Carnelian Art Gallery to Host First Exhibition of the Year

CONTACT: EMILIE HEIDEMANN
MARKETING DIRECTOR
EMAIL: EHEIDEMANNCAG@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 920-763-6980

Carnelian Art Gallery to Host First Exhibition of the Year

MADISON, Wisconsin, Feb. 4 – Carnelian Art Gallery, located at 221 King St., Suite 102, in downtown Madison, is pleased to announce its first art exhibition of the year, titled “Finding Color In the Chaos.” The show will kick off with an opening reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 7, at the gallery. As always, light refreshments will be served.

Participating artists include Carnelian Art Gallery’s own curator and owner Evan Bradbury, as well as Wisconsin artists Jen Dunlop a.ka. “Jen Sky Art,” Matthew Braunginn, Denise Presnell and James Ackerman.

New this year, “Finding Color In the Chaos” will include a live painting session by Jen Dunlop, as well as poetry readings by Emilie Heidemann, Carnelian Art Gallery’s marketing director. The two worked together over the winter months to create a book, titled “The Secret Realm,” that’s a
collection of poems written in response to 10 of Dunlop’s artworks to be displayed as part of the exhibition. This type of call and response art is called ekphrastic art, a rising trend in Madison’s art scene.

The live painting session is set to commence at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 7, along with the poetry readings. Heidemann will read five or so poems from “The Secret Realm.” Signed hardcover copies of “The Secret Realm” will be available for purchase at the opening reception and beyond. The price for each book is $25.

“I am delighted to have worked with Jen to put together ‘The Secret Realm,'” said Heidemann. “This book marks not only a celebration of ourselves as artists, but commemorates Carnelian Art Gallery’s one-year anniversary of operations in Madison. There are no words for the amount of gratitude I feel toward the Carnelian Art Gallery team for letting us spread our wings and bring this idea to fruition.

“‘Finding Color In the Chaos’ is a beautiful metaphor for finding joy when things seem bleak. Whether you attend this exhibition’s opening reception, stop by to see it during Carnelian Art Gallery’s regular hours or set up an appointment to privately view artworks from the show, doing so will be good for your soul.”

“I can’t believe Carnelian Art Gallery has been in business for almost one year,” said Bradbury. “I want to send a huge thank you to our supporters, partners and the City of Madison for helping us grow. ‘Finding Color In the Chaos’ is a show you won’t want to miss. Please join us.”

About the artists
Bradbury, when he’s not heading up operations at Carnelian Art Gallery, enjoys “making a mess” while painting. He primarily works with acrylic paints, inks, sprays and gouaches to achieve his distinctive abstract style. Bradbury enjoys working on canvases small and large. He’s from the Madison area.

Creating art has been a constant companion for Dunlop. The Madison artist has created a series of abstract paintings using tissue paper, glue and iridescent acrylic paints. Her personal mantra is “paint just to paint.” She hopes to capture enchanted beauty, mystery and intrigue one brushstroke at a time. It’s a spiritual practice for her.

Braunginn, of Madison, is an emerging abstract expressionist painter. His abstract paintings express complex emotions and experiences. Braunginn mainly uses acrylic paints on wood and standard canvases to achieve each color’s deep yet vibrant opacity, as well as each distinguished pattern. Some of Braunginn’s paintings depict rounded shapes, while others sharply study three dimensional perspectives. Even more are circular.

Presnell, of Sheboygan, is a painter and mixed media artist. Her current work has evolved into a type of surrealism through biomorphic shapes, according to her website. The shapes arise from intuitive gestural drawing. She never has a plan. Presnell instead trusts her sense of color and composition to arrive at something new. Spontaneity is key for her process.

Ackerman, of Middleton, is an abstract expressionist artist examining the interaction of lines, shapes and color, according to his website. Painting abstracts can be compared to designing and assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, he writes. Ackerman’s paintings usually begin unplanned, sometimes with a general idea or color combination. Then, he adds and subtracts different elements until they evolve into a more definitive composition.

