The Art Center-Highland Park ~ From Nature

Save the Date: Friday, May 22 from 6:30-9pm

Jody Berns, “In the Heat of the Night”, Digital Photograph, 12” x 12” 

This past weekend, I selected work for inclusion into the "From Nature" exhibition, to be presented at The Art Center-Highland Park this spring. With beautifully composed imagery created by conceptually driven fine artists, “From Nature” offers a fresh look at the world around us. The exhibition presents an exciting and alternative view of elements found within nature.

Highland Park resident, Jody Berns will be included in the exhibition with a twelve-inch square black and white digital photograph titled “In the Heat of the Night”. The image presents a confined thorny botanical composition utilizing strong chiaroscuro to silhouette the sharp yet inviting forms. The title alludes to the passions of the forbidden—like Joseph Cornell’s boxes—presenting the uncomfortable dichotomy of pleasure and pain.

James Tansley, “Hot Aspect”, Acrylic on Canvas, 18” x 24”

“Hot Aspect”, a vibrant abstract acrylic painting created by Chicago Artist, James Tansley, will  also included in the “From Nature” exhibition. With complex botanical references, the intimate canvas combines gestural organic forms with a refreshingly spring color palette.

Other—more literal—interpretations of the nature theme will be seen throughout the exhibition including; a large format photograph by Ilza Arajs [Evanston, IL] of an ostrich fern unfurling, a simplistically beautiful photographic composition of an eggshell by Vera Todd [Evanston, IL], and a tightly-painted composition of seashells, situated on a highly polished surface, by Chicago Artist, Helen Oh. I'll be talking more about these artists in future posts.

“From Nature” will be presented at The Art Center-Highland Park from May 7 through July 10, with a public reception scheduled for Friday, May 22, from 6:30 to 9pm. The Art Center-Highland Park is located at 1957 Sheridan Road in Highland Park, Illinois. Gallery Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9am–4:30pm and Sunday, by appointment. All work in the exhibition is available for purchase. The exhibition continues through July 10.

The Art Center-Highland Park is dedicated to promoting the appreciation of contemporary fine art through exhibitions by both established and emerging artists. We foster creativity through the experience and discussion of fine art and offer extensive educational opportunities through a broad range of classes, panel discussions, workshops and lectures. A nonprofit organization, The Art Center-Highland Park connects artists with the community at large—supporting creativity at every level.

Art Shay at The Art Center-Highland Park

Muddy Waters and his wife Geneva in Chicago, 1951 Art Shay image

The Art Center-Highland Park will host a reception tonight celebrating the work of world class street photographer, Art Shay. The exhibition chronicles segments of Shay's life... from moments with his family and beloved wife; Florence, through his time in the military, and his work as a Chicago-based freelance photographer—which landed him thousands of assignments for Life, Time and Sports Illustrated.

Many of the images offer a nostalgic view of the 50's and 60's including beautiful celebrity portraits of Brando, Liz Taylor and a variety of music greats including Muddy Waters. But the images that stand out are those that seem timeless: Children playing on the back porches of a  ghetto, silhouettes of military men waiting at a train station, and the weathered faces of working class middle America. The exhibition is filled with emotion... a bit of humor and moments of interspersion.

The reception is tonight from 6:30 to 9pm. The exhibition continues through April 4th. All of the prints are available for purchase. The Art Center – Highland Park is located at 1957 Sheridan Road in Highland Park, IL 60035


For over 70 years, Art Shay has documented his life, combining his gifts of storytelling, humor and empathy. Born in 1922, he grew up in the Bronx and then served as a navigator in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, during which he flew 30 bomber missions and 22 aid missions. From 1947-1949, while on staff as a writer for Life magazine, Shay wrote hundreds of bylines while helping out some of the greatest of Life's photographers. In 1949, Shay became a Chicago-based freelance photographer, landing thousands of assignments for Life, Time, Sports Illustrated and other national publications. Shay photographed nine US Presidents along with many major literary, business, entertainment, science and political figures of the 20th century. A world class street photographer, Shay wondered countless miles throughout the 1950s exploring the city with author Nelson Algren, the winner of the first National Book Award. Shay wrote weekly columns for various newspapers, several plays, children's books, sports instruction books and several photo essay books including "My Florence" which was released February 2015. Art Shay's photography is included in the permanent collections of museums including the National Portrait Gallery and The Art Institute of Chicago.

