Ravenswood ArtWalk

The Chicago Mosaic School

RAWBlog — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:31:09 +0000

Business Representative: Christopher Forillo
Business Name: The Chicago Mosaic School
Contact Information: The Chicago Mosaic School
info@chicagomosaicschool.com
773-975-8966
Business Address: The Chicago Mosaic School
1806 W Cuyler Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
Business Website: http://www.chicagomosaicschool.com
Describe your business:: The Chicago Mosaic School is only not-for-profit art school in the United States dedicated to study in classical and contemproary mosaic arts. With 9 professionally trained faculty/artists from all over the world, CMS offers unparalled classes and workshops year-round.
How long have you been in business and why did you chose to locate within the Ravenswood corridor area?: We are going into our 8th year. We chose the Ravenswood Arts Cooridor because it is a diverse and vibrant community for artists, families, businesses and industries.
Why did you chose to participate in the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: This is our 6th year participating in RAW. We host additional artists from the neighborhood and enjoy meeting our neighbors and fellow RAW participants.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, how has the arts impacted this community and how do your see the intersection of your business with the arts community?: This year we will be hosting and open house on October 13th and 14th for Chicago Artists Month. We will be creating a mosaic work with the help of the seniors of the 47th Ward. This work will honor the generations that have helped form and grow our fine community. Mosaic art is the perfect art form to bring together different elements of our diverse city.

Dennis Jose

RAWBlog — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:17:56 +0000

Artist Name: Dennis Jose
Artist Website: http://www.DAJstudio.com
Additional web address: http://www.ArtLab123.com
How and when did you start creating?: Age 2. Mom has a wood sculpture that looks like a fish, hanging on the wall at home. On the back of it she wrote, "Dennis Jose, 2 years old." It kills me how she put the comma in, like this was a note to a curator 50 or 100 years later. Gotta luv Mom for it though. Also cracks me up that it resembles some of my current work.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: Primary work is wood sculpture and oil painting. What will I show at RAW? Think I'll show a smile! -- Art Lab 123 friends and I are sponsoring FLAGS over RAW, a flag painting area in the Main Tent. These cloth flags will at RAW 2013 for an artistic line-in-the-sky, connecting venues and event themes/elements. -- So pop over and Paint One.
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: Inspiration? Breathing. -- Greatest influence? Last breath/next breath.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: Folks, check out: http://chicagoartistsmonth.org/calendar/day/2012-10-28 Then look at the schedule for 1 PM, 2 PM and 3 PM at Dennis Jose Art Studio & Art Lab 123. -- We'll also have nine Open Studios and POP Up galleries and a 12'x60' Art WALL. Be part of it! Also, if you are not the sort that would be "Pissed OFF!!!" already by my answer above, you may be one of the brave & good souls who will check out: www.DAJstudio.com and www.ArtLab123.com
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: You. Okay, and you and you and probably you too.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: This may even Piss OFF a choir boy or two. See, http://dajstudio.com/about-dennis-a-jose/

Melinda Gordon

RAWBlog — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:00:23 +0000

Artist Name: Melinda Gordon
Artist Website: exquisite-corpses.net
How and when did you start creating?: i had a great high school art teacher who encouraged me to take my work seriously.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: i'm doing different sized paintings based on 8X10" collages called "little stories" ~ as you might guess, they are very narrative, starting from found words or phrases. the first larger [24X30"]painting i did a few months ago was almost a scaled-up copy of the collage, but the latest pieces are going in another direction. the act of painting is becoming much more important, and any stories the paintings tell are diverging from their sources.
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: bill carroll, mary phelan & lialia kuchma inspire me by their abiding dedication to their art~ i could probably list a thousand cherished influences, from books of hours, to persian miniatures, to the floating world prints,to brueghel, to vermeer, to matisse, to... and that wouldn't even cover music & poetry, film & literature...
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: i love my block! my neighbor, bill carroll is a wonderful artist who is constantly creating things and trying new approaches. we began doing exquisite corpses together for the RAW outdoor gallery 2 years ago. this year we got 2 of those into the illinois state fair exhibit. bill's wife, kathy and our other neighbors are interesting, quirky people who just make my life better~it's a lovely milieu in which to live & be creative!
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: i am always amazed to see the range of art & artists. last year i was in an outpost building, so it will be fun to be more in the thick of things.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: >the first image is the 8X10" collage "ascent". >the second is larger [24X30] acrylic painting based on the collage. i'm still thinking about this one~MAY bring more detail to the lower left quarter... >the third is larger still [30X40"], i pulled out details from the collage and changed the female character. i was attempting to avoid being sappy, by making her facial expression ambiguous, and her appearance somewhat contemporary.

