The Zhou B Art Center opens its doors for viewers to experience their latest show of poetry and art this Friday, February 15, coinciding with this month’s 3^rd Friday openings. Sergio Gomez collaborated with Poets and Artists Magazine’s Didi Menendez to curate the exhibition, From Motion to Stillness, bringing together over 40 artists and poets. The show explores representations of stillness, quietness, reflection, meditation, inner-peace, solitude and calmness. From Motion to Stillness calls the viewer and reader to step away from the fast-paced and constantly changing world to pause and experience the stillness brought about by these artworks and poems.

Enjoy a night of peace and reflection this Friday at the opening reception from 7-10pm. Visitors can also visit the open studios of all the in-residence artists, interact with many of the artists and mingle with other collectors and aficionados. After viewing some art and the open studios (including 4Art Inc. Gallery and Yale Factor Gallery), visitors can relax in the Zhou B Café and Art Lounge and enjoy other entertainment throughout the building.

Zhou B Art Center

1029 W. 35th Street

Chicago, IL 60609

773.523.0200

www.zhoubartcenter.com

If you haven’t made it out to ARC Gallery’s current exhibitions, you have until next Saturday, February 2^nd to view these impressive works. The gallery offers viewers the chance to see the works of artists, Granite Amit, Nicole McCormick Santiago, and Christopher Fraser.

 Granite Amit                                   

Hereticha Be’Eynecha

Hereticha Be'eynecha is an audio video installation by Granite Amit. Using large-scale prints on translucent surfaces, Amit processes texts and ancient melodies from the Hebrew Bible and focuses on a textual junction within the narrative: the end of the journey in the wilderness and the beginning of the narrative of the story of the creation. The positioning of the visual text with the ancient melodies provides the viewer to connect the responsibilities of both its natural and human surroundings.

Nicole McCormick Santiago                       

Paintings and Drawings

Nicole McCormick Santiago's Paintings and Drawings is a juxtaposition of past, present, and future narratives, as they move around each other in each scene. This communicates a scattered, yet very honest insight into daily life.               

Christopher Fraser                                   

Trust the Photograph

Christopher Fraser's paintings are figurative, selected from images that incite an emotional response, or effuse an apparent subliminal understanding that is obvious. The portraits capture a self-awareness as portrayed through life. With sweeping brushstrokes, Fraser is able to go further into this self-awareness than with a simple snapshot, as he is in constant dialogue with his image.                                    

If you really want the full experience, come to the gallery’s closing reception this Friday, January 25^th.  ARC and Amit have teamed up to honor the memory of Darius McGraw, who worked with Amit and ARC on the “Recurrent Dream” project. Youth from McGraw’s community will present a hip-hop performance, followed by reflections from Camille Odeh.

ARC Gallery

Through February 2

2156 N. Damen Avenue


Chicago, IL 60647

773-252-2232

 www.arcgallery.org

2013 is off and running.  We’re eleven days into the new year, and tonight we’ll celebrate the opening of the winter gallery season along with a few dozen local galleries.  Have you seen the openings list yet?  If not, check it out and make a list of places to go and people (and art) to see.  Exhibition details can be found on our site and in individual gallery listings; here are a few highlights opening tonight…

Our January – April 2013 cover feature gallery, Thomas Masters Gallery presents Melody Saraniti, Drips+Grids.  The gallery is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year; read more about Thomas’ memories and the history of the gallery here.

Melody Saraniti, Drag Oh La, acrylic on panel, 54" x 56"

River North’s Roy Boyd Gallery opens tonight with a refreshing display of paintings by Andrew Graham. 

Andrew Graham, D15, 2012, oil on linen over wood panel, 26” x 46”

The Art Center Highland Park will showcase work by over 150 teachers and members of the Art Center community with In View: Annual Member & Faculty Exhibition.; opening tonight from 6:30-9pm. 

Packer Schopf Gallery has four separate exhibitions opening tonight: Andrea Stanislav’s Wilderness of Mirrors (sculpture, glitter constructions and video);  Bruce Riley’s Psychedelic (mixed media paintings);  Lauren Levato’s Wunderkammer (drawings);  and Deborah Baker’s Zodiac (embroidery).  Pictured below is a drawing from Lauren Levato’s exhibition Wunderkammer.  Levato’s new collection of work delicately combines wonder and the artist’s memory, elaborating on the idea of how the body can become a Wunderkammer (a place where a collection of curiosities and rarities is exhibited).

