The Madtown Poetry Open Mic w/ Paul Baker

Art in the cafe...

Dottie and Josie Brand (Two Peas in a Pod)


"Summer Magic"


June 2026



We are self-taught artists who create work inspired by healing, nature, travel, and personal experiences. Growing up, art became a way for us to process emotions, express ourselves, and create spaces that felt meaningful and comforting. Our first “gallery” was our college apartment, which we transformed with our own artwork and nature-inspired design and the power of the feminine. Sharing our space and work with others encouraged us to continue creating and exploring art more seriously. Inspired by our Latin culture, color, emotion, and everyday moments, our work reflects themes of connection, growth,...
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Friday, October 7, 2016
8:00 pm

Making his home in north america, Paul Baker speaks a dialect of american english and prefers to drink water in its liquid form. He enjoys the surreal and the grotesque and finds humor in the work of the marquis de sade. Paul hosts a weekly program of chamber music on the student radio station WSUM. He earns his daily crust as a communicator in education. Paul subscribes to the theory of retro incarnation, which posits that, after death, we return as random articles of vintage clothing.

For over ten years Ron hosted poetry readings as well as an open mic at Avol's Bookstore in Madison. His poems have appeared both on-line and in print journals. His manuscript, "The Office of Uncomfortable Admissions," received an honorable mention in the Concrete Wolf Chapbook Contest. Ron serves on the board of The Council for Wisconsin Writers, and sells used and out-of-print books on-line under the name Avol's Books LLC. If you have questions about the open mic, call Ron at 608-255-4730, or email him at avols@chorus.net.

Open Mic