Kenozia Summer 2026 Release Party

Join us to celebrate the release of Kenozia Vol. 5 (our biggest issue yet), i.e., the Summer edition, outside the Kenosha Tap House right off Lake Michigan on Thursday, July 30th. The event will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with a beer hour. Get some drinks from the tap and mingle with fellow art lovers and featured artists from the current issue. At 6:30 p.m., we will kick things off with newly debuted Wildwood Theatre; performing two scenes from Shakespeare's As You Like It. Followed by a sci-fi flash fiction reading by Chris Kaamino-Seymour and a photographer's panel discussion with our Artist Spotlight Chino Villatoro and Emily Burhani. And finally, we are thrilled to announce we will have a live acoustic set by Lunde, freshly off their summer tour.

Make sure to bring your own folding chair to sit on the greenspace right outside the patio! There will be limited seating on the patio; first come, first serve.

You can purchase your copy of issue 5 during the release party and pick up the first four issues if you haven't had a chance to discover this new local arts and literary zine!

Admission is free! Make sure to review the different ticket options:

Option 1: $8.50 (plus fees); Free Admission + one copy of issue 5 ($8.50) waiting for you at check-in.

Option 2: $0; Free Admission- RSVP. Let us know you're attending. Issues 1 through 5 will be available for sale at the event.

Option 3: $0; Free Admission + Donation; You love to support local or the art community and happy to donate to Kenozia, we couldn't keep doing this without our community behind us.

Option 4: $35 (plus fees); Free Admission + an annual subscription to Kenozia! Expires Summer 2027.

About Kenozia:

Kenozia is a print-only, quarterly zine showcasing the work of local Kenosha artists, photographers, and writers. The first issue debuted in July 2025, created by Sarah Opatz.

About Issue #5 (Summer 2026- One Year Anniversary):

In this issue, we have the wildly talented mixed media artist Julian Guyton with paintings showcasing his signature fractureism characters; celebrated artist Diane Levesque features her colorful maximalist paintings and recent graphite drawings; a Community Spotlight on the newly launched Wildwood Theatre Company; an Artist Spotlight on the stylish photographer Chino Villatoro; a bittersweet sci-fi flash fiction piece called CAM from local writer Chris Kaamino-Seymour; a Gallery Spotlight on Pollard Gallery and Gifts; a Local Music spotlight on retro-inspired rock band Lunde; our returning cartoon series, ‘Guess Who’ by artist Paul Merklein; and two new sections, an upcoming events/exhibition calendar and a poetry page.

About Issue #4 (Spring 2026):

This spring issue features stunning photography by Emily Burhani that captures the beauty of everyday moments; a profile interview with the creative director of KAPA Repertory Theatre, Braxton Molinaro; an allegorical sci-fi flash fiction piece by Greg York; a Community Spotlight on the large-scale movement, the Kenosha Murals Project; a Gallery Spotlight on the tucked-away treasure, the H.F. Johnson Gallery at Carthage College; an interview with up-and-coming musical talent, Leroy Booker; multi-media painting work by the accomplished Jennifer Doherty; and another edition of ‘Guess Who’ by cartoonist Paul Merklein. Can you guess who it is?

About Issue #3 (Winter 2026):

The winter issue features digital dreamlike photography by Jonny Servais; a multipart Gallery Spotlight on Outpost Gallery and AP3, and the artists who run them; a charming romance flash fiction by indie author Brighton Walsh; a posthumous Artist Spotlight on the renowned painter and professor, Dennis Bayuzick; a Local Music Spotlight on the harmonious indie band, Violet Wilder; and a new addition called "Guess Who" by Paul Merklein.

About Issue #2 (Fall/Halloween 2025):

This issue is a twofer! One side is the fall edition that features paintings by the accomplished Margaret Clark; an Artist Spotlight on UW-Parkside professor and ceramicist Lisa Marie Barber, written by Marc Travanti; a local music venue piece on The White Lilac, written by Jeff Moody; a Gallery Spotlight on The Lemon Street Gallery; and last, but certainly not least, striking analog photos by the talented photographer Steve Rodriguez.

Flip the zine over and you will find the Halloween edition. This edition features works by the talented FX artist/mask maker Paul Hoepner; a Filmmaker Spotlight on screenwriter/director Danny Villanueva Jr. talking about his new feature-length horror film, What Happened to Dorothy Bell?; eerie flash fiction pieces by our very own marketing manager Dani Koziol and local author Meg Bonney; unique artwork by printmaker Shelby Nesmith; and a Community Spotlight on the Port of Fear Film Festival.

About Issue #1 (Summer 2025):

In this issue, we are proud to feature two talented photographers, Victoria Rodriguez and Nicolas Campos, an Artist Spotlight on the distinguished Marc Travanti, an enchanting flash fiction piece by published author Greta Kelly, and a Gallery Spotlight on the historical Anderson Art Center.