 The Addison Art Guild Fall Members’ Exhibition The Addison Center for the Arts presented the Addison Art Guild Fall Members’ Show on display November 9 – December 9, 2023. The artist reception was on Thursday, November 9 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm., when the Best of Show and other prizes were awarded. There were refreshments and a critique by the judge. The reception was free and open to the public. This year’s distinguished judge was Lynne Kornecki, the publisher of ArtBeat, a web magazine devoted to regional art and artists. You can get on the ArtBeat email newsletter online at foxvalleyartbeat.com. The exhibit consisted of artwork from member artists, representing a wide range of art mediums – oils, pastels, acrylics, colored pencil, mixed media, watercolor, and bead mosaic on acrylic convex mirror. “Our members work in a wide variety of styles and themes that should resonate with nearly everybody,” commented AAG founder and president emeritus, Annette Leiber. The Addison Art Guild welcomes new members, visitors and supporters of the visual arts to join. The AAG meets on the second Thursday of the month from September through May at 7:00 p.m. The meeting includes a lecture or demonstration by a professional artist. 
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 Melina Scotte Featured at Addison Center for the Arts in Celebration of Arts DuPage Month The Addison Center for the Arts was proud to unveil a solo exhibition featuring the gracious paintings of Melina Scotte as part of their annual Arts DuPage Month celebration. This exhibition, that was from September 20 to October 28, shined a spotlight on the captivating artworks by renowned painter and muralist, Melina Scotte. The exhibition was highlighted by an artist reception on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, providing an invaluable opportunity to engage with the artist. Julie Mars, the ACA’s director of communications praised Scotte’s work, “Originally from Argentina, Scotte has a true multicultural grasp of how people from around the world have so much in common. Work like hers can bridge cultural differences and unite communities.” The exhibit displayed the artist’s intent to allow viewers to see something from their own perspective and to be able to transmit beauty and imagination through each piece. “I believe that society expresses change in relation to what is around us, and what surrounds us affects what we become. If people surround themselves with beauty and harmony, we as a society will be more inclined to be kind to one another. I am always looking to inspire people to be creative and to look for those things that feed the soul.” Melina Scotte not only serves as an embodiment of individual artistic expression but also stands as a testament to the vibrant arts landscape of the western suburbs of Chicago. The artist reception on October 7th provided an opportunity to engage directly with Melina Scotte, gain insights into her creative process, and explore the inspirations behind her vibrant artworks. Melina Scotte's creations, characterized by gestural brushwork, intricate textures, and glorious color, have garnered her a distinguished position within the art community. Through this dedicated exhibition, we celebrated her contributions to the world of art and culture, aligning seamlessly with the Addison Center for the Arts’ mission to nurture creativity and enhance lives through the arts.   Solo Art Show "Lines and Healing Circles" by Jeanne Garrett at the Addison Center for the Art
The Addison Center for the Arts presented "Lines and Healing Circles," a solo art exhibition by accomplished photographer Jeanne Garrett. This captivating exhibition ran from August 9 to September 9, showcasing an extraordinary collection of mixed-media, semi-abstract works that push the boundaries of traditional photographic technique. The artist reception for "Lines and Healing Circles" took place on August 12, 2023 from 5 to 7 pm. The event provided art enthusiasts, collectors, and the community with the opportunity to meet Jeanne Garrett and engage with her poignant and elegant work. Jeanne Garrett's artistic journey combines her formal studies at Barat College with a self-taught perspective, resulting in a unique approach to photography. Her deep connection to the landscape and environment has been a consistent theme in her work, which has been displayed in museums and galleries across the United States. Garrett's lyrical imagery has garnered recognition and acclaim, featured in publications such as the Daily Herald, Birds and Blooms, and Black & White magazines. Her talent has even captured the attention of prestigious platforms like the BBC and National Geographic. Notably, she was honored as a Merit Award winner in Black and White magazine in both 2021 and 2022. In addition to her artistic endeavors, Jeanne