AGELESS NORTH SHORE

Outsider Artists? In the Burbs?

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:29:12 +0000

Harold Jeffries “People Are Smiling When
They Have Their Masks On,” acrylic,
ballpoint pen, colored pencil, collage

Wayne Mazurek “New 2000 Camry LS Sedan,”
archival print on canvas

Luke Tauber “Clara’s House – Market Square,
Leipzig circa 1830,” watercolor, ink on paper

(from Art Off the Grid)
11.26.11 NOW SHOWING (until 12/17) at The Art Center in Highland Park, IL:

SHARE MY KINGDOM: Featuring work from Harold Jefferies, Wayne Mazurek, and Luke Tauber, three artists from Little City’s Center for the Arts, a studio collective for artists with developmental disabilities, part of the larger Little City Foundation in Palatine, IL.

There were only brief biographies of the artists on hand the day I visited the gallery, but their work clearly expresses the artists’ interests: Wayne Mazurek is a car afficionado, Luke Tauber works with images from the lives of composers like Bach and Handel and Harold Jeffries work is peopled by visions of humanity with philosophical titles like “People Are Smiling When They Have Their Masks On.”

Most of the pieces are done with marker, colored pencils, watercolor, ink and graphite on paper and bring to mind work that falls into the category of “outsider” art. Work from each of the artists was digitally reproduced on large canvases – visually striking as part of an art exhibit, but it seemed to take a step away from the original work; maybe it just feels too far from the artists’ handmade visions, and yes, I am assuming this was done by someone other than the artists.

Also at the Art Center: 12×12
This is a national juried exhibit of small works with some interesting pieces, including a lovely bronze foot (what else?) from Mary Seyfarth, that wonderful ceramic artist and sculptor who lives down the street from me and often has a parade of ceramic foot sculptures on the walk leading to her front door, which never fails to make me happy when I walk by…

Mary Seyfarth, “Moon Step,” bronze and marble

“Members Only” Show at David Gista’s ART SCHOOL Gallery in Glencoe

Peggy — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:32:52 +0000

Twenty-nine painters (plus one printmaker) who are students of French painter David Gista gathered at the Art School and Gallery in Glencoe for the opening reception of Members Only: The Art School Students’ Show last Friday evening, August 14. The exhibit will remain up at the gallery through September 18. The Art School is across the street from the Writer’s Theatre, at 348 Tudor Court, Glencoe (call 847-242-0104 for more information about upcoming exhibits and fall class offerings.)

A visitor to The Art School & Gallery contemplates the images on the wall

The exhibiting artists represent an eclectic group of dedicated amateur and professional artists who have come together under Gista’s knowledgeable, energetic and expert tutelage. Gista is a graduate of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and exchange programs with Parson School of Paris and the Bezalel Art School in Jerusalem, has had numerous exhibits in the US and Europe and is currently represented by Galerie Darthea Speyer in Paris and Thomas Masters Gallery in Chicago.

Participating artists include: Sheri Ross, Pat Hinkel, Susan Dienhart, Andie Ade, Gerry O’ Malley, Elena Crumbaugh, Roda K, Angie Ade, Susan Schwartz, Janet Lewis, Aparna Krishen, Kate Sullivan, Nancy Bauer, Loren Harris-Heller, Collette Zeman, Barbara Roseman, S. Bennet, Linda Newcomer, Chandrika Marla, Aviva Ginzburg, Ragini Ramesh, Brigitte Wolf, Cindee Dietz, Jack Makuch, Sally Haglund, Scott Kiefer, Chris Porter, Nina Vanderpoel and Peggy Shearn.

Portraits by various artists at The Art School & Gallery 's "Members Only" show

Happy Father’s Day

Don — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 15:39:03 +0000

Ageless emerges from the bunker to say hello to anybody still out there.

I guess this internet thing is still kind of popular but I have been inter-acting in the so-called real world.

Reggie Watts

I mean I haven’t “tweeted” an execution.

We did see Conan Writer’s Live on Thursday night June 17th.

Reggie Watts is an awesome talent improvising post-ironic jams and mixes. Watts was on Conan’s recent comedy tour. He lives in Brooklyn and is awesome.

I am going to China on business to find more products that you all will buy so that together we save the world economy.

I will take the Shekou ferry to Shenzhen.

Shekou Ferry

“Every song is a picnic.” A benefit for the Rustic Falls Nature Camp

Don — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:00:44 +0000

While tromping through the woods in southeast Wisconsin looking for a good place to fish, angler and baritone Warren Fremling heard the pounding of hammers. Fremling, choir director at Congregation Solel in Highland Park and a garrulous soul struck up a conversation with Eric Lentz. Lentz is the co-founder along with his wife Deanna Hallagan of the Rustic Falls Nature Camp, a place where at-risk and special needs kids as well as cancer survivors can get out of town and into nature.

