Nostalgia Now, The Art of Jill Meyerhoff

The tragic July 4th shooting that so disrupted the peace of mind of this otherwise peaceful North Shore community prompted artist Jill Meyerhoff to take her feelings and put them into an homage to the city that will be featured as a POP UP style exhibit starting on October 28 at The Art Center Highland Park.

“Meyerhoff’s installation connects us to collective memories of a time and place and is a true love letter to the city”, says The Art Center Highland Park’s curator, Caren Helene Rudman. “With its beginning as a compulsion to collect memorabilia her work has taken on a whole new dimension”. A native Highland Park resident, Meyerhoff has spent the last 50+ years as a working artist/sculptor. Her work has included toy design, public sculpture, claymation, 3D clay illustration, dioramas, and private commissions. In this exhibit found objects are transformed to create a kind of reverie.

“Lately I put away the clay and started playing with some vintage oil paints that I found. I love how rich and electric the colors can be, the perfect medium for my obsession with the mod 60s and 70s.  Since I was very young, I collected unusual and interesting objects; toys, fossils, plastic tokens, miniatures, and more. I assumed that my little treasures were capable of human emotion...and with my new work, I hope to capture the secret life of inanimate objects and the power they hold on capturing a sense of nostalgia now,” says Meyerhoff.

The reception, free and open to the public, is scheduled for 12 to 2 PM on Saturday October 29th and will be filled with family fun. Participants will be invited to create their own mini canvases that will then be added to the “Show Within A Show” diorama. 

Exhibit hours are Monday through Saturday, from 10 AM to 4 PM in the Elkins Gallery at The Art Center Highland Park, 1957 Sheridan Road, Highland Park, IL, 60035, 847-432-1888.

The Art Center, a not-for-profit organization, is the North Shore’s home for artistic discovery and creative exploration. Through innovative programs, exhibitions, and classes designed for all levels and ages, The Art Center provides a welcoming space for our diverse communities to experience and participate in the arts.

Press Info: call 847-432-1888 or email media@theartcenterhp.org

Image Credit: 'Hula Hoop, 1972', by artist Jill Meyerhoff, 2007. Photo courtesy of Jill Meyerhoff.