Garrett actively engages in public projects that promote inclusivity and community upliftment. She has made significant contributions to projects such as replacing graffiti with inspiring artwork in her hometown and spearheading a mural project at Chicago Tech Academy, empowering minority low-income students in the pursuit of science, technology, and engineering. With her latest mixed media art project, "Healing Circles," Garrett ventures into the realm of abstract art, exploring the human condition through symbolism and technique. Inspired by personal experiences, including her husband's open-heart surgery and the isolation of the Covid pandemic, she layers gauze, stitching, paper, and found objects onto her photographic foundation. The resulting compositions represent the stages of healing, from chaos to hope, transformation, and acceptance, with the circle symbolizing hope and stitching suggesting surgical sutures while unifying the composition. "Lines and Healing Circles" challenges the conventions of photography, blurring the line between the captured image and artistic transformation. Garrett's abstract creations invite viewers on a visual journey that sparks contemplation and evokes deep emotions. Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Addison Center for the Arts to experience the transformative power of "Lines and Healing Circles" by Jeanne Garrett. This exhibition was a truly immersive and thought-provoking artistic exploration.  Exhibit Dates: July 5 - 29, 2023
Artist Reception: July 8, 2023 Lisa Lucaccioni made her entrance onto the art scene by unveiling her unique artistic vision in her first solo exhibition. Drawing inspiration from her family's artistic lineage and guided by influential mentors, Lucaccioni has embarked on a transformative journey that showcases her emerging talent. From a young age, Lucaccioni's artistic potential shone brightly. Encouraged by her esteemed aunt Annette Perone Leiber, an accomplished artist, Lucaccioni delved into various art forms, honing her skills and pushing the boundaries of her creativity. Throughout her school years, Lucaccioni's talent was recognized with numerous accolades, including first-place ribbons for her exceptional artworks. Lucaccioni's artistic journey expanded as she embraced diverse mediums, from commissioned drawings and paintings to creating unique designs on clothing and accessories. She mastered the art of airbrushing and even established her own salon, "Underground Hair Designers," where she seamlessly integrated her artistic abilities into hairstyling and nail art. Recognized for her exceptional talent, Lucaccioni's work has been featured in publications, including Nails Magazine, where her nail art garnered attention. She ventured into painting motorcycles, helmets, and tattoos, as well as airbrushing makeup for special occasions. Embracing a spiritual path as a Reiki Master teacher, Lucaccioni found new inspiration, infusing her art with color therapy and symbolism. Her creations include intricate Mandalas and life-size Labyrinths, showcasing vibrant chakra-inspired colors that offer healing and guidance. Driven by a deep love for nature and animals, Lucaccioni's artistry expanded to encompass captivating portrayals of butterflies, wildlife, and spiritual subjects. Her art has garnered a growing following and is cherished by all of her collectors. With each new creation, Lisa Lucaccioni's artistic journey unfolds, captivating viewers and inspiring fellow artists. As an emerging local talent, she continues to explore new artistic horizons, leaving her mark on the art world.  EXHIBIT DATES: May 6 through July 1, 2023 The Addison Center for the Arts invited all art enthusiasts to enjoy "At Home and Abroad: Select Works from the Bruce Peterson Legacy Collection at their gallery located at 213 N. Lombard Road from May 6 to July 1, 2023. The ACA proudly showcased a remarkable collection of artwork from the late artist Bruce Peterson, featuring captivating scenes of Illinois neighborhoods as well as picturesque vistas from his global travels. Each piece in this collection reveals Peterson's masterful hand and keen artistic vision, transporting viewers on a visual journey that evokes feelings of relaxation and nostalgia. Bruce Peterson, an accomplished award-winning artist, honed his skills at the renowned Art Institute of Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois. Recognized for his proficiency in watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting, Peterson adeptly expressed his artistic talent through realistic representations, abstract compositions, and expressionistic designs. "At Home and Abroad" showcases evocative representational scenes of Midwestern life and glimpses from Peterson's captivating worldwide expeditions. This exhibition presents an exceptional opportunity to acquire the artwork of a cherished and accomplished local artist. All proceeds from the sale of these works will benefit the Addison Center for the Arts, supporting their ongoing commitment to promoting and nurturing artistic endeavors within the community.  EXHIBIT DATES: March 29 to April 29, 2023
