Full Steam Ahead

The Racine Art Museum (RAM) will host the seventh edition of its annual Full Steam Ahead event from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, August 10, at its Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum) campus. Since 2017, this family-friendly event has centered on collaborative printmaking using a steamroller as a makeshift printing press to create large-scale relief prints—an over-the-top spectacle for participants and viewers alike. This event is free for the public to attend.

Relief printing is a process where a design is carved into wood or similar materials to make a protruding surface that can be inked and printed on paper or fabric. A team of regional professional artists will use this art-making technique—which requires many dedicated hours of conceptualizing, drawing, and carving—to produce oversized prints by flattening the inked relief with a steamroller. These fabric prints will be available for purchase alongside a selection of the artists’ existing work in various media, with proceeds benefitting both the artists and Wustum.

Amy Misurelli Sorensen and Lisa Bigalke, both recipients of a RAM Artist Fellowship, are co-founders of Full Steam Ahead and participating artists at the 2024 event. The two artists draw from the area's thriving arts community to help curate the event participants each year. In addition to Bigalke and Sorensen, new and returning artists at Full Steam Ahead 2024 include Bee Becker, Melody Bigalke, John Cizmar, Madi Moon, Shelby Nesmith, Sophia Salcido, Joe Szabo, Scott Terry, Jeremy Topczewski, Kelly Witte, Connie Wolfe, and Alex Yee.

Participating artists are not the only ones who can create art at Full Steam Ahead 2024. Education staff at Wustum will offer make-and-take hands-on projects inspired by the process of printmaking, inviting makers of all ages to explore a new creative technique. Additionally, attendees can refuel throughout the event by purchasing mouthwatering dishes from two local food trucks. Piña Mexican Eats offers from-scratch, authentic Mexican cuisine, while Big City BBQ offers a variety of savory smoked meats and sides.

Further information about the event is available on the RAM website, ramart.org.

The two campuses of the Racine Art Museum—RAM in downtown Racine at 441 Main Street and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum) at 2519 Northwestern Avenue—are located in Racine, Wisconsin, a historic community on the shores of Lake Michigan. RAM is home to the largest contemporary craft collection in North America and has a reputation for its award-winning architecture and nationally recognized exhibition program. Wustum is home to the organization's diverse, award-winning art education programs and has presented significant art exhibitions since 1941.

Both campuses of the Racine Art Museum are currently open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission rates are $10 for adults; $8 for students, seniors (62+), and veterans; and free for RAM members, children under 12, active military personnel, and NARM, ROAM, and AAM members.