Alan Emerson Hicks

RAWBlog — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Artist Name: Alan Emerson Hicks
Artist Website: artslant.com/global/artists/show/72573-alan-emerson-hicks
Additional web address: facebook.com/aehicks
How and when did you start creating?: As a young child I began drawing from comic books and creating craft projects from activity books. I had creative people in my life also. My grandmother sang opera, my aunt and uncle both painted. I've always been intrigued by the arts.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: My primary medium is sculpture. I've been working with found object most recently. At the artwalk my solo show will be on display at Prak-sis Gallery and my studio on Cuyler will be open. I'll show new found object works. I'll wear my newest sculpture "Chandelier Hat" around the neighborhood.
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: I'm inspired by architecture, nature, color and most recently fashion. My greatest influence is life. My work is an extension of my life experiences. In my work I take low valued items and combine them with other objects to create something precious. It is this concept of finding value in something valueless that inspires and intrigues me.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: I've maintained a studio in the Ravenswood neighborhood for ten years. The Ravenswood community is a creative community. I've seen the neighborhood grow and expand artistically. I enjoy the schools and centers of the neighborhood.
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: Unfortunately as an artist you don't get to see a lot of the show itself, we're usually in our studios talking to visitors. But what I look forward to the most is seeing old friends and meeting new collectors.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: My images show three different approaches to using found object in sculpture. The first is objects used as a painting material and plastic sheeting as varnish. The second image is found objects being used as social commentary. The piece is titled "American Tower" it is made from plastic grocery bags and snack bag wrappers it was constructed in Berlin, Germany. The last image is a figurative piece made from found objects. It is an angel made from plastic clothes hangers and others objects.

Brevity Code: Visual Artists Group

RAWBlog — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:00:22 +0000

Artist Name: Deborah Lader
Artist Website: chicagoprintmakers.com/docs/director/deborahMarisLader.php
Additional web address: deborahmarislader.com/home.html
How and when did you start creating?: Brevity Code: Visual Artists Group is comprised of 5 Chicago artists. Each has been active in the arts community all of their lives, with professional experience of over thirty years each.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: Brevity Code: Visual Artists Group will be exhibiting mixed media, 2D and 3D works featuring paintings and works on paper with plenty of surprise artistry to see!
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: Our inspirations are diverse and eclectic. Nature is a common interest of all 5 artists: Laura Coyle, Fletcher Hayes, Janet Jaffke, Deborah Maris Lader and Kim Laurel.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: We look forward to networking with fellow artists, meeting new people and informing the community about our works and special interests.
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: New spaces, new faces and new places, lots and lots of sales, great art and good times.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: Logo identity for our group and composite collages of selected works by the members of Brevity Code: Visual Artists Group: Laura Coyle, Fletcher Hayes, Janet Jaffke, Deborah Maris Lader and Kim Laurel. All are works on paper in various media. Learn more about each artist: http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/72622-laura-coyle http://www.fletcherhayes.com/gallery.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/98561879@N00/page2/ http://deborahmarislader.com/home.html http://www.chicagoprintmakers.com/docs/director/deborahMarisLader.php http://www.kimlaurel.com/

