By GINNY VAN ALYEAMy <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2019/12/publisher-s-letter-2020">2020 Publisher’s letter</a> talked about how intimidating it can be to visit a gallery. 2020 was going to be all about in person engagement with art, and people.&nbsp;Well, what a difference a year makes. I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to a new year more than I do now. That 2021 is almost (finally) here feels like a miracle, and so does the fact that CGN is still here too.&nbsp;The prospect of another fresh start – and our 5th annual Arts Guide – has made me reflect on what opportunities and realizations have come out of a scary and exhausting year.&nbsp;There's no way to make a single statement that sums up 2020's impact on our art world. For some, business has been surprisingly healthy even compared to years past. For others, the pain of closing a business and ending a dream is still raw. I’ve heard from artists who’ve been busier than ever, with more time to work uninterrupted, and with more urgent messages to share. Some dealers are frustrated by limits and circumstances that have eliminated lifelines and opportunities. A few have found inspiration and innovation amidst challenges. I can say that there are so many artists, gallerists, and arts professionals who need your support.&nbsp;When I told an art colleague last spring that my conversations about the art world used to be so hopeful, he pointed out that something good and needed could come out of all of this. An optimist might see that a reset would be OK. Several months later, I see that the absence of the mad rush that was all around many of us pre–pandemic has at least given me the gift to slow down and re–focus on showing collectors and others the art that’s in our community today and to share artists’ stories.&nbsp;Someone mentioned to me that out of a bust can come a boom. A stay-at-home can’t lock down creativity or wipe out connection. It’s just the Grinch, and Christmas comes anyway, maybe stripped down to the essence it once was. You can close the museums and cancel the parties, but artists will still have something to say. So while we await the boom, or just the return to some sort of normal, art is still our window to a world that’s changing faster than we can fathom. Art’s powerful, enduring messages may be found on boarded up windows, on streets that can’t really be shut.&nbsp;*CGN’s summer 2020 issue, printed just a few months ago, but during the height of the spring lockdown, felt like a Hail Mary. We didn't really know what we were doing, just that we had to do it. Now that we have reached the end of the year intact, the Arts Guide is intended to be a testament to those who are hanging in there and prayer that we can come out the other side better and even more grateful than before.&nbsp;You’ve each met your own challenges and upheavals, weathering losses that were not in the plan for 2020. I turned 40 during the collective freak-out of last spring. Instead of celebrating as planned, I worried about my family as well as our art community, and I &nbsp;learned how to sew face masks and home school while supervising hand washing. I know I am one of the lucky ones, and I hope I can help those in the art community who need support throughout 2021.&nbsp;I’ve said to myself these past months, ‘You can’t worry about what you can’t control’. My favorite singer, the late, great diva Aretha Franklin, said something similar decades ago. Her spontaneous words of wisdom, from a 1971 live performance in San Francisco (look it up), are posted above my desk:&nbsp;"Don’t put worry on you before worry gets to you. You’d be surprised what big bridges you can meet when you get there.”While I cannot see what will happen in 2021, it's starting to feel like we are at least getting there. And I will try not to worry.&nbsp;#Top image: Cover artwork: Tony Tasset, Arrow Painting 43, 2016, oil on aluminum panel, 42 x 66 in. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta GalleryNote: I wrote my Publisher's Letter in mid-November. We chose the cover image by artist Tony Tasset last month because we wanted to look towards a new year of art and keep a positive outlook. Tasset’s arrows point both up, and down, as do most things in life. Now that the Guide is out a month later, we are hopeful about the good news of a vaccine. For 2021 we are definitely looking up!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Publisher's Letter 2021

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418761/voydis0px1yvdg4taodh.jpg"><figcaption>Dove, by Tony Fitzpatrick, is for sale for $500 as part of the <a href="https://chicago-printmakers-collaborative.myshopify.com/products/dove-by-tony-fitzpatrick">Chicago&nbsp;Printmakers Collaborative's</a> annual Holiday Small Print Sale&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>By CGN STAFFWe first did this series about works under $1,000 at the end of 2019, and now it seems like another good time to spotlight affordable art to buy that not only can lift your spirits and brighten your home but will also give critical support to an area artist and gallery.&nbsp;Here again we have selected a total of five approachable works, ranging in price from $75–$600, highlighting galleries from our extensive listings. We have relied on prices posted on gallery websites and their (increasingly common) e-commerce sites. We love the conversations we have with dealers and artists in person, but there's no denying the rise of art buying online, especially in 2020. In each example posted below, you will NOT find these items on Amazon, making these perfect for yourself as well as for gift giving.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some tips to keep in mind:• There are many factors that go into pricing art, such as the medium (photography and prints vs paintings), the quantity available (in an edition of 25 or a unique work) as well as the reputation of and career stage of the artist (a young, emerging artist vs a contemporary master)• Not all prices are marked when you visit a gallery exhibition or art fair. But that does not mean that you cannot ask for a price, and maybe even discuss a (be reasonable!) discount.&nbsp;• Payment plans are often available. Ask before you buy what the options are.• Explore on your own, and don't hesitate to contact a gallery or artist to get a conversation started.• Use CGN as your guide to learn when shows are happening where and then get out there and look for yourself!&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418762/bd5biimf4gvwitvfqdf3.jpg"></figure>JOEL OPPENHEIMER INC. (DOWNTOWN/MICHIGAN AVE.)<a href="https://www.audubonart.com/shop/product/ocb-051-audubon-1st-ed-octavo-pl-51-rough-winged-swallow-7943?page=17&amp;order=list_price+asc">JOHN JAMES AUDUBON&nbsp;</a>1st Ed. Octavo Pl., 51 Rough-winged Swallow1839–1844Hand-colored lithograph, 6 1/2" x 10 1/4" (approx.)$75.00&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418762/egmboj9u7x9sndruazlq.jpg"></figure>ART DE TRIUMPH (LAKEVIEW)<a href="https://www.nanciekingmertz.com/workszoom/2910438#/">NANCIE KING MERTZ&nbsp;</a>"Dreaming of Christmas"Oil painting, 14" x 11"$600 (on sale from $1,250)&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418763/tmgnfppstkdcb3fyaaw5.jpg"></figure>SPUDNIK PRESS (WEST TOWN)<a href="https://www.spudnikpress.org/shop/artwork/ten-x-ten/of-sound-and-line-jessie-mott/">JESSIE MOTT</a>"Of Sound and Line"Screenprint 2020 Edition Size: 16 18″ x 18″ Signature, Edition Number (Recto) In collaboration with Trevor Patrick Watkin$100<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418764/bi6gxavquueedt2pqmah.png"></figure>&nbsp;FLXST CONTEMPORARY (SOUTH SIDE/MOTOR ROW)<a href="https://www.flxst.co/shop/jason-dunda-untitled-from-the-series-various-incidents-2">JASON DUNDA</a>Untitled from the series Various Incidents2019Archival Inkjet print on 20-year old Hahnemühle Photo Rag Duo Paper, Unframed: 17 x 22 inches&nbsp;Edition size: 6From $400.00&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418765/jicq1nkbxgchcdwpjxdz.png"></figure>PICKLEMAN ART&nbsp;<a href="https://www.blurb.com/b/10318839-lawrence-and-clark">JASON PICKLEMAN</a>Lawrence &amp; Clark2020402 page, lavishly illustrated book that chronicles Pickleman's former collection-based art gallery in Chicago called Lawrence &amp; Clark. The storefront gallery was an opportunity to exhibit privately held artwork in a public setting. This book chronicles many of the chance installations the gallery fostered.&nbsp;$30&nbsp;</body></html>

Art Picks: Works Under $1,000 – Part II

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418835/skemvpaz9k1md66yd5tp.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;As 2020 comes to a close, we wanted to share some of CGN's top interviews, features and announcements from this past year. Despite closing out the season in a totally altered place compared to where we were one year ago, we are proud of our 2020 coverage of the many artists, collectors, dealers and other community members we spotlighted during this challenging and changing time.&nbsp;While the start of 2020 was filled with our usual exhibition previews and big announcements, by March we shifted to sharing news about area closings and event postponements, while highlighting the explosion of digital initiatives and virtual programming on offer from everyone from small galleries to larger museums.&nbsp;We profiled some of Chicago's most prolific and interesting artists and designers, and we highlighted a couple of very special art collectors and their collections.&nbsp;Below is a chronological summary of 2020's CGN features. You can read all the news of this past year <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news">here</a>.Thank you all as always for your vital support of CGN and its mission. We look forward to sharing even more news and events with you in 2021.&nbsp;Want to travel back further in time? Read our 2019 wrap-up <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2019/12/cgn-s-2019-news-highlights">here</a>.&nbsp;– Ginny Van Alyea, CGN Publisher&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418836/dfmibgk6ah3is1tfnd2i.gif"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/1/art-on-the-wall-a-large-scale-commission-takes-william-conger-to-new-heights">Art On the Wall: A Large-Scale Commission Takes William Conger to New Heights</a> – January 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418837/kvyvyh45ddnjnahii4du.jpg"><figcaption>Smalls, WTF, Aerosol on 11" x 15" , Wood Panel AP's - Signed. At Chicago Truborn</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/3/publisher-s-letter-living-a-post-openings-art-scene">Publisher's Letter: Living a Post-Openings Art Scene</a> – March 2020<h3>&nbsp;</h3>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418838/xn6fphyh8gpmpppxdtiz.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/5/vertical-gallery-s-digital-embrace-how-patrick-hull-sees-art-online-long-term">Vertical Gallery's Digital Embrace: How Patrick Hull Sees Art Online Long Term</a> – May 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418839/wxm4xfallm9a3ii3biuk.gif"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/5/ebony-g-patterson-the-interactivity-of-visual-appeal">Ebony G. Patterson: The Interactivity of Visual Appeal</a> – May 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418840/emvbwtl6sidmiafc3vkn.gif"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/5/art-dealer-ann-nathan-the-perpetual-collector">Art Dealer Ann Nathan: The &nbsp;Perpetual Collector</a> – May 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418841/tb9oehfbaess9mcz1w4r.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/8/yvette-mayorga-artistic-confections-add-new-layers-to-art-history">Yvette Mayorga: Artistic Confections Add New Layers to Art History</a> – August 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418842/rxbigwkpddyns4sz5iev.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/8/a-collector-s-personal-focus-discovering-the-value-of-engagement">A Collector's Personal Focus: Discovering the Value of Engagement</a> – September 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418842/wct7ccpvqqoreqli2epd.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/9/expo-chicago-s-tony-karman-on-fall-without-a-fair">EXPO CHICAGO’s Tony Karman on Fall Without a Fair</a> – September 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418843/ls0dbc8daekc1xchpzdy.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/9/mirror-mirror-on-the-gallery-wall-after-this-year-who-can-predict-2021">Mirror, Mirror on the Gallery Wall: After This Year, Who Can Predict 2021?</a> &nbsp;– September 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418844/cfpilyitv71vds5a9w7u.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/9/lee-bey-illuminating-the-south-side-s-overlooked-beauty">Lee Bey: Illuminating The South Side's Overlooked Beauty</a> – September 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418845/p9rpbid104sskxemjqjq.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/9/patty-carroll-investigating-domesticity">Patty Carroll: Investigating Domesticity</a> &nbsp;– October 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

CGN's 2020 News Highlights

<html><head></head><body>By CGN Staff,There is no shortage of artists to support this season, and some are coming up with new ways to promote their work directly to buyers and collectors during challenging times. Many are also finding ways to benefit causes, people and spaces they hold dear. Artists are a very generous, as well as creative, bunch. From puzzles to limited edition cards and posters, art comes in many forms and at many price points. Buy something from a living breathing person and the joy will last your life time.&nbsp;Another special event kicking off today is the SCA's sale benefitting the Art Institute of Chicago's collection, something the public will come back to visit and enjoy for generations.&nbsp;There is also a chance at one area nonprofit to try your own hand at art at home.&nbsp;Share the spirit of creativity, and happy shopping!&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418829/ceilghhcjjfvu5xth9fn.png"></figure><a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/society-for-contemporary-art-collectors-sale/">The Society for Contemporary Art (SCA) supports the Art Institute of Chicago Sale</a>The Society for Contemporary Art (SCA) supports the Art Institute of Chicago by engaging the community in a dialogue about the art of our time, and acquiring works that enrich the museum’s collection. The SCA Collectors Sale features more than 50 artworks generously donated by artists, premier local and international galleries, and notable collectors. All proceeds support the SCA, its educational programs, special initiatives, and its acquisitions for the Art Institute of Chicago. Bidding opened December 2 and the auction closes on December 14. The works range from Derrick Adams to Cauleen Smith to William J. O'Brien and Claes Oldenberg. Bidding is on <a href="https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/society-for-contemporary-art-collectors-sale/">Sothebys.com</a> and work may be viewed in person by appt. at Wright.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418830/b4ulazgzhclf6ffuqrsu.jpg"></figure><a href="https://tonyfitzpatrick.co/collections/store">Tony Fitzpatrick Posters and Puzzles</a>Fitzpatrick began selling puzzles at the start of the pandemic and quickly sold out of all that he had. New, bigger (1,000 pieces...) puzzles are now <a href="https://tonyfitzpatrick.co/collections/store">for sale on his website</a>, as well as limited edition posters, in addition to his etchings and drawing collages.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418831/gbmopf2lnmq43va1mljw.png"></figure><a href="https://campscui.active.com/orgs/TheArtCenterHighlandPark#/selectSessions/2908707/filter/session=49677836">Art in a Box</a>You can make your own art with the Art Center Highland Park's Holiday Art in a Box for all ages. Each box, <a href="https://campscui.active.com/orgs/TheArtCenterHighlandPark#/selectSessions/2908707/filter/session=49677836">for sale online</a> for $140, contains 4 weekly projects for ages 7-16 to experience the fun of an art class at home. Projects are taught by TACHP instructor, Ana Spencer, through prerecorded videos and can be completed with the supplies in your box (along with a few supplemental items from home). Techniques dabble in dye, clay, watercolor and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418832/mjxxhppwlepl9h1vxroz.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418833/yumtenchs5ugnq6rplc8.png"></figure><a href="https://ravenswoodchicago.org">Emily Rapport and Ravenswood Artist Puzzle Series</a>Artist Emily Rapport of <a href="https://eatpaintstudio.com">Eat Paint Studio</a> has art featured in this puzzle series. You can pre-order your puzzles now. The Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce has partnered with 3 local artists to create an eye-catching set of neighborhood-inspired puzzles. An extremely limited run is available for <a href="https://ravenswoodchicago.org">pre-order</a>, just in time for the holidays!Rapport's art is also <a href="https://eatpaintstudio.com/shop/">for sale on her website</a>, which features watercolors and oil paintings of many local scenes at affordable prices. Free shipping is available now.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418834/ihex5r0jcwhsijxndabp.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.firecatprojects.org">Vito DeSalvo at Firecat&nbsp;</a>Limited edition Cards for sale are 5" x 5" and include matching envelopes. Set of ten for $20&nbsp; Record albums 12" x 10"&nbsp;and include a vinyl record for $300. (includes shipping)You can purchase these limited artworks at <a href="https://www.firecatprojects.org">Firecat Projects.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Buy Art From Artists Giving Back This Season