Fremling wanted to help. He organized a concert with some of his pals.

On Sunday, April 18, 2010, 4:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Deerfield, IL, Rick Neeley, Small Potatoes and Warren Fremling will be presenting a benefit concert for the Rustic Falls Nature Camp.

Rick Neeley has been playing folk music in the area for four decades. His banjo picking and 12 string guitar playing hearkens back to the great old folkie days of the 60′s. Neeley is not only a fine musician but a very engaging performer.

“He has a relaxed rapport with his audience and a pocket full of great songs and stories. And make no mistake when Rick entertains the audience is his.”
. . . The World Folk Music Company

The duo of Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso make up Small Potatoes. Manning and Prezioso describe their music as “Celtic to Cowboy” They both sing, they both play guitars and an array of other instruments. They even yodel. “They don’t sound like anybody else. I like that. They lay out a blanket and every song is a picnic.” Warren Nelson Big Top Chautauqua/Tent Show Radio–Wisconsin Public Radio, Bayfield, WI

Small Potatoes

The classically trained Fremling began his career as a folk singer roughly “10,000 years ago.” You can preview Fremling’s CD, Dancin’ With the One Who Brought Me, at cdbaby.com. We wrote at the time of its release, “Listening to Warren Fremling singing folk songs is a pleasant antidote to the harsh screeching of the today’s media. It reminds me that there have always been struggles, tears, joys and love and that we have always been uplifted by our creative spirit.”

Creating a nature camp had long been a dream for Lentz and Hallagan. Here is what Lentz says about the Rustic Falls Nature Camp.

In June of 2005, our lives took an unexpected turn. I was diagnosed with colon cancer. My priorities became my family, my health and working toward a future. Rustic Falls could no longer be a dream. I am determined to make it a reality.

In September of 2006 we were fortunate enough to purchase a portion of an abandoned dairy farm. It is an ideal location for the development of our camp. I have spent the four years clearing and developing this property. We have put in trails that run through a pine forest. The view over the marsh land will be spectacular. We hope Rustic Falls Nature Camp will offer a place that will enrich all who come through its door.

This is a great cause and great bill. Tickets for the benefit are just $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for kids 18 and under. If you can’t be there but would like to contribute, you may contribute to: Rustic Falls Nature Camp, 8044 Karlov Ave., Skokie, IL 60076, Phone: (847) 763-2100, Email: rusticfalls@yahoo.com

If they build it: Lake County Fielders site moved…

Don — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:00:18 +0000

In the film Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner walks through his cornfield and hears someone whisper. “If you build it, he will come.” Costner’s character Ray Kinsella somehow concludes that he should build a baseball field. And, of course, so it came to be.

FIELD OF DREAMS, Ray Liotta, Kevin Costner, 1989, (c) Universal

The Lake County Fielders, the team co-owned by Costner, announced on Friday afternoon, April 9th that construction will begin on their new stadium in Zion, this week. The home opener is scheduled in just about two months.

The surprisingly controversial Lake County Fielders (see the comments on an earlier post) said, “The stadium project is now worthy of a blockbuster major league trade announcement beginning with its new location on a 23-acre site at the NE corner of the Rt. 173 and Green Bay Road, gateway to Trumpet Park and the City of Zion. The “ballpark village” will include a year round multi-use development showcasing retail shops, multi-screen movie theatre, and restaurant.”

The Daily Herald interviewed Lake County Fielders spokeperson, Bernie DiMeo.

“The new site was chosen to speed up construction, Fielders spokesman Bernie DiMeo said.
It is owned by a group of real-estate developers and is leased to Grand Slam Sports & Entertainment, the Fielders’ parent company, said Richard Ehrenreich, the firm’s president. Eventually the site will be leased to the city.
The team may be able to play around the construction project, DiMeo said. Temporary bleachers could be built for fans during the work, he said.
With those concessions in mind, DiMeo said, the team “will certainly have a shot at the original date for the home opener,” a June 11 game against the Gary SouthShore RailCats.”

Click here for the full article.

There is suspicion among some about the announcement.

Here is a portion of an e-mail from a commenter, “Sounds to me like a desperate attempt to keep from having to refund the money they’ve taken in. Released on Friday afternoon to a news service? Not how I’d want to start a legitimate project. No mention of who’s going to pay for what, how much or where the money will come from. The whole “baseball village” angle sounds like some developer fantasy PR. ”

And the posters on the Northern League fan site nlfan.com are not very optimistic. Here are some random comments.

Where did they get the money to do this, then? Interesting Hail Mary they’ve got here.

..It sounds like Zion is about to get fleeced big time. Beerbarrons should be happy…Temporary Bleachers!

And this one really hurts,

That they expected these people to be amazed by a cardboard cutout of a movie star(Costner) and were then proven right is one of the sadder aspects of this. Lot of rubes in Lake County.

Keep watching for the building activity Zion. Baseball restored!