Madison-based Latina artist Issis Macias’ newest exhibit in Milwaukee’s Latino Arts will have a bilingual Cafe con Arte reception on May 9.
Macias, an intuitive artist who connects her cultural heritage with healing and was named Latina artist of the year, has had the exhibit “Her Colorful World” up since March 7. The exhibit currently up at the Latino Arts Gallery, located in the United Community Center, 1028 S. 9th St., is inspired by a drawing her daughter made. A reception will be held with coffee and churros to discuss Macias’ show with Latino Arts managing artistic director Jacobo Lovo.
“Her Colorful World” is inspired by a drawing Macias’ daughter made around a year ago. She was touched by her daughter’s color choices and decided to save it.
“For whatever reason, I remember that scribble,” Macias said. “When I worked on the painting, I basically used her color palette to create it in a large scale.”
Macias had her daughter during the COVID pandemic. After she “survived childbirth,” a lack of community made her feel isolated with her daughter, due to much of life shutting down. The combination of being a new mother and the isolation was a challenge, Macias said, but art has persisted to be her method of healing.
The exhibit is about that experience to celebrate Macias and her daughter’s resiliency, fostering the relationship and beauty for overcoming difficult times.
“I found solace in her. Art became something that naturally embraced us, both of us. She sees me as an artist now,” Macias said. “She’s five years old and she sees and understands I’m an artist — and she’s also an artist.”
Macias loves the wonder of art from children because there isn’t anything holding them back. How they make art, much like her daughter, is initiative — the same way Macias describes her own artistic process.
Cafe con Arte will also be a bilingual event. Macias has pressed to increase access to the arts for communities that don’t often feel like they belong at art shows and exhibits. She’s made a similar effort at previous events like her exhibit at the Arts+Literature Lab in November 2024.
“My heritage, the fact that I’m Mexican-American, and my first language growing up was Spanish, and it is what connects me to my family, to my roots,” Macias said. “When I am invited to venues where Latinos are an essential part of that community, I want to also feel part of that community.”
Cafe con Arte will be held May 9 at Latino Arts in Milwaukee with two sessions. The English session will be held 8:30-9:15 a.m.; Spanish 9:30-10:15 a.m. Registration is required for the event. It costs $5.
“Her Colorful World” will remain up until June 6.