<html><head></head><body>By CGN Staff,&nbsp;Area museums may be closed, due to Governor Pritzker's latest semi-shut down, but their gift shops are open online and offer a means of showing your support to our precious cultural institutions that have faced significant fiscal challenges in 2020. They also happen to offer a lot of really cool, unique gifts for people of all ages on your list this year.&nbsp;Below are some items we found and wanted to share.&nbsp;Of course you may also choose to gift memberships to your friends and family, or you may make a donation at any level to these museums – a generous gift to the institution itself!&nbsp;Happy shopping!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418829/wpzrvnmfprzcwjbdtewc.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mcachicagostore.org/shop">Museum of Contemporary Art</a>The museum's store is always a secret source for artsy gifts. Three stylish and entertaining items featuring women artists of yesterday and today: <a href="https://www.mcachicagostore.org/shop/mickalene-thomas-a-little-taste-outside-of-love-scarf-59838">A Mickalene Thomas Scarf</a>, <a href="https://www.mcachicagostore.org/shop/memory-card-game-x-louise-bourgeois-59841">Louise Bourgeois Memory Game</a>, and <a href="https://www.mcachicagostore.org/shop/judy-chicago-coasters-set-of-4-59072">Judy Chicago Coasters</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418830/ckerk3yk9zopvoeyxajs.png"></figure><a href="https://store.fieldmuseum.org">Field Museum&nbsp;</a>The art of natural history is for sale and giftable. There is a wide range of items, from apparel and accessories, like this <a href="https://store.fieldmuseum.org/collections/jewelry/products/butterscotch_amber_stretch_bracelet">amber stretch bracelet</a>, to <a href="https://store.fieldmuseum.org/collections/gifts-for-kids/products/the_field_mouse_and_the_dinosaur_named_sue">educational items</a> based on some famous figures in the Field's collection (dinosaurs anyone?) and even clever <a href="https://store.fieldmuseum.org/collections/home-office/products/moth_rocks_glass">drink ware</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418831/jtkugguznjyosv0dvvlu.jpg"></figure><a href="https://imss.ecwid.com/Gift-Shop-c15857083">The International Museum of Surgical Science&nbsp;</a>This gem of a museum has a unique collection, and its store offers educational as well as humorous gifts that will not be regifted. Many are just what we need in these times... Check out the <a href="https://imss.ecwid.com/Plagues-Of-The-21st-Century-Gift-Box-p243353665">Plagues Of The 21st Century Gift Box</a>, <a href="https://imss.ecwid.com/Snowflake-Science-Card-p235600093">Snowflake Science Card</a>, and assortment of <a href="https://imss.ecwid.com/Pill-Boxes-c46834301">pill boxes</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418832/zok8h9y36yimn0u4azkx.jpg"></figure><a href="https://shop.driehausmuseum.org">Driehaus Museum</a>This historic home turned museum has a period-appropriate gift shop, filled with items to honor the past, from <a href="https://shop.driehausmuseum.org/collections/kitchen_bar/products/absinthe-glass">absinthe glasses</a>, to books on <a href="https://shop.driehausmuseum.org/collections/books-1/products/laffichomania-the-passion-for-french-posters">vintage posters</a> that are in the museum's collection, as well as <a href="https://shop.driehausmuseum.org/collections/gifts-apparel/products/10-in-1-camphor-wood-combination-set">versatile game sets</a> to keep you busy and offline this winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418832/kn5ukmeuphiyxpy3th8x.png"></figure><a href="https://national-museum-of-mexican-art.square.site/#xEWjlo">The National Museum of Mexican Art</a>The museum offers a range of original art, holiday items, as well as plenty of items featuring Frida Kahlo and other famous artists from Mexico. Here we found a <a href="https://national-museum-of-mexican-art.square.site/product/journey-in-color-mexican-folk-art-coloring-book/84?cs=true">Mexican folk art coloring book</a>, a <a href="https://national-museum-of-mexican-art.square.site/product/papel-amate-design-cross/73?cs=true">Papel Amate design cross</a>, and a set of <a href="https://national-museum-of-mexican-art.square.site/product/pinata-ornaments/39?cs=true">piñata ornaments</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Chicago Museum Gifts for the Holidays

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418812/ljk7pwxtxya5q6nhhte0.jpg"></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEA<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418813/l6wfxip6vznniunrrh9g.png"><figcaption>Face mask: $15. 100% of profits will go to supporting Black artists in Chicago via Chicago Artists Relief Fund&nbsp;microgrants.</figcaption></figure>Living in the city and in an apartment, I don't notice political yard signs so much as I see window signs and hats. This time of year – hey this year – varying signs of support are plastered all around the country. If you're not a yard sign person (I'm not) this particular one that benefits arts groups may be for you.<a href="https://supportchicagoarts.com">Support Chicago Arts</a> is a fundraising initiative of Chicago Stands Together, a 501(c)3 organization formed by two Chicago-area marketing and communications agencies, Direction Tour Marketing and Acacia Consulting Group. The initiative aims to assist arts organizations in Chicago who are experiencing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 crisis, and there is no shortage of spaces and the creatives who depend on them.&nbsp;Theaters and venues were among the first to close amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as stay-at-home orders were implemented. They will likely be among the last to reopen, as social distancing best practices result in significantly reduced occupancy making it difficult for venues to operate at all.&nbsp;Support Chicago Arts was formed as a response to these challenges, which are unique to the arts community. By purchasing a lawn sign, medallion, or window sign, patrons announce their support for their favorite arts organizations, building community while providing much needed financial support. 100% of the profits from the sale of each item will be donated to the organization of their choosing.&nbsp;This is one cause you can show your support for from head (well, face) to toe.&nbsp;View a list of participants <a href="https://supportchicagoarts.com/pages/our-partners">here</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

A Yard Sign Everyone Can Get Behind? Support Chicago Arts

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418803/zfu2zjdxxqhjuqb0ypci.jpg"><figcaption>Nate Young installation. Photography by Michael Tropea, 2020</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;By JACQUELINE LEWISThe Driehaus Museum’s new exhibition, <a href="http://driehausmuseum.org/exhibition/youngandhoribuchi">A Tale of Today: Nate Young and Mika Horibuchi</a>, opens September 26, following a spring COVID-19 postponement.&nbsp;Featuring site-specific works by Chicago artists Nate Young and Mika Horibuchi, the exhibition is the second installation of the museum’s contemporary series, A Tale of Today: New Artists at the Driehaus Museum, which gives audiences a chance to view the Gilded Age’s legacy through new perspectives while connecting the abundant history of the Nickerson Mansion with our current reality.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418804/r1k69ujls4yprmiezxxm.jpg"><figcaption>Artists Mika Horibuchi, and Nate Young</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418804/qphl484ulku1nzuz1uay.jpg"><figcaption>Nate Young installation. Photography by Michael Tropea, 2020</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Richard H. Driehaus, the museum’s founder, not only hopes to reach new audiences but also, he says, “to demonstrate the importance of architecture and sense of place from the incomparable vantage point of the Nickerson Mansion, while also showcasing new artists in this historical setting.” Exhibiting artists were chosen based on their ability to complement and communicate with the museum’s preexisting architecture and decoration. The first part of the series, from 2019, featured <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/a-tale-of-today-yinka-shonibare-mbe">Yinka Shonibare</a>, a London-born and -based artist, raised in Nigeria, who draws on both his English and African history to create his art.&nbsp;In this second edition, artist Nate Young’s work draws on themes of history, semiotics, and spirituality to explore the connections between collective and familial history. Young’s pieces in the exhibition combine sculptural installation and woodworking skills to create doubles of existing cabinets and drawers, calling to mind the Gilded Age’s craftsmanship while blending his contemporary edge seamlessly with the lavish space. Young approached this project differently than previous exhibitions because the mansion is not a blank box, but a robust space. Pieces must coexist within the location’s atmosphere of excess and overt beauty. Young has hidden bone holograms in his pieces for visitors to notice upon closer examination, there to remind viewers of the invisibility of certain narratives throughout history.Mika Horibuchi’s artistic interest lies in tricks and slips of visual perception. Horibuchi’s installations utilize trompe l’oeil as a way to analyze representation, ownership, and authorship. With this technique, the artist reflects and responds to the mansion itself. For example, Horibuchi created paintings that simulate photographic documentation of Asian artifacts, but the accompanying descriptive text is blurred, allowing viewers to form their own narratives with pieces removed from their original context. Horibuchi has also recreated paintings from the museum but in cool shades of gray. The original paintings were created mimicking historical precedents, and now Horibuchi’s paintings continue the legacy of mimicry.<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418805/e4dpmwxbn0j4iri2bchu.jpg"><figcaption>Mika Horibuchi installation. Photography by Michael Tropea, 2020</figcaption></figure>Curator Kekeli Sumah believes both Young and Horibuchi’s installations “make conversations about the Gilded Age relevant in today’s society.” By giving these living, local artists a dynamic platform, the Driehaus Museum elevates the next generation of artists through a beautiful, melding dance of modernity and history at the Nickerson Mansion while highlighting the legacy and beauty of the Gilded Age.&nbsp;A Tale of Today: Nate Young and Mika HoribuchiOPENING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Join the museum for an Opening Day Virtual Panel <a href="http://driehausmuseum.org/programs/detail/opening-day-panel-discussion-a-tale-of-today-nate-young-and-mika-horibuchi">DETAILS + REGISTRATION</a>For more information and tickets visit <a href="http://driehausmuseum.org/exhibition/youngandhoribuchi">Driehausmuseum.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