Community Shares of Wisconsin: The Big Share is March 4

Especially in tumultuous times like these, Community Shares of Wisconsin and its local member nonprofits are standing up for a just society, clean environment, and strong democracy. But with the federal funding that supports many of these nonprofits uncertain, your donation during The Big Share is even more urgently needed.

Community Shares of Wisconsin and its nearly 70 member nonprofits will host The Big Share®, an online day of giving focused on social and environmental justice, on Tuesday, March 4. Visit thebigshare.org to donate or become a fundraiser for your favorite member nonprofit.

This year’s Big Share campaign is themed “Build Our Future Together” and Community Shares is encouraging people of all ages, including youth, to get involved in the social and environmental justice movement through philanthropy. The event aims to raise $800,000 and engage over 5,000 donors.

“Now in its eleventh year, The Big Share is a great opportunity for the community to demonstrate its commitment to the causes we all care about including voting rights, healthy food systems, criminal justice reform, housing advocacy, environmental protection, LGBTQ+ rights, and much more,” said Executive Director Cheri Dubiel. “Join us on March 4 to be part of this collective effort.”

This year, Community Shares of Wisconsin is inviting donors to include their children in their giving decisions. “Educating your children on the importance of philanthropy in powering social movements will help them understand the value of giving back and grow our movements for generations to come” said Dubiel.

Donations can be made any time between now and March 4 by visiting thebigshare.org. Donors can search for nonprofits by name or by cause, such as working for a just and equitable society, empowering people with disabilities, fostering civic engagement, ensuring affordable and accessible housing, protecting the environment, and supporting women, children, and families. A gift to Community Shares supports all member nonprofits.

Individuals who want to take their advocacy to the next level can visit thebigshare.org/fundraisers to create their own fundraising campaign for their favorite Community Shares member nonprofit. Fundraisers spread the word about The Big Share by engaging family members, friends, and coworkers. Easy-to-use resources, including pre-made social media posts and graphics, are available to help fundraisers at communityshares.com/big-share-fundraising-guide/

The Big Share Live, a day-long telethon to support The Big Share, returns in 2025. The program will be streamed live on thebigshare.org, and will feature local entertainment, prize announcements, discussions about social and environmental justice, and more.

Follow Community Shares of Wisconsin on social media for ways to engage with The Big Share now through March 4.

facebook.com/communityshares

instagram.com/commshareswi/

bsky.app/profile/commshareswi.bsky.social

The Big Share’s 2025 principal partner is Madison Community Foundation.

Media sponsors are The Cap Times, Triple MMM 105.5, and News 3 Now.

Additional sponsors are Ascendium Education Group, Boardman Clark, First Business Bank, MGE Foundation, Summit Credit Union, Wegner CPAs, and more.

Since 1971, Community Shares of Wisconsin and its members have worked together to advance social justice and protect the environment in Wisconsin. Together they envision a future where people come together to ensure every member of our community is safe, healthy, and able to thrive.

Are Pizza Boxes Recyclable? Pellitteri Sets The Record Straight

FMI:
Joleen Engeseth
Marketing Coordinator
608-257-6232 ext. 346
Joleene@pellitteri.com

Are Pizza Boxes Recyclable? Pellitteri Sets The Record Straight

DANE COUNTY, Wis. (Feb. 4, 2025) —  As we approach National Pizza Day on Sunday, Pellitteri Waste Systems, Inc. — Southern Wisconsin’s leading independent, family-owned and operated waste and recycling service provider — is putting an end to the pizza box debate once and for all. Yes, whole pizza boxes are recyclable. 

Pellitteri customers can now place the entire empty pizza box, even the parts with grease and cheese residue, in their recycling cart or recycling dumpster.

“Not all waste haulers accept pizza boxes,” explains Pellitteri President David Pellitteri. “Across our industry, there have been concerns that grease or cheese residue prevented parts of the box from being made into new paper products. In our company’s efforts to recycle more materials, we choose to work with paper mills in the Midwest that have employed the technology necessary to accept and clean typical levels of grease and cheese residue so that it no longer impacts the recyclability of pizza boxes. That’s why we can now accept the whole box.” 

