Whether we’re talking sculptors, painters, authors, musicians, or any other creative, decade after decade, the Midwest produces some of the most profound artists in the world. In recognition, this year we’re zooming out from Wisconsin to celebrate ceramicists in our neighboring states. Next stop: Illinois.

Chris Brockel comes from a village a million miles away from Madison. At least, thats what it felt like to him in the 60s and 70s. If residents in the late 1800s were more familiar with French accents, the village wouldve been named Paquette. But they werent, so we call it Poynette.

Welcome back to the “us” in inclUSion. This series discusses how we’re responsible for the culture we live in and for the changes that need to be made. We are in this together, but we all have to do some work individually too. It’s our responsibility, and it will take all of us contributing to make real change.

Cozy La Kitchenette is tucked into a small brick building at 805 Williamson Street. Here you’ll find comforting French dishes, like beef bourguignon, onion soup with gooey cheese, buckwheat crepes, and lavender crème brûlée. Brightly colored chairs dot the small dining room, and a wall-sized chalkboard displays the menu and specials. Warm lights hang from heavy rope, and weathered wood encases the front counter. The restaurant is so small, guests are treated to enticing aromas from the kitchen the second they walk in.

Elena Terry, member of the Hoca¸k (Ho-Chunk) Nation, is a chef and founder of Wild Bearies, a nonprofit catering company that places a high priority on education and community outreach using indigenous ingredients, traditional cooking methods, and responsible gardening strategies.

The largest group of immigrants to relocate to Wisconsin during the 19th century came from Germany. Settlement was especially heavy in Wisconsin during the first wave of immigration around the middle of the century. Farmers came from the Mecklenburg region in northeast Germany to the Town of Middleton in Dane County.

Though all nonprofits focus on their individual missions, from education to recreation and healthcare to home repair, they’re simultaneously improving the lives of everyone in their communities by addressing underfunded or inadequately met needs. But even with around 3,000 nonprofits in Dane County and 19,000 public charities across the state, the undertaking is often larger than many of us appreciate.

There’s a book and many websites devoted to dog-shaming pictures. Many of these are hilarious, but the behavior of the dogs is often rooted in anxiety, which is definitely not funny to the dog.

What a difference a couple of months make! Leading up to Memorial Day, we were in the 40s and 50s with rain and frost warnings, and just afterward, the start of an intense heat outbreak with drought conditions. This spring’s end has not only been dramatic on the weather front, but also on our lives.

The idea for Lily’s Mercantile & Makery started when Teresa McMahan wanted a place to display Lily’s, her daughter’s, art. The two also thought it would be exciting to go into business together, and decided to make the leap when a commercial space became available in Paoli. “I’ve always wanted to open a boutique but never wanted to do it by myself,” says Teresa. “So when Lily graduated from high school, she went to MATC, and we started talking about it. Lily enrolled in the small-business entrepreneurship course at MATC, and during that year she started to write a business plan.

One of the greatest things about Wisconsin is that, no matter where you go, there’s something unexpected ready to be discovered. I love helping people make these discoveries. The Eau Claire buzz is sweeping the nation, and you just have to check it out!