MARNmentorship seeks to expand the art community through connection

Artists hubs in Milwaukee just got easier to find.

The Milwaukee Artist + Resource Network (MARN), located at 191 N. Broadway Suite 102, created an inclusive yearly mentorship program in 2007 to not only connect creatives, but also help developing artists enhance their skills.

With a focus on a diverse cohort, the MARNmentorship program accepts artists based in the city who work in many different media and disciplines. It starts with the mentors and mentees engaging in a speed-dating kind of fashion. Both are ranked in a list of five, with the hopes of getting paired with who they feel best aligns with their work and practices. Toward the end of the program, the 20 creatives display an exhibition to show what they have been working on — a final step that’s on view now through May 26.

Are you ready to be a mentor?

Mentors for this program must be working artists willing to share their knowledge and have a love for local art. Emmitt James fit the bill and signed up to contribute upon his return to Milwaukee after living in Los Angeles for eight years.

“It’s been fun,” James said. “It’s my first time being an official mentor, so I was a little worried about that, but I got a pretty dope mentee. Although we have different practices, the one thing that we share in common is the desire to do what we love for a living.” He added that he found the pairing mutually beneficial and even hired his mentee, Kenzi Rayelle, to design an unreleased piece for one of his upcoming projects.

James is a hip-hop jazz artist exhibiting a song that can only be heard at MARN on a CD player. The piece “Don’t Say No,” produced by Gozé, is conceptualized to illustrate that music can be high art, just like physical paintings or sculptures.

“A lot of times, people go to art galleries and see a painting on the wall, and think, ‘It’s $12,000.’ But they don’t blink at that,” James pointed out. “To make a song be $4,000 throws people off guard a little bit, but my whole point is that music too can be high art and we don’t value music like we used to.”

Professional development as a mentee

Anyone leaning toward becoming a full-time artist can gain something from the program, which consists of monthly guided workshops with mentors and the opportunity to be in a complementary environment. Mentees can ask questions, take artistic risks, and bounce ideas off someone who has been in their shoes as an emerging creative.

“I like that the mentorship program gives you more exposure on social media and also through the exhibition people get to see your work,” said mentee Nateya Taylor, who took full advantage of working with her mentor, Max Yela, a special collections librarian and book arts specialist.

Taylor recently earned a master’s degree in Urban Studies but decided to seek mentorship when she wanted to take her side projects and art more seriously. After a somewhat-rocky start, the relationship between her and her mentor changed when she introduced Yela to a film series she was already producing titled The Good Land.

The documentary-style piece is about the Black experience in Milwaukee, highlights community leaders and provokes conversation on innovative ideas to make our surroundings better. Her storytelling through film meshed well with Yela, who’s familiar with documenting history.

“Eventually, it got a lot better,” Taylor said. “My mentor and I have become close, and he offers really good criticism for my work. He is very attentive and involved.”

Gearing up for new applicants

With the next round of mentorship imminent, program director Alayna Pernell encouraged newcomers to take advantage of the program.

“For the mentors, what we’re looking for is to make sure we have flexible community members that are able to guide anybody,” said Pernell, who’s been directing the program for almost a year after being a mentor herself. “[This program] provides a learning experience on their side, too.

“With the mentee, we look for a range of different things. In terms of readiness, we look for a sense of urgency in an artist, someone who knows for a fact why they want to be in the program.”

Portfolios are considered based on their strength and potential, and MARN also wants participants interested in building community. There are about four months left in this cycle, but 2024-2025 applications to become a mentor or mentee will open May 6-27.

Typically, more mentees apply than mentors, so there’s always a need for more developed artists to share their expertise. Even if you don’t want to get directly involved, community members are invited to support the program by purchasing the artist’s book, poster, or postcards as a donation or by becoming a member of MARN. To learn more, visit the MARNmentorship page on the organization’s website.