Artdose Magazine: Celebrating 10 Years (2013-2023)

Frank Juárez

Our Beginnings

Moving to Sheboygan in 2004 meant finding a new art community.

In 2006, I visited one of my good friends, Randall Baren, in Virginia. A common interest of ours is visiting art galleries, art museums, and artist studios. On a July afternoon, we found ourselves in downtown Richmond where I stumbled upon a city guide at a local gallery, which featured art galleries, artists, restaurants, retail shops, etc. During this time, I was co-owner of a contemporary art gallery, Barrow + Juárez, in the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. What I loved about this particular guide was that as visitors we had some guidance as to where we could go to see art. Never have I imagined that this experience would plant a seed. This seed would grow into founding The Sheboygan Visual Artists (2007). It was through this grass root artist group that I discovered that there was a need for artists to connect with each other as well as to grow together artistically and professionally.

I decided to launch my very own art publication called Artdose Art Guide in 2013, as a gallery project through EFFJAY PROJEKTS. The idea behind it was to create a way to bridge the gap amongst smaller art communities in Sheboygan County with a focus centered on connecting and supporting the local visual arts. In this art guide you would find a quarterly featured artist on the cover, current and upcoming exhibitions, events, and articles. I learned a valuable lesson back then – you cannot wait for someone else to create something that you think would be a good idea. Instead, do it yourself and see if what you thought is indeed a good idea or perhaps a bad idea. This encouraged me to embrace my curiosity, to ask ‘what if’, and to dive headfirst.

In 2015, we launched an art e-newsletter called FRANK & CO, which was published once a month and sent to our subscribers. As you know, there are a lot of art happenings on a weekly basis. I asked myself if there was enough content to commit to publishing this e-newsletter on a weekly basis? Based on what I have been seeing online, the answer was heck yes. FRANK & CO became Artdose Magazine Weekly (AMW) in 2019. Since then we featured an artist from across the globe due to an increase in interest, art exhibitions, events, calls for art, etc. AMW became a go-to-resource for the latest art happenings. AMW became an integral part of our marketing strategy. AMW has been a great way to support our advertisers and artists. To date, we have featured over 200 artists.

Past featured artists

2022 | Julia Schekel, Dan Herro, Amy Nelder, Nina Tichava, Krista Reuter, Shannon Melo, Natalie Christiansen, Jeff Corwin, Kathleen Frank, Mark Yale Harris, Bette Ridgeway, Catherine Eaton Skinner, Carrie Johnson, Shan Bryan-Hanson, Debra Davis-Crabbe, Jacob Docksey, Pat Bishop, Susan Feller, Leslie Schoen, Jean Roberts-Guequierre, Al Diaz, Issis Macias, CH Hungerman, Carl Heyward, Paige Nortstrom, Asad Faulwell, Arielle Romano, Maki Sato, Kendra Bilotto, Lila Brochá, Erin Kaiser, Emily Smokey, Andy DeWeerdt, Mary Porterfield, Marily Propp, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Robin Jebavy, April Behnke, Kate Marotz, Tatyana Kurepina, Kimberly Burnett, Deanna Gibson, Joseph Ivacic, Amanda Crary, Dennis Parlante, Kathy Weaver, Stephon Kiba Freeman, Deb Lee Carson, Katherine Nemanich, Erin Garber-Pearson, Gaba Lamas

2021 | Rebecca Kautz, Teal Wilson, Deborah Brooks, Mara Manning, Carlyle Wolfe, Linda Popp, Casey Whittier, Karin Czermak, Katie Lemieux, Katherine Steichen Rosing, Jenna Valoe, Rachael Gonzalez, Emma Freeman, Abby Wolfzorn, Rossella Paolini, Bethan Moran-Handzlik, Carol Kasmer Irving, Diana Nicholette Jeon, Kelly Witte, Patti Samper, Ciara Kaspaka, Skully, Adriana Barrios, Magnus Nordstrand, Emily Clement, Carley Schmidt, Laurén Brady, Linda King Ferguson, David Najib Kasir, Dara Larson, Meghan Burke McGrath, Roberta King, Ben Herbert, Allison Baker, Jen Broemel, Yoonshin Park, Ann Lawton, Sarah Leuchtner, Nimisha Doongarwal, Alonzo Pantoja, Guzzo Pinc, Harvey Opgenorth, Nicholas Battis, Peggy Farrell, Laura Pineda Köhn, Mary Wagner, Jordan Acker Anderson, Change, Laura Nugent, Francesca Simonite

