Michael Kutzer

I met Michael through Wisconsin Visual Artists where we both served on the SE Chapter Board. His thorough nature and sense of humor served us well. There was always a "member" or two with claims of having paid their dues, who were proved false by Michael, for which he was then blamed. We always had a good chuckle with those situations.

I remember his happiness at being able to move to the Bayview neighborhood, although he did base a whole series of paintings based on his dog walks in the St. Francis Woods, so Cudahy must have had some redeeming qualities?

It was a special privilege to hear Michael recount stories from his translation of the Heine diaries and observe the parallels in their shared life paths in Milwaukee. One of these being their brotherhood in the Schlaraffia, a place to celebrate German camaraderie and art. After our last breakfast together, we took a tour of the local building and he showed me Heine´s coat of arms. Kutzer´s will now hang in that same hallway. Thank you, Michael. What an honor to have shared some time with you.

I dreamed of Michael the other night,
no more pain and suffering, what a sight.
We wandered through the woods and had a talk,
he did not need his cane as he could walk.
From this dream I did not want to awake,
but I was summoned to rise by the call of daybreak.
It was so nice to see his face,
and comforted to know he is now in a better place.
He will always be my friend,
and that will never ever end.

I dreamed of Michael the other night,
no more pain and suffering, what a sight.
We wandered through the woods and had a talk,
he did not need his cane as he could walk.
From this dream I did not want to awake,
but I was summoned to rise by the call of daybreak.
It was so nice to see his face,
and comforted to know he is now in a better place.
He will always be my friend,
and that will never ever end.

My brother knight of Schlaraffia! Your friendship, himor and art will be missed. I'm proud to say I own an original beach-scape painting of Michael's.