A Little Purple Octopus

RAWBlog — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:00:27 +0000

Artist Name: A Little Purple Octopus
Artist Website: alittlepurpleoctopus.com
Additional web address: facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Purple-Octopus/246939078694982
How and when did you start creating?: I studied art in college and did an MFA at Columbia. I started working in glass several years ago when I got a small kiln.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: I am a fused glass artist and will be showcasing jewelry and functional items, like plates and votive holders. A lot of the work is made by recycling glass and bottles. My work strives to emphasize the transparency of the glass. The jewelry is unusually thin fused glass allowing the finished piece to be light weight.
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: Inspired by my previous ceramic background, I believe that “glass is a sister to ceramics.” I enjoy pushing the physicality of recycled glass and chemical experimentation. The glass, the transparency and the colors themselves provide inspiration.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: Living near Columbia College, there are shows and performances promoting the students work throughout the year, making it a fun place to live.
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: I can't wait to meet the other artists, see their work and their perspectives on creating, and especially meeting all the people that come to visit Ravenswood Art Walk. I am looking forward to a fabulous weekend!
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: Image 1: a small square plate with a ginkgo leaf hand painted fused between 2 layers of glass Image 2: a votive holder made from a recycled bottle glass Image 3 : earrings: beautiful colors with some embellishments of pearls and silver

Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

RAWBlog — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 02:00:39 +0000

Business Representative: Steve Sullivan
Business Name: Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Contact Information: ssullivan@naturemuseum.org
Business Address: 4001 N Ravenswood Avenue, Suite 401
Chicago, IL 60613
Business Website: naturemuseum.org
Describe your business:: The Chicago Academy of Sciences was established in 1857, and for over 155 years the institution has been committed to educating the public about nature and science. In 1999, the Academy established the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to provide educational exhibitions and to expand its various public programs and to serve as an urban gateway to the world of nature and science. The mission of the Academy and its Museum is to create a positive relationship between people and nature through collaborations, education, research and collections, exhibits and public forums that foster urban connections to our region’s nature and science. Since opening, the Museum has welcomed over two million visitors and attracts over 270,000 visitors each year, including students, teachers, families, and tourists.
How long have you been in business and why did you chose to locate within the Ravenswood corridor area?: The Chicago Academy of Sciences has been preserving Midwestern biodiversity through its collections since 1857, when a group of individuals committed to understanding the natural environment, including naturalist Robert Kennicott, founded Chicago’s first museum. In 1999 it opened its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to serve the public. The Academy's Collection was moved to the facility at Ravenswood in 1994. The Ravenswood facility holds over 250,000 invaluable specimens many as old as 155 years.
Why did you chose to participate in the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: Art and science go hand-in-hand as a way to understand the world around us. The study of natural history has a special relationship with the arts because of the way specimens are preserved and displayed. Further, elements of natural history have been featured in art from the very beginning of human culture and continue to provide inspiration for the expression of both the empirical and the ephemeral.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, how has the arts impacted this community and how do your see the intersection of your business with the arts community?: Art is about seeing the world through different perspectives. As the urban gateway to nature and science, it is our goal to help people see nature from a scientific perspective as well as from the perspective of species that cannot produce art, such as trees, squirrels, and rocks. As we learn these new ways of looking at our local and global neighborhoods, we develop more productive relationships with all our neighbors-- plants, people, and other organisms.

Matter of Reaction Movement Project

RAWBlog — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:00:32 +0000

Artist Name: Renee Murray & Kathleen Hickey
Artist Website: mrmp.org
Additional web address: facebook.com/matterofreaction.movementproject
How and when did you start creating?: Matter of Reaction Movement Project was founded in 2006 by Reneé Murray and Kathleen Hickey. Murray and Hickey met at Purdue University while dancing for the Purdue Repertory Dance Company. Both artists had been dancing in other people's work for many years prior and started choreographing their own dances in the early 2000's.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: Our primary medium is dance. We choreograph modern, post modern and interactive dance. Matter of Reaction Movement Project uses human bodies to create art. We will be showing an interactive dance event at the ArtWalk. The performance is FREE and will run during the entire ArtWalk. Patrons can pass by to watch a quick minute of dance or sick around for 45 minutes and see all ten works we will be performing for the public. Each work has a component of interaction so our audience can highly impact the dances they will witness.
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: We find inspiration from modern art, pop culture, children's games, humanity, and collaboration. Robert Rauschenberg, Trisha Brown, Merce Cunningham, and Bill T. Jones are four artists who have highly influenced our work. MRMP works within a cooperative and improvisational environment to create and develop dance with physicality and a focus on individual sentiment. As choreographers we are continually examining the inherent connections between life and art.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: Community and collaboration are incredibly important to our work. Dance is a collaborative medium by nature. We need bodies to create our art. But we take community and collaboration much further. We see every witness to our work as a participant of our art in some way, shape, or form. Without a viewer our work would not be hole. So we intend to add to the value of our community and the community adds value to our art.
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: We are incredibly excited to interact with the Artwalk patrons. Our dances is dependent on the patrons to complete the work. We will be performing an interactive dance event for the duration of the Artwalk. We are excited to see what happens when patrons influence and shape our dances. We are also excited to see fellow artists from all disciplines.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: These images are from a Matter of Reaction Movement Project show. The piece is titled "Rain or Shine." The work explores the physical restraints and limitations of dancing with rain boots.

