YEAR OF PUBLIC ART: CHICAGO 2017

I’ve been considering how great it is to live in a city that loves creating new cultural activities, festivals, and opportunities for visual artists. The mayor has allocated funds to each of Chicago’s 50 neighborhoods specifically for public art-related community projects. The Wabash Arts Corridor has added over 30 murals to a few city blocks and is host to Big Walls in September, a super hip public street art-making festival.

Public art is one of the ways many people connect to a space. It can drive tourism to a location and it can give people a sense of pride and ownership in the communities in which they live. More and more I see cities implementing public art initiatives to bring hope and energy to people and places that have been neglected or forgotten. What I love about public art is that it’s all free, it’s available to anyone and it can become a voice and a connector for a community.

In our world today, where we photograph ourselves with things that inspire us and show others that we are experiencing life, Public Art is certainly becoming one of the most important ways of connecting people to places. What is it that compels a person stand in front of a giant mural with their friends or take millions of photos at Chicago’s Cloud Gate scupture. (otherwise known as “The Bean”) It’s Art! And it's calling to us to interact, to look closer, to delight in it’s existence. It’s the photograph of the art that connects us to time and place. It may seem like just a backdrop, but it is the celebration of creativity as a meaningful moment and it’s worth sharing. 
  
Public Art can give a city an identity and connect the outsiders and the insiders. 

I am working on a collection of images for the "Year of Public Art" focusing on the idea of “Opening your Eyes" to the artistic world around you. Here’s a few of the images from the new collection I am creating which I'm planning to turn into posters, T-shirts and banners.

Which one is your favorite?

I can't believe it's March already!

What's your favorite thing to do in the month of March?

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FOLK ART FANATIC

My favorite mid-century designer, Alexander Girard travelled all over the world, collecting textiles and folk art. He created products reflecting his love of festive colors, patterns and textures. He favored abstract and geometric forms, typically featuring a cheerful palette and he often personified inanimate objects. What folk art objects are in your home that reflect your ethnic or family heritage?

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IT'S IN THE DETAILS

I have several books in my library by the American illustrator, John Rombola. I first discovered his wacky drawings at a used book store years ago and have since referenced his work as inspiration for my own art. Rombola illustrated for magazines in the 1960’s and he really loved details, playfulness, lines and patterns. HIs illustrations remind me a little bit of Dr. Suess, but his work is more an expression of culture and society in his time. In the book Rombola by Rombola, Irwin Glusker writes “Whether he is at the bull fights, the horse show, the opera, the circus, whether he is in the world of fashion, at the art galleries, or the ballet, Rombola is able to capture the hilarity of it all.” Details and a sense of humor...it's amazing what a pen in the hand of an artist can do...I know it’s tough to notice all the details around us, all the time, but what small details can you notice today, that can inspire you in some way?

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HELLO 2017!

Well, Another year has passed by. I am looking forward to a new start in January, a new year filled with art, friendship, good conversations and good people! I'm not quite sure what this year will hold, but I always enjoy a new beginning and the hope that goes with it. Here's a nice "Goodbye" to 2016 and a welcoming "Hello" to 2017! What are you looking forward to in 2017?

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PEACE TO YOU

May your Holiday Season be filled with Peace, Blessings and Hope! Merry Christmas!

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PARTRIDGE & CARDINAL

Why are birds so wonderful? Visually, they are one of my favorite things to draw, somehow they are able to represent so many different emotions...I thought it would be fun to post my favorite holiday birds...a partridge and a cardinal...both so cheery and seasonal! ....and let me know if you're in need of any bird illustrations...

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PEACEFUL TREE

I love a good mid-century modern Christmas tree!

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DEER & DOVE

My favorite Holiday forest friends.

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ART FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Happy December 1st! Last year I got hooked on making one-of-kind hand-drawn snowflakes...here's a few from the collection....Let the Holiday Art making begin! This month, I'm going to be posting some of my favorite holiday art I've created for clients and friends over the years...

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hey Everyone, I hope your day is filled with lots of great flavors and gratitude for all the comforts and challenges in our lives. Cheers!

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Suns & Hidden Words

WHAT IMAGES ARE ALWAYS RECURRING IN YOUR WORLD? 

A few summer's back, I worked on a mural at Oakton School in Evanston, Illinois. I was considering how suns have been such a recurring image in my drawings and often in my public art projects. I wonder what makes us compelled to create certain images over and over again? I was also inspired to go a bit deeper and create a pattern made of words inside the sun. If you step away from the sun, it's bright, bold and friendly, but when you look closely it's full of words that have to be discovered. These words are all actions connected to learning and education. I love the idea of creating patterns that can also be puzzles. What do you think about the idea of public art having a "close-up" meaning and a "far-away" meaning?

Bold Energy

WHO'S YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE?

My own art style is very influenced by the artist, Keith Haring. I love how he captures movement using clean lines, simple images and pattern repetition. Haring used vibrant markings to convey energy. He kept imagery accessible, grabbing the eyes and minds of viewers and inviting them to enjoy themselves and to engage with issues. He had a way of turning symbols into messages, patterns into stories, and black lines into walls of motion. I think it's important to work hard to develop your own artistic voice, even if you are really influenced by another artist. What's unique about your art? Explore more at Keith Haring Foundation.

Visual Voice

DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN VISUAL VOCABULARY?

When I began to learn about artists, I fell in love with work of Spanish painter Joan Miró. Rather than using complete abstraction, Miró's subjects were rooted in his reality. I liked his bold use of color and the expressive line work that created forms and compartments. He tapped into his own imagination to translate the world around him. It's amazing how you can see certain components repeated in so many of his paintings, especially, stars, moons and figures, but always in new combinations. I find I am always drawing my own combinations of flowers, suns and water. If you ever get a chance to visit Barcelona, check out the cultural center: The Fundació Joan Miró.

Early Influences

WHO WAS YOUR FIRST CREATIVE INFLUENCE? 

Most of my career has been spent creating art for clients in the form of assignments. Although my work is often created with others in mind, there have been many influences that helped me discover my own visual voice. My first creative influence was my grandfather, a recreational photographer. At his house, He had a big set of Fisher Price people and toys. I remember loving their simplicity of form and color. On my 7th birthday I received Disney’s “It’s a Small World” vinyl record illustrated by the amazing Mary Blair, my first exposure to illustration and a recognition of other worlds and cultures. These things worked their way into my creative story. Who or what opened up your creative world? What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?