Breaking Criminal Traditions ~ Additional Programming: Friday, February 27 at 7pm

Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Overwhelme, Stoneware, 6 x 6 x 6.5" 

Please join us on Friday, February 27 at 7pm, for evening of Free Programming in conjunction with the fine art exhibition, Breaking Criminal Traditions on view at The Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College

The evening will include a Dance Performance Piece by Jasmin Jahal, followed by a Panel Discussion lead by Breaking Criminal Traditions Executive Producer, Cheryl Jefferson, and a screening of the documentary "Honor Diaries". The event should conclude at 9pm.

The Madden Theatre is located in the same building as the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College… 171 E. Chicago Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540. We look forward to seeing you!

Additional Information:
The art of influence... Breaking Criminal Traditions is an exhibition created to raise awareness of global criminal traditions. Criminal traditions are ancient, ongoing rituals that kill or maim millions each year—yet they are rarely considered crimes. In creating awareness and beginning a dialogue, the intention is to promote change from within each affected culture.

Debuting in 2013 at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, variations of the exhibit have been presented at: The Beverly Art Center, The Art Center-Highland Park and the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College. Each new venue presents a unique body of work—incorporating select pieces from prior exhibitions, as well as new works. All of the pieces are selected to allude to the issues without being overtly obvious. The content of the exhibition addresses the harsh reality of the world in which we live—and the intense beauty of empowerment and freedom. Additional information can be found at BreakingCriminalTraditions.com
.

Opening Tonight: Breaking Criminal Traditions at the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College

 

Opening Tonight: Breaking Criminal Traditions at the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College 171 E. Chicago Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540. The event is from 6:30-9

The art of influence... Breaking Criminal Traditions is an exhibition created to raise awareness of global criminal traditions. Criminal traditions are ancient, ongoing rituals that kill or maim millions each year—yet they are rarely considered crimes. In creating awareness and beginning a dialogue, the intention is to promote change from within each affected culture.

Debuting in 2013 at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, variations of the exhibit have been presented at: The Beverly Art Center, The Art Center-Highland Park and the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College. Each new venue presents a unique body of work—incorporating select pieces from prior exhibitions, as well as new works. All of the pieces are selected to allude to the issues without being overtly obvious. The content of the exhibition addresses the harsh reality of the world in which we live—and the intense beauty of empowerment and freedom.

The exhibition includes work by: Corinna Button, James Deeb, Sheila Ganch, Charles Gniech, Sergio Gomez, Andrea Harris, Lelde Kalmite, Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Richard Laurent, Kathy Liao, Chandrika Marla, Nancy Rosen, Lorraine Sack, Dominic Sansone, Valerie Schiff, Barbara Simcoe, and Anne Smith Stephan.

The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions opens tonight with an Opening Reception from 6:30-9pm. All works are available for purchase. The Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College is located at 171 E. Chicago Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540. The Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition will continue through April 6, 2015. Additional information can be found at BreakingCriminalTraditions.com
.

Breaking Criminal Traditions at the Schoenherr Gallery of North Centeral College, Opens Friday

Charles Gniech, Bound, Acrylic on Canvas, 40x60"

This Friday, the latest incarnation of The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition will open at the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College in Naperville. The exhibition features artists from around the country, calling attention to ongoing ancient rituals that kill or maim millions each year. The exhibition utilizes the beauty of high-quality fine art to allude to human rights issues.

The exhibition is filled with symbolic imagery with multiple levels of meaning. Bound a 40 x 60 inch acrylic painting, can be seen as a tied figure but the ropes can be seen as metaphor for the psychological constants that are imposed on victims of violence and abuse. The heroic figure isn't restrained by the rope, yet he seems to grasp for the fibers that restrict him.

The exhibition includes work by: Corinna Button, James Deeb, Sheila Ganch, Charles Gniech, Sergio Gomez, Andrea Harris, Lelde Kalmite, Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Richard Laurent, Kathy Liao, Chandrika Marla, Nancy Rosen, Lorraine Sack, Dominic Sansone, Valerie Schiff, Barbara Simcoe, and Anne Smith Stephan.

