Breaking Criminal Traditions ~ Installed

"Venus", a bronze sculpture by Valerie Schiff, welcomes patrons to
The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions

The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions was installed this past weekend. The exhibition—including both two-and-three dimensional works—opened yesterday for preview. The public Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, October 10th from 5:15-8:15. The exhibition is presented in the 3rd floor gallery of IIT Chicago - Kent College of Law, located at 565 West Adams Street, in Chicago.

Already receiving enthusiastic reviews, "Breaking Criminal Traditions" was compiled to raise awareness of global criminal traditions... traditions that continue today. The pieces included, were selected to elude to the issues without being overtly obvious. The content of the show walks a blurred line between the horrifying reality of the world in which we live—and the intense beauty of empowerment and freedom.

Patrons who explored the show during previews, defined the work as inspirational and empowering. One viewer was even moved to tears.

Left: Paula Kloczkowski Luberda, "Connected", Stoneware, 12" diameter

Right: Zoriah Miller, "The Weapons Cache, Archival Photograph 1/8, 24 x 24"

The exhibiting artists are: James Deeb (Evanston, IL), Sheila Ganch (Chicago, IL), Andrea Harris (Chicago, IL), Paula Kloczkowski Luberda (Naperville, IL), Richard Laurent (Chicago, IL), Zoriah Miller (New York, NY, Paris, France), Nancy Rosen (Chicago, IL), Lorraine Sack (Indianapolis, IN), Valerie Schiff (Chicago, IL), Barbara Simcoe (Omaha, NE), and Anne Smith Stephan (Wilmette, IL)

The Art of influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions will be on display through February 3. A public Opening Reception will take place on Thursday, October10 from 5:15-8:15pm. 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 and there are a number of lots within a single block.

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 can be found at BreakingCriminalTraditions.com.


Valerie Schiff has studied with a variety of talented teachers including: Lynn Borst, Alan Gavin, Richard Halsted, and Gay Riseborough. Seeking to learn more about human anatomy, Valerie was fortunate to study with Sheila Oettinger. Working with Oettinger helped her to work larger and to subtly infuse power and emotion into her sculpture. Schiff’s accolades include numerous awards including multiple "Best in Show" prizes.

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.

Zoriah Miller is a world renowned photojournalist known for his prolific work documenting conflict, crisis and disasters. His award winning photography has appeared in major motion pictures, on television, book covers and in publications such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Elle, The Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan and countless others. His work is exhibited around the world and permanently archived in the United States Library of Congress.

Schiff and Tansley at Gallery 180

Foreground: Valerie Schiff, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place", stoneware, 20" x 11" x 11", $2,800

This past weekend, I installed the Valerie Schiff and Jim Tansley exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Being the fishbowl that it is—with great exposure to both Lake Street and Wabash—the installation was repeatedly interrupted by interested passersby. Inquisitive patrons would wonder into the gallery to get that “first look” at the work… even though it was still resting on the floor—awaiting final placement. The numerous conversations resulted in a commission for Schiff and a probable sale for Tansley.

But then again, it’s expected… the show is amazing. The included work is a mixture of Schiff’s passionate figure studies in stoneware, and abstract figures in bronze, combined with Tansley’s boldly painted colorful abstractions and elegant charcoal drawings… all inspired by nature. It’s a peaceful exhibition… and one that shouldn’t be missed.

The paintings of Jim Tansley and the sculpture of Valerie Schiff will be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago through August 30. A public reception will take place on Friday, August 3 from 5:30-7:30 pm.  All works are available for purchase. Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. Additional information can be found at gallery180.com.

Foreground: Jim Tansley, "Dialog of Hemispheres", acrylic on canvas, 48" x 72", $6,500

Tansley and Schiff at Gallery 180

Jim Tansley, “Dialog of Hemispheres”, acrylic on canvas, 48” x 72”

Save the date: Friday, August 3rd... 

Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago will present the colorful abstract paintings of artist, Jim Tansley, along side of the figurative forms of sculptor, Valerie Schiff.  Both Chicago area artists came to fine art later in life… and both explore their media from an instinctual perspective.