2020 | Benz Amataya, Patricia Spergel, Angelica Contreras, Vera DG, Juan de la Rica, Jes Zange, Katie Neece, Joe Gajewski, Melissa Pare, Kaylie Steinhaus, James Rees, Matthew Durante, Brad Richten, Robin Dulden, Anita Tiwary, Jamie Bates Slone, Nicholas Perry, Tom Amoretti, Ginnie Cappeart, Patrick Earl Hammie, Martin Key, Zach Mory, Johana Moscoso, Pat Hidson, Mary Mendla, Holly Gray, Mariah Ferrari, Maddie Hantzsch, Jodi Hays, Mike Eagan, Kara Mia Fenoglietto, Renee Bebeau, Erika Whitney, Sabrina Siegel, Ksensia Slavcheva, Barbara Justice, Melissa Dorn, Nathan Vernau, Diane Levesque, Ash Dahlke, Ethan Krause, Ellen Soffer, Natalie Ergas, Jason Van Roo, Sofia Grim, Joseph E. Malson, Julie Himmel, Sara O’Connor, and Michael Velliquette

2019 | Mary Mendla, Ginnie Cappaert, Jeff Redmon, Bela Suresh Roongta, Jeni Gao, LaNia Sproles, Daniel Fleming, Stephanie Harvey, Nykoli Koslow, Ben Talatzko, A Bill Miller, Willow Bayer, Kate E. Martin, Alexandria Wilbur, Krista Allenstein, Janelle Gramling, Kate Stensberg, Ann Baer, Amy Lyn Ross, Jeanne Nikolai Oliveri, Wendy Turchan, Jay Arpin, Nita Moore, Karina Polasky, Molly Hassler, Siri Stensberg, Erin LaBonte, Andrea Guzzetta, Justin Fondrie, Adrienne Der Marderosian, Timothy Brenner, Tanner MacArthur, Claire Elliott, Gail Winbury, Kim Halley, Rafael Francisco Salas, Brenda Zlamany, Raul Ortiz, Eric Koester, Samantha Haring, Clara Fiahlo, Jim Ford, Michael Banning.

To Pivot or Not To Pivot

Like many publications, Artdose Art Guide experienced its fair share of obstacles and challenges due to printing costs, distribution, advertisers, internet, time, energy, and so on. In January 2013, our first volume issue was a 12-page black and white publication covering Sheboygan County. In 2014, it grew into a 24-page full-color publication covering North East and slowly trickling into South East Wisconsin. In 2016, we experienced a decrease in advertisers. Ultimately, facing the decision of whether continuing printing or start exploring the idea of designing an online publication. Not knowing what the next step would be, I reached out to former contributing writer and publisher Erika Block to brainstorm options.

Based on our conversation and looking at the big picture, I knew that I wanted to continue offering Artdose Art Guide in print. I began to explore the idea of an 11 x 17-inch French fold publication with dedicated space for art venues, artist directory, ads, and a featured artist. It was around this time that I started working with graphic designer Sally Carson. We ended up publishing four issues in this newer format. Working in tandem with Artdose Art Guide, I was running my newest gallery, Frank Juárez Gallery, in the Historic Third Ward. It was important to find that balance in maintaining both while teaching full-time.

