STAY IN THE KNOMAHA!

There are so many exciting things to do in the metro, it’s hard to keep track of them all. Here are our definitive picks for what to do in June plus a listing of what else is on offer throughout June. Summer has arrived—let’s enjoy it!

Aksarben Village

June 9—11 free

S. 67th Street summerarts.org

Forget June 21, summer always seems to kick off officially when the annual Omaha Summer Arts Festival takes place. The 49th annual family-friendly OSAF, which turns Aksarben Village’s main road into a pedestrian zone, features 135 local, regional, and national artists with a broad range of artistic mediums, including: sculpture, ceramics, painting, printmaking, fiber, jewelry, textile, photography, mixed media, metal, drawing, graphics, wood, leather, and glass. Dedicated to fostering a love of art from a young age and supporting young talent, OSAF includes a hands-on Children’s Fair and Young Artist Exhibition. Not confi ned solely to the visual arts, the festival also stages dozens of local musicians, who provide entertainment throughout the three-day event, with TasteFest off ering a broad blend of cuisine via food trucks and stalls. Plus, don’t miss the return of the popular mural cubes for selfie backdrops as well as new surprises like colorful chalk art and more. 10am to 9pm Friday and Saturday; 10am to 4pm Sunday.

Gallery 1516

June 9—August 20 free

1516 Leavenworth St. gallery1516.org

Born in Omaha in 1916, Milton Wolsky had an astonishing career that spanned not just styles and mediums but also the globe. An illustrator and modern artist, he worked in both Omaha and New York City from the 1940s into the 1980s. Th is exhibition highlights work from throughout his career, giving visitors insight into his evolving and genre-spanning talents. He began as an illustrator for the Bozell & Jacobs advertising agency. In 1942, his artistic trajectory changed when he was drafted into the military where he served as a war artist documenting the rebuilding of Japan during World War II. After the war, Wolsky moved to New York City where he launched a career as a magazine illustrator and became regarded as one of the top 20 illustrators at the time. His work was published in major publications like The Saturday Evening Post, Good Housekeeping, McCall’s, Redbook, and Collier’s. In 1954, Wolsky returned to Omaha and purchased El Paraiso, the studio of his late art mentor J. Laurie Wallace. After his career in New York, Wolsky’s work was in high demand, and he received commissions from prominent clients such as the Northern Natural Gas Company. He also enjoyed a career as a painter of fi ne art, focusing on the Modernist movement he had encountered in New York. Wolsky also amassed an outstanding collection of artwork, including work by Hans Hofmann, Julian Levi, Paul Klee, and others, which he later donated to the Joslyn Art Museum. 11 am to 5pm Tuesday—Sunday. (Appointments preferred.) 531.375.6643.