Jim Tansley began painting in 2000, after a forty-year career as a graphic designer. His “order from chaos” approach to painting results in the creation of unique abstract imagery that hints at nature and the human form. Tansley explains…

“The paintings have their origins in my fascination with the abstract qualities and rhythms of natural forms. I view the elements of nature (animal, vegetable, mineral) in terms of their relational aspects. There are obvious visual similarities throughout nature. For example, our blood stream and tree sap. Branches and rocks suggest muscles and bones. Tree trunks are reminiscent of the human torso. This interconnectedness of natural form suggests an evolving process of universal development: molecules assembling, vapor forming, new forms arising, life beginning and mutating. These ideas of similar rhythmic and structural forms existing across disparate natural elements, inform my paintings.”

Valerie Schiff, “Venus”, bronze, 27” x 6.5” x 9”

Valerie Schiff also came to fine art later in life. With accolades including numerous awards and multiple “Best in Show” prizes, Schiff’s powerfully emotional figurative forms emerge from an internal and deeply intuitive place. Her materials, bronze or terracotta, are used simply as a vehicle to express an emotional—very human—experience. After carful examination, the soul of the sculpture begins to reveal itself. Schiff explains, “A piece is successful if it has an inner life… It’s thrilling to me if I can capture, in clay, a gesture or a moment in time.”

Schiff defines her process:

“When I begin a new sculpture, I build the forms quickly, my knife slashing through the clay. I leave my surfaces raw, rough, and exposed, so the clay takes on the imperfections of real life. Making art is an internal journey of choices and solutions. I find myself open to how each piece evolves. Art is truly a journey that the artist travels, allowing this mysterious process to occur. Having come to sculpture later in life, my process is still revealing it self to me. It’s internal and deeply intuitive.”

The paintings of Jim Tansley and the sculpture of Valerie Schiff will be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago through August 30. Previews begin on July 23rd. A public reception will take place on Friday, August 3 from 5:30-7:30 pm.  All works are available for purchase. Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. Additional information can be found at gallery180.com.

Valerie Schiff and The Art of Human Rights

Last week, I received an email from Valerie Schiff. The message had an interesting subject line. Normally, if the sender is not familiar to me, the email is trashed. But this subject line read: “Two Artists THOUGHT WE SHOULD MEET”. I was intrigued. Who was Valerie Schiff? And which two artists suggested that we meet?

Of course I googled Schiff and found a web site filled with figurative sculpture in terracotta or bronze. Again, I was intrigued. We scheduled a meeting and met yesterday morning in her Evanston studio.

When I arrived, a seasoned sculptor greeted me. Her work surrounded us. The scale of the pieces caught me off guard…they were much larger then they appeared on line. I spent some time wondering around the room exploring the various nuances’ of each piece, before sitting down to chat. Even in mid-conversation, I was drawn to yet another subtle gesture incorporated into one of the forms. I found myself up—out of my chair—again, wondering around the room, while continuing our discussion.

As I explored, I found that Schiff’s work was not a study of the human form but a study of the human soul. The emotion found in her work, emits a connection with the viewer. The viewer is drawn into the form—whether realistic or abstract—they are emotionally moved.


I invited Valerie Schiff to present a few of her works in the upcoming “The Art of Human Rights” event. It is an event that benefits Heartland Alliance—a charitable organization that I’ve worked with for the past few years. This year, I am chairing the affair, which will take place at the Coalition gallery [217 N. Carpenter, Chicago] on Saturday March 10th —followed by “coffee with the artists” on Sunday morning. Commissions from the sale of work will be donated directly to Heartland Alliance. Tickets for the event can be purchased at: heartlandalliance.org or by contacting Michelle Marvin directly at 312.660.1339 or mmarvin@heartlandalliance.org. I hope to see you there… save the date! Saturday, March 10th 7-10pm.

In the coming weeks, I will be writing about "The Art of Human Rights" event as well as the artists who were invited to participate.
.