Pattern, artwork by Paula Schulze
Pattern is a wood and paint installation on a boarded-up former office building in Milwaukee, created by artist Paula Schulze in 2010. The work features flowing orange curves painted directly onto plywood sheets that cover the building's windows, creating visual movement across the facade.
Pattern was created in 2010 as part of the IN:SITE program, which invited local artists to produce temporary installations in the Menomonee Valley area. The building it adorns once served as offices for A.O. Smith, reflecting Milwaukee's manufacturing heritage.
Pattern takes its name from the curved geometric forms that Paula Schulze painted across wood panels, transforming how people perceive this industrial building. The bright orange design reflects the community's efforts to reimagine and revitalize the neighborhood's relationship with its past.
This artwork is located on the exterior of the former A.O. Smith building near West Hopkins Street and North 27th Street in the Menomonee Valley. Since it is a temporary installation, visitors should plan to see it sooner rather than later, as the piece may not remain indefinitely.
Paula Schulze is primarily a printmaker, yet she chose to work with paint and wood panels for this public commission. This material shift reveals how artists adapt their practice to suit urban spaces and engage with communities beyond traditional studio settings.
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