Logan Launch Festival is happening this weekend, an appropriate time for joviality considering October is Chicago Artist’s Month (CAM). The three-day festival is a celebration surrounding the opening of the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago.  The Center will serve as a hub for the vibrant arts scene at the University and a destination for the South Side and greater Chicago area.  This weekend's festivities are free, open to the public and happening now through Sunday, October 14.

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects
Photos by Tom Rossiter
© The University of Chicago

Numerous events are occurring throughout the weekend ranging from site-specific sound installations, multiple performances, plays, films, orchestra ensembles, discussions, lectures, readings, workshops, a live broadcast, as well as visual artworks. There are a few ongoing installations, such as Sonic Environments: The Work of Richard Lerman: Sound Installation Piece, as well as exhibits MFA: On Display, and Wall Text both presented from the Department of Visual Arts, as well as Self-Guided Tours.
 
Multiple performances are shaking up this evening, Friday, October 12, so be sure to check out the full schedule. Ricardo Basbaum’s “Would you like to participate in an artistic experience?” addresses complex social transformations through the circulation of a deceptively simple object, one of his “New Bases for Personality (NBP)” which is ongoing all day Friday. Music Department Piano Showcase, Los Cenzonties with David Hidalgo, Monk and Mingus: Performance by University Jazz X-Tet, Uballet, Deeply Rooted, The Ransom Notes, Student Performance of Tony Award-Winning Play “Proof”, and Spektral Quartet are all exciting events ranging from music to performance to dance, or some combination of the above. There will also be a chance for you and your friends to participate in informal performances at the Logan Cabaret Series Kick-Off at the Performance Penthouse from 9-11pm, Friday, October 12. More performances will be held throughout the weekend, including the Turtle Island Quartet concert on Sunday at 3pm.
 
Several discussion panels, lectures, and conversations will develop this weekend including a few this evening.  Beware the Stairs Are Always Moving: A Conversation with architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien takes place tonight from 6-7:30 pm.  Later on, from 8-9pm in the Café, Café Scientifique sessions invite the public to explore and debate current issues and interesting topics in science research at the University, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
 
Family programming will take place all day Saturday including Family Telling Workshop; Barrel of Monkeys, “That’s Weird, Grandma”; Animation Workshop; and StoryTelling with the Ase Youth Ensemble. There will also be Arts Trolley Rides from noon - 5pm where guests can visit museums and cultural institutions across the University of Chicago campus including the Oriental Institute Museum, Renaissance Society, and Smart Museum of Art.
 
Open House Chicago (OHC) organized by the Chicago Architecture Foundation is an annual weekend festival providing free behind-the-scenes access to many of Chicago’s greatest places and spaces. The Logan Center, selected as one of OHC’s “Top Twenty Sites to Visit,” will offer self-guided tours for OHC participants that feature “backstage” areas of the performance spaces as well as private studios on Sunday from 10-5pm. Logan Center presents Scheduled Tours on Sunday to explore the Logan center with a knowledgeable guide. Hear about the building’s history, architecture, and role within the University with visits to the performance hall, blackbox theatre, digital media center, classrooms, gallery and more.
 
Look for more detailed information and a full schedule of events on the Logan Center for the Arts website, so you can participate in this dynamic community with its intriguing, intellectual, and enjoyable events.
 
Festival hours:
Friday: Noon – 11pm
Saturday: 10 am – 11pm
Sunday: Noon- 5pm

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
915 East 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects
Exterior construction view from the north
Photo by Tom Rossiter
© The University of Chicago

Those exposed to the art world already know of its powerful benefits. Artists practicing their craft often have open minds, a daring willingness to explore the unexplored, and a special talent for creating and finding profound beauty in the unusual. But perhaps art's greatest gift is its subjectivity. Imagine being in front of a mysterious painting. While our ideas about the painting are swirling around in our heads and we begin to connect our thoughts to meaning, a clarity settles in and we may look up at that painting and say, "Oh, that's what it means. I get it." The person to your right may be going through the exact same process but will probably inevitably come up with a different interpretation. But maybe the person to your left is experiencing art in a way that is disconnected from thought and mind. They may simply be in a state of "being there," just letting emotions and thoughts pass through them without reaction. Who's to say who's right? No one is and we all are.

