Just a few more days to see the "red" exhibition

The National Juried exhibition, titled "red"—currently on display in Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago—will be coming to a close in just a few days. If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit the gallery, make the time to see this relatively small but very beautiful show. Consisting of fourteen artist from around the country, this show delivers something for almost everyone. The selected pieces range from the cleverly symbolic paintings of Lorraine Sack and Richard Laurent to the powerful, geometric, color-saturated photographs of Jennifer Jackson and steel sculpture of Michael Stanley. The show includes two beautifully painted still life studies by, Catherine Maize as well as a breathtaking photorealistic portrait by Ming Zhou. The amazing diversity of work—presented in this exhibition of national fine artists—provides a beautiful and creative look at the use of the color "red".

The show is free to the public and the exhibited work is available for purchase. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art is located at 180 North Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop. The exhibition will conclude on November 11th.

Image: Michael Stanley "Red" steel and paint, 10x7.5x6", $800

The "red" Reception...

There was a wonderful turnout at tonight’s reception for “red” the National Juried Exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Three pieces were acquired for the school’s Fine Art Collection. They were: Richard Benoit’s "Earth Writing", Claudia Craemer’s "The Path was Chosen for You" and Lorraine Sack’s "Sea Captain". The show continues through November 11th. If you have the opportunity, drop by the gallery to see this wonderful collection of work from around the country. The show is free to the public and the presented pieces are available for purchase. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art is located at 180 North Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop.


Richard Benoit "Earth Writing" acrylic on wood, 24x24"


Claudia Craemer "The Path was Chosen for You" oil, 40x40"


Image: Lorraine Sack, “Sea Captain” oil on linen, 18x24”

Richard Benoit... Earth Writing

Richard Benoit is just one of fourteen Artists included in the "red" exhibition currently presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. While reviewing Benoit's web site—www.rbenoit.com— I found a wonderful Artist Statement which is both passionate and insightful. From his web site:

Paintings are like poetry. If their meaning isn't completely spelled out or absolutely clear, that meaning will rustle about like dried leaves and eventually come to settle. At that moment when the meaning comes to light one gets a sensation of peace and recognition, a glimpse of the universal. The best paintings are not tied to any particular time or place but are flexible vibrant things that bring a fresh feeling each time they are viewed.

I like to treat the canvas not as a place to describe something but more as a place for something to happen. I often arrange random visual elements in such a way as to excite the viewer's curiosity and intuitive sense of aesthetics. Put simply, my art is a random collection of chance and intent with the under-
lying belief that art can be a transcendent experience. While working I like to leave evidence of the art making process (dribbles, brush strokes etc.) to celebrate the act of communication. Beauty is important but not at the expense of emotion, and passion is always more important than technique.

For me art is a quiet place of introspection and repose. I like to create work that people would want to return to time and again, work that elicits an emotional response, work where there's truth not just taste and real beauty, not just ornamentation. Memorable art is a refuge, a place to smooth the waters. Through my work I wish the viewer a life full of quiet moments, full of answers, full of peace, and full of beautiful engaging art.

Benoit's “Earth Writing”, can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for "red" will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase.

Above: Richard Benoit, "Earth Writing" acrylic on wood, 24x24", $850.

A Creative Social Club...

I took some time—yesterday—to drive downtown and meet with The Chicago Creative Social Club at Gallery 180. The creative networking organization is defined on its web site, as “THE Meet up Group for creative people in Chicago.” The group …“supports the Chicago creative community by promoting social connections, enjoyment, and learning across all creative disciplines…” So when the Director of the organization contacted me to ask if I would address the group, I agreed.

I was asked to cover a variety of art-related topics including: the current exhibition being presented at Gallery 180, titled “red”, information about The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, exhibition opportunities, the Chicago Gallery scene, and information on my duties as a Curator. I probably spoke a little too long but the amazing snacks—provided by the Ai Culinary School—kept the group conscious. After the very informal presentation, I spent time talking with some of the individual members. I met some wonderful people and ate a few too many of the monster chocolate, chocolate-chip cookies.

In any case, if you’re near Chicago and are looking for a creative group, with which to mingle, check out the Chicago Creative Social Club at: creativesocialclub.com

Claudia Craemer in "red"

As I mentioned in my previous post, this past weekend I installed The National Juried Exhibition, titled "red", at Gallery 180. It's always interesting to see the actual work, once the selections process is complete. You see, during the selection process, the Juror is looking at a relatively small visual image, which is either a slide format or digital file. So when the work arrives for the installation, it’s a little like opening a room full of packages on Christmas morning.