Drawing by Lauren Levato

Tonight is just the start of a full, fresh season of art to look forward to.  New openings and events are added to our site each week, so be sure to visit us often – and enjoy!

There are so many ways to enjoy the holidays, when you're not rushing here and there, keeping track of to-do lists or trying to meet end-of-year deadlines. In case you have any free time, or out of town visitors, we've come up with a few highlights you should check out this season. 

• Chicago Urban Art Society is having its’ annual holiday art sale Windy City Artist Alley on Sunday, December 16 from 12-6pm. Artists, illustrators, printmakers, DIY artists, and vintage sellers will all be there to cover your last minute shopping needs. This year’s event will be located at 1664 S. Blue Island Ave. at the intersection of 18^th and Blue Island in Pilsen neighborhood. Interested vendors or artists should contact peterkepha@chicagourbanartsociety.com. Chicago Urban Art Society Chicago’s First Annual Holiday Benefit is on Wednesday, December 12, 6-11pm.  An evening of good company and good music, along with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. A fifty dollar donation is asked to attend. A special poetry reading by Kevin Coval is sure to make this a fun, holiday evening.

The Art Institute is always a festive place to visit this time of year - don't miss the chance to gaze at the impressive lion adorned with red wreaths for the season.  While the weather is still mild, wander the museum's sculpture garden, or spend some time in sunny Millennium Park.  Also, in honor of the season, the miniature Thorne Rooms have also been decorated for the season.  Details here.

• Come experience Greek traditions with the National Hellennic Museum’s one-day fun-filled event It’s A Greek Christmas! on Saturday, December 15, 11am-5pm. Festivities include crafts, caroling, dance lessons, christopsomo, storytime, and much more. Details here.

• Bring your kids along and get creative at Lillstreet's Holiday Family Party Saturday, December 8th from 12-3pm. Bring the whole family and decorate a lovely holiday ornament with Lillstreet's ceramics department and cookies with First Slice Pie Cafe. Stop by the gallery and take a peak at the Stacey Lee Webber jewelry trunk show reception. Free. Also this weekend, Let There Be Light: Lillstreet's 37th Annual Holiday Show and Sale. Details here.

• December 6-8 you can do some holiday shopping at the 4th annual ShopColumbia market at Columbia College.  Not only is this the perfect place for holiday shopping, but you'll also meet the artists behind the work! ShopColumbia will also host themed mini-boutiques within the shop for the environmentalist, art lover, fashionista, and more. Details here.

Visit Chicagogallerynews.com all season for art news, events and openings!  Happy holidays! 

October is here, and that means it’s time for the 17^th annual Chicago Artists Month!  This year’s theme is “Art Block By Block,” celebrating the widespread impact of artists in each unique neighborhood throughout Chicago.  “Block By Block” highlights the synergistic relationship between an artist and his/her community; the selected artists all find inspiration from their surroundings, and—this month—the community will reap the reward of seeing these local artists’ cultural reflections.

This year’s featured artists include Andrew Arvanetes, Hebru Brantley, Brandy Barker, Mary Ellen Croteau, Jim Duignan, Ian Ferguson, Ben Foch + Chelsea Culp, Sergio Gomez, Seana Higgins, Regin Igloria, Preston Jackson, Jeremiah Lee, Victoria Martinez, Ann McNamee Dobrila Pintar, John Preus, Laura Shaeffer, and Selina Trepp.

This Friday on October 5, from 5 to 9 pm, Art Block By Block kicks off a full month of art activities by hosting a Bridgeport Block Party, with locations at the Bridgeport Art Center, Co-Prosperity Sphere, and Zhou B Art Center.  Party-goers will find an assortment of food, music, and—you guessed it—art! Bridgeport Art Center will be hosting the Will To Power exhibition, in which artists create art that embodies the words “will” and "power” by decaying a traditional gallery space.  Co-Prosperity Sphere will feature the opening of Flash Mobbed and Dolloped, an exhibition of old and new works by artist Ian Ferguson.  And at the Zhou B Art Center, there will be live art by artists Rhom, George Lindmark and Zore.

The remainder of the month is chock full of exhibitions, artist talks, art walks, and open houses.  So take the time to go out into your community this month and check out the distinctive artwork of your neighborhood.  For more information, dates, and times, visit chicagoartistsmonth.org

Bridgeport Art Center