Well, after the winter we all had, aren’t we thrilled to be looking ahead to the summer? So much of the past few months seemed to just be about muddling through. Now, as we move into an energetic May, enjoy the warmth of sunny June and July, and end up in hot and sleepy August, we will see our city and neighborhoods bloom. This summer will be like one big stretch after such a long and binding hibernation. 

This new issue of Chicago Gallery News offers a great deal of inspiration for expanding beyond our usual horizons and discovering art in places one might not expect. We are excited about new arrivals like the Ed Paschke Art Center opening in June, and we can't wait for more chances to be outside viewing art and enjoying our city. Hitting the old trails is never truly "old," since so many galleries and museums change their exhibitions regularly all year, but with new and blooming things on our mind, and just in time for the warmer weather, we have gathered a list of local art fairs and festivals taking place in Chicago, the suburbs, and even in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. When you are traveling this summer to see family or if you’re in need of a spur-of-the-moment road trip with friends, check out the list of what you’ll find for a weekend in Madison or Michigan City, or an afternoon in Winnetka or Lake Forest. 

There are even ways for those still learning to walk to enjoy art. Mary DeYoe investigates the many fun ways that families can enjoy area museums and parks. Morning stroller walks at the Art Institute and summer evenings spent together on the MCA terrace are best this time of year and may just help you raise a future artist or patron. 

Kevin Nance gives us a revealing peek inside eight artist studios. Seeing each of these artists in their unique creative environment helps us understand what happens on the way to the gallery - we are invited in to see how the artistic process influences art as well as our appreciation of it. Nance also interviews a couple deeply involved in the process of building an art collection: Janis Kanter and Tom McCormick share their perspectives on buying and enjoying art as a couple, and they speak about the power of ‘have to have it’ when it comes to that special piece.

A variation on ‘have to have it’ is ‘have to do it.’ Laura Miller spoke with a veteran painter who knew from a very young age that she just had to be an artist. Vera Klement, now 84 years old, has built a remarkable career by taking on one project one at a time. 

Summer will once again pass by too quickly, but we will enjoy its offerings while we can. Whether you’re off on a gallery walk, attending the Magritte show at the Art Institute, joining a collector group, partying at CAC's Starving Artist benefit or simply noticing the sculptures in Millennium Park, embrace the season and the art.