Nov. 16 was the kickoff for Milwaukee’s Annual Downtown Holiday Lights Festival. This year, they introduced the Ornament Trail, where almost two dozen artists had the opportunity to showcase their art on big ornaments located along Water St. and Wisconsin Ave.
“I wanted them to experience the four ancient goddesses in Greek mythology [joy, bloom, happiness, and time] and I wanted people to remember the true values of Christmas,” said Nova Czarnecki, a local artist who designed “Four Graces,” one of the giant ornaments.
Her creative process for “Four Graces” was simple, yet moving. Initially, she was going with a different idea, but she decided she wanted to choose faces, and used the bears and swans to represent the good and evil of everyday life.
She added the jewels to represent value and color in her piece. Since she was young, she had a passion for art. “I loved seeing old paintings and knew I wanted to be just like them,” she said. You can check out her ornament at 239 E. Wisconsin Ave. and follow her on Instagram.
“I’m hoping it sparks a memory,” said Rozalia Singh, another local artist who’s participated in this year’s ornament exhibit. “Either you’ll remember the warm feeling of fire amongst the cold air or might get inspired to create that feeling”
Like Czarnecki, Singh was extremely honored to be a part of this project and shared that “opportunities like this don’t happen everyday.” Singh said her father is her inspiration when it comes to painting. She also believe painting is therapeutic and create a sense of safety. Her creative process developed in layers, “…layering of colors hoping to create an intensity but also a softness. I paint a little then I step back, take it in, and repeat,” she said. “The longest process is the thoughts about how to execute different parts. There is always the design, the problem solving aspect, and then just paint and see where it goes.”
After finishing her ornament, “Joys of Winter” she felt “a sense of pride, an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction. I also feel that I represent people who are usually underrepresented so my participation is important.” You can check out her ornament at 1000 N Water St and explore her website.
Seeing the lights at night was truly a magical experience. Children laughing, adults gazing in awe and everyone united in emotional harmony to feel the magic of Christmas.
When I saw the lights it brought nostalgia and euphoria to my spirit because it had taken me back to being a little girl staying up late and getting the house ready for the holidays with my mom. Baking, singing, putting ornaments on the tree—all equals love, time and joy– some of the true values of Christmas.
You’ll be able to see the lights at Pere Marquette Park, Cathedral Square, and other parts on the lower east side of Milwaukee. They’re available from Nov. 16 to Jan. 1, and the ornament exhibit is available until Jan. 6. Don’t miss it!
This brought warmth and remembrance of love, peace and joy during the holidays. Well done. ❤️