Discovery with Friends

When Julia and I visited Milwaukee a few weeks ago for our weekend away together, the final stop on our itinerary before we went our separate ways to travel home was The Milwaukee Art Museum. Julia had been there before, but I had only heard about it from friends and my husband, who swore it was not to be missed. We were so lucky on our trip with beautiful fall weather until that last day, so our timing was perfect to make our way inside at the museum for a quick perusal before my flight.

The museum is housed in an iconic modern structure located along the beautiful and vast coast of Lake Michigan. The top of the building features enormous wings that open and close. (Hard to explain, but so cool! Watch here to see for yourself.) The front lobby was crawling with kids and their families when we walked in, thanks to a community program honoring Day of the Dead. A performance stage and seating had been set up, as well as tables for art projects and information. As fun as those activities seemed, Julia and I quickly paid the entrance fee and made our way down the corridor and into the quiet of the galleries.

The first gallery we stepped into was full of large and intricate golden clocks that had originally been designed for royalty in the 1500s and 1600s, mostly in Augsburg, Germany. I was particularly interested in learning about how Augsburg had been known for its clockmaking masterworkers during that time period–not only because the clocks were uniquely beautiful and awe-inspiring, but also because I attended Augsburg American High School for a semester when I was in ninth grade and living with my family in Germany. I remember Augsburg as a fascinating city, but either I had not known or had forgotten about the clockmakers. Being reacquainted with Augsburg in the museum was an unexpected and joyful surprise.

Another meaningful surprise came in the last gallery we visited before we had to scoot off to the airport. A display case featuring modern jewelry caught my eye because I recognized a piece created by Francisco Rebajes, my father’s uncle. As a copper artisan, Rebajes made a name for himself in the 1950s until he became frustrated with the cheap knockoffs and imitations of his work that began appearing all over New York City. He ended up selling his business and moving to coastal Spain, where he lived out the remainder of his years with his wife, my grandfather’s stepsister Pauline. I grew up hearing stories about “Uncle Frank,” I knew some of his work was in some of the New York City museums where he had lived and worked, but I had not expected to find him in Milwaukee!

Sharing these discoveries and family lore in the museum with Julia, my dear friend who has known me and my family since the 1980s, was a truly priceless experience. I strongly recommend cultural adventures with friends. You never know what you’ll discover!