February 2024 Newsletter

Feb 5

News from the Board

Welcome to our new President, Jyl Bonaguro!

Jyl Bonaguro’s works have been featured in publications like NewCity Art, CS Modern Luxury Interiors, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader and Sheridan Road and are in private art collections throughout the United States. Select sculpture exhibitions include: SOFA Chicago, Scope Miami, Aqua Art Miami, “Nature in Motion” Lincoln Park Zoo IL, “Voices and Visions” at the Highland Park Art Center IL and “Intertwined” at the Korean Cultural Center IL. Her plays like Swan Soong have been sponsored by Loyola University Chicago, Columbia College Library, Zhou B. Center, Hinsdale Public Library and the Chinese American Museum of Chicago. She currently lives and works in Chicago, IL. Her latest carving project is the Modern Athena Sculpture.

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Unfavorable Conditions

Opening: Saturday, Feb. 17, from 6-9PM

Exhibition dates: Feb. 17 - April 19, 2024
CSI Project Space and Gallery, 1912 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

Join us for fun, conversation, and Art!

Unfavorable Conditions reflect on the human ability to navigate internal and external storms and emerge on the other side transformed. This exhibit examines the resilience inherent in the human spirit, encouraging a collective acknowledgment of the strength that arises when faced with life's challenges.

Image credit: 'Hidden' by Deana Bada Maloney

CSI Grants Committee News

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

Deadlines for FY25
GAP 1: Feb 15, 2024 for project start date of Jan. 1, 2025
GAP 2: July 11, 2024 for project start date of June 1, 2025

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides funding to strengthen US arts/culture ecosystem

NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and mutual respect for diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Please see link for possible funding eligibility:

www.arts.gov/grants/grants-for-arts-projects/artistic-disciplines

CSI, as an arts organization can help support application processes for CSI members. If any member of CSI is interested to apply for any of of these grants please email: Anthony May - Grants Chair - anthonyheinzmay@chicagosculpture.org

Land Acknowledgement

The City of Chicago, and its surrounding areas, have always been and always will be, home to numerous Native American communities. As a team dedicated to the uplifting of Indigenous People's sovereignty everywhere, we recognize that each program and exhibition associated with this project is taking place on the traditional homelands of the Council of Three Fires - the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa - as well as the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk Nations. Further, we acknowledge that Chicago is home to one of the largest urban Native American communities in the US. We therefore invite each of our non-Indigenous colleagues to learn more about the forced removal of many of the communities listed above from the state of Illinois and to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into their line of work. To provide immediate assistance to Native American Communities in Chicago, you can send donations to the city's American Indian Center here

Current CSI Exhibitions

Poetry of Sculpture

The exhibition will be juried and curated by Beth Shadur.

About the gallery: The Christopher Art Gallery gallery is located on the first floor of the main campus building and consists of 1300 square feet.

Prairie State College
202 S. Halsted St. 
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
Gallery Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on days that college is open.

For questions about the gallery: bshadur@prairiestate.edu
For general information: info@chicagosculpture.org

CSI Call for Entries

RFP: 2024-2026 Sculpture in the Parks

Application Deadline: Thursday, March 21, 2024, 11:59 PM CST

Chicago Sculpture International, in collaboration with the Chicago Park District and parks in the Chicagoland area, is inviting artists to submit proposals for the 2024-2026 Sculpture in the Parks exhibition season.

Works must be large-scale and suitable for outdoors. They will be installed on hardscape or softscape (grass), so artists must be prepared for either type of installation. Only select sites have concrete pads; all other sites are softscape. Sculptures will be on view for two years, from October 2024 to October 2026 (exact dates to be determined). Each sculpture will receive a stipend of $3000.

Eligibility: This call is open to professional artists who are at least 18 years of age. Artists whose proposals are accepted will be asked to join CSI if they are already not a member. There are many membership benefits, including exhibition and networking opportunities, a presence on our website and access to valuable professional information. See what we’re all about at: chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member.

For more information and application click HERE.

For questions, contact info@chicagosculpture.org

Member News

Howard Sandroff Interview in Northfield Life

Congratulations to CSI member Howard Sandroff. He is featured in this month's edition of Northfield Living magazine. Writer Paul Clements discusses Howard's artistic journey as a renowed classical music composer and sculptor.

