shipped, please see Shipping Info in the Program Booklet.
Going to the optional Saturday activities?
Those without a vehicle who plan to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum and/or the Milwaukee Public Museum, please see Silvia to arrange for storage of your belongings.
These workshop assignments are only suggestions. Some artists like the have assignments, others don’t. You are free to work on whatever you like during the workshop. However, your work may be photographed/videotaped and shared, so please do not work on projects in which a client expects non-disclosure. All attendees should read through the Workshop Assignments document because it has important information about how to be prepared for the critique sessions on Day One.
What you need to do:
Download and read through the assignments.
Note for digital artists: Even though you are creating digital art, we still need to pin your rough sketches to the wall at the workshop, so please bring printouts.
You must bring your own art supplies. That includes the painting surface you plan to paint on. So if you’re painting on gessoed panel, canvas, watercolor paper, etc., you need to bring that with you. However, if you are unable to travel with your painting surface/supplies, know that there is a Blick Art Materials store directly across the street from MIAD where you can purchase a painting surface or any other supplies you need.
Fantasy Art Workshop will be providing some community supplies that every attendee is free to use (see list below).
Digital artists need to bring their own equipment, including all power cables. We will have power strips available. MIAD does have projectors in the art rooms as well, so we should be able to provide cables for hooking up to a projector if needed. But if you have your own cables, please bring them.
The art rooms have plenty of tables, standing easels, and drawing horses. If you are driving to the Intensive and you have a favorite standing easel, tabletop easel, or some other setup you like to use, feel free to bring it.
See these helpful tips from our past sponsor Gamblin about traveling with paints.
https://gamblincolors.com/tips-for-traveling-with-artists-materials/
On June 15th, the Saturday after the Illustration Intensive, Jeff, as well as some other faculty and guests, will be heading to the Milwaukee Public Market in Downtown Milwaukee for breakfast. Afterward, faculty will head to the Milwaukee Art Museum. All are welcome to join us for this informal, fun trip.
This after-event excursion is not mandatory. Everyone is responsible for purchasing their own food at the Milwaukee Public Market and paying their own museum admission fee.
Milwaukee Public Market
400 N Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
If you park in the Milwaukee Public Market parking lot (under the freeway), keep your parking ticket with you. The first 30 minutes of parking is free. After that you will have to pay a fee to park.
Milwaukee Art Museum
700 N Art Museum Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Some faculty and guest artists will be headed to the Milwaukee Art Museum after breakfast at the Milwaukee Public Market. Bonus: The Lakefront Festival of Art will be happening at the Milwaukee Art Museum from 10am to 7pm, so this will be a very festive, fun atmosphere filled with music, food, and over 100 artists exhibiting a wide variety of art. If you purchase a ticket at the gate for the Lakefront Festival of Art, museum admission is included.
The Milwaukee Art Museum
In the past, a small group decided they’d seen enough at the art museum after a few hours, jumped in a car, and drove a few minutes down the road to Bradford Beach. We may or may not do this again. If you don’t want to miss out on this, then stay close to the group or make sure the group leader (to be determined) has your cell phone number so they can text you when they plan to head to the beach.
By attending Fantasy Art Workshop‘s Illustration Intensive, you agree to our Code of Conduct, Anti-Harassment, and COVID-19 Policies. Please view and download these policies and read them carefully. Thank you.
Our policies can be found at http://www.fantasyartworkshop.com/workshop/policies/
Social Gathering
On Sunday, June 9, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, we will have a casual get together in the Cafeteria on the first floor. This is optional, but we encourage all attendees to come and get to know each other. Drinks and light snacks are provided.
Attendees that come to the Sunday social gathering can get their welcome bag and badge ahead of Day One (Monday).
Note: Attendees will not be able to set up in the art rooms on Sunday. Art Room setup takes place on Monday starting at 8am.