A Tale of Today – Connecting Past & Present

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418803/sr8p7q0qltrpizuvaji1.jpg"><figcaption>C.J. Pyle, Corona Voyage #3, 2020, 9.5 x 16 inches, Pencil, ink and colored pencil on found paper. Featured in Carl Hammer Gallery’s spring 2020 exhibition titled, Crawling From the Wreckage &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAFall is just beginning, but I’m sure no one can blame me for desperately looking forward to a new year. I won’t hold my breath that 2021 will be a totally fresh start, but I truly hope it will be healthier, safer, more tolerant and less violent than 2020 so far in Chicago and the world. I also wish for a more routine return to connecting in person, though it’s clear that virtual events and working from home are here to stay just as much as reservations and timed entries.&nbsp;Like many others, I see two main scenarios that could shape up in the year ahead: Life with a vaccine, and life without. While one occupies my thoughts more than the other, I wanted to find out what others in the art community are thinking right now as we balance multiple safety as well as business and civic&nbsp; needs. It’s impossible to ignore the current stunning state of the city, country and society compared to a few months ago.&nbsp;My questions seek everyone’s best guess. What harm is it to take a pretend gamble right now? Responses are grouped by topic. I am grateful to those who candidly shared their collective wisdom and hope for the future as we wade through an unpredictable time.&nbsp;&nbsp;ON A TIME WITHOUTCGN: Regarding art, what do you think most people took for granted before the pandemic?&nbsp;&nbsp;Jason Pickleman, designer, collector, dealer, oracle:&nbsp;I can’t speak for all, but I took for granted an artwork’s physicality—the life of its dimensionality—in my appreciation of art. Looking at the side of a stretched canvas, and walking around a sculpture is where the action is (was).&nbsp;John McKinnon, Director of Elmhurst Art Museum:&nbsp;It’s hard to identify just one thing because our lives have been affected in so many ways. What we previously counted on, from world financial systems to simple shared experiences, have turned upside down. It’s incredible to learn how fragile these systems truly are.After they come back, shared group experiences will be more treasured in the next few years. As a parent, I can’t help but think about how young children don’t know they can climb on a playground and play with other children. For those of us that know better, I think we’ll appreciate group events even more—especially joyous events like weddings or birthdays. I’m personally looking forward to attending live concerts again.Rebecca Woan, Chartwell Insurance:I thought pandemics were the content for Hollywood movies, and I thought that the sophisticated resources of the government and health systems would protect us as they had for Ebola, and to a certain degree Zika [virus].Bianca Bova, curator:&nbsp;Prior to the pandemic, I think the accessibility of art viewing was taken for granted. You could spend an entire day in any museum on a whim, or stop into a half dozen galleries in without giving it a second thought. No appointments, no limited time slots, no advanced planning required.&nbsp;Claudine Isé, owner, Goldfinch:&nbsp;Everyone’s situation is different. I know for myself this is a difficult question to answer.The phrase “taking for granted” seems to imply that there were some things that we didn’t quite deserve to have in the first place, and through our own hubris or neglect we lost them. In the United States this pandemic did not need to spread as quickly and as virulently as it has, and the fact that it did is due to the failures of our current government regime. Nobody deserves this. We do deserve to have everything we lost given back to us, ASAP.&nbsp;VIRTUAL UNREALITY?CGN: What do you envision as far as the virtual art world?&nbsp;&nbsp;Jason Pickleman:&nbsp;Digital spaces will continue to professionalize, both in terms of quality of display and in levels of monetization.&nbsp;John McKinnon:&nbsp;Whether offline or online, we are storytellers. Our profession has developed innovative ways to weave tales about collection materials, artists, exhibits, architecture, etc. We’ve seen a new wave of online materials and will see more. It is hard to predict how things will change beyond the last five months, but I believe we’ll see more materials like our Museum From Home initiative. Online components like these add to museum visits as educational resources and a preview for a physical exhibit.Rebecca Woan:I’m answering this looking forward over the next 12-24 months. The optimist in me would like to see virtual as a bridge between the in-person world with the ability to both live stream and conduct in-person events.&nbsp; My hope is that once it’s safe to emerge people will want to leave their screens and not permanently retreat to them.Bianca Bova:&nbsp;I think of the virtual art world as a tool and not a place. It’s a tool I’m grateful we’ve had at our disposal in the last six months, and I think as an industry we’ve made strides in how it’s effectively used. I hope some of that is here to stay.&nbsp;Claudine Isé:&nbsp;Goldfinch, like everyone else, is shifting exhibition content online in order to reach as many people as possible, and that has been a good thing for us. But I don’t like “virtual” spaces at all and have felt really disheartened at the quickness with which art fairs have moved to the virtual space. I was looking at a virtual art fair this last week and I thought the artwork looked terrible — the effect of these types of digitized spaces is that they make the artworks, including paintings, look purely digitized too. I guess my vision is more authentic online content (filmed interviews and live online panel discussions, along with crisp, high resolution artwork documentation, etc. and less (or even no) “virtual” spaces that feel like video games but don’t look half as good and are nowhere near as fun.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418804/pxo98r8js9azrutposkk.jpg"><figcaption>Crowds?&nbsp; No masks or outside ventilation? That was so 2019. Pictured: a booth lecture at SOFA Chicago last year. &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>REMEMBER THE FAIRS?CGN: Do you think art fairs will continue to take place? What will be the biggest difference to how they operate in a COVID/post-COVID world?&nbsp;&nbsp;Jason Pickleman:&nbsp;Art fairs are conventions, no different than the Chicago Auto Show. Car manufacturers still produce cars; people still purchase them. Same with art. Artists will continue to produce art, and galleries will continue to be the primary outlet for acquisition. Art fairs will acknowledge that primary motive with more transparency and less ancillary event programming. Good bye to the bodily crush of Opening Night (or recently, Opening Afternoon if you were a VIP). After parties on boats? Well that was fun. Sort of.&nbsp;John McKinnon:&nbsp;It will take time, but I think art fairs will still take place. I believe people are craving group events, whether going to the movies, playing mini golf with other families, or seeing a show. I believe we will see more of this with time because staying indoors has affected many people’s mindsets and mental health.Rebecca Woan:&nbsp;Art fairs will undergo some evolution, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.&nbsp; They may be able to reach more people than ever however it seems to me that for many collectors the art fair is as much about the experience as the purchase and that has been lost in the current time.&nbsp;Bianca Bova:&nbsp;Art fairs will continue to take place. Apart from the obvious additional protocols--hand sanitizer stations, masks, social distancing at cafes and lectures--I’m not sure there will be, or needs to be, significant operational differences. There will always be art, and there will always be people to buy art, and fairs are still an ideal place to do that.&nbsp;Claudine Isé:&nbsp;Yes they will continue to take place because most galleries haven’t figured out a way to survive without them. Hence the virtual art fairs that look like video games.&nbsp;LET’S GO CRAZYCGN: What’s your craziest prediction (or wish or fear) for the art community in the future?&nbsp;Jason Pickleman:&nbsp;In the 1970s, artists’ collectives came together and started their own peer-to-peer gallery spaces. N.A.M.E. Gallery, ARC, Artemisia, and Randolph Street Gallery (to name but four here in Chicago). These grungy spaces became vital outlets for artists (hello Jerry Saltz! You turned out OK!). Artist run spaces have continued to arise and proliferate on shoestring budgets: Heaven Gallery, Roots &amp; Culture, Roman Susan, for example. The art boom of the past four decades pushed the visibility of these venues into the shadows of the publishable (and commercially venerated) side of the art world. The upcoming Hyde Park Art Center’s exhibition Artists Run Chicago 2.0 is a rebuke (and testament) to the elevation of artists working for and with artists as the cornerstone of art’s journey. Imagine if any of these spaces could sell work at the price level of a Corbett vs. Dempsey or a Rhona Hoffman without the obligatory hand-wrangling and inebriation of their annual galas or benefits?John McKinnon:&nbsp;Our value system in art has and will continue to change, much like we’ve re-evaluated our own personal priorities during this horrible pandemic. I’d like to see less duct-taped banana stunts and more meaningful dialogue in the art world.Rebecca Woan:&nbsp;The art community is becoming more diverse, and more democratic, as there is an audience willing to hear about injustices, so I don’t think this is a prediction because it is happening. I hope the momentum continues. However, I have a fear, shared by many: the art world relies heavily on financial support and we need robust wealth creation to continue that support. We don’t know yet how recovery will look once the government stops pumping money into the economy, or whether we will see rampant inflation in the future as a result of the debt creation. How will those trickle-down effects manifest themselves? Time will tell.Bianca Bova:&nbsp;My wish for the art world is that it returns to being about the art – no agenda, no gatekeeping, no priorities beyond identifying great art and venerating it.&nbsp;Carl Hammer, owner, Carl Hammer Gallery:&nbsp;The art world is certainly part of the “cement” that seems to help hold the Earth and our lives together. 2020/2021 promises to be both challenging and eventful, testing all of our collective/creative willpower and efforts to keep things on track. Things will change for both good and bad in the art world. Yet, in my mind, we are privileged to be associated with an industry in which one’s imagination makes the impossible happen. To that end, the year(s) ahead will depend on those of us who best see “the light at the end of the tunnel.”&nbsp;Claudine Isé:&nbsp;I don’t usually think much about predictions. I guess that my wish is that the human vulnerability that the pandemic brings out in us all, and which is something that we can see, appreciate, witness in one another as a community and empathize with, can be carried through to larger structural conditions and systems once pandemic conditions have lessened. Is there a way we can come out the other end and find ourselves building an art world that its more equitable and just, more humane, less greedy and less racist? My wildest hope is that that could be the case.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418805/puykxvblm7hygh50foyu.jpg"><figcaption>Artists have long adapted their art to current social and political climates. Above: Roger Brown, Past and Future Art, 1989. Oil on canvas, 48 x 72 in. Courtesy Kavi Gupta Gallery and the Estate of Roger Brown. &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>WHAT ART MIGHT COME NEXT&nbsp;CGN: Do you see any artistic inclinations or trends ahead? In subject, medium, placement, or collaborations?&nbsp;&nbsp;John McKinnon:&nbsp;Many conversations are happening during this transformative time in America that will affect artistic output. Recent events remind us that for all the progress we have made, we still have more work to do against social and racial injustices. We are in the middle of a history-altering human rights movement reignited by tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others. Because of the spread of the Black Lives Matter movement Confederate statues have toppled, sports players are kneeling, other voices are gaining strength, and we will continue to see messages in many art forms. More people than ever before – including artists and institutions – are committed to asking difficult questions, learning from each other, and shaping a more equitable future.&nbsp;Rebecca Woan:&nbsp;Artists during shelter in place have creatively adapted to the medium that video allows for visual arts.&nbsp; The alienation has been amplified by social unrest, which has engaged many more people. We will see this reflected in art for quite a while I’m sure.&nbsp;Bianca Bova:&nbsp;Being away from galleries, museums, and fairs has left me hungry for work that is especially nuanced. I see renewed interest especially in painting and in fiber art – work that requires close inspection, that reveals itself slowly and fully only when you’re in front of it.&nbsp;Claudine Isé:&nbsp;It’s too early to see artistic trends — artists are still struggling to maintain, not to mention access, studio spaces. Mental health issues related to the pandemic in some cases slow things down. I suspect most artists are still in the “How do I get through this?” stage. Perhaps, though, there could be slight shifts in medium to that which is closest at hand, like paper, collage materials, etc., and artists working on a more “domestic” scale, because so many artists have needed to move their studio home.Jason Pickleman:&nbsp;I wrote a poem during the financial crash of 2008, which I’ll let speak to the present moment:&nbsp; After money has run its course /&nbsp; and the empty spaces of its transactions are hollowed and barren /&nbsp; a vacuum of dreams processed and fulfilled /&nbsp; when display is displaced /&nbsp; after the last deduction and the final reduction /&nbsp; have left the shelves barren sans function /&nbsp; and emptiness reigns /&nbsp; so then, /&nbsp; the lofts of tomorrow are the strip malls of today.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Mirror, Mirror on the Gallery Wall: After This Year, Who Can Predict 2021?

We recently learned about an exhibition at Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth through our friends at <a href="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/2020/08/12/refurnishing-revisiting-farnsworth-house/">PAGODA RED</a>, since they had recently placed furniture at the house and photographed the installations for the exhibition. They generously shared the story of the exhibit and the house's history with CGN.&nbsp;By PAGODA REDDesigned by Mies van der Rohe in the late 1940s, the <a href="https://farnsworthhouse.org/">Farnsworth House</a> in Plano, Illinois distills Mies’ modernist ideals into a clear expression of uncluttered structure. Over the years, it’s become shorthand for Miesian “less is more” design — so much so that the more nuanced story behind the home has been eclipsed by its iconic stature.“Too often, we gravitate towards the simple and familiar narrative when the&nbsp;real&nbsp;story is much richer and more challenging,” says Scott Mehaffey, Executive Director of the Farnsworth House.A new exhibition, Edith Farnsworth Reconsidered, centers the story not in the architect but in the homeowner — a remarkable kidney research physician, violinist, poet and translator who commissioned the house as a weekend retreat and lived in it for nearly 20 years. Despite having her name attached to the house, Farnsworth’s legacy was undercut by a legal battle over escalating fees (lost to Mies) and, in Mehaffey’s words, “the fact she was a brilliant, driven and successful professional woman during a very misogynistic era in history.” This exhibit seeks to recast Edith’s story and — by extension, the house itself — in a new light.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/11_364A0935.Z_3.Final_-1024x683.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/11_364A0935.Z_3.Final_-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/11_364A0935.Z_3.Final_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/11_364A0935.Z_3.Final_-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="100vw" width="1024"><figcaption>Photo by William Zbaren</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Normally furnished with Mies’ famous Barcelona Stools and Brno Chaises, the house has been redecorated to reflect the furniture that Farnsworth chose. Reticent to fill her home with pieces that Mies designed for offices and public spaces, Farnsworth wrested control of the interiors.“Edith made it clear from the start that she preferred to select her own furnishings,” explains Mehaffey, “but Mies wouldn’t listen, which put her in a delicate position.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-001-web-1024x698.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-001-web-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-001-web-300x205.jpg 300w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-001-web-768x524.jpg 768w" sizes="100vw" width="1024"><figcaption>Photo by PAGODA RED</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;When Mies’ office called to arrange delivery for a shipment of metal furniture, Farnsworth refused, explaining that she hadn’t ordered it. Instead, Farnsworth enlisted the help of her friend Kitty Baldwin-Weese to select Scandinavian and Italian Modern style pieces, many of which came from the Baldwin-Kingrey store.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/7_364A0755.Z_6.Final_-1024x683.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/7_364A0755.Z_6.Final_-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/7_364A0755.Z_6.Final_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/7_364A0755.Z_6.Final_-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="100vw" width="1024"><figcaption>Photo by William Zbaren</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Farnsworth also collected Chinese antiquities and installed a pair of Fu Dogs outside the house. To recreate the effect, Mehaffey chose a pair of intricately carved <a href="https://www.pagodared.com/ti/featured-collections-modernism/pair-of-courtyard-shizi">stone lions from PAGODA RED</a>. Once used to protect a 19th century Chinese courtyard, the pair now guards the terrace of the Farnsworth House. “We might conjecture that they reminded Edith of her beloved dogs, which always accompanied her on her trips out to Plano,” explains Mehaffey, “and they imbue a certain humor that makes the place less sterile and lonely.”&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0066-web-1024x707.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0066-web-1024x707.jpg 1024w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0066-web-300x207.jpg 300w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0066-web-768x530.jpg 768w" sizes="100vw" width="1024"><figcaption>Photo by PAGODA RED</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;It’s unknown where Farnsworth’s interest in Asian art stemmed from, but her collection survives at the Art Institute — which owns several of her Chinese bronze and stoneware vessels — and the University of Chicago, where her original Fu Dogs stand at the entrance to the&nbsp;Cochrane-Woods&nbsp;Art Center. She also collected contemporary photography and furnishings by Jens Risom, Florence Knoll, and Franco Albini among other designers.“The layering of antiquities and modern furnishings shows sophistication and is often missing in contemporary interiors,” says&nbsp;Mehaffey, “So through the lens (or perhaps guise) of interior decor, this project opens the door to a greater conversation and ongoing exploration of modernism at the Farnsworth House and helps us examine Mies in the broader context of his contemporaries.”Personal details bring Farnsworth’s story to life. An Olivetti typewriter sits atop a writing desk alluding to her work as a poet and translator, and a violin sits near the door, where she might have played it to catch summer breezes. In the bedroom, a plinth displays an <a href="https://www.pagodared.com/ti/featured-collections-modernism/buddhas-hand">architectural object from PAGODA RED</a> in a nod to Farnsworth’s collection of Chinese antiques.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0025-web-1024x684.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0025-web-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0025-web-300x201.jpg 300w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200728_Farnsworth-0025-web-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="100vw" width="1024"><figcaption>Photo by PAGODA RED</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Surrounded by lawns with views to the treeline, the house invites the natural world inside, as both Mies and Farnsworth intended. In neutral colors and a range of textures, Farnsworth’s furnishings soften the austerity of the architecture without detracting from the views. It’s easy to imagine Farnsworth taking walks with her dogs and enjoying a nightcap on the terrace.“She purposely kept it a quiet place as her life in Chicago was so busy and demanding,” Mehaffey says. “I hope this exhibition brings renewed appreciation to the Farnsworth House and fosters greater awareness of Edith Farnsworth and her many accomplishments – but also reminds us that history is never fully written and that we can sometimes find ourselves in the lives and choices of people who came before us.”Making the exhibition accessible for those who can’t visit in person, the Farnsworth House has posted a <a href="https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=du6M6oLeeLe">virtual reality tour</a>&nbsp;as well as historic photos and online <a href="https://farnsworthhouse.org/exhibitionguides/">exhibition guides</a>. Still, seeing the site in person remains the best way to experience it, and the house is offering limited tours as well as “Grounds Only” tickets.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/20200728_Farnsworth-0072-web-1024x885.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/20200728_Farnsworth-0072-web-1024x885.jpg 1024w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/20200728_Farnsworth-0072-web-300x259.jpg 300w, https://www.pagodared.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/20200728_Farnsworth-0072-web-768x664.jpg 768w" sizes="100vw" width="1024"><figcaption>Photo by PAGODA RED</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;The Farnsworth House is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 3:30, offering limited guided tours of up to 12 people at 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm. Self-guided tours of the grounds are available for half the price, and picnicking and hiking are allowed throughout the site. As state regulations may change, it’s best to visit <a href="https://farnsworthhouse.org/">farnsworthhouse.org</a> for up-to-date information.Special thanks to Scott Mehaffey for generously sharing Edith Farnsworth’s story. To learn more, visit the <a href="https://farnsworthhouse.org/">online exhibition</a>.Read PAGODA RED's blog <a href="https://www.pagodared.com/blog/2020/08/12/refurnishing-revisiting-farnsworth-house/">here</a>.&nbsp;

