Erico Ortiz has created an inclusive and welcoming space for the arts in West Allis.

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Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2316870/fan_mail/new) On the corner of 73rd and Orchard in West Allis stands a building that used to be a place of mourning and loss. For many decades it was called Skubal and Slattery Funeral Home. For the last decade however that building has been a hub for creativity and joy. That's all thanks to Erico Ortiz, the owner of what is now called Inspiration Studios. Ortiz purchased the building in late 2014. He was looking for a place to store his many paintings and host his displaced theater group. Inspiration Studios has undergone an incredible transformation during that time and is now a one stop shop for the arts. Inspiration Studios host classes, exhibitions, theater productions big and small, and offers affordable studio space for emerging artists. Ortiz has been a life long lover of the arts and education. He is a retired MPS teacher and has been a part of many different art groups and organizations. Ortiz took a sabbatical from teaching in the middle of his career to study art education. During that time he learned how to better educate kids through the use of art. He believes the arts connects us all and has dedicated his life to inspiring others. Find more programs at https://www.milwaukeepbs.org/stream