PUBLIC RECEPTION: Saturday, April 1, 2023, 6 to 8 pm. Addison Center for the Arts proudly presented an exhibition by artist Charles Williams Jr., entitled Boop-Oop-a-Doop: A Visual Voice of the African American Diaspora. The exhibition ran from March 29 to April 29, 2023, with a public artist reception on Saturday, April 1, 2023, from 6 to 8 pm at the ACA Gallery. Charles Williams Jr. is a self-taught artist from Woodridge, IL who has been painting for over ten years. He is an award-winning member of the Naperville Art League and the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild. He’s influenced by abstract, urban, pop, modern, contemporary, and street art. He uses vibrant colors infused with geometric shapes and abstract line work that represents “the energy of life.” He incorporates a variety of mixed media like acrylic, pen, marker, oil pastel, chalk pastel, glitter, coffee beans, molding paste, among others to effectively manifest his elaborate imagination and artistic vision. Charles has a profound belief that “art is an intrinsic expression of your soul and the medium you choose to express who you are. Your feelings are a God-given gift to be shared with the world.” Charles seeks to inspire and bring joy, peace, awareness, and love to the world through his art. This exhibition, Boop-Oop-a-Doop, was Williams' homage to African descendants’ culture, history, fashion, resources, and overall beauty and style. Williams' main muse and source of inspiration is none other than the popular iconic character Betty Boop. By deftly weaving abstraction and figuration with sharp brush strokes, Williams explores the aesthetic of pop art, and incorporates other popular culture cartoon figures such as SpongeBob and the Pink Panther to convey a message of black beauty, brilliance, resilience, love, and hope for the future. "We are delighted to host Charles Williams Jr.’s first solo show," said Julie Mars, Director of Communications at Addison Center for the Arts. "He adds a joyous African American perspective to the pop art movement pioneered by Andy Warhol and others. We are excited to offer Williams’ work as an introduction to the cultural happenings surrounding Warhol 2023 at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art this year.”  The Addison Art Guild had their reception and awards ceremony on November 10 for their Fall 2022 Members' Show. Thanks to Benjamin F. Calvert III for judging the exhibition. He awarded the following ribbons... BEST IN SHOW "The Teacher" a Textile/embroidery by Margherita Bernardi-Trahan. FIRST PLACE "Reflection" an acrylic on canvas by Tania Blanco SECOND PLACE "Golden Corn Worm" a colored pencil drawing by Margaret Bucholz HONORABLE MENTION "Pretty in Pink" an acrylic painting by Carol L Davy HONORABLE MENTION "Salt Creek at Summertime" an oil painting by Jane Mickucki HONORABLE MENTION "Serenity" a watercolor by Carol Severs Congratulations to the award-winning artists!  ACA Exhibits the Art and Verse of Dorothy Bury Shaw Take a spiritual journey for Arts DuPage Month through the art and poetry of Downers Grove resident, Dorothy Bury Shaw, at the Addison Center for the Arts starting October 8, 2022. All are welcome to enjoy the exhibit, “Line by Line,” starting with the artist reception from 2 to 4 pm on October 8, 2022. During the reception we will hear the artist recite some of the poems that are displayed along with the other-worldly art works that inspired them. Dorothy Bury Shaw achieves a rich, ethereal quality by rendering her subjects with intricate layers of ink, watercolor and colored pencil on rag paper. Every line is purposeful, each element is symbolic. With more recent pieces, she includes elements of the collage, mingling worldly bits of paper with spiritual subjects to create another point of connection for the viewer. As she works, she is softly anchored in ritual repetition as hours pass and her details emerge. She says, “My work is a visual chant, and borrows from the insights of mystics through the ages.” Her artistic process includes poetry that comes to her while she is working at her art table. In both her art and her poetry, Bury Shaw hones in on the common ground of human experience with her subject matter, celebrating all that is spirit within each of us. In this solo exhibit, for the first time, Bury Shaw’s art and poetry are both being featured. She chose to name the exhibit “Line by Line” because that is how both the art and the poetry unfold. Whether in the drawing of a concept, or in composing just the right words to convey a thought, she welcomes the flow of one line following the next