Refurnishing & Revisiting the Farnsworth House

<html><head></head><body>&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418374/fs4fnkibujspfnda38tt.png"><figcaption>Our fall issue features artist Yvette Mayorga</figcaption></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAIt has now been half a year since we have been able to access people, places and art in the ways we once did. After April and May when so much was shut down, July and August have offered glimpses of life for the forseeable future – more limited, still within reach, as long as you plan ahead and as long as you begin to accept life’s many risks, COVID-19-related or not.&nbsp;Yet it seems the goal posts still move daily. I want a crystal ball – one that would show me it’s all going to be OK, and when.&nbsp; Without one, and in order to be able to participate safely in life in Chicago, I have spent time evolving my own tolerance for risk; I realize it’s a luxury to be able to thoughtfully weigh risks, as many people in our community do not have much choice about where they live, where they work from or with whom they are in contact. We live among many levels of accessibility, undoubtedly with barriers.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418375/ywdo1sktajtwurshuzgm.jpg"><figcaption>CGN Publisher (BITMOJI) Ginny B. Van Alyea – Hoping for a crystal ball with a good outlook for 2021.</figcaption></figure>Most of us have been denied levels of access in the short term. But what about those who have faced it in the long term? As we follow critcal safety measures now, when we visit galleries and museums or attend events, how do these new limits inhibit those who already have to clear a high bar? The neccessity of timed entries, capacity limits, reservations, not to mention internet access, likely excludes communities we seek to reach more than before.How do we continue to pursue a love of art while supporting the art industry and keeping everyone safe? This fall, spaces are planning new shows or opening exhibitions postponed in the spring. We are not back to normal. We may never be. This season there are no international art fairs coming to Navy Pier (closed until spring.) Neighborhood markets and festivals are on hold. But the traditionally energetic September start to the art season <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/8/september-11-a-sneak-preview-of-upcoming-september-exhibitions">will still take place</a>. It will be over the course of a long weekend, with less spontaneity, and fewer people, but it will happen. Many nonprofits are readying plans for virtual galas. <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/8/chicago-architecture-center-announces-the-new-open-house-chicago-for-october-2020">Open House Chicago</a> will span 10 days, outdoors and online, and include new neighborhoods. There are undoubtedly opportunities in exploring new terrain, even when it’s steep.&nbsp;*With some free time this summer to think about how to get art in front of more Chicagoans long term, I looked up the Chicago Public Library’s <a href="https://www.chipublib.org/faq/covid-19-reopening/?_ga=2.183422182.1766970376.1597412852-2083650044.1579274603#kids-museum-passports-2">Kids Museum Passports</a> – a terrific program that allows CPL cardholders and adult residents to visit area museums for free with children. While these passes allow families to visit for free, unless otherwise noted, a group must include at least one child under 18 for the Passport to be valid; only two adults are admitted per pass. They are not for adults-only visits. Plus the pass must be checked out in person, not virtually or downloaded.&nbsp;When I thought about musuem free days and times for area residents, limits and scheduling inconveniences exist there too. Though museum finances have been severely impacted this year, perhaps some could devise free pass programs, ala SpotHero: check for upcoming ‘spots’ or visiting times, then download a pass that begins a countdown of useability. The flexibility could encourage more convenient and frequent encounters with art.&nbsp;Additionally the library could update its Passport to be mobile and to accomodate adults. While some galleries use Tock to set up visiting times, maybe they will also host a no-reservations-needed hour, when people, distanced of course, may still stop in without an appointment (like the old days!)*This is all praying that Chicago pulls through one of the most distressing and violent periods in recent history, and that institutions and businesses will be able to keep their doors open and someday thrive again.For now, please use CGN as a resource to explore art from home – as well as safely in person – in our newly distanced world. This issue features interviews with many art world makers and leaders who offer insights on <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/8/yvette-mayorga-artistic-confections-add-new-layers-to-art-history">working as an artist</a> today, <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/8/a-collector-s-personal-focus-discovering-the-value-of-engagement">collecting art</a>, writing about and photographing art, designing with art, and more.&nbsp;2020 has given us all many challenges, and more are still to come. We are a long way from the summit, but on the way up the view is ever-changing, and we have the opportunity to notice things we weren’t able to before – crystal ball or not.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our fall 2020 issue of CGN is out now. To receive a print copy, <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/print-subscriptions">please subscribe</a> for $20/year!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418375/ix67br18asqleqwn6mxf.png"></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

Fall 2020 Publisher's Letter: What Lies Ahead? How Can We Ensure Access?

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417613/ewmbpctjbvirbrvxlb65.jpg"></figure>By CGN Staff&nbsp;We can't count the number of things that are different about the art world these days, since COVID-19 turned everything in our community upside down. One of many recent creative responses has been to meet the ongoing need for protective, reusable face masks in an artistic as well as impactful way. Jeffrey Gibson, an artist represented by Kavi Gupta Gallery, and a 2019 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, is the latest artist to participate in the gallery's COVID-19 Mask Project, an effort to sell personal protective works of art and donate 100% of the proceeds to charity.Gibson is known for melding indigenous North American materials and forms with those of Western contemporary art to create a new hybrid visual vocabulary and prompting a shift in how Native American art is perceived and historicized.Regarding the need for masks right now, Gibson shared, “We’re living in a time when people should be wearing masks—period. Unforeseen, my tribe, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has been hit hard by COVID-19. We’re a small tribe based in Central Mississippi. People aren’t able to work or make income. It means a lot to me to be able to raise money to help. The mask itself—whether you’re buying it as an artwork, or buying it to be worn—it’s an object of our time.” Indeed these masks that are so critical now will someday come to represent so much of our day-to-day life in 2020.<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417614/stb0juflo9boel4ygy1h.jpg"><figcaption>Kavi Gupta COVID-19 Mask Project x Devan Shimoyama. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta</figcaption></figure>A gallery representative shared, "We started this project to not only raise money for overlooked communities in need, but to also amplify the message that masks are vitally important and that wearing one is a civic duty– we must protect each other."The masks provide a barrier to the wearer and those in proximity, but also 100% of proceeds from mask sales will be donated, split between the <a href="https://www.choctaw.org/ ">Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians</a> to aid with COVID-19 critical care response, and to <a href="https://ndncollective.org/">NDN Collective</a>, an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building and narrative change.Gibson explains his process: “When I first started to think about making masks, my first thought was to work with the materials we already have in the studio. I’ve been making these quilts and all of the fabrics have different texts. They say things like DEFEND, WE’RE DIFFERENT, LOVE, and POWERFUL. The mask design goes from ear to ear, so the words sit right under the eyes. The words vary from mask to mask.The masks are made from three panels of fabric, and have two colored cords that slip over the head and can be adjusted using wood sliding beads to tighten the mask or loosen it. There’s a little pointed area over your mouth and nostrils, beak like, so its not right up against your mouth. There is also a space inside for an insert. They’re all 100% cotton. I wanted something people could wash: hand wash, because of the beads.”Masks are now available for <a href="https://kaviguptaeditions.com/products/preorder-kavi-gupta-jeffrey-gibson-covid-19-mask-project">preorder</a>.&nbsp;Previous editions have sold out quickly. Completing the preorder reserves a Jeffrey Gibson mask,&nbsp;made by the artist in a limited edition of 100. Masks will ship in 2-3 weeks.&nbsp;The first phase of the project featured artist Devan Shimoyama, more info <a href="https://kaviguptaeditions.com/products/kavi-gupta-devan-shimoyama-covid-19-masks-project?_pos=2&amp;_sid=661124aad&amp;_ss=r&amp;variant=31905786527799">here.</a> The next chapter of the Mask Project will launch in September and will feature another artist from the gallery's program.&nbsp; &nbsp;For questions&nbsp;contact the gallery&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:covidsupport@kavigupta.com">covidsupport@kavigupta.com</a>Jeffrey Gibson photo credits: Kavi Gupta COVID-19 Mask Project x Jeffrey Gibson. Courtesy of Jeffrey Gibson Studio and Kavi Gupta. Photo: Brian Barlow&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Artistically Powerful Face Masks Are Objects of Our Time

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417612/t8ngfegbam4veuo8vtf7.jpg"><figcaption>The finished mural installed at BMO Harris "If I Could Show The World"</figcaption></figure>By CGN Staff via PRLast month on June 15th <a href="https://cpslives.org">CPS Lives</a> and BMO Harris collaborated with CPS students, volunteers, and their families in order to create the&nbsp;mural, "If I Could Show The World"&nbsp;at the Hyde Park Art Center. With the help of lead artists Dorian Sylvain and Jeff Phillips the work of 11&nbsp;different CPS Lives artists and over 20&nbsp;different CPS Schools were featured in the finished mural.The finished mural was then installed at BMO Harris Bank's downtown Chicago location on the corner of LaSalle and Monroe, and a small celebration with the public took place on June 29th to highlight the efforts of CPS Lives artists and CPS students who made this project possible. The mural is on view to the public for about a month.&nbsp;Art can tell stories and change narratives,” says Suzette Bross, Executive Director of CPS Lives. “This mural is an expression of giving back to the community and showing the good in humanity.”<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1-300x201.jpg" alt="A little girl with a mask helps with the mural" srcset="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1-300x201.jpg 300w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1-224x150.jpg 224w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1.jpg 350w" sizes="100vw" width="300"></figure>In June 2020, a group of Chicago students transformed temporary plywood, used to cover BMO Harris Bank’s main branch during protests, into a work of art expressing messages of hope and unity.As protests erupted across Chicago – and the country – and thousands of Chicagoans demonstrated peacefully, CPS Lives and BMO Harris Bank looked for ways to jointly support local communities and to stand against racial inequality and injustice. BMO – a longstanding supporter of both Chicago’s public schools and the city’s arts community – reached out to CPS Lives and asked if they wanted to create artwork on the plywood around the branch.“BMO’s values of fairness, equality and inclusion perfectly align with ours,” says Suzette, who founded CPS Lives, a non-profit organization that creates artist residencies in Chicago Public Schools to share honest and positive stories about public schools. Local artists partner with a Chicago Public School during the academic year to collaborate on a project. The art they create gives young people in Chicago a platform to speak about their hopes, dreams, and ideas.“There are 400,000 students in the CPS system, and many people in the city don’t know anything about them,” says Jeff Phillips, a local artist who works with CPS Lives. “This was an opportunity to give the students their own voice – in a really public way.”Amplifying voicesLike protest, art can give a louder voice to people who aren’t being heard. The recent protests have given voice to people from all walks of life, joining together to demand change to make society more just and inclusive. Similarly, this group of Chicago Public School students and artists created a powerful public art project to send a message of their own.“Protest and public art are similar expressions. They’re both a personal statement of values,” says Dorian Sylvain, a Chicago artist and CPS Lives collaborator. “Displaying art in the public spaces goes beyond aesthetics. It creates dialogue – and it’s human nature to want to be heard.”Suzette reached out to Jeff and Dorian to collaborate, and they quickly got to work on a proposal and a design. Together, they came up with the idea of a mural made up of images and photos from CPS Lives artists and CPS schools, highlighting the proud academic achievements of graduating students – and surrounded by images of life at public schools across the city.“Highlighting all these beautiful young faces that are usually somewhat anonymous – it not only empowers the kids who see themselves on that mural, but also other people who are like them. That can be very validating,” says Dorian.Jeff agrees. “We wanted to evoke something positive and emotional, and to do what art is supposed to do – reflect the everyday in a new light.”A creative collective<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1-300x201.jpg" alt="People with masks working on the mural" srcset="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1-300x201.jpg 300w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1-224x150.jpg 224w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1.jpg 350w" sizes="100vw" width="300"></figure>Titled “If I Could Show the World,” the mural was named and assembled by students from more than 20 Chicago public schools participating in the CPS Lives program. Hyde Park Art Center donated its space, and more than 75 people came together to create the murals, including students who chose to spend their first day of summer vacation there.“The experience was festive. We had music playing, it was a beautiful day, the students came in and they brought their friends. We just had a good time,” says Dorian. “The spirit of collective work, and the gratification of producing something together that one person couldn’t have done on their own – it’s so empowering. Sharing, listening, learning from each other – all those principles come out when we work together.”“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” says Jeff. “To see these kids creating together, and hearing them say things like ‘I feel like an artist’ – it was incredible.”Inclusion and equalityCPS Lives is the first of several non-profits that will create art for BMO’s main branch windows over the coming months, serving as a visual reminder to continue our progress toward a more inclusive society. The art will be displayed in neighborhoods across Chicago as it rotates out of the bank’s windows.“Art is such a powerful and direct way to express hope and optimism,” says Jeff. “Public art speaks to the community. The message spreads. If you create something interesting and beautiful, you invite people in to learn more about your world – and that can make all the difference.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417612/kz4uxtz1qxjrytqqmuo4.jpg"><figcaption>Students from Chi Arts help paste down images at the Hyde Park Art Center</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

