From Nature ~ A National Juried Exhibition to Benefit The Ragdale Foundation

I spent most of the day, on Saturday, hanging the "From Nature" exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Hanging exhibitions are always like Christmas morning... opening boxes which have made their way across the country and you never know what to expect of the contents. Seeing the actual work—relative to the digital or slide representation—has always intrigued me. It's a lot like studying a painting in an art history book and then seeing that same painting hanging in a museum. There is often a disconnect. But each box that I opened this weekend resulted in finding a treasure.

All of the pieces in the exhibition are wonderful. I found myself shopping as I hung—or placed—each piece. In any case, the exhibition opens today with a reception this Friday, April 24 from 5:30-7:30. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Commissions from the sale of work will be donated to the Ragdale Foundation.

Ragdale is an artists' retreat located on the grounds of Arts and Crafts architect Howard Van Doren Shaw's 1897 summer home in Lake Forest, Illinois. The artists' community, which is situated just 30 miles north of Chicago and overlooks 50 acres of prairie, now hosts over 200 emerging and established artists of all disciplines each year. These writers, artists, and composers come from around the country and the world to work and experience Ragdale's remarkable gifts of community, tranquility, and creativity. Additional information on the Ragdale residency program can be found at: ragdale.org

Image: Sheila Ganch [sculpture], Deanna Krueger, and Renee McGinnis. Exhibiting Artist Information, Images and Pricing can be found at: gallery180.com/nature.html