as it slowly comes into being. It’s like breathing, the intake, the exhale, the putting down one thought, and the pause before the next follows. Line by line, her work emerges. And it gives her great joy to share it all with you. Dorothy Bury Shaw is the author of “Love Without Distance – A Heartscape of Art and Verse”. The book features some of her art and poetry. You can learn more about Dorothy Bury Shaw at www.dburyshaw.com. “Line by Line” continues through November 5, 2022. Admission to the Addison Center for the Arts is always FREE. The gallery is annexed to Addison Trail High School at 213 N. Lombard Road, Door #4 Addison, IL 60101 630-458-4500 Hours are Wednesday - Saturday from 1 to 4 pm. ACA Exhibits “Jazz Occurrence” Paintings by Lewis Achenbach Visitors to the Addison Center for the Arts gallery had a chance to see a collection of Jazz Occurrence paintings by Lewis Achenbach on display from August 20 through September 24, 2022. The show opened with a public reception from 5 to 7PM on Saturday, August 20, 2022. Local rock and blues guitar legend, Joe Eddy Brown, collaborated with Lewis Achenbach on a demonstration of the artist’s creative process. An intrinsic feature of Jazz music is it’s loose structure and improvisational riffs. But instead of slapping the upright bass or blowing a brassy sax, visual artist Lewis Achenbach from Wheaton joins the band and jams along with paint on canvas. As he works in tandem with the musicians, his paintings give insight to and celebrate a synaesthesia of two art forms. His paintings are documents of a multisensory event - a Jazz Occurrence. Each performance and each painting have their own ambience wherein Achinbach has “captured the frequency of the room.” Through his artistry, viewers can feel the lively, frenetic, or sultry vibe of a concert. “My background in animation is important in the success of a Jazz Occurrence, utilizing storytelling, storyboards, key frames, key poses. Consider a painting that takes a 45 minute set to create. This artwork is built using layers of music abstracted and representation, like looking at the frames of an animated film, all at once. It is a document of time; a form of time travel, each brushstroke portending the next musical phrase. Absurd in concept, yet potential beautiful and revelatory in the act. Every artwork is a sketch for a singular body of work that tells the Sonic Story.” - Lewis Achenbach After the opening reception for his solo exhibition at the Addison Center for the Arts, Lewis Achenbach returned Monday, August 29, 2022 to speak to Addison Trail High School art students. Ms. Ramón faithfully brings her art classes to view exhibitions at the ACA Gallery, but this time the artist was present to add more information about his paintings. Ms. Ramon's AP Art Classes and Mr. Hockensmith's Introduction to Art had the opportunity to hear about Art as a Career. Ms. Ramón expressed the value of artist talk: “My A.P. art students were able to ask questions about their artistic journey and the thought process related to their works in the gallery. Some have already been inspired to visually express their own types of music.” Achenbach recalls what it was like to be a young, creative person who had just learned the basics. “It is the beginning of a lifelong path of discovery; to criticize and respond to praise and criticism.” If our discussion at the ACA ignited new ways of thinking somehow, I've done my job.. There's the box, out of the box, and then you realize there's no box. Arts and innovation will change this world, one paintbrush at a time.” In 2022, the Addison Center for the Arts awarded two scholarships to ATHS graduates to study theater and fine arts. Julie Mars, director of communications at the Addison Center for the Arts explains: “The ACA is always happy to host student groups.. This week I had the opportunity to inform AP students about our annual scholarship program for those who want to study art after high school. Lewis Achenbach had a collection of twelve original paintings from 'Jazz Occurrence' on display and for sale at the Addison Center for the Arts through September 24, 2022. The members of the Addison Center for the Arts and the Addison Artists' Guild enjoyed a private demonstration of Lewis Achenbach's Jazz Occurrence in concert with Phuong (Felix) Pham on electric piano on Septemberber 15, 2022. Thanks to Clyde's Donuts for donating the DELICIOUS donut holes for everyone to munch on. So goooood. Thanks for the 100 or more of you who came to Addison Uncorked last night. Extra thanks to those who made our night so special: The Village of Addison, August Hill Winery, Bailey's Place, & Sal's Beverage World for the wine, craft beer and hard seltzer samples. A big thank you to Mario's Deli for providing DELICIOUS subs and panzones! They were scrumptious! |
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