CPS Lives and BMO Harris Collaborate on Mural with Students and Families

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417642/bnyyybjw5kd17guelf85.png"></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAIn-person events are a mixed bag right now, as some things take off with sensible adjustments to group size and requests to wear masks and others are on extended hold. As more events come back on the calendar, everything is left up to individual comfort levels.&nbsp;Additionally, many organizers are choosing to move ahead with virtual events for the time being, since they have been well-received since the start of the pandemic and because many business owners are learning that holding virtual events is not only safe, but also welcome to new audiences who can actually go farther than ever from the comfort of home. One such event going virtual is the Bronzeville Trolley Tour. The group's website says that like Harlem in New York, Bronzeville is a community where Chicago’s African American music, Literature, Fine Art, and Theater historically thrive. At present, the <a href="https://www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com">Bronzeville Art District (BAD)</a> consists of six established visual art spaces working together to focus and drive cultural activities in the community such that a distinctive cultural identity can be crystallized and communicated.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417642/iqi6svxbirk5vzrygg31.png"><figcaption>Tour-goers in the past stream into the South Side Community Art Center</figcaption></figure>The tour, known well beyond Bronzeville, has been ongoing each month for many years, but for the foreseeable future it will come to you, as the tour takes a break from the on-wheels, and crowded, format familiar to many. Many Bronzeville spaces will also continue to host virtual exhibitions from July through December.&nbsp;Participants this weekend include:&nbsp;Blanc Gallery&nbsp;Gallery GuichardLittle Black Pearl Art &amp; DesignBronzeville Artist LoftsFaie African Art GallerySouth Side Community Art Center&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417643/omqh8xhednmz44cncik6.png"><figcaption>The owner of Blanc Gallery gives a video preview of the show that will be on view Friday</figcaption></figure><a href="https://youtu.be/Vkq4CwB_HYw">Click Here</a> to watch an introduction video with a weekend preview on YouTube, where gallery owners discuss shows that will be on view and special events taking place via the virtual tour on Friday night.&nbsp;To join and ride on Zoom this Friday, July 17 from 7–8pm RSVP at <a href="http://bit.ly/bronzevillearttrolleytour">bit.ly/bronzevillearttrolleytour</a>The tour will be taking place on the 3rd Friday of every month, and the remaining dates for 2020 are August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20 and December 18. More information about the tour and the district may be found <a href="https://www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Bronzeville's Famed Trolley Tours of African American Cultural Community Go Virtual 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418788/nhcxtznlzju9ow1wq0lz.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;By GINNY VAN ALYEAMany of us have come to rely on easy online reservation systems for making dinner reservations and personal service appointments without having to (gasp!) make an actual phone call. Now, amidst the COVID-19 sea change that has hammered businesses at every level, Tock, headed by CEO Nick Kokonas, of Alinea and Next fame, has started to offer its booking service to area galleries. Currently there are six – primarily West Town – spaces online <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/arts?fbclid=IwAR2QUXguXesglxs048UAc7-yyiNXlZncdYyb08h0wLn7hPoC6jDJ-PbBmFw">under 'arts'</a>: The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Western Exhibitions, DOCUMENT, Volume, Rhona Hoffman, Andrew Rafacz and PATRON. These art spaces also appear among the general list of restaurants offering in-person dining as well as carry-out.Users who visit Tock can enter the number of people in their party, the date and time they would like to visit. Available results will appear, you can select your time frame and make your reservation. On the back end, galleries can provide their own availability and any individual restrictions.&nbsp;According to a spring 2020 article in Forbes, Kokonas galvanized his team to build a <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/join/togo">delivery and takeout platform</a> that would enable easy setup for restaurants who were becoming reliant on to-go ordering, once diners were no longer coming in to restaurants. More associated with reservations for fine dining establishments like Alinea, Tock saw the need to pivot to support restaurants' changing needs and offerings.Kokonas told Forbes, “We built this all in a week, utilizing Tock's existing data structures and back end. But we really had a team going 24/7 because we anticipated this shut down,” explained Kokonas.&nbsp;“It wasn't difficult to watch what was happening in Italy and realize it was likely to happen here as well.”Now businesses beyond restaurants (galleries and museums) are able to use the platform as a means of streamlining the process of private appointments that are now so necessary in order to visit spaces that were closed for so many months and that are also unlikely to have the staff to handle complex scheduling.&nbsp;As galleries in the Chicago area begin to re-open one by one and host exhibitions in their physical spaces again, we encourage you to pay them a visit to engage with art. Tock offers a new way to make your visit to several of them even easier.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Tock, the Dining Reservation System, Now in Use by Local Galleries for Private Appointments

<html><head></head><body>By CGN StaffSummer camp plans that were made in the first couple months of the year all dissolved as it became apparent that 2020 might become known as the summer that wasn't. Now, a few months on, with a host of new regulations in place, we can see that many organizations that pivoted quickly to offer at-home learning and engagement during the lockdown have now changed their summer offerings as well. If you are still looking for some art-focused plans for your child this summer, have a look at our summary of area programs from a range of local organizations. The benefit this year, unlike any other, is that you may do them from anywhere.&nbsp;Participation is an affordable way to beat the summer slide and engage with art on your own time. There are also plenty of classes for adults as well. Your participation at any level will also give much-needed support to these area groups.&nbsp;Enjoy the summer, and stay creative!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417595/mxiwvh8opk6w3tabfdvp.jpg"></figure><a href="http://www.architecture.org/learn/families/camps-and-classes/summer-camps/">Chicago Architecture Foundation</a>Save your spot for <a href="http://email.wordfly.com/click?sid=NzYxXzE0ODgwXzk4NTMzXzcwMDA&amp;l=73ccae6b-0ab7-ea11-bf4f-e41f1345a486&amp;utm_source=wordfly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MKTG_March2020_CAC%40home_June25_members&amp;utm_content=version_A&amp;sourceNumber=107635">Design Your Neighborhood 1.0</a>, for campers ages 8 to 10, and <a href="http://email.wordfly.com/click?sid=NzYxXzE0ODgwXzk4NTMzXzcwMDA&amp;l=74ccae6b-0ab7-ea11-bf4f-e41f1345a486&amp;utm_source=wordfly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MKTG_March2020_CAC%40home_June25_members&amp;utm_content=version_A&amp;sourceNumber=107635">Design Your Neighborhood 2.0</a>, for campers ages 11 to 14. Younger campers are encouraged to hone their observational skills through introductions to sketching and model-building, while older campers attend virtual tours and talk with design experts about their planning decisions.&nbsp;The deadline to join us CAC Summer Camps for the week of July 20 is Wednesday, July 8 at 5pm.&nbsp;Also coming up is: Girls Build! Tiny Homes, where future 'starchitects' can learn how to think big and design tiny in this interactive camp for girls ages 11-14. Campers will draw and build to create a sustainable tiny home that serves a Chicago neighborhood and has a small carbon footprint.<a href="http://email.wordfly.com/click?sid=NzYxXzE0ODgwXzk4NTMzXzcwMDA&amp;l=72ccae6b-0ab7-ea11-bf4f-e41f1345a486&amp;utm_source=wordfly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MKTG_March2020_CAC%40home_June25_members&amp;utm_content=version_A&amp;sourceNumber=107635">REGISTER</a>CAC is also sharing family projects online as well, like the most recent one about brainstorming and sketching out green spaces: Practice your problem solving skills by planning and designing (or redesigning) a green space for your community, inspired by the efforts of Sofia Valdez in Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty.&nbsp;<a href="https://theartcenterhp.org/online-classes">Art Center Highland Park</a><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417596/hiatvuhhrc3wp9p4prxz.jpg"></figure>This summer experience creative fun and construct unique and original projects through a wide range of intriguing mediums. Have fun exploring self-expression and experimentation while learning the fundamental principals of art through drawing, painting, collage, and mixed media. There are classes for kids and adults, or for a child and an adult to take together. Some classes began last month but other sessions begin next week (July 13) with 12 sessions running through August.&nbsp;Options include: Mixed Media Art Camp; Ceramics at Home; The Georgia O'Keeffe Summer Challenge (In five sessions your instructor will guide you through a step by step process for creating Calla and Roses 1926); Abstract Painting; and Illustrated Words. <a href="https://theartcenterhp.org/online-classes">Register here.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://reg129.imperisoft.com/hydeparkartcenter/Search/Registration.aspx">Hyde Park Art Center</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://files.constantcontact.com/e0e61f61601/636fd59f-6b50-4c9d-923e-cd235d82a163.png" alt=""></figure>Creativity Camp is online, and you are encouraged to "contribute what you can". Camps started this week, July 6, and run through Sept 4, for ages 6–12. Online camps take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10am–11am, and include additional offline activities to be done on the campers' own time on off-days.<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeexOJTwwwuOveP-7C5gwx-Lvd_uBd89cp_4MeAleC3MIa0ddKWr3m_ECy2mro9Zp7m87VEQ3as83-CLdne_Tlq9uLiszntUawMGor2NZlxpqN_ogJDSdLuIarTfqNeGkG622LsYNNAmQp4uwiOQ8JqntrLDs_kAXwQnMTZ8ec3ZdRxhAL0krFqw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">• Circus Week</a> with teaching artist Terah Weddington takes place July 20–24. In this circus-themed performance camp, campers will explore song making, soft choreography, playwriting, and culminate with a group dance party! Register <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeexOJTwwwuOveP-7C5gwx-Lvd_uBd89cp_4MeAleC3MIa0ddKWr3m_ECy2mro9Zp7m87VEQ3as83-CLdne_Tlq9uLiszntUawMGor2NZlxpqN_ogJDSdLuIarTfqNeGkG622LsYNNAmQp4uwiOQ8JqntrLDs_kAXwQnMTZ8ec3ZdRxhAL0krFqw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">here.</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BenB1A1Fy2Nk1FasYjNTz6g8H1iKp-GoGGFjBA65vcwYZQbM_S0FqR3Rv04JFedex58flyKW-47UGHbS5tvqoq10zOYKECIBHxn_S2-WxGeOkBtEQfjbSlANz7MZRGDYe0bVJoYhUOR8oBn6UqU_hU76FVUpu8qpnh21EU7M7CZstxo3p0fI9DDw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">• Music Video Parody</a> with teaching artist Kirstin Franklin, July 27–31. Campers collaborate and design a one-of-a-kind parody music video, learn a variety of filming techniques, choreography, lyric writing and explore other art forms to create their very own finished product to share with family and friends. Register<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BenB1A1Fy2Nk1FasYjNTz6g8H1iKp-GoGGFjBA65vcwYZQbM_S0FqR3Rv04JFedex58flyKW-47UGHbS5tvqoq10zOYKECIBHxn_S2-WxGeOkBtEQfjbSlANz7MZRGDYe0bVJoYhUOR8oBn6UqU_hU76FVUpu8qpnh21EU7M7CZstxo3p0fI9DDw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg=="> here.</a><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeAVGcHkyMMJK6sf9fS102U8hsguU3SeEMPjoLMfERQYp0ZKRey4qI2_NkPHhRjE9-92UPjZ1wOzrhT1KFaBbt4iSyEHyLZeqwrH94f1O_RjREmbYH4GcC2Ax58esOARePseYLUdtD3JJgToJCLP3ABo87xwjvyN97tMJA8ft-vgxqIVwjwNVuew==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">• Masterpiece Re-makers</a> with teaching artist Kirstin Franklin, August 3–7. Campers will use found household objects and smartphone cameras to make creative and funny interpretations of master works of art. Register <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeAVGcHkyMMJK6sf9fS102U8hsguU3SeEMPjoLMfERQYp0ZKRey4qI2_NkPHhRjE9-92UPjZ1wOzrhT1KFaBbt4iSyEHyLZeqwrH94f1O_RjREmbYH4GcC2Ax58esOARePseYLUdtD3JJgToJCLP3ABo87xwjvyN97tMJA8ft-vgxqIVwjwNVuew==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">here.</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417597/tyj3prdy3tbragcrxrkn.jpg"></figure><a href="http://www.riversideartscenter.com/new-birthday-parties-to-go/">Riverside Art Center</a>While not exactly a camp offering, you could take advantage of Riverside's Party in a Box for your own camp, for kids or adults, or of course for a party. Each box will supply you with all you need to create painted masterpieces with your guests (Canvas (11″ X 14″), Paint, Palettes, Paint brushes, Project and instruction sheets). Boxes are available to <a href="http://www.riversideartscenter.com/new-birthday-parties-to-go/">order online</a>. The Center will arrange for delivery or pick up of your Painting Party Box on your specified day. Pricing ranges from $68 for 5 people to $150 for 10 if you are not a member. They also offer a clay-based version.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417597/xp33na07b73bske4mqkk.jpg"></figure><a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/classes/camp">Elmhurst Art Museum</a>Summer Break Art Camps take place for one week sessions, June 15 - Aug 14 Also offering Full &amp; Half days for our Junior camp (ages 5-7). <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/classes/camp">Sign-up here.</a>Elmhurst Art Museum’s camps are popular every year – kids love getting together and making messes and our inspiring camp counselors help guide them through the creative process.At EAM Summer Camps, each week’s curriculum is uniquely themed, so no two weeks are the same. Campers also find inspiration through a variety of hands-on activities in our Education Center and outdoors in Wilder Park. Building sculpture and painting with multimedia, pottery, printmaking, and experiencing first-hand the art exhibitions at the Museum help kids develop new skills in a fun and energetic environment. These camps are IN-PERSON with many modifications for current COVID-19 safety. More info may be found <a href="https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/education/camps/?fbclid=IwAR1yCGjC_ouLzLl6UzGXBst1rtevPrLcstFP4SSz8eIEFESRXVduMffYTzQ">online</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

An Art Filled Summer Camp Round-Up

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417864/yqffvfjnah6flb0wei4h.png"></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAA few weeks ago <a href="https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/from-home/you-are-beautiful/">Elmhurst Art Museum's</a> John McKinnon shared a new community project to me that felt like exactly what I, and countless others, needed at the moment: a movement to spread positivity.&nbsp;In 2015–2016 (a lifetime ago!) Chicago-based artist Matthew Hoffman was part of the museum's inaugural Biennial, Chicago Statements, which provided 19 artists with a wide-reaching public platform for their messages, their voices and their revelations that address imbalances of power, access and resources. Through drawings, sculpture, video, photography, text and documentation of public projects, the Biennial intends to raise awareness, encourage discussion and promote the power of individual and collective expression and healing.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417865/vkrtoefyquy3mthllmgh.png"></figure>Five years later, EAM is collaborating again with Hoffman, known for his You Are Beautiful project, to spread positivity in the community. A new display in the museum’s south windows will add to his permanent outdoor installation on the museum's main building. Visitors are invited to embark on a social distanced walk through Wilder Park.Participation in the exhibition is also encouraged and is a means of supporting the museum as well as local healthcare workers. <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/online-shop/products/you-are-beautiful-outdoor-yard-sign">Order a yard sign</a>, window cling, or <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/">another work from the series</a> to extend the uplifting display to your own community, anywhere in the world. The <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/">Museum Store</a> also has the full line of You Are Beautiful gear and outdoor display pieces – I've noticed several of the We're All in This Together signs stuck to buildings around Chicago since hearing about the program. 10% of the proceeds benefit the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation through July 3rd.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417866/xgtwdobrvrxditzaboia.png"><figcaption>You Are Beautiful Wall Art, Rainbow Wood Piece, <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/online-shop/products/you-are-beautiful-wall-art-rainbow-wood-piece">$15-$30</a></figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417867/isjihurxp83wkkgh50ux.png"><figcaption>A portable, mirror reminder is for sale in the museum <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/online-shop/products/you-are-beautiful-wall-art-mirror-multiple-colors-sizes">shop</a></figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Matthew Hoffman has created large scale public installations for municipalities, museums, and private companies around the world. The large outdoor piece at the Elmhurst Art Museum is one of <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1dj-KWrHARSrEBJAyk07QkJj7J68&amp;ll=41.92231453389445%2C-87.4079685&amp;z=9">his 30 outdoor installations </a>currently in the Chicagoland area.Learn more about The Little Sticker That Started a Worldwide Phenomenon on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXznLlpEPR4&amp;feature=youtu.be">Oprah’s SuperSoul Sunday</a>, <a href="https://wgnradio.com/bill-leff-wendy-snyder/matthew-hoffman-the-you-are-beautiful-project/">WGN radio</a>, and <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/ct-xpm-2014-05-25-ct-oped-zorn-0525-20140525-story.html">The Chicago Tribune</a>. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417868/md4spunciuiagljkkygm.png"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417869/awz0tln53hymky57kixx.png"></figure></body></html>

