GO MAKE A THING!
GO MAKE A THING! Opening Reception Fri. Oct 29, 5-8pmJUROR: Jessica GondekClick on the slide show below to see the exhibition.[video width="640" height="360" m4v="https://www.arcgallery.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/ARC-Exhibition-22Go-Make-a-Thing22-Nov.-2021-2n-version.m4v"][/video]Free exploration often opens doors to imagination. With tongue in cheek, GO MAKE A THING is interested in play to overcome stress and frustration! This show includes 'things' in many different media.The exhibition will run from October 29 - December 18, 2021.Gallery hours are: Thursdays & Fridays, 2-6pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 12-4pm. Masks for all visitors are required. (Hours subject to change.)Exhibiting Artists: Danica Antich, Grant Brownlow, Liz Callahan, Leslie Getz, LucyJulia Hale, Deborah Hirshfield, Cynthia Holzum, Jill Kolker, Doug McAbee, Laura Moore, Bryan Northup, Eia Radosavljevic, Judith Shepelak, Robin Strand, Michele StuttsJuror Statement: It was my pleasure to serve as the juror for “Go Make a Thing” which celebrates the nature of artists as makers of objects and things. I thank everyone who entered their work in the exhibition and gave me the privilege to consider it. In jurying the exhibition, I began to see relationships emerge, and in the end, I selected 28 pieces from 15 artists. Below I touch on some relationships particularly enjoyed.Michelle Stutts’ creative work embodies the essence of “Go Make a Thing” in that she continually transforms and transports objects to recreate them as in her work, Sinner Saint. She turns an animal’s vertebrae into an active figure ready to embrace the world. The Green and Orange Baccarat Bunnies by Liz Callahan sparkle, reflecting the color of their surroundings, elevating this common crystal figurine into a vivid object of wonder. Anarchy in the Garden by Judith Shepelak presents a luminous color pencil drawing where an abstract botanic scene comes to life. Shown in proximity to this drawing are Eia Radosavljevic’s sculptures Corner Hive and Copia that seem to have been extracted from the neighboring garden and taking root in our gallery. Ester and Josephine by Doug McAbee are a playful pair of opposites that complement each other not only in color but also in their physical attributes. Ester is lanky and tall while Josephine is short and grounded. Hop Scotch and Daydreamer by Jill Kolker are luminous works transporting the viewer to distant yet fleeting childhood memories.I hope you appreciate the exhibition and explore the dialogue that is created between these artists and their works.About the Juror:Jessica Gondek is an artist/teacher living in the Chicago area. She received her M.F.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and her B.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is an Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Loyola University Chicago and teaches drawing and painting in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.Ms. Gondek has received a number of prestigious awards recognizing her creative work over the years. Notable are the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Artist Grant, a Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts Grant, and a Mid-America Arts Alliance National Endowment for the Arts Grant.Ms. Gondek has been recognized with a number of international artist residency awards. She has been an artist in residence at the Can Serrat International Art Center in Spain, and at the Frans Masereel Center in Belgium.Jessica Gondek has exhibited her work nationally and internationally and is represented in many public collections. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Northern Illinois University Art Museum, the Loyola University Museum of Art, the Butler Institute of American Art Beecher Center.Ms. Gondek is a member of ARC Gallery and Educational Foundation and Woman Made Gallery in Chicago.
Opening Reception, Friday, Oct 29, 5:00-8:00pm
- Exhibition dates: OCT 29 – DEC 18, 2021
- Gallery hours: Thurs & Fri – 2-6 pm, Sat & Sun – 12-4 pm