Living in or near a city like Chicago, we're constantly exposed to opportunities such as the hypothetical example above. Whether we're creating art, sharing it, or just looking at a mysterious painting, it is somehow always affecting us. To better understand this mystifying medium requires a certain dedication and fascination. It also requires discipline. Wednesday kicked off the official start of the summer season--with this new beginning comes several incredible opportunities for people to learn many tricks of the trade. Below is just a taste of some of the fine art classes offered in the city.

Lillistreet Art Center

Offering classes in ceramics, printmaking, painting & drawing, metalsmithing & jewelry, textiles, first-time artists, digital arts and photography, and glass.  Second summer session begins July 9 and lasts eight weeks.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
High school level summer classes are two to five weeks long and include beginner's studio drawing, intro to portrait drawing, multi-media projects, DIY sound techniques, sound studio practices, intro and intermediate creative writing, beginner's oil painting, advanced portfolio projects, figure drawing, 2D/3D Projects: Found/Recycled, intro to landscape drawing, inspired essays, urban gateways summer film, intro to water-based painting, and choosing and using color.
Summer three week: June 25-July 13
Summer two week: July 16-July 27

Middle school and children's camp classes include multi-arts, animation, web design, painting and drawing, illustration, architecture, fashion, toy design, video game design, and family arts.
Dates for each program vary depending on the number of weeks the student wishes to enroll. Last session takes places August 13-17. 

A range of Continuing Education courses are also available for adults.

Hyde Park Art Center
Creativity Camp (one and two-week sessions from June 11-August 31) provides a wide-range of multi-media activities including painting, drawing, printmaking, mosaics, collage, book and paper making, mask making, fabric dying, improvisation, yoga, story-telling, puppetry, and theatre.
Summer Quarter start date - June 25, 2012
Second-Half Courses Begin (5 week courses) - Week of July 30
Last week of Summer Quarter - August 27 - September 1, 2012
Make-Up Class Week (for holidays and teacher absence only, not student absence) - September 4 - 8, 2012

Evanston Art Center
Workshops: custom band rings (July 16), motion and light in art (July 17), landscapes on the lake (July 21)
Five Week Classes: drawing into painting, creating collage, mosaics, caricature, multi-level drawing, business of art: showing and selling, beginning and intermediate water colors, and intermediate/advanced jewelry.

FM Gallery  BYOB group art events and private painting sessions take place in showroom space.  Call 312-730-0611 for information on specific dates.

Chicago Printmakers Collaborative

Classes include intaglio printmaking, screenprinting (July 3-31) , bookbinding basics (July 8), etching (July 9), photoetching, lithography (stone, plate, and paper), relief (and linoleum), collograph, monoprint, and letterpress.
Make arrangements for private and semi-private classes

Tall Grass Arts Association
Classes include composition (color theory), sketching and painting, experimenting with watercolor, beginner's to advanced knitting, figure drawing, beginner's to intermediate digital photography, mixed media.
Dates for each program vary depending on the number of weeks the student wishes to enroll.

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
A range of options are available at the MCA's hands-on Summer Stuios, every Tuesday this summer there's a great opportunity to collaborate as a family.  From mcachicago,org:

Jun 26: Tell a New Story - Deconstruct familiar books as you redesign them to tell a new story.

Jul 3: From Flat to Fantastic - Transform 2-dimensional materials into standing structures.

Jul 10: Seeing City Sounds - Contribute to a collaborative artwork by drawing the sounds you hear.

Jul 17: Change What You See - Design lenses that alter the way you see familiar things.

Jul 24: City Reflections - Sculpt a structure using reflective and shiny materials.

Jul 31: Capture your Stories - Create a book to hold the stories you write, both real and imaginary.

Aug 7: Together Tower - Collaborate with another person to construct a tower or other standing sculpture.

Aug 14: In and Out of Character - Invent and then draw a new persona on a collaborative and interactive drawing wall.

Aug 21: Transparent Towers - Create your own transparent cityscape.