One of the amazing gifts I received was from Chicago-area Artist, Claudia Craemer. Craemer’s “The Path Was Chosen For You”, is a forty-inch square oil painting with tendencies toward O’Keeffe. The unfolding forms in nature influenced work by both Artists. Craemer writes:

“I am often inspired by plant forms – blooms, bulbs, roots, and leaves – as well as paper and cloth forms. The works suggest organic layers or veils, peeling away, tearing, hiding and revealing, opening and releasing, and they usually develop in a layered, organic way as well, through a process of both spontaneous mark-making and deliberate decisions, of both intuition and choice.”

Craemer’s “The Path Was Chosen For You”, can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for "red" will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase. Craemer’s work is also shown at Union Street Gallery in Chicago Heights.

red

"red" The National juried exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago was installed today. The show—consisting of fourteen Artists, includes a wide range of work from the cleverly symbolic paintings of Lorraine Sack and Richard Laurent to the powerful, geometric, color-saturated photographs of Jennifer Jackson and steel sculpture of Michael Stanley. The show includes two beautifully painted still life studies by, Catherine Maize as well as a breathtaking photorealistic portrait by Ming Zhou. The amazing diversity of work—presented in this exhibition of national fine artists—provides a beautiful and creative look at the use of “red”. The exhibition continues through November 11th and a catered reception is scheduled for Friday October 9th from 5:30-7:30.

The represented Artists are: Richard Benoit, Bradley, IL; Tom Brand, Michigan City, IN; Claudia Craemer, Country Club Hills, IL; Jennifer Jackson, Chicago, IL; Roland Kulla, Chicago, IL; Richard Laurent, Chicago, IL; Dena Lyons, Chicago, IL, Catherine Maize, South Haven, MI; Nancy Rosen, Chicago, IL; Lorraine Sack, Indianapolis, IN; Michael Stanley, Ames IA; Jim Tansley, Chicago; IL and Ming Zhou, Cambridge, MA.

The exhibited work is available for purchase. Images and pricing, included in this exhibition, can also be found online at gallery180.com. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago has presented a wide variety of exhibitions since it was established in November of 2003. Each exhibition has been tailored to be beneficial to our student body, faculty, staff and community at large.

Jim Tansley... "Cherished Scheme"

Three summers ago, I was called out of a class for an “urgent” meeting. I was told that there were some people in Gallery 180 who needed to speak to me. When I arrived in the gallery, I met a charming older French couple, on holiday from Paris. They had been walking down the street—in front of the gallery—and spotted a painting that intrigued them. They found their way inside and fell in love with a work by Jim Tansley. The couple told me that, often when they traveled, they would purchase art as a memento of the trip. When they saw the Tansley painting, they knew that they wanted to return to Paris with it in hand. The couple made the purchase and asked if they could take the painting to avoid shipping the work. After a quick telephone call to the artist, to ask if a replacement piece was available, the transaction was complete and the couple left with their newly acquired treasure.

Another of Tansley’s paintings will adorn the walls of Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. “Cherished Scheme”—one of Tansley’s most recent pieces—will be included in the upcoming national juried exhibition titled, “red”. After spending more then forty years of his life as a graphic designer and painting for almost a decade, Tansley has created a number of wonderfully flowing images within this latest body of work. Created from random marks, Tansley make no intentional reference to reality. In fact, his intention is to “…attempt to produce unique environments, which rely on traditional painting and drawing techniques for their formal structure and composition.”

The piece shown above—selected for the “red” exhibition—is titled "Cherished Scheme". It is a 20 x 24 inch acrylic work on canvas, with a price tag of $2,000. Take a moment to review the some of Tansley’s other work at: jimtansley.com. You won’t be disappointed.

"Lady in Red" ...Nancy Rosen

Currently on display, at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, is a wonderful exhibition of mixed media pieces by Nancy Rosen. This exhibition of figurative works—with complex patterned backgrounds—opened on July 27 and will continue through September 10th. I've written at length about the beauty and depth of this show in past posts. It's an amazing body of work and people seem to be drawn into the space, after catching just a glimpse from the street.

