Arlene Tarpey in "Pastels Chicago 2015" at The Art Center-Highland Park

Arlene Tarpey, Exploration No. 1, Pastel, 30" x 26"

Last week, the Chicago Pastel Painters’ Fifth Biennial National Juried Exhibition opened at The Art Center-Highland Park. The exhibition, titled "Pastels Chicago 2015," consists of eighty-six works of art created in the medium of pastel. Mostly representational, the imagery represents a diversity of styles and subject matter. With few pieces exploring abstraction, "Exploration No. 1" by local artist, Arlene Tarpey, is a stand-out. Tarpey's work pushes past the expected rendition of the beautiful still life, life-like portraiture and stunning landscape to a conceptual highpoint—allowing the viewer to have an alternative experience... one of surface, line and form—at it purest.

A public reception for “Pastels Chicago 2015” will be held at The Art Center-Highland Park on Friday, October 2 from 6:30–9pm. 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. All work in the exhibition is available for purchase. The exhibition continues through October 31.

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.