Say it Loud: You Are Beautiful

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417848/si9eck50pxxps8fd5tdn.jpg"><figcaption>Mural at the Family Focus Building in Evanston, created by Juan Carlos Perez and students from Family Focus's after-school programs in 2019</figcaption></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEA &nbsp;via PR<a href="https://www.artencounter.org/">Art Encounter</a> is a non-profit arts education organization devoted to help people engage with and learn about art, usually in person. As for most of us, these past few months have forced the group to adjust how they fulfill their mission of educating, empowering, and connecting people of diverse ages and backgrounds through interactive encounters with visual art. Ways they have continued to help people connect with art is through online tours and outreach programming.&nbsp;A recent program has focused on public murals outdoors. One creative, free artsy activity (with a prize!) in Evanston this summer, for all ages, is Art Encounter's <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vXhN9e3vqkpmB64EliGvui8d748ll9oMdC-hnetomRaA9tMkxWabrLsNL9SEIzaevVBrC4jwd6fqmbjtX5t-XO1TUlzzb5MHEfvehpgkuQ0QqM50MOuXkh4UWhf_81AAQXVJfJSpi4Q2blIHsfTW9JSkewPNLOvDn9dznibm8IlFxJJx8vuMj2vgPFKK2NE-knBEJvy_Y7Ap5NugK_qjFSwWzD4fyB7i230KS-bGY5ygixU15CSY0NcJ4b58avaoskCbAUZK77XL_pN6EntVDw==&amp;c=nudl-Wi2ryKyC0mBY6j8skjz11q5LlYWWpve5I5ekck-i_0L6i80Jg==&amp;ch=_Kuv5CFYfp77fLtxwVIyRXagIB_t8_pkBxS362gU-IZN48_29xNk3w==">The Big Picture: A Mural Treasure Hunt!</a> Follow the group's custom Google map across 17 of Evanston Mural Arts Program murals while answering fun questions and following prompts by phone, then submit a completed form by August 30 for a chance to win gift cards and other prizes from Blick Art Materials. Learn about the murals as you visit them, and discover the many ways to see them on your journey. You can also tag @art.encounter and @evanstonmuralartsprogram on <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vXhN9e3vqkpmB64EliGvui8d748ll9oMdC-hnetomRaA9tMkxWabrI5FHxkuQQkRJg6s5hZ2yAZ2asdi3dnoxJgcIAY2JqqEATkXINfBuzjdx3rjpHdTuaPcAZK1CY-KK8crfQsU1la8cSR7TE32EXDmYE79Q70n5B08duvWg3g=&amp;c=nudl-Wi2ryKyC0mBY6j8skjz11q5LlYWWpve5I5ekck-i_0L6i80Jg==&amp;ch=_Kuv5CFYfp77fLtxwVIyRXagIB_t8_pkBxS362gU-IZN48_29xNk3w==">instagram</a> and <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vXhN9e3vqkpmB64EliGvui8d748ll9oMdC-hnetomRaA9tMkxWabrBUzHyEvaMoE7x-9ym_SsVCK2e96pdExlW3j62gbMDGUSsKjjVTfLBWdQ8xAEQaRSYai1TV5azbIw-Jl1mTyfs_q0gDoIiIeusgdyW6S-fX8VHrD6KFYeU0=&amp;c=nudl-Wi2ryKyC0mBY6j8skjz11q5LlYWWpve5I5ekck-i_0L6i80Jg==&amp;ch=_Kuv5CFYfp77fLtxwVIyRXagIB_t8_pkBxS362gU-IZN48_29xNk3w==">Facebook</a> when posting your mural photos, and hashtag #TheBigPictureEvanston.<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vXhN9e3vqkpmB64EliGvui8d748ll9oMdC-hnetomRaA9tMkxWabrLsNL9SEIzaevVBrC4jwd6fqmbjtX5t-XO1TUlzzb5MHEfvehpgkuQ0QqM50MOuXkh4UWhf_81AAQXVJfJSpi4Q2blIHsfTW9JSkewPNLOvDn9dznibm8IlFxJJx8vuMj2vgPFKK2NE-knBEJvy_Y7Ap5NugK_qjFSwWzD4fyB7i230KS-bGY5ygixU15CSY0NcJ4b58avaoskCbAUZK77XL_pN6EntVDw==&amp;c=nudl-Wi2ryKyC0mBY6j8skjz11q5LlYWWpve5I5ekck-i_0L6i80Jg==&amp;ch=_Kuv5CFYfp77fLtxwVIyRXagIB_t8_pkBxS362gU-IZN48_29xNk3w==">CLICK HERE TO START HUNTING</a>The Evanston Mural Arts Program exists to make art available to all. Now entering its fourth year, the goal of the program is to uplift and beautify neighborhoods with mural art through creative partnerships with community organizations, youth groups, schools, and business districts. Art Encounter pairs professional artists with community members and youth groups to create large scale public works of art to last for years to come. <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vXhN9e3vqkpmB64EliGvui8d748ll9oMdC-hnetomRaA9tMkxWabrOyUm34-VwXmXPDb6RZ-ALwm8n7bl602uSFNT_ub-5iWr6KDZdQcD6LXlAKPRgI_f9MilLtTz715_Dk3EUA0PwpHfpUYwMzh0PpCKLi-XQO0xNC_nlOJsHXO3aMgSW3OQcYR0m4eHwmP&amp;c=nudl-Wi2ryKyC0mBY6j8skjz11q5LlYWWpve5I5ekck-i_0L6i80Jg==&amp;ch=_Kuv5CFYfp77fLtxwVIyRXagIB_t8_pkBxS362gU-IZN48_29xNk3w==">Visit AE's website</a> for more information, including links to their Minute with a Muralist series, where they share interviews with the artists behind the murals.﻿<figure class="image"><img src="https://files.constantcontact.com/4fd15233201/1da90fc2-6bfa-4650-baa8-9b7a9bb1b103.png" alt=""><figcaption>Mural by Dustin Harris on the South Blvd. Metra/CTA Viaduct at South Blvd. and Chicago Ave., 2018</figcaption></figure>﻿<figure class="image"><img src="https://files.constantcontact.com/4fd15233201/8f61eea7-c3f6-4ae8-b81c-64d8eec57c9e.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Artist Anthony Lewellen poses in front of his 2018 mural on Church St.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

The Big Picture Mural Hunt Connects the Public with Evanston's Outdoor Art

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417784/ndk7l51qw2vry9q96uqj.jpg"><figcaption>Via Instagram: “Spike Marks and Mirrors”, a durational installation art piece by Jeffrey Augustine Songco at FLXST Contemporary. Songco’s installation changes over time, inspired by the patterns of self-portraits on the fabrics that he customized. The mirrors evoke a sense of presence for the viewers. They are asked to take selfies of themselves reflected in the mirrors. In a timely way, the piece also evokes sense of communal belonging in a moment rife with forces or pandemics that seek to disconnect us from one another.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;By JACQUELINE LEWISIn the middle of the most challenging market circumstances, I talked to two galleries in Chicago that were both practically brand new at the time. The owners of both spaces – Ice House Gallery and FLXST Contemporary – were candid about what it takes to open and run a new art gallery, as well as how to meet obstacles head on. The directors of each gallery allowed us a peek into their experiences by answering questions about successes and difficulties, and they gave sage, and hopeful, advice to anyone considering opening their own art space.&nbsp;Publisher's note: This feature was printed in our 2020 summer issue. Unfortunately Ice House did end up closing permanently at the end of May 2020, just after the summer magazine came out. Owner Hannah shared with us that she just couldn't make her young gallery work amidst the financial headwinds of COVID-19 and the extended state-wide shutdown. We are including her insights here for you anyway, since she took the time to speak with us, and we wish her well on her next endeavor.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417786/u49kortgp6gfmxwtmso5.png"><figcaption>Patrons at FLXST</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/flxst-contemporary">FLXST Contemporary</a>FLXST Contemporary is a fine art and photography incubator located in Chicago’s Chinatown. Jan Christine Bernabe, Chief Creative &amp; Operations Director, launched the gallery in June 2019. The gallery holds evocative and uncompromising shows full of emerging and mid career artists. FLXST primarily focuses on diasporic, im/migrant artists, LGBTQ identified artists and artists of color based in Chicago.Why: When working in academia, Jan taught and wrote about persons of color and LGBTQ artists. After, she independently curated shows for the same demographic. This experience demonstrated a need to open a commercial gallery space specifically for these historically underrepresented artists who deserve a legitimate place in the art market. FLXST aims to expands this often ignored space within the Chicago community.Background Planning: Jan admits that there are many challenges when opening a gallery. She had to simultaneously and successfully manage the business’s fiscal, and curatorial sides. Galleries need municipal and state permits and licenses to run. To receive help with some of these bureaucratic matters, Jan consulted with a small business mentor at the LGBT Chamber of Commerce. She also made sure to create a solid exhibition program and enlist the help of a trusted gallery assistant.Besides business logistics, Jan has also built solid partnerships based on trust with new contemporary artists.Challenges: Staying fiscally afloat and covering expenses like operational costs are challenges that FLXST has had to overcome. Unfortunately, money does dictate how most art institutions must approach programming and that is no different for FLXST. That being said, Jan says that being patient with sales and being frugal without compromising quality is helping FLXST grow. They may not be able to enter large art fairs or hire an extensive staffing team yet, but they are creative with what they have.Successes: Though simply keeping the gallery open is a success in itself, a few moments stand out in Jan’s memory. Last fall, Harvard University acquired four Roberto Jamora prints from the FLXST’s collection, a powerful affirmation of Jan’s gallery goals. FLXST has also had the opportunity to work with many talented, emerging artists like Laura Kina, Jason Dunda, Yasmin Spiro, Jeffrey Augustine Songco, and Oli Rodriguez amongst others.Tipping Point: FLXST is working towards becoming established. It could be right around the corner, but Jan would rather focus on the “now” rather than the “what ifs” of the future.Advice: “Every potential gallery owner should understand what they’re getting into and to have the confidence and creativity in navigating any of the challenges that will come their way.” Jan advises anyone who is thinking about opening a gallery to truly consider all the expenses involved. You must be prepared to cover start up costs and other financial issues that will most likely arise. Unless you are independently wealthy, this could be very difficult. Consider consulting a business advisor and always diligently follow the art market as a whole!<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417787/tieyaq2mocfnyivtcllq.jpg"><figcaption>Art by FLXST artist Jeffrey Augustine Songco</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417788/ltt368wxkl4xkxhgqtnv.jpg"></figure>Ice House GalleryGallery Owner and Director Hannah Litvan opened Ice House Gallery in late 2017 to support, connect and celebrate all things art in Evanston. The gallery is multifaceted. They currently offer community classes and exhibitions while continuing to expand their programming.Why: Hannah noticed that the Evanston area art scene was in need of a gallery that catered to local artists. She hoped to create a space for artists of all levels to showcase their work and gain gallery experience.Background Planning: Before opening, Hannah networked and developed relationships with area artists and other art spaces in order to generate buzz around Ice House’s grand opening. First there was a lot of administrative work to sort through to even reach that point. Originally, Hannah searched for a smaller space, but after finding its larger, current location, she saw an opportunity for future expansion. Ice House could grow beyond its original vision or open additional avenues for income based on the space’s evolving needs.Challenges: Hannah believes that marketing and media are extremely important for any business, especially in today’s climate. “Marketing is always changing and you really have to self educate to stay on top of it.” Ice House’s team overcomes this ever evolving situation through a solid team of employees that seamlessly blend imaging and public presentation. Coming together as a community also lessens the stress of running a new business.Successes: “Staying open for any small business, let alone an art business, is a major accomplishment!” Through flexibility and by listening to the community’s needs, Ice House has survived and thrived. Hannah hopes to be able to update the gallery’s space to look sleeker, as well as add a professional stage for live performances. They are also planning to expand their programming with Art Maker’s Outpost, a new space for creative workshops that will utilize recycled materials from the community.Tipping Point: “It’s happening right now!” Renovations could shift the gallery towards a more “high-end” vibe, and Hannah wants Ice House to enter its next phase to become an established fixture in the Chicago area art scene. COVID-19 has put plans temporarily on hold.Advice: “It’s not easy, but that’s okay! Art is a fluid world and you have to find your niche. Devote yourself to your vision, but listen to your artists and patrons to ensure you’re opening a space that can fill gaps in your art community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Running a New Gallery in a Challenging Climate