Click here to read the article

What We Leave Behind

Work by Toby Zallman | OS Projects in Racine, WI

Opening: Saturday, Feb. 10, 1-3PM, artist talk at 2PM
OS Projects, 601 6th Street, Racine, WI

The show’s title, What We Leave Behind refers to plastic waste blighting our planet which will take years to break down into the toxic chemicals from which it was made. It is Zallman’s hope that by creating alluring objects and visual experiences from the waste, while simultaneously foregrounding our complicity in ecological degradation, her project will support behavioral change.
For more INFO

Fiat Lux

Nicole Beck has signed a contract with the City of Davis, CA to produce Fiat Lux, a 12' x 10' x 4' Stainless steel, dichroic and prismatic glass sculpture for Sycamore Park. The artwork is in remembrance of Karim Abou Najm, a UC Davis student who was tragically killed on April 23, 2023 while biking home. Following his death, his family, friends and the Davis community came together to honor his memory and initiated a fundraiser to create a space to remember and celebrate his life. The artwork signifies elements of Karim’s character, including emphasis on healing and connection and the ways the community has come together during a time of grief and turmoil.

Chicago artist Nicole Beck was chosen by Karim’s family to create a site-specific public sculpture. She met with Karim’s parents many times to learn about his life and the best way to honor him and the community; and the proposed design represents months of collaboration to arrive at something that would both honor Karim and be meaningful to the community at large.

The artwork symbolically captures the many facets of Karim’s light and brilliance, as well as his drive to connect and care for people. This artwork represents care and impact while providing an aspirational model for the community to continue to demonstrate intelligence, compassion and kindness. The central star is an abstract motif and connects with the constellation Phoenix, which often represents regeneration and restoration, integrated at the top of sculpture. A subtle image of Karim appears as the dominant star Aanka in that formation. The aspirational text reads FIAT LUX (Into the Light) and FREE SPIRIT, alluding to Karim's "free spirit".

The sculpture will be fabricated at Vector Custom Fabricating.

Render: Christopher Tedin

Hai-Wen Lin wins Hopper Prize

Congratulations to CSI member Hai-Wen Lin for winning the prestigious Hopper Prize. “The works made by these artists are shot through with powerful and blatant curiosity about the world around them and, more specifically, the imprints that this world makes on people”

Laura Phipps, Assistant Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art The Hopper Prize is a grant-making institution and online platform established to support emerging artists. It was founded in 2017 by artists for artists in honor of painter Edward Hopper. The prize provides financial assistance, exposure, and recognition to emerging artists worldwide. The Hopper Prize aims to bridge the gap between artist recognition and institutional support by providing unrestricted grants to talented individuals working in various media. The prize is awarded biannually, and winners are selected through a juried process. To see more of Hai-Wen Lin’s work, visit haiwenlin.com To learn more about The Hopper Prize, visit hopperprize.org

The following are not CSI sponsored projects
But may be of interest to our members

2024 Farm/Art DTour Call for Entries

Deadline: February 12

Wormfarm Institute is currently seeking artists to produce original, site-responsive installations for the 2024 Farm/Art DTour (October 5-14, 2024). Artists will install their works in farm fields after the last cutting of hay, to draw attention to the importance of what farmers do every day and the beauty and history of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area.

Learn more and apply on our website.

The Farm/Art DTour is a self-guided, 50-mile drive through the working farmlands of rural Sauk County, Wisconsin, punctuated by ArtWorks (large-scale temporary art installations), Field Notes (interpretive signage), pasture performances, roadside poetry, local food markets and more.

Individuals or teams, formally trained or self-taught, from all disciplines — who are interested in creating works that engage with the landscape and surrounding rural communities may apply. Finalists will be invited to an orientation in Sauk County this spring and receive a stipend to revise their proposals. Selected artists will receive support ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to realize their work in the fall.

Photo credit: Curious Erratic of the Driftless by W. Scott Trimble, 2022 Farm/Art DTour; photo: Katrin Talbot

Call for Artists:
Sculpture/Obelisk and Viaduct Art Installation

Oak Park, IL
Deadline: February 20, 2024, 4PM

The Village is seeking qualifications from professional artists to create permanent, original, exterior public art installations to be located along Oak Park Avenue as part of the Oak Park Avenue Streetscape project.

Learn more HERE.
Further project information site images HERE.

18th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition - Call for Entries

City of North Charleston, SC
Deadline: February 25, 2024

Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the 18th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition. Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibit and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $19,750. Accepted artists will receive a $1,250 honorarium check to assist with transportation, installation, de-installation, and incidental expenses. Once all pieces are installed, the juror will award Best in Show ($1000), Outstanding Merit ($500), and up to three Honorable Mentions ($250 each).

The juror for this year’s competition is Lauren Nye, Associate Curator at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, TN.