Well, September will soon be here and the Rosen show will be removed to make way for the National Juried Exhibition titled "red". And while Rosen collects the current work from Gallery 180—or at least the pieces that remain—she will also be dropping off yet another incredible piece... "Lady in Red".

Rosen's "Lady in Red" can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for "red" will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase. Additional work by Nancy Rosen can be found at nrosen.com

Image: Nancy Rosen, "Lady in Red" mixed media, 38x50", $9,500

Roland Kulla's, "Meridian"

Roland Kulla is one of fourteen artists to be included in "red" the upcoming National Juried Exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. This weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Kulla in his painting studio. His newly constructed light-filled space is stacked with new works-in-progress for an upcoming solo exhibition. But he took some time to have a cup of coffee and talk with me about his work.

A prolific and somewhat obsessive artist, Kulla has been painting bridge imagery since 2000. He began by taking a closer look at the bridges of Chicago and then moved on to imagery based on the structures in Boston, New York and Pittsburgh. The Chicago bridge series, titled "Constructs", focused on tightly cropped design elements, which forced the viewer to explore the individual components of the massive structures. As Kulla explains... "What may appear to be random patterns of bolts and rivets, have a rigidly patterned logic. Stripped of their context, the bridges take on new aspects."


"Meridian"—presenting a similar perspective to the Chicago series—was created while exploring the Boston structures. This was Kulla's first venture into painting bridges outside of the Chicago area. This body of work titled "Elemental Boston", continued to focus on a tightly cropped segment of the structure but now Kulla began to explore basic geometric shapes and a primary palette. Kulla explains...

"I focus on primary elements. At the most obvious level, the images capture a part of a much larger whole. Basic geometric shapes – circles, triangles, squares – are combined in a myriad of configurations. Red, yellow and blue—the primary colors—are featured. Each subject required no more than five or six colors to create very complex images. The play of light and dark, the contrast of surface and void are also key aspects of the work."

Kulla's "Meridian" can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for "red" will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase. Additional work by Roland Kulla can be found at RolandKulla.com. Kulla's work is currently represented in New York at the George Billis Gallery, and in Pittsburgh at the James Gallery.

Image: Roland Kulla, "Meridian" acrylic on canvas, 36x60", $8,500

Lorraine Sack's "Sea Captain"

I've always been intrigued with the paintings of Indianapolis Artist, Lorraine Sack. Over the years, I've juried Sack into a number of exhibitions and I'm always astonished with her superior technique and the brilliant imagery she produces. Sack submitted some of her recent pieces to "red" the National Juried Exhibition to be presented at Gallery 180 beginning in mid September. I selected this wonderfully symbolic still life to be included in the show. The piece—titled "Sea Captain"—is an oil painting depicting two ceramic pots, organic pods, and a red bowl positioned on a wooden table. A small painting of a seascape is hung on a beautifully patterned wall behind the unusual grouping. In an email, Sack explained…

I've always loved the character and attitude the teapot holds. It has such a feeling of movement, like a sea captain standing at attention on his ship with his trusty mate (the matching smaller pot) near by. The authoritarian red and earthy tones seem to be the natural choices for color ...The background a stormy neutral, and the red highlighting the ship behind the Captain. The pods add an organic element, reminiscent of sails. The stems of the pods flow in a wave pattern which imply the presence of water.

Lorraine Sack’s “Sea Captain” can be seen during the “red” exhibition presented at Gallery 180 from September 14th through November 11th. A reception will be held on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is located at 180 N. Wabash in Chicago's Loop. Additional work by Lorraine Sack can be found at: lorrainestudios.com

Image: Lorraine Sack, Sea Captain, oil on linen, 18x24", $3,600

Richard Laurent's "Kingdom"

I recently completed the selection process for "red" a National Juried Exhibition to be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. During the process, I found myself overwhelmed by the number of entries containing destructive and/or dark religious imagery. Looking for the bright side of this situation, I found work that contained some of that same messages but took it a step further. The content was much more cerebral. The symbolic imagery of Richard Laurent's "Kingdom" fits into this category. Like the symbolist painters of the early 19th century, Laurent's style is refined, elegant, subtle, and intellectual.

I met with Laurent an few days ago and asked him to tell me about his work. Over dinner, he explained that "Kingdom" was created while working on the series of oil paintings titled "Eve without Adam". Laurent later went on to describe "Kingdom" in an email...

