"Sign Painters"

Photos by Stephen Anderson

The Workers Quilt is a unique textile artwork that weaves together the stories of labor, craftsmanship, and community. Created by Shana Lucas and Mike McGuiness, it is made from garments worn by real tradespeople—welders, carpenters, painters, and restaurant workers—symbolizing the diverse skills that build our world.

This project was a collaboration between Mike and Shana, who brought her quilting expertise to bring his vision to life. The process was a fusion of tradition and contemporary artistry, inspired by generations of seamstresses in her family.

By repurposing these well-worn materials, the quilt honors the hands that shape our cities, reflecting the resilience, dedication, and artistry embedded in every trade.

"The

Workers 

Quilt"

This series of portraits by Mike McGuiness pays tribute to the art of sign painting, a profession that has long balanced between trade and fine art. The two large-scale works depict a vintage-era sign painter in monochrome and a modern sign painter in full color, bridging past and present.

Painted on 6x8 ft canvases, each portrait is layered with Plexiglas, mimicking the look and feel of classic hand-painted signage. The artwork was completed using authentic sign painting brushes and techniques, preserving the integrity of the craft. A custom-built frame, designed by a carpenter and collaborator, gives the pieces the appearance of historic storefront windows.

This work is a celebration of craftsmanship—not just of the painter’s hand but of all tradespeople who shape our visual and physical environment. It invites us to reflect on the artistry behind everyday signage and the hands that create them.

Multidisciplinary artist known for his murals, paintings, and mixed media work. Owner of Gray Light Design Studios.

For the Trade Hotel Artist Collection, his works—The Quilt of Trades and The Sign Painters—pay tribute to the hands that shape our world, from welders to sign painters. Through repurposed textiles and hand-painted portraits, Mike brings these stories to life with a blend of artistry and collaboration.

Mike

McGuiness

Photo by Vic Buell

Cinematographer & Photographer

Vic

Buell

Photo by Vic Buell

"Ironbound"

Vic Buell, presents a striking black-and-white 35mm film photograph of the Hoan Bridge, one of Milwaukee’s most iconic landmarks. Selected for the House of RAD Artist Collection at The Trade Hotel, this piece pays tribute to the city’s tradespeople—its roads, bridges, and architecture builders.

Unlike traditional commissioned artwork, Vic’s process involved archival photography, capturing moments in time rather than creating something new for the call for art. His grainy, textured aesthetic reflects the grit and resilience of Milwaukee’s workforce.

In collaboration with Brandon Minga and Jackson Lahai, the image was reproduced on a blackened steel substrate, directly tying into the industrial materials of the trade industry. For Vic, having a physical, permanent piece displayed in the Trade Hotel is a milestone—one that cements his connection to the city and honors the people who built it.

Photos by Stephen Anderson

Hoane Bridge

Photos by Stephen Anderson

Printmaker Greg Martens honors Wisconsin’s trades with woodcut prints crafted from wood cookies—tree trunk cross-sections—burned using the Shou Sugi Ban technique. This process raises the wood’s grain, preserving its raw texture before sealing, inking, and printing.

His work for The House of RAD Artist Collection at The Trade Hotel pays homage to Wisconsin’s lumber industry, displaying both the prints and the original burnt wood side by side. Just as the state was built by skilled tradespeople, Martens’ work highlights the beauty of craftsmanship and the lasting imprint of labor.

Photo by Lily Shae

"Untitled"

Printmaker

Greg

Martens

Photos by Stephen Anderson

"A Milwaukee Welcome"

Brandon

Minga

"Found

Juggernauts"

This piece is an exploration of what one might discover on a forest floor years from now. It is an amalgamation of a tree branch, an antler, steel, and bronze. Inspired by the industrial roots of our city, it was created while contemplating the natural or ethereal powers that may exist in the not-so-distant future. This is my first piece utilizing bronze, allowing me to learn its tolerances while heat-bending it in with the steel.

Photos by Stephen Anderson

"Prized Catch"

This three-piece series delves into a lighter-than-air steampunk concept, drawing inspiration from Wisconsin’s lumber milling history. Much of the state's forests were milled to such an extent that the maple tree came close to endangerment, until forestry practices were reformed. The leather, sourced from a local company, Seidel Tanning, was laser-engraved with custom illustrations. It was then mounted onto rough-sawn maple supplied by Kettlemoraine Hardwoods and framed with custom-welded steel.

"Lumber Runners Series"

Brandon Minga is a multidisciplinary artist and founder of House of RAD, fostering a creative community. He runs Mingadigm, a boutique agency specializing in branding, interiors, murals, and commissioned art. His work spans public art, sculpture, and live events, with notable projects including a 3D mural at Black Cat Alley, contributions to the Fiserv Forum, and live art for non-profits like Feeding America. He’s won multiple Mayor’s Design Awards for projects like “Together Feathers” and the Near West Side Markers. His work is featured nationally and internationally, including at America’s Black Holocaust Museum and the Baird Center.

Photos by Stephen Anderson

info@houseofradmke.com

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