The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions opens Friday, February 13th with an Opening Reception from 6:30-9pm. All works are available for purchase. The Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College is located at 171 E. Chicago Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540. The Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition will continue through April 6, 2015.

Ted Preuss at ZIA Gallery

Ted Preuss, Otter Cove, 36" x 30"

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 24, 5–7pm.

This Saturday, ZIA Gallery in Winnetka will be debuting selected large format photographs from Ted Preuss' latest body of work titled "The Sea". These beautifully defined seascapes utilize extended exposure to capture the movement of the water—creating a vague and peaceful fog to contrast the sharpness of the shoreline rocks.

The exhibition also includes select pieces from Preuss' past works, including still-life tintypes and his exploration of the female form in the "Simple Beauty" series... Truly something for every black and white photography enthusiast. Preuss uses traditional techniques, including a large format view camera with century old lenses.

The Photography of Ted Preuss can be seen at ZIA Gallery through February 28. ZIA Gallery is located at 548 Chestnut in Winnetka, IL 6009. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am–5pm, Thursday 10am–7pm and closed Sunday and Monday. Free street parking is always available.

Ted Preuss, a self-taught photographer, was born 1962 in Colorado. He picked up his first camera at the age of seven and instantly became obsessed with the nature of the medium. His passion for photography led to a career as a freelance architectural photographer for a decade in Boston and San Francisco. Today his work is primarily fine art B&W photography using a vintage view camera with century old lenses. The process of making prints is as important to him as the practice of creating photographs. Preuss chose hand coated platinum-palladium as a medium for its distinct vintage quality and archival properties. His work has been featured in Zoom Magazine, Focus Magazine, and Large Format Magazine.

Paula Kloczkowski Luberda ~ Breaking Criminal Traditions at North Central College

 Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Anticipation, ceramic and wood, 25” x 7” x 15” 

Save the date:
Opening Reception: Friday, February 13, 6:30-9pm

The next evolution of the Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition will open at the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College on Monday, February 9th. A public Opening Reception is scheduled for Friday, February 13th from 6:30-9pm. The show features the work of eighteen artists from around the country, calling attention to the ongoing ancient rituals that kill or maim millions each year—yet are not considered crimes. The exhibition focuses on the beauty of high-quality fine art to raise awareness of human rights issues and—in doing so—begins a dialogue that may encourage change.

This provocative yet engaging exhibition debuted in 2013 at the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, putting the shadowy topics of honor killing, child marriage, acid violence—among others—directly in front of current and future law makers. Since the show debuted, new fine art pieces have been added. The show has evolved into the unique presentation designed specifically for the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College.

A series of dramatic ceramic and mixed media sculptures—created by Naperville Artist, Paula Kloczkowski Luberda—are included in this exhibition. The sculptures offer us a look into  Kloczkowski Luberda's though-provoking world, with psychologically-driven, nondescript figures in situations with which we can all identify.

Paula Kloczkowski Luberda will be taking part in a Breaking Criminal Traditions panel discussion in the Madden Theater of North Central College on Thursday, February 12. The Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College is located at 171 E. Chicago Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540. The Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition will continue at the Schoenherr Gallery through April 6, 2015.

Paula Kloczkowski Luberda is an established and widely exhibited artist. Her work has been presented in regional, national and international exhibitions for more than two decades. Her extensive award list includes: A Purchase Award from The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, A Merit Award from Salisbury State University; Best of Show from Nicolet College, Wisconsin; 3rd Place Indiana University; Merit Award Quincy Art Center; Honorable Mention from Rockford Art Museum, and an Award of Excellence from the Norris Cultural Center of St. Charles.

Paula Kloczkowski Luberda—and her work—has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun Times and the Daily Herald News Paper, as well as other print media. Her work was also featured on NBC Channel 5 news.

Luberda’s education includes a BA in Studio Art, an Associate’s degree in Design and Illustration, specialized instruction in ceramic sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago, fiber sculpture from Concordia University, Montreal Canada, Mold making from San Antonio Institute of Art, San Antonio, Texas, and Patination at Cleveland University, Cleveland Ohio.
 .