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417632/cdcytmefkjevlw6aflqg.jpg"></figure>By CGN Staff via PRWe heard this week about an artist rounding up a group of artists available for hire (with no cost to business owners) to paint area store fronts that are currently boarded up. &nbsp;Pigment artist&nbsp;Barrett Keithley is working to replace images of desolation and destruction with images of hope and unity. Keithley enlisted over 75 artists to paint murals on nearly 15 boarded up buildings over the last week. He and his partner Missy Perkins conceived&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001wvDETeF7EsUYd_SNWd3j2ewsHQSmGwXnojIxidMUczvrlDre_Jbr9o1j97KwgOE3KtlYImkOO41dkbHxTUkqKRPEynMGXVVADMMCSiJu1twvuuW64FHHpQul2jbOTN0tkmcx5BvhckLDPiRpe6bKpHgsl5f8ezQKOUWxvYyvIYu0XogtLpDZoL8hNErdo16feSpGYvKeEzFNeewajKbbxoM-tUKNc9GjbzxAEECNF1p-KT2mgkRYPIvTFyTg0F6qFXtWD5_5fAxYr6MJvi1iOD0ldgSgBjTC&amp;c=q-s-_bXdFRPTz6LESDHlKPF4uk-ihQwoLomsdbVEfQ0G3L2UJOUBiQ==&amp;ch=hzoFuRW277PMrMJ2vlSFTL2tJvLyw7OXwQGiH_utJ6isuvz8q4S_8g==">“Paint the City”</a>&nbsp;project to help the city move forward as peaceful protests, ignited by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, turned to looting across Chicago. Their stated mission is to create inspiring works of art that support equality and show that&nbsp;Black Lives Matter.&nbsp;Keithley and his group of artists have painted 10 buildings so far, mostly on the south and west sides, and they anticipate doubling that this week.&nbsp;“Paint the City” is our way of helping our city heal,” said Keithley, a self-taught artists who grew up on Chicago’s South Side.&nbsp;“We want to help heal and restore our community and transforming boarded up buildings into an art gallery of sorts is one way to do that.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417633/hzpcsjimc9or0ucdsg4r.png"></figure>Once a business contacts the team, they meet with them to decide what they’d like on the building.&nbsp;&nbsp;It could be something of the owners choosing or they can give the artists license to create.&nbsp;&nbsp;Keithley says most people are just looking for something uplifting.&nbsp;&nbsp;Most importantly, these are local artists contributing to their local community.&nbsp;&nbsp;And residents are supporting their effort by dropping off food and refreshments to the artists while they work.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Keithley says the long-term goal of “Paint the City” is to create equal opportunities and resources for Black people within the art community and support local businesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Turning outdoor spaces into galleries, he says, is one way the arts community can rebound post COVID-19.&nbsp;&nbsp;The service is free to business owners who may contact Missy Perkins via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Missygem13@gmail.com">Missygem13@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;They have also started a GoFundMe campaign&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001wvDETeF7EsUYd_SNWd3j2ewsHQSmGwXnojIxidMUczvrlDre_Jbr9o1j97KwgOE3KtlYImkOO41dkbHxTUkqKRPEynMGXVVADMMCSiJu1twvuuW64FHHpQul2jbOTN0tkmcx5BvhckLDPiRpe6bKpHgsl5f8ezQKOUWxvYyvIYu0XogtLpDZoL8hNErdo16feSpGYvKeEzFNeewajKbbxoM-tUKNc9GjbzxAEECNF1p-KT2mgkRYPIvTFyTg0F6qFXtWD5_5fAxYr6MJvi1iOD0ldgSgBjTC&amp;c=q-s-_bXdFRPTz6LESDHlKPF4uk-ihQwoLomsdbVEfQ0G3L2UJOUBiQ==&amp;ch=hzoFuRW277PMrMJ2vlSFTL2tJvLyw7OXwQGiH_utJ6isuvz8q4S_8g==">“Paint the City”</a>&nbsp;to cover the costs of supplies and provide artists’ stipend.&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal of the campaign is $10,000 and so far, they’ve raised just over $4,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;About the Artist:Barrett Keithley is a self-taught artist born on Chicago’s South Side. His passion for art began when he was a child reading and writing poetry. His early influences were poems and writings by Langston Hughes and James Baldwin. Like Hughes and Baldwin, Keithley conveys stories within his body of work. He paints stories about growing up in the area of the south side known as the “Wild Hundreds” that depict the lack of opportunities and resources within his neighborhood. He combines the negatives and positives of his upbringing to construct his own original style of painting. Keithley chooses to use characters that are abstracted, frontal, and flat. In addition, at times he will combine a realistic image to depict complex themes in a pattern technique.&nbsp;He uses colorful imagery to showcase themes such as poverty, death, prosperity, and tranquility.&nbsp;</body></html>

Artist Spotlight: Barrett Keithley's Images of Hope and Unity Replace boarded Up Store Fronts

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418774/wk4mrgcmo2iza1qftwdp.png"><figcaption>Jeffrey Gibson, FOREVER ALWAYS, 2018. Glass beads, artificial sinew, metal studs, tin jingles, acrylic felt, over wood panel, 50" x 43" x 4". Courtesy the artist and <a href="http://kavigupta.com/artist/jeffrey-gibson/">Kavi Gupta Gallery</a>.</figcaption></figure><h3>&nbsp;</h3>By GINNY VAN ALYEACGN has always been, and will continue to be, here for our community. Our mission is to make the arts accessible to all and to be an available and evolving resource. We are committed to make a conscious effort to spotlight voices that are marginalized and to give artists the platform to say what they need. Right now we understand the need to make sure black voices are heard and that the art of black artists is seen. CGN stands against racism, all forms of discrimination and abuse. We have said before that art can save lives, but we understand now, more than ever, that art serves as an essential tool to show the world how cultural narratives matter. We see our local art community, once again, joining together to ensure this truth and hope that more people will be willing to see it. We will always support our partners making these critical efforts.&nbsp;An artist’s view of the world will be seen and experienced through a constructed object, a performance or a concept. This can serve as a powerful resource educating audiences today and in the future . A work of art can connect with the past be it to memorialize tragedy, preserve beauty, or provide a vehicle for&nbsp;participation in a community. It can build a bridge. We know that art can be positively transformative, and we need it now more than ever to raise people up, bring them together and have impactful personal experiences and conversations.&nbsp;#It seems like ages ago already (<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/4/creative-digital-outreach-from-local-art-spaces-during-covid-19-part-iv">April 9</a> to be exact) that I asked in a late night semi-panic what would be left when we get out from under lockdown? I wanted to find the ever-elusive crystal ball that could tell me what was next, of course I was hoping for a more or less happy ending, a bright light at the end of the tunnel.Almost three months on, there are a few more turns to navigate before we emerge from the events 2020 has unveiled thus far. As we can now tell the landscape we originally knew in early March is now dramatically different. One constant is that I miss my art colleagues. CGN is a tiny office of two, just Emily and me. Our wider network consists of dealers, artists, curators, freelance writers, nonprofit administrators, and many more. I've been home all this time with my two young, yet highly energetic "interns" (read the CGN masthead), and we've all stayed sane. We have had a lot of fun. Now every day is 'take your kids to work day,' and my 6 year old let me know she has to work on a vaccine to fight the virus. There will be a day soon where I will miss being with these two new 'colleagues' all the time.&nbsp;#Phase 3 in Chicago means that businesses may reopen. Many galleries are cautiously and safely doing just that – they are making sure their spaces are safe to enter (masks, sanitizer, all that) so you may once again engage with art in person to support artists and the culture that is so vital to furthering our appreciation of and understanding of the present times. Galleries are also being mindful and considerate of the events of the past several days, with many abstaining from celebrations to ensure the focus is on protesting and coming together throughout the city.&nbsp;#As we have learned so well these past months, art is still available for viewing online 24/7. Virtual shows are not going anywhere as of right now. Choosing to view them and purchase art on your own time and from the safety of home continues to be an excellent option. Spend some time on CGN viewing the full range of in-person as well as virtual programming taking place now and throughout the summer. We will be updating individual hours as we can, but most spaces are beginning to open in some capacity now.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418775/r9dbdwwfp21w1ru8ovr2.jpg"><figcaption>The <a href="https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/from-home/">Elmhurst Art Museum</a> is collaborate with Chicago-based artist Matthew Hoffman, known for his You Are Beautiful project, to spread positivity in the community. A new display in the museum’s south windows will add to his permanent outdoor installation on the building. Visit while on a social distanced walk through Wilder Park.</figcaption></figure>We miss being with you and want everyone to stay safe and to feel supported during this time. It is important to know that galleries will always be a space for connecting and reflection.&nbsp;The power of art knows no limits.&nbsp;We will see you again very soon.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Letter from the Publisher  |  Here We Are: Changed but Reopening

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418774/fsyt46boz6eqaejcteu8.jpg"><figcaption>Performance still of Agentic Mode at EXPLODE! Queer dance: Midwest. Image credit: Al Evangelista.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;By RILEY YAXLEYThe first time I meet Marcela Torres, I make a complete fool of myself. For our interview, we meet at The Clayton, a cigar lounge in the West Loop. I have never been to a cigar lounge and feel overwhelmed following Marcela around the cramped, glass humidor. We stop to let a group of three businessmen squeeze in front of us and, after admitting that I know nothing about the various cigar options, she chooses one for me. We sit at a small, round table in the corner of the lounge and Marcela demonstrates how to properly light a cigar using the matches the host gave us.“You want to hold it at a little bit of angle,” she says, and takes a drag from hers. I forget to regularly smoke my cigar during the interview, allowing the smoldering embers to die out, and attempt to relight it several times with my dwindling supply of matches. After the fourth or fifth time, Marcela graciously fetches a torch lighter from the host and offers it to me. “Here. This might be easier.”A colleague invited me to attend Marcela’s second professional cage fight at Joe’s Live in suburban Rosemont in early March. I wasn’t able to make it to her fight, but nonetheless I was introduced to Marcela’s work and was intrigued by her use of martial arts as a way to explore the “mental space of fear” that makes violence possible.During the past year, I have spent a significant amount of time writing and thinking about whether or not art can affect change, specifically as a way to achieve justice for marginalized communities.Marcela has been performing Agentic Mode, a 45-minute movement performance incorporating Muay Thai martial arts, literature, and oral history, for the past two years. Most recently, she performed for EXPLODE! Queer dance: Midwest at Northwestern University, and she was scheduled to perform at the Rose Wagner Theater in Salt Lake City and at The Momentary in Arkansas this spring, until the COVID-19 pandemic upended public events for the foreseeable future.When I ask Marcela about her process of recreating violence in a gallery setting and how she avoids removing violence from its very real contexts, she pauses before cautiously answering, “I do want people to have intense experiences, but I also want it to be a ‘slow consensual experience.’”Agentic Mode is structured into five segments based on Jeff Cooper’s “Color Codes” of awareness (the code was originally four colors used to describe one’s mindset during a lethal confrontation: white, yellow, orange, and red.)&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418775/gznjeif8wfe5lknio5dx.jpg"><figcaption>Installation image of Agentic Mode. Image credit: Jonathan Bagby.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;The “Color Codes” allow her to achieve this gradual, immersive experience, beginning with the white section of the performance, which represents being unaware or inattentive. Here the gallery is brightly lit and Marcela performs a dance that demonstrates elements of Muay Thai form, showing how the martial art can be used for self-defense and as a way to inflict violence. She also reads a series of monologues in between repetitions of the dance, reciting for her audience:“The combatant was not an isolated individual: his actions were taken on behalf of the nation, a hierarchical military establishment, and an intimate, interdependent platoon—this was what distinguished martial combat from murder...”During this monologue, Marcela alludes to the title Agentic Mode, exploring how individuals can commit gruesome, horrific acts on behalf of a nation exploiting nationalistic beliefs to trigger them to act in primal self-defense.Next comes the yellow section – alert, but still relaxed, no immediate threat. The lighting changes. Marcela creates hand symbols and movements referencing guns and fight techniques before the room goes dark for the orange section, where an immediate potential threat is acknowledged.“I wanted [the audience] to feel a little trapped,” Marcela says about the dramatic lighting change. At this point, viewers are likely feeling unnerved, perhaps a little claustrophobic at just how close they are to the unfolding performance. Marcela begins punching the boxing bags she built herself. They are embedded with microphones and attached to loop and reverb pedals that record and distort each strike to form a cacophonous soundscape that reverberates through the gallery.The intensity builds as the performance enters the red section, which represents a definitive lethal threat. Marcela, her voice a riotous shout, recites from memory the lyrics of American hip hop duo Mobb Deep’s “Survival of the Fittest.”“There’s a war goin’ on outside no man is safe from. You could run but you can’t hide forever...”The use of the song shifts the audience’s attention to how urban communities may often be forced into survival mode to act in different ways. Cooper’s “Color Code” becomes a means of understanding how living in a constant state of fear – whether orange or red –causes people to act with a different code of ethics than other communities living under white or yellow.Bathed in crimson light, Marcela straddles the vaguely human-shaped body bag, walloping it over and over again. She hits it for as long as she can while the uproarious, looped sounds continue to ricochet throughout the gallery, reaching a deafening crescendo. The room goes black and the sound continues for several moments before disappearing completely. The last section of the performance has begun.Marcela takes off her tan, desert camo pants and wraps them around the body bag. She cradles it for a minute before crawling towards the crowd, dragging the bag behind her. She rubs her sweaty body against audience members. Some back away, their panicked, repulsed expressions detectable in the dark. Others gently touch her shoulders or back. Eventually, she finds a lap to sit in, asking to use their cell phone as a light so that she can read a final text.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418776/rlzwscsubfeakahzzeme.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;When I ask Marcela about this portion of the performance, she says “meekness or asking for help can be really disgusting to people.” Our instinctive reactions as audience members are revealed. Do we offer assistance or comfort? Do we revile her? Do we look for a way to escape? We have lost control of the situation.The relentless pace and length of Agentic Mode feels like an exercise in endurance, intended to exhaust both Marcela as well as her audience. However, Marcela adds that the shape of her work has also been determined by career pressures. She jokes she wasn’t getting as much gallery attention earlier in her career, explaining how she realized she needed to make a performance “at least 30–40 minutes to be on the bill by itself.” She adds that there must be objects incorporated as well in order to call it an exhibition.Marcela is insistent, “I strive for performance to be a really technical machine. I don’t want to be thought of as only a performance artist. I also want to be considered an athlete, a theorist, an educator.” To me, the faint, discolored bruises on her face from the fight a few nights prior remind me that she is challenging herself in a different way than other artists do.She shyly admits to feeling like an imposter in the fight community that she has borrowed inspiration from and expresses an earnest desire to understand what it means to be a member of that community.“I lost the fight”, she says sheepishly, adding quickly that it made her realize, “Maybe I’m finally doing the thing I said I was. Having somebody that strong trying to hurt me, I couldn’t fall back on my plans or training. Instead, I used my instincts.” Despite her loss, Marcela explains how terrifying it was to have a person taller and stronger than she more or less attempting to kill her.“Oh my God, my performance is beating me up,” she says about the experience, laughing. ”But, I asked this person, ‘Please, beat me up.’”&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418776/bgntkcyu0njh39vdklz6.jpg"><figcaption>Octagon ring at Joe’s Live in Rosemont, Illinois.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;In order to make a work about violence, she wanted it to be real – something that the audience could feel. During her fight, Marcela experienced the instinctual fear she has aimed to recreate with Agentic Mode.Curious about how the experience will influence Marcela’s work, I ask her a question in this vein and take a last puff of my cigar. After two hours, I am getting better at relighting it, besides accidentally starting a small blaze in our ashtray by dropping a still lit match into the heap of used matches.Marcela begins to talk and pauses, taking a moment to consider what she’s going to say. “I think a fight can be art, but I don’t want people to think of [my fight] as art because it takes away from the art that’s already there. This is a martial art people study their whole life for.”Our conversation comes back to my original question: How do you create artwork about violence that helps audiences understand violence as a lived reality?“Performance, the idea of making something experiential, is the only thing you can really do.” Marcela speculates, “You’re explaining it in a way that hopefully doesn’t shove it down their throats like ‘We die every day.’ Maybe that’s the only way you can understand, because you’re still making the choice.”I think again of her describing Agentic Mode as a “slow consensual experience.” Violence is rarely consensual. Like Marcela putting herself in a fighting cage, where she could get seriously harmed, to understand what it feels like to be a part of the fight community, her audience chooses to witness her performance—trusting Marcela to make them experience the mental space of fear that makes violence possible.“It’s a sport. It’s over. She just wanted to win,” Marcela says soberly, sitting back in the leather armchair.Her observation, while strikingly succinct, is perhaps the best answer to my questions. We can watch Agentic Mode unfold, allow it to unsettle us and help us understand our instinctual, bodily responses to situations of fear, but it is simply a performance. It ends. Marcela has posed the questions about violence that she wanted to. We have to choose to find the answers.&nbsp;</body></html>

