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
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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.
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North Central College visits Breaking Criminal Traditions at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Last Tuesday morning, North Central College Gallery Director, Nickole Lanham-Murray lead a small delegation of students from the Naperville campus to the Breaking Criminal Traditions exhibition at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. Executive Producer; Cheryl Jefferson, Co-Producer/Exhibiting Artist; Richard Laurent, and myself, met the group to walk them through the exhibit, answer questions about the included artists, and the criminal traditions that the work was selected to represent.

The exhibition calls attention to ongoing ancient rituals that kill or maim millions each year—yet aren’t considered crimes. It is a visual exploration of human rights designed to begin a dialogue and raise consciousness, which is the first step toward preventing the continuation of these horrifying acts. In the past few weeks—since Breaking Criminal Traditions has opened—it seems to be doing just that.

The enthusiastic group spent more than a couple of hours exploring the show. Jefferson and Laurent offered stories of the criminal traditions as the group moved through the exhibition space. At times, it was obvious that the viewers were touched with emotion.

The exhibition includes work by:  James Deeb, Sheila Ganch, Andrea Harris, Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, Richard Laurent, Zoriah Miller, Nancy Rosen, Lorraine Sack, Valerie Schiff, Barbara Simcoe, and Anne Smith Stephan.

The Art of influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions will be on display through February 3. The gallery is located on the 3rd floor of the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, located at 565 West Adams Street in Chicago [the corner of Adams and Jefferson]. Street Parking is abundant.

The gallery is open Monday-Thursday 7:30am-11pm, Friday 7:30am-9:30pm, and Saturday 8:30am- 6pm. Most of the pieces included in the exhibition are available for purchase. Additional information—and upcoming events—can be found at BreakingCriminalTraditions.com.
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The Installation...

I spent much of yesterday with Gallery Director, Nickole Lanham, hanging and lighting the "Meditative Surfaces" exhibition in the Schoenherr Gallery of North Central College. The show—consisting of substantial wall hangings by Deanna Krueger, large-scale photographs by Maggie Meiners and a variety of my surface paintings—is meant to spark interest through the variety of media while using the cohesive concept of surface patterns to engage the viewer. Connections of color and color shifts are used as transitions to introduce the viewer to adjacent work.  The meditative qualities of the work is relaxing as the viewer wanders through the exhibition.

The opening reception for "Meditative Surfaces" is Friday, July 24 from 6-8 at the Schoenherr Art Gallery of North Central College. The reception is free and open to the public. The seventeen works included in the exhibition are available for purchase. The Schoenherr Art Gallery is located at 171 E. Chicago Avenue in Naperville, Illinois 60566. The exhibit continues through August 21.

Meditative Surfaces

I drove out to Naperville, Illinois—yesterday—to meet with Nickole Lanham, the Gallery Director of the Schoenherr Art Gallery of North Central College. Lanham contacted me to schedule an exhibition, in response to a proposal I submitted for a three-person show titled, "Meditative Surfaces". The exhibition—now scheduled to open on July 24 —will combine the work of Photographer; Maggie Meiners, Mixed Media Artist; Deanna Krueger and my own surface paintings. Each of the Artists in this exhibition are inspired by their own—very different—individual passions, yet the work comes together to present a united statement of introspection.

The above image is a detail from "echo" by Deanna Krueger. Krueger produces powerful mixed media forms created from recycled medical diagnostic film layered with monotypes. The film is torn, repositioned, and then stapled together to create various multi-faceted surfaces. The semi-reflective surfaces create a mesmerizing, gem-like quality. Krueger’s given titles hint at the conceptual nuances, which imply humanity’s collective search for meaning. Another of Krueger's pieces—"Bathys"—is currently on display in the "From Nature" exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.


Above is "1011DR" by Maggie Meiners. Meiners' large-scale abstract photographs come from her “Childhood Contemplations” series and are perfect for this group show focusing on meditative surface patterns. The mere size of these forty-inch square digital c-prints, allows the viewer to become engulfed by the imagery and to explore their inner mind. The various color patterns are meant to trigger memories on which to contemplate. Meiners' is currently exhibiting a piece from her "Abstractions" series in the "From Nature" exhibition at Gallery 180.

"Meditative Surfaces" will open Friday, July 24 and run through Friday August 21. The 1,100 square foot, Schoenherr Art Gallery of North Central College is located in the newly constructed, Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at 171 E. Chicago Avenue in Naperville, Illinois. A free and convenient multi-level parking lot is adjacent to the Center.