Whole pizza boxes are the latest addition to Pellitteri’s expanded list of recyclables, which includes these materials that go above and beyond what is required by state law: 

• Hot and cold paper cups
• Paper milk and juice cartons
• Metal pots and pans
• Shredded paper properly prepared in clear plastic bags (no larger than a basketball)
• Small metal appliances like toasters and blenders (no larger than a basketball, no batteries)
• Small metal plumbing fixtures, faucets, valves

Pellitteri can recycle these items because of its focus on using end markets that look to expand recycling opportunities and because Pellitteri continues to invest in technology that allows it to sort additional materials.  

According to the American Forest & Paper Association, pizza boxes are made of high-quality corrugated paper, which can be recycled at least 7 times. A study by WestRock, one of the largest box manufacturers in the U.S., estimates that there are approximately 3 billion pizza boxes used in the U.S. annually, which represents an estimated 600,000 tons of highly desired corrugated material that should be recycled and not needlessly wasted. 

Pellitteri asks its customers to do their part by placing the pizza box in the recycling bin; just remember to remove any remaining food, tissue or plastic centerpieces from the box. You can find more information in this short video. Want to become a Super Recycler? Watch these short recycling tips videos to become a recycling expert!

Pellitteri customers also have a mobile app to verify if items are recyclable and set collection day reminders. Download the app at pellitteri.com/RecycleRight. For more information, visit www.pellitteri.com. *Pizza boxes are recyclable if Pellitteri collects or processes your recycling (City of Madison recycling is processed by Pellitteri); otherwise, check with your local recycling provider to see if they accept pizza boxes in their recycling, as rules vary by local hauler. 

About Pellitteri Waste Systems
Pellitteri Waste Systems, Inc. is a Madison-based, family-owned and operated waste disposal and recycling company focused on providing needs-based solutions and outstanding customer service. Pellitteri has a proud tradition of service and community involvement and currently serves around 80,000 households for waste and recycling collection throughout Southern Wisconsin. Pellitteri offers environmental leadership, stewardship, and innovation, as shown by their constant work to recycle better and more items at their local recycling facility. Pellitteri collects and processes millions of pounds of recycling to be made into new products each year and was a recipient of the following awards in recent years: Recycling Excellence Award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from the Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin, and the Business Friend of the Environment Award from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Learn more at www.pellitteri.com/news.

Wisconsin Masonic Center: Casino Night Fundraiser

Tickets On Sale: Madison Black Chamber of Commerce 7th Annual Black Business Awards Dinner 

Madison, WI –  The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) is thrilled to announce that tickets are now available for the 2025 Black Business Awards & Recognition Exhibition, taking place on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the Monona Terrace. 

This year’s theme, Building Dreams: Honoring the Visionaries Who Build Foundations for Generations to Come, highlights the remarkable contributions of Black-owned businesses in industries like real estate, construction, landscaping, and home improvement.  

The event celebrates these “Dream Builders” for their vital role in strengthening communities, driving economic growth, and inspiring future generations. 

Attendees will enjoy an unforgettable evening featuring: 

• Dream Builders’ Networking Hour to forge meaningful connections 
• Awards Ceremony recognizing excellence in 7+ categories 
• Blueprint Stations showcasing nominees and their achievements 

Tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so don’t wait to secure your spot! Visit https://bbare25.madisonblackchamber.com/ to purchase your tickets today. Individual tickets are available for $150 and tables of 8 are $1,125. 

“The Black Business Awards is more than just an event—it’s a celebration of excellence, resilience, and the visionaries building a brighter future for all of us,” said Camille Carter, President & CEO of the MBCC. “We can’t wait to come together to honor these outstanding leaders and businesses.” 

For more information about the event, sponsorship opportunities, or tickets, please visit: https://bbare25.madisonblackchamber.com/ 

About the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce: The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting economic empowerment and growth for Black-owned businesses in Madison and surrounding communities. Through initiatives like the Black Business Awards, we celebrate achievements, foster connections, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or ticket purchases, please contact: 
Tiffany Kenney
Director of Communications
Madison Black Chamber of Commerce   
(608) 843-7079 Cell
tiffany@madisonblackchamber.com