Marcela Torres Wants Us To Experience Violence

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418153/l7qlu7rzv3gsmgchncyw.jpg"><figcaption>BOB FAUST, Michael Workman / Landing Projects. 2858 W. Belle Plaine Ave. Chicago, IL 60618 Vinyl lettering on glass, 23” h x 21” w. Not for sale. Artist’s Note: From a foundation that is at best precarious, we enter 2020 with an uncertainty that requires our own power and focus to remain upright. The number “2020” is both a date focused on this political moment in time, as well as a measurement as a call for clarity of vision. By siting “Hope &amp; Peace” in Landing Projects’ windows and playing on the transparency between inside and out or what is “mine” vs. “ours,” it is a super direct reminder of what we need both domestically as well as communally.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;By CGN Staff via PRThe past several weeks have made many artists and art world players think very differently about how to make and share art with a public that is largely unable to gather in one place. The organizers of a new initiative, based out of Chicago but with a global reach, were inspired by the generosity of artists and the power of art to transform and connect us.&nbsp;ART-IN-PLACE (AIP) is an initiative of <a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=a88b693967&amp;e=a71d7765a5">CNL Projects</a> (founded in 2016 by Cortney Lederer) and <a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=5c111d8104&amp;e=a71d7765a5">Terrain Exhibitions</a> (a nonprofit founded in Oak Park Illinois by the late artist Sabina Ott and author John Paulett.) At the onset of the pandemic, these art connectors noticed so many artists began to create and offer to send small artworks in the mail to anyone that asked. Artists were using Instagram as a platform to share this generous offering. They shared collaged postcards (<a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=489ef5137b&amp;e=a71d7765a5">Kelly Kristen Jones</a> and <a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=7f4ea96c6d&amp;e=a71d7765a5">Melissa Oresky</a>), "corona rings” (<a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=8435e0cb9c&amp;e=a71d7765a5">Laura Davis</a>), seeds to grow (<a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=d4b2de050b&amp;e=a71d7765a5">Anna Brown</a>), plant clippings, and other creative works. CNL says they received about five different artworks in the mail within a couple weeks. Art became a way to connect, inspire and bring hope during a moment when we were all so suddenly disconnected from one another. We&nbsp;felt moved and inspired. We wanted to create a platform to share this generosity and consider what we all need right now—connection to others outside the virtual. There is no better tool for this than art. Visit <a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=323cfea47f&amp;e=a71d7765a5">https://www.cnlprojects.org/artinplace</a> to view participating artists. The organizers note that due to&nbsp;the fact that over 275 artists are participating (including artist living in Berlin, Canada, Japan, India, Israel and Peru) they are still in process of uploading artists' image details and websites. Click on each artist's image to learn more about each artist and locate an address of where to tour art in your community. A live map is being developed for release next week.&nbsp; Collectors have the option to purchase a beautiful set of curated postcards showcasing a collection of every ART-IN-PLACE participating artist (forthcoming). Artists collectables, editions and original works of art are available for purchase. Please contact <a href="mailto:cortney@cortneylederer.com?subject=NEWSLETTER">cortney@cortneylederer.com</a> if you are interested in a work of art.&nbsp;&nbsp;From each artwork sale,&nbsp;artists receive 80% and&nbsp;donate 20% to the <a href="https://cortneylederer.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=209edfd3257df90385f531e52&amp;id=1ff9d0b750&amp;e=a71d7765a5">Arts for Illinois Relief Fund,</a>&nbsp;which provides financial relief to workers and organizations in the creative industries impacted by COVID-19.&nbsp; All proceeds from postcards sales will also support this fund.ART-IN-PLACE will be on view from May 20–June 20, 2020&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418154/tb8cjxwf5xylalk8yle7.png"><figcaption>AIMÉE BEAUBIEN 2443 N. Francisco Ave. Chicago, IL 60647 &nbsp;Size variablePrinted banner material, paradord $3,500 Artist’s Note: What happens when a plant closes its eyes, when it loses its leaves? What will the last leaf look like?For After the Last Leaf, I took stock of my immediate landscape and photographed specific leaves plucked from plants growing inside of my home and in the garden that surrounds. Qualities of the garden run parallel to the nature of photography: they are spaces defined by interactions of the scientific, the accidental and the temporal. Wild, fast growing vines slink through the yard and climb around our house. In my home studio, plants mingle with huge tangles of cut and woven photographs that dangle down from the ceiling in various states of progress and decay. I photograph the ever-changing conditions as plants dry and projects grow.Vines trail, ramble, lean, flop, twine, weave, root, grasp, cling and climb. I translate my responses to the vitality of vines by pushing color while imagining how energy is harnessed from the sun in photosynthesis. I reorganize the scale of my photographs to amplify the ambition of vine movements while translating their enviable ability to embrace everything near in acts of remarkable adaptability. Vines are tenacious. Vines will win.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418155/s6215hoqdcirvqlpgc0t.png"><figcaption>CECIL MCDONALD, JR. 10026 S. Wood Chicago, IL 60643 40” x 30”Mylar and pigment ink$3,000 Artist’s Note: Car garage wrapped in Mylar, waited for the colors of night, street lamps, car headlights, brake lights and the green of the surrounding nature to reflect in a spectacular fashion for the photograph. The goal was to explore the transformative power of photography.</figcaption></figure></body></html>

ART-IN-PLACE: A Project to Connect, Inspire and Bring Hope While We Are Disconnected

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417879/al4yzksibpsvkvtuqrhu.png"><figcaption>Artist Mark Yee with patrons the Williams family</figcaption></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAEvery three years, the Hyde Park Art Center relaunches its famed artist–patron matchmaking endeavor. It's a multifaceted, immersive art experience and benefit for the center, and its return is always greatly anticipated. In the best of times, the program gives much needed exposure and support to area artists, while also introducing new collectors to the world of commissions and artist relationships. It also raises funds for the art center and its programming. NJAPF facilitates lasting relationships between artists and patrons, a new base of support for artists, and investment in the vitality of Chicago’s cultural community.Now, with the majority of working artists now unemployed or without their usual financial lifelines, HPAC launched a special COVID-19 edition of the program (the most recent edition of the program concluded at the end of 2019.) &nbsp;The Art Center was inspired by one of its Board members who purchased art as a way to support artists through this difficult time.&nbsp;Taking place every three years, Not Just Another Pretty Face is a collaborative commissioning project created by Hyde Park Art Center. The Art Center arranges commissions between patrons and artists who create engaging personal works of art (from the traditional to the very untraditional).The project has been a successful way for the Art Center to cultivate a very important part of the “ecosystem” that artists need in order to thrive – collectors – by embracing, and encouraging, the idea of patronage in contemporary art. The goal of the program, according to HPAC staff, is guided by the belief that artists need not only consumers (i.e., collectors) of their work, but also need a community of people who know and support them and value what they do.To date, the Art Center has raised over $900,000—half of which goes directly into the hands of artists, with the other half going to support Art Center programs. Through&nbsp;Not Just Another Pretty Face, 375+ original works of art have been commissioned by 275 new and established collectors interested in investing in Chicago’s artists.For this edition, here's what you need to know:<ul><li>No art collecting experience is necessary, and there's something for every budget and style. Peruse the roster of artists available <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TBk5YFyprmE0a__vTXvUvNKwau55DKeuJfYbTCxdLVmR7reqo6pQLhAdn-89cE6M5VkG7g31LgAWU53YAu91qCeFO8qo1eWFtCTeptu5-5AC2yK9Gy8vJCTmJqyUEFXII9mVIyb2r5vE2ScX-jyYceUaoc6Plh_W&amp;c=IMSoXDtN6YQF6maGwUYgs20dwPJ_-RTRApk7C8WhOuKjbIc0LFxzMA==&amp;ch=W7jSJB2Yvzt0RKsGy2D2sX-_HlEyuy2ROlrDZseflSkM3a4TytR5ug==">here.</a></li><li>Art Center staff will arrange virtual studio visits with artists and facilitate commissions and sales over the next few weeks.</li><li>The commission and/or sale fee will be split 50% to the artist and 50% as a tax-deductible donation to the Art Center’s relief fund, which will go directly to pay artists through our programs.</li></ul>If you are interested in learning more, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TBk5YFyprmE0a__vTXvUvNKwau55DKeuJfYbTCxdLVmR7reqo6pQLhAdn-89cE6MqXiDZxXmRohALCXwq--_6zdKI_b8iZUUjlxB2xG2TGYrTyVrAO2Qfp7YUJi8Iwp_ZSf9CiWMobD0GVPtKMnS6aKglu3HxqFRb343XCVcu1zBlg6cLdXBaA-jg0oGLt5rK2QwgHwxAlQpobOWlDD8PSGnE-ED5Ofl0IvXy55Oj6R2F3-LSxaLaVGl0xzRgnHF&amp;c=IMSoXDtN6YQF6maGwUYgs20dwPJ_-RTRApk7C8WhOuKjbIc0LFxzMA==&amp;ch=W7jSJB2Yvzt0RKsGy2D2sX-_HlEyuy2ROlrDZseflSkM3a4TytR5ug==">please fill out this form</a> and someone from HPAC will be in touch.Since its inception in the mid-1990s, Not Just Another Pretty Face has maintained its pursuit of three primary goals:<ul><li>To support Chicago’s artists;</li><li>To make collecting and patronage accessible to a wider group of people; and</li><li>To explore the idea of portraiture in contemporary art.</li></ul>My husband and I participated in the program several years ago and commissioned a wedding present that was a gift from my parents. We loved the selection process as well as the unveiling event and exhibition, and we have kept in touch with "our artist" Mel Watkin. Many people who have participated in NJAPF do so again, and again. This is proving to be a time that will be challenging for artists for a very long time. It is also a time when hopefully we recognize the importance of art in our lives and how it can help us during dark and uncertain days. The NJAPF COVID-10 edition offers opportunities for all.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hydeparkart.org/njapf-2019">SEE THE ARTISTS AVAILABLE FOR 2020 COVID-19 EDITION OF NJAPF</a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/hydeparkartcenter/sets/72157673842514364">SEE IMAGES FROM THE 2019 NOT JUST ANOTHER PRETTY FACE UNVEILING</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://files.constantcontact.com/e0e61f61601/4eb1a619-da30-479a-85f5-3b47cb848640.png" alt=""><figcaption>Chad Kouri, Support Structure, hand cut vinyl on black paper, 11x14, 2019. Commissioned by Onyx Montes for the 2019 iteration of Not Just Another Pretty Face.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

Hyde Park Art Center Launches Special COVID-19 Edition of Art Matchmaking Program

<figure class="image"><img src="https://files.constantcontact.com/e0e61f61601/fd572b4f-0c47-4f8b-b3a2-f2c34ef7584a.png" alt=""><figcaption>“Stay Home, Make Art" Design by: Kari “Kasmos” Black. Artists: Dorian Sylvain, Kari “Kasmos” Black, Kahari Black and Katon Black.</figcaption></figure>By CGN via HPAC Staff&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/">Hyde Park Art Center</a> just sent us a reminder that, as they say, distance can't stop us from caring. One artist, who lives with her family not far from HPAC, decided to create her own art during lockdown. Not only did she get creative, but she wanted to make it public as well as use it as a means to cheer others while reminding them to say safe but also busy and inspired at home. Those in the neighborhood can pop by on foot or by car to admire the mural while the Art Center's doors are closed. – CGN&nbsp;When one sees a white wall, another sees hope, and&nbsp;Art Center&nbsp;teaching artist/Center Program alumna&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Kkm9bKppjOkdZwUPKBRdeSDTnq78Tlrw5qh0CgiC_smnBoATccWC0emGrxNwHxlaUpd55T8J8T8uJ9LiavNl1-kWXgmGexluRtRJ93n0ODqhqnAMAiFfhC3b7jZTo_FLyUundtCMa33bvgMJMr4jEg==&amp;c=e67iZzZR19_iMz2PfvJ8uVy1towYYcTN_D8dVqiH3V9SsCrEQ2GjNA==&amp;ch=weIn88dDbSKgUb_Fa23UuSJOgb5K07rQYOnaD-fDzHHEeFoGUSOqBA==">Dorian Sylvain </a>knows this very well.&nbsp;She&nbsp;along with her sons&nbsp;Kari Sylvain&nbsp;(mural designer),&nbsp;Kahari Sylvain,&nbsp;and Katon Sylvain are the artists behind the temporary quarantine-time mural "Stay Home, Make Art" which you can see&nbsp;on the north wall of&nbsp;our building. We had a chance to chat with&nbsp;Dorian, who told us about the inspiration for the mural.What motivated you to create&nbsp;the mural?DS: During the early&nbsp;days of the quarantine, my boys and I talked a lot about what message we could send to our neighbors. We were&nbsp;all under so much stress, I felt color in our "new" desolate landscape could be healing. Remembering that Hyde Park Art Center had a white wall...we thought let's do it! It was kinda spontaneous. My son has a sketchbook full of adorably cute&nbsp;characters...we thought a light message would be well received.What do you hope people take away when seeing the mural?DS: We wanted to send a&nbsp;message of love; bright colors to heal the spirit, playful characters to lighten the mood, and of course a message of caution..."Stay Home."What has helped you stay creative?DS: I somehow&nbsp;feel a responsibility, as a public artist, to attempt to use my skills to educate (many people are not getting the message) and maybe to bring a little joy to a passerby with the subtext..."I miss HUGS!" I think most of us share that sentiment!&nbsp;You can also "visit" Hyde Park Art Center <a href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/">online</a> (they give you lots of ways to make art from home!)&nbsp;

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