Fork in the Road

Like many decisions I have made in life, I was looking for a sign. Luckily, that sign appeared in the form of an article in Success Magazine. The author talked about the difference between a ‘career’ and a ‘calling’. I already had a career as a high school art teacher and although I have a grocery list of projects under my belt, it made me question if what I was doing as a gallery owner met my personal goals or the needs of artists and community. Was I going through the motions of what a gallery owner was expected to do versus what I was meant to do. Looking at everything that I have accomplished professionally there are certain areas that have defined who I am as a professional such as being an advocate, educator, and connector. I enjoyed running a gallery for so many years, but when the author talked about a ‘calling’, I knew that the gallery did not fit that category. I knew right there that I had to close the gallery (December 2019) and commit to Artdose 100%.  

In 2019, we decided to take a leap of faith and transition into a bi-annual art magazine. We knew going into this new direction would mean increasing our art content, expanding our platforms, and maintaining our audience’s engagement. We knew that this was going to take time to develop this new iteration of Artdose. As a bi-annual art magazine, we changed art guide to magazine. We approached Vol 27 as a pilot magazine knowing that we had to find out rhythm once again. From Vol 27 to Vol 32, our layout continued to mature with an increase in articles, advertisers, art venues, and artist directory. The design of the magazine slowly evolved into a cleaner and consistent layout as well as having the art fill the entire cover of the magazine. We increased our engagement via Artdose Magazine Weekly, Instagram, and Facebookresulting in sharing art content bi-annually in print, weekly via our e-newsletter, and daily via social media with our growing audience. 

Approaching A Milestone

As we approached the beginning of our ninth year, I found myself thinking about the future of Artdose. This time it was not due to financial obstacles and uncertainties, but rather due to the ongoing support that presented us with the question, ‘what’s next’? The logical thing would be to expand our reach to include neighboring states such as Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota. This meant that after 9.5 years we would be featuring a non-Wisconsin artist on the front cover and introducing Chicago Gallery News (IL), Rockford Art Museum (IL), Voices Productions (IA), Cultivate (IL), DeVos Art Museum (MI), Essay’d (MI), Amo Collective (MN), and MPLSART (MN) to our readership. Vol 33 became our pilot magazine. 

The Next Decade

When I started this magazine a decade ago, I never imagined that I would be writing this nor reaching this 10^th year anniversary milestone. What began as a curiosity in 2013 to find a way to bridge the gap amongst smaller art communities has grown into the passion you see today bringing people together regionally through print and art. A passion centered on connecting and supporting the visual arts in Wisconsin and most recently, our neighboring states. I realize that this is an ambitious undertaking, but if there is one thing that I have learned from publishing Artdose is to have commitment.  

What you see today is the result of riding this unpredictable wave of the printing industry. We have gone through multiple iterations whilst staying relevant to our readership. There was a time where the idea of going online seemed appropriate. Luckily, I had some hesitation. As you know, it is always best to experience something in person versus on the Internet. There is something magical that happens when you hold a freshly new printed issue in your hands. 

This journey has been wild, challenging, and inspirational on so many levels. We have worked, partnered, and collaborated with so many people who are as passionate as we are. Artdose is more than just a magazine. It is truly a growing art community that lives in print, online, and in real person. We are grateful for the continued support that we have been given over the past decade. Our success is built on creative risk-taking, keeping an ear to the ground, and creating opportunities that will contribute to our growing art landscape. 

To commemorate this milestone, we have given our logo a newer look, releasing a newly designed website, and our very first annual artist directory – a great resource for art collectors, galleries, curators, and art enthusiasts. In addition, we have reached a point in our magazine’s history in which we can give back through a sponsorship program aimed to support visual arts programming, art education, art projects, art events, and art community building initiatives. 

In this issue, we welcome the following: Ann Arbor Arts Center (MI), Copper Country Community Arts Center(MI), Juxtaposition Arts (MN), Maquoketa Art Experience (IA), Riverside Arts Center (IL), Ruth Foundation for the Arts (WI), new and returning advertisers, and artists. 

I would like to personally thank Sally Carson, Linda Marcus, and Rachel Hausmann Schall for their contributions, dedication, and support over the past few years. And, I welcome Kaleb Williams to the Artdose family. 

Artdose Covers

Gallery