Organized by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and presented as a component of the annual North Charleston Arts Fest, this unique exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their inspiring and extraordinary sculptures throughout the picturesque North Charleston Riverfront Park, set along the banks of the Cooper River. An estimated 50,000 people visit this public park annually to enjoy the amenities located in the heart of the city's arts community.

Visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com to view the currently installed exhibition and updates on the 2024 festival schedule.
Visit HERE for more information and application.

Wall by Mark Chatterley (2023/24 Best in Show)

Call for Entries:
Pentwater Public Arts: Sculpture Walk 2024/25

Deadline: March 15, 2024

Pentwater is a lakeside community in West Michigan on the shores of Lake Michigan, north of Muskegon and south of Ludington. Well known by Great Lakes sailors, Pentwater is a vibrant tourist destination with an abundance of outdoor activities such as boating, camping, and beach going. It is home to Charles Mears State Park. Pentwater has several art galleries, is an active arts community, and is home to the Artisan Learning Center, and the Pentwater Arts Council which is a 501(c)(3) and the sponsor of this event.

They are planning to select 5 dynamic works for a one year commitment. Stipend is $3000.

More information and application can be found HERE.

Call for Entries: St. Charles Sculpture in the Park

Deadline: Wednesday, April 24, 2024

The Sculpture Committee, St. Charles Park Foundation and the St. Charles Park District invite you to participate in the Annual Sculpture in the Park Exhibit located along the Fox River in beautiful Mt. St. Mary Park, St. Charles, Illinois.

St. Charles’ Sculpture in the Park endeavors to diversify and enrich each show by featuring a wide range of artistic expression.

New this Year: Sculpture in the Park is expanding into a year-round exhibit with increased stipend.

The honorarium per chosen sculptor will be $1,500.

Applications must be completed online using the submission form below.

Click here for submission requirements, important dates and more details, please review the Propectus

Please apply online: https://www.stcsculpture.org/application

Feel free to email or call Erika Young, Sculpture Committee Member at eyoung@stcparks.org or (630) 513-4319.

Harborpark Sculpture Walk 2024-2026

Kenosha, WI

Application Deadline: Midnight, April 30, 2024
Review and Selection: May – July 2024
(Selected sculptures must be approved by City of Kenosha)
Artist Notification: No later than July 31, 2024
Installation Dates: September 18 and/or 19, 2024 (Anticipated)

The mission of the Kenosha Community Foundation Arts Fund is to encourage and enhance cultural life and public art in the Kenosha (WI) area through facilitation, recognition, and financial support. The Arts Fund initiative, Sculpture Walk – HarborPark, is a sculpture walk consisting of a two-year installation of sculptors’ work for which each artist will receive an honorarium of $2,250. The Sculpture Walk – HarborPark is entering the 7th exhibit for the project. The Kenosha Community Foundation Arts Fund is soliciting artists for the 2024-2026 Sculpture Walk-HarborPark Exhibit.

Selection criteria including but are not limited to:
• Durable media, must withstand all weather elements, including high winds off Lake Michigan
• Suitable for an outdoor setting and safe to the public
• Represents diverse materials and perspectives
• Overall appeal and aesthetic quality

Download the full RFP and application

Art in the Park - Call for Entries

Rock Falls, IL
Deadline: Wednesday, June 1, 2024

With the continued success of our previous six years Art in the Park Sculpture Walk, Rock Falls Tourism is making preparations for our 7th year of bringing in amazing sculptures to our RB&W District. We are now accepting submissions for sculpture art to be on display at the RB&W District along the Rock River. This open space park is used by many organizations putting on events and draws people from surrounding communities and states, which will ensure a high amount of visibility for your art throughout the year. The RB&W District is also security monitored, 24 hours a day. The Art in the Park Sculpture Walk is also featured on the Otocast application for smartphones which provides an additional layer of exposure. Artists will be asked to record an audio component for this application, should their sculpture be chosen.

The Rock Falls Tourism Department has opened up the selection process to artists within the rest of the
state, as well as surrounding states. The sculptures will be installed at the RB&W District, on August 23, 2024. Artists will be given a $1,250 stipend and will be able to make their sculpture available for
purchase.

For more information: HERE
For questions, contact Melinda Jones.

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

Shows, awards, residencies etc? Submit here and we'll include them in an upcoming newsletter.

While you're at it, your profile and images on CSI’s website are important. When CSI applies for grants and upcoming shows, images are solely chosen from those you have uploaded to our website. Please take a minute to look over what you have posted and make sure you are presenting the best work. Member Shelley Gilchrist sgilchristart@gmail.com has volunteered to help you if you need it, so feel free to contact her.

CSI projects are partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

Gene Skala