Sardonic Studio

RAWBlog — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:00:11 +0000

Artist Name: Ken Johnson
Artist Website: sardonicstudio.com
How and when did you start creating?: I started creating jewelry and working in metals about two years ago. It is something I found required complete concentration, and so almost meditative in nature.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: I work extensively in recycled and repurposed copper sheet and parts, brass pieces, along with some sterling silver and argentium silver. The recycled metal often retains certain unique characteristics, such as mottled coloring or manufacturer imprints, which I like incorporating into the piece. The metal is given a new life, no longer hidden inside homes and other structures. I will be showing jewelry at the ArtWalk.
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: Most of my work emerges from my background as an anthropologist and my training in holistic health and wellness. Many pieces are symbolic and/or motivational, incorporating naturalistic properties of metals and minerals. Symbolic influences include mythology, Celtic, African, South Pacific, and Native American deisgns, and Maori artwork.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: Living and working in Lake County, there isn't a strong localized artistic community in my neighborhood. It's something that I see in places like Ravenswood, Madison, and Kenosha, and I do miss it.
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: Everything! I'm looking forward to being immersed in great artwork and seeing all the different styles and techniques.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: The necklace includes a photo from my fellow artist in Sardonic Studio, Helen Kallao, from Occupy Chicago. The folded metal wall hanging is part of a piece I recently completed exploring the malleability of metal (here, recycled copper). The "chaos" bracelet is one of my favorite pieces, which I've had in two juried shows this year.

Joanne Aono

RAWBlog — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 18:00:01 +0000

Artist Name: Joanne Aono
Artist Website: JoanneAono.com
How and when did you start creating?: For me, art has always been intertwined with my life and has consistently been my passion.
What is your primary medium and what will you be showing at the Ravenswood ArtWalk?: I primarily make drawings and oil paintings based on dualities, comparisons, and contrasts. Since I will be opening up my art studio, I will be showing a range of pieces from the last four years including pieces still in progress. The Bulldog Lock Building, 4636 North Ravenswood, Studio #204 (Saturday 1-7, Sunday 11-6)
Where do you find your inspiration? What is your greatest influence?: Through my experiences as a twin and as a Japanese American, I'm intrigued by dualities in both birth and culture, in the visual as well as the conceptual. My inspiration can come from a variety of sources such as time spent along Lake Michigan's geologically rich shoreline, from reflecting on the life of an individual, or from researching the science and sociology of being a twin.
This year the Chicago Artist Month theme is Art Block by Block, which looks at the impact of artists on community, describe your experience as a creative in your neighborhood?: The Ravenswood Industrial Corridor is unique in its density of creative people and businesses nestled along the railroad tracks. In the four years that I have been in this particular studio, I've witnessed the Ravenswood neighborhood as it thrives with the bustle of creatives, drawing in crowds to the various art openings, music recitals, and performance events.
What are you looking forward to seeing at the 2012 Ravenswood Artwalk?: Although I have been in this particular studio for four years, this is my first time participating in the Ravenswood Art Walk. I look forward to seeing the art of the other artists working along the corridor, meeting other creatives, and partaking in meaningful artistic conversation and dialogue.
Explain the images you are submitting for the blog.: Tomi & Yuki 2, Ink on Linen, 12" x 24" diptych, 2012 Lake Michigan - Fossil Coral, Graphite on Vellum, 22.5" x 28.5" 2010 The Writer, Oil on Panel, 24" x 24" 2008