Chicago Artists Month, Day 2: Ravenswood

I went to the Ravenswood Art Walk today.  Every time I go to arts events in Chicago, I am impressed by the number of artists and arts organizations we have here. It's one of the things I love about Chicago. Here are a few of my favorite things I saw in Ravenswood today.

Cornelia Arts Building

Paintings by Jeremiah Ketner

This was my second time visiting the Cornelia Arts Building, which is home to numerous artists.  Some I may have featured on here before, while others are new to this blog:

Alexander Von Agoston

Glough Stained Glass

Birkenheuer Photography

Scott Simons

Jason Messinger

I also toured the Lillstreet Art Center and was impressed with the array of art forms on display there.

Painting by David Todd Trost

They offer courses in glass-blowing, ceramics, painting, screen printing, and textiles.

I also got a chance to visit the studio of an artist I met recently named Vesna Jovanovic. She is a painter as well as a sculptor.

I almost passed up the opportunity to visit Architectural Artifacts until a woman standing in the doorway said, "You have got to go in there!"  I am so glad I listened to her.  What I found was a treasure trove of vintage furniture, fixtures, and odds and ends that would be great for making stuff.

Another shop I also visited was Hazel, which has a nicely curated collection of home decor and gift items.

Though they have a website, I recommend visiting this charming little shop in person.  At 1902 and 1926 W. Montrose, both its locations are walking distance from the CTA Brown Line.

So far, I've enjoyed my Chicago Artists Month adventures. I hope to have more to share with you later this week!

Chicago Artists Month, Day 1: Wicker Park, North Lawndale, and Pilsen

Today has been a really long day for me, but I mean that in the best possible way.  What better way to spend your day than doing things you love?


My first stop was in Wicker Park, where I visited the Coyote Arts Festival.  I spent time perusing the studios and maze-like hallways of the Flat Iron Building.  While I was there, I saw one of my Fine Arts Building neighbors, Jennifer Cronin.  Here are some of her paintings.

And here are a few other photos from the Flat Iron:

My next stop was North Lawndale, where I went to the opening for the Chicago Black Artists Show, where three of my paintings are on display.

It was an intimate gathering and everyone in attendance had a chance to introduce themselves and ask the artists questions.  There is going to be a discussion with the artists on the 16th so I feel like I got to have a preview of what it will be like.

Then I went to The Pilsen East Artists' Open House, where I had a chance to visit a few galleries I hadn't seen before.  With its abundance of pop-up spaces, there is always something new in the Pilsen Arts District.

I saw a sign on the sidewalk advertising "Photography for Ladies" and when to see what it was all about.  When I opened the door to The Sitting Room, it was like walking on to the set of a glamorous old movie.  What a fun way to be photographed.

I really enjoyed the 50/50 Pilsen Show, which featured a mixture of art and crafts from the displaying artists.  It was like a smaller, indoor version of the Renegade Craft Fair.  In fact, some of them had booths there a few weeks ago.  Here are a few that I liked:

Anna Todaro

Moxiedoll

Felix & Jayne

I had a great time meeting other artists as well.  Here are two I'd like to introduce to my readers:

Travis Mitchell lives & works at the Flat Iron building and does amazing work with ink.

Simone Hester is also exhibiting at the Liz Long gallery and does incredible digital photography.

You still have time to see the shows in Pilsen and Wicker Park this weekend.  For more information, visit the Chicago Artists Month page.


My next stop is the Ravenswood Art Walk.

October is Chicago Artists Month

Today is the first day of Chicago Artists Month.  As the autumn leaves begin to fall and we get closer and closer to the infamous Chicago winter, at least this month's festivities can distract us from the impending doom of ice, slush, and snow.  I have planned a sort of hibernation from mid-November until March, so this month's excursions are a way for me to store up experiences for the winter.

I am so glad I'm in a different place than I was this time last year.  Now I can actually enjoy myself.  I am participating in two shows this month.  Three of my pieces, Anhedonia, Pain's Grey, and Composition in Primaries, are on display at the Chicago Black Artists show in the Liz Long Gallery at Urban Art Retreat. The gallery is on the west side of Chicago at 1957-59 S. Spaulding Avenue.  The opening reception is today from 1-4 p.m. There will be a discussion with the artists in the show October 16, from 2-4 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. The show runs from Saturday, October 1 until Saturday, November 12, and the gallery is only open on Saturdays.

I am also having a special open studio event this month.  My first guest artist of the year, Raquel Stallworth, will be displaying her work in my studio.



Raquel Stallworth, The Middle



 And in addition to all the artistic festivities taking place this month, The Chicago International Film Festival will be October 6th through the 20th.  What I love about their website is that it allows you to create a schedule of all the movies you plan to see so you can make the most of it.  Also, there are several free panel discussions taking place that should offer valuable information to aspiring filmmakers and open-minded artists alike.  With all this excitement, who knows when I will have time to actually paint.  Perhaps I'll save that for the winter, while I hibernate and avoid going out in the ice and snow.

For more information:

Chicago Artists Month
Chicago International Film Festival