Aug 28: Body Building - Transform your body into a skyscraper.

A book that has spanned several generations is the much-loved, quirky trip that is the Phantom Tollbooth, written by Norton Juster and illustrated by artist Jules Feiffer in 1962.  To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the book's publication, Jean Albano Gallery, who represents Mr. Feiffer, is hosting a book signing and conversation this Saturday, April 7 from 12-3pm in River North.

I certainly adored the book when I was young; my middle school even staged a production of the story one year (it's better as a book where you can see Mr. Feiffer's whimsical illustrations and hear the voices of Milo and Tock in your own head...)  One afternoon young Milo is bored at home in his room, so his imagination leads him on a  journey of wild adventure and quest with his dog Tock, as they enter the toy tollbooth in Milo's bedroom.

Selected art works by Jules Feiffer will be on display, and if you don't have a well-worn copy of the book still handy, a number of copies of the Phantom Tollbooth, as well as some other books, will be available at the gallery, including his highly acclaimed memoir Backing into Forward, newly released in paperback, and No Go Sleep! 

Limited edition prints are also available:
 
"Milo and Tock"
from The Phantom Tollbooth
limited hand-signed edition of 350
12 x 15 inches
$275 (Special Introductory Price $225)
 
To reserve, contact Jean Albano Gallery at 312.440.0770 or jeanalbano@aol.com

Book Signing and Conversation with Jules Feiffer
Saturday, April 7, 12 - 3 pm
Jean Albano Gallery | 215 W Superior | Chicago, IL 60654

I don't know about you all, but I certainly enjoy my meals. I especially appreciate my meals when I can integrate them with art. Whether I'm eating a snack provided by an opening reception at a gallery or partaking in a potluck where contemporary art topics may be discussed, it's a satisfying and fulfilling way to indulge in both of my interests all at once. Combing through the calendar this month, I stumbled upon several events that have intrigued my senses. Below I've compiled my own list of upcoming opportunities to eat and experience a meal with local artists and creative minds here in the city. Don't miss out on these events. They will most definitely be a special treat!

Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art
Smart Museum
http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu

February 16 – June 10 2012
(free)

The Smart Museum of Art presents, Feast, an extraordinary presentation constructed by over thirty artists who address social, political, and cultural structures, through engaging with food and shared meals as a medium for art making. This particular ongoing exhibition focuses on heightening the everyday meal experience through radical methods of hospitality. Exhibiting artists include, Marina Abramovic, the Italian Futurists, and Gordon Matta-Clark along with several other emerging artists who are jointly moved and interested in re-contextualizing and challenging concepts related to the food experience and embracing others to become active participants in shaping such a dialogue. In addition to this modern day “Dinner Party” excursion the program includes concerts, workshops, lectures, and symposiums. Make sure you attend at least one of these events. This exhibition is a definite must-see!  

Re-Thinking Soup
Jane Addams Hull House
http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/

February 21  (every Tuesday)
12 – 1pm

Every Tuesday, the Hull House Museum provides organic soup and bread to lead an open talk available to the community of Chicago. Each week the program gathers in the prestigious Residents’ Dining Hall, where renowned scholars like, Gertude Stein, W.E.B. Dubois, and Upton Sinclair came together to critically investigate social, political, and economic issues related to their community. Similarly, several guests, including visiting artists, activists, farmers, and chefs, also accompany this contemporary discussion with Re-Thinking Soup. Join the museum to participate, discuss, and contend ideas and concerns surrounding food, art, and life and the every day.


Prints and Pints
Hyde Park Art Center
http://www.hydeparkart.org

February 17 2012
7pm – 11pm (free)

Looking for a fun, free, and fantastic opportunity to work with printmaking? Make a trip to the Hyde Park Art Center to interact with teaching artist Elke Clarke, as he guides you through a 45-minute workshop to print on anything of your choice. A dj-set and cash bar are also included.