The imposing green apple references Adam and Eve in Genesis. In this scenario, however, Eve is alone. In the biblical story, Adam and Eve are cast out from the Garden of Eden after partaking of fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Is the serpent, then, the agent of corruption or is it the revelation of knowledge itself?

In this painting, the curtain pulls back on Eve to reveal her crimson vestments. She is poised to reveal herself to the world. The crimson garment represents her passionate disposition, the disposition of youth. Red is the dominant color. It mirrors her own red heart which, by extension, she has 'poured out' already.

Young Eve must choose between dualities: knowledge or ignorance, temptation or security, chastity or sexuality, future or past. It is time for her to discover her pathway in a hazy and unfamiliar environment.

A green apple is often thought of as more sour than sweet. So, too, the green apple of knowledge may seem bitter when compared to affairs of the heart. Shall Eve leave this kingdom for another based on her heart's desire alone?

The beauty of this work is that the symbols found within the story can be attributed to all of our lives. It causes us to question past temptations, choices, and then ponder the consequences of our actions.

Laurent's "Kingdom" can be seen—along with the works of thirteen other artists from around the country—at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11. The Reception for the exhibition will take place on Friday, October 9th from 5:30-7:30. Gallery 180 is located at the corner of Lake and Wabash in Chicago's Loop. The exhibition is free to the public and all works will be available for purchase. Additional work by Laurent can be found at: laurentart.com

Image: Richard Laurent, "Kingdom" oil on canvas, 18"x 18", $1,800

Kathy Liao

By the end of last week, I had finally finished reviewing the submissions for the "red" exhibition. The exhibition will be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago from September 14 through November 11 with a reception on Friday October 9th from 5:30-7:30.

Well, when I first began the review of work, I was a little concerned that a high percentage of the submissions were focused on death and destruction. With me, a little of the dark side goes a long way. But as I continued to open the submissions, there were some amazing works of art... various styles, various media, and a variety of themes. I found myself selecting images presenting complexity and interesting content. The show still includes some imagery containing pain and suffering, which seems to be a reaction to the current state of our country, but it's not the focus of the exhibition.

The above image by Kathy Liao of Seattle Washington, is one of the pieces that has been selected for the show. Intending to bring consciousness to the evolving definition of femininity, Liao explores color and aggressive mark making to convey her ideas. "De-Mask"—a 54" square oil painting completed in 2008—conveys the frustration of a child [or a nation]. The title implies that we all wear masks, which we can alter but can't remove. It's an impressive piece for a young up-and-coming Artist.

A full list of the accepted Artist and their works will be available for viewing at gallery180.com in the next few days. The show opens September 14th with a reception on Friday, October 9th. Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is located at 180 N. Wabash in Chicago's Loop.

Image: Kathy Liao, "De-Mask, oil on canvas, 54x54", $3,000

Where were the poppies?

The entry deadline for "red" the national juried exhibition, has passed.

When I woke up this morning, I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down with a mailbag filled with entries. I begun to open the envelopes... logging in each entry as I sipped my coffee. I tend to log in all of the entries before going back to review the work... eventually editing the images to the pieces to be exhibited. I found myself occasionally peeking... like a child on Christmas Eve. As I got through the first twenty—or so—entries, I began noticing an unexpected theme emerging. Not all, but many of the pieces were focusing on death and destruction with some bloody religious content mixed in. I truly didn't expect this... It made me wonder if art truly does imitate life. Are we really that far gone?

Image: Georgia O'Keeffe, Poppy, 1927

red... A National Call for Artists

I have just completed the prospectus for the upcoming National Juried Exhibition titled, "red". If you're an exhibiting artist, this is a great opportunity.

The exhibition will be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. It will include images and objects containing—at least—a touch of red. The exhibition will be on display September 14 through November 11 with a reception on Friday, October 9th. Entry deadline is August 6th.

This National Juried Exhibition is open to all artists, living or working in the U.S. Work must be original. All media except video and installation are eligible. Each artist may submit up to 3 pieces for the entry fee of $30.

The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago will purchase at least one piece from the exhibition, for inclusion into the school’s Permanent Collection. The Collection is diverse and can be viewed on location or on line at: gallery180.com.

Download the full prospectus at: gallery180.com