Dinner Series with the Chicago History Museum
chicagohs.org
Taste of Ireland
Mrs. Murphy’s & Sons Irish Bistro
3905 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613

March 6 2012
7pm ($55 members, $60 non-members)

Reconnect with Chicago’s Irish history and the History Museum in March for an excellent opportunity to experience a four course, contemporary Irish meal (with beer) at Mrs. Murphy and Sons, a local Irish bistro in they city. The Chicago History Museum will also be hosting a topic-related discussion regarding the development the restaurant,
Irish influence in Chicago, St. Patrick’s Day, as well as many other quirky and interesting facts.

Punk ‘n’ Brew Beer Dinner
Revolution Brewing
2323 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

April 9 2012
7pm ($55 members, $60 non-members)

Last chance! Perhaps you couldn’t attend the first Dinner Series event in March. Here’s another opportunity to participate in this fantastic program. Punk ‘n’ Brew gives you an option to appreciate punk music’s significant role in Chicago’s history with the inclusion of yet another four-course meal at Revolution Brewing. Here, you can listen and learn more about the restaurant and the genre of punk itself. Who knows, maybe you’ll even discover a few new punk bands or musicians that you enjoy too!

Dinner and a Show: Marc Bamuthi Joseph/The Living Word Project with Theaster Gates: red, black and GREEN: a blues
MCA Chicago

Apr.il 12 2012
7pm

Get a chance to meet the artists before their opening at the MCA during this wonderful dinner reception provided by Wolfgang Puck Catering. Red, black, and GREEN: a blues, is the culmination of a collaboration between activist and visual artist Theaster Gates and spoken word and dance artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph that addresses fundamental environmental issues from the perspective of communities of color. Also, be sure to check out this duo's two day performance on April 13th and 14th. It's another show that I am really anticipating.

Yes, collecting art really is something you can 'learn' to do. Collecting art is not so much complicated as intimidating, and the recent Collectors Colloquium was launched as a way to provide interested art enthusiasts with an overview of the art world and to give access to some local experts who can share their wisdom and insights.  At the end of the course, participants will have learned some basics, met others who are also interested in art, and hopefully seen first hand how open and welcoming our art scene is. Art collecting isn't really a 101 course you can check off your list and be done with - Ah ha!  I've learned how to spot the most valuable up-and-coming artists in order to make my investing forture! - it's a very personal, subjective experience that depends on your own taste and interests.  Everyone says it, but it's true. You should buy the best art that you can afford, and you should buy work that you love - ie: you're willing to live with it and enjoy it for a very long time.   But there are some helpful starting points to developing your eye and making smarter choices.  Most people need some kind of direction to get started.  Like any other dynamic topic, discussion is a big part of the learning process.  If you've joined us already, we're pleased to have you along for the journey, as you are well on your way to a rewarding life-long pursuit to living a unique life by having art as a part of your life.  If you haven't had a chance to join us yet, there's still time!  And we of course would like to offer more classes like this in the future.  To be notified of future collecting groups, please email us. Chicago is home to many unique galleries, artists and cultural institutions, and there are a wealth of creative resources to explore and make your own.  Welcome to the journey!

- CGN

SESSIONS TO DATE:

• A Passion for Collecting - Discussions with younger collectors who have been in the game for awhile and who have their own very personal stories of art and collecting passions.  Panelists shared their collecting philosophies as well as resources.

• In the White Cube - An evening with area art dealers who've nurtured the careers of younger artists, developed friendships with collectors, and those who have worked to spotlight emerging artists as well as those who may have been overlooked. 

• On the Auction Block - an evening with art experts at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, one of the area's most visible and successful auction operations.  Collectors learned the sport of buying at auction as well as the sophisticated nature of the auction treasure hunt (and the spectacular values one can find!)

NEXT UP 

• Eye for Hire (February 28, 2012 hosted by Kavi Gupta Gallery, 835 W. Washington)
This session will provide an overview of the art advisory profession, and help attendees understand why collectors hire art advisors. 

• Art as Investment + The (Art) Fair Game (March 27, 2012)
This session will provide an overview of how and why works of art appreciate.  We'll also cover some highlights of the local and national art fair scene and provide an overview of how to navigate an art fair, particularly now that you've met some other like-minded art enthusiasts!

Participants are still welcome to attend on an indiviudal as well as video basis - please email info@chicagogallerynews.com for more information.