May 2023 Newsletter
Above: Dora Natella (1956-2023), Overseer 16' x 3' x 3', cast bronze and cast aluminum. Location: Ronan Park, Chicago
Welcome to the May Newsletter
You will find:
Newsletter updates
News from the CSI Committees
Show opportunities
Ongoing Member Exhibitions
Newsletter Updates
Rock Falls, IL Art in the Park
Call for Submissions
With the continued success of the previous five years’ Art in the Park sculpture walk, Rock Falls Tourism is making preparations for the annual event to be held on September 6, 2023. They are now accepting submissions for the sculpture art to be displayed on its Run, Bike & Walk (RB&W) District along the Rock River. This open space park is used by many organizations and draws people from surrounding communities and states, which will ensure a high amount of visibility for your art throughout the year. 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 and audio component for the application, should their sculpture be chosen.
The sculptures will be installed on September 1st, 2022
Artists will receive a $1,250 stipend and make their sculpture available for purchase.
Application deadline: June 1, 2023 (Submissions will be received up until June 7th, 2023)
Submissions can be sent to:
director@visitrockfalls.com
or by regular mail:
Attn: Melinda Jones, Director of Rock Falls Tourism
Rock Falls Tourism
603 W 10th St, Rock Falls, IL 61071
A maximum of two submissions per artist with specifications on each sculpture is needed.
Please include a text document that lists the following:
Artist name
Title of work
Dimensions (H x L x W)
Medium
Click here to download more details
Click here to download contract for work that is selected.
For more info: director@visitrockfalls.com
Call for Entries for Color/Form
Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at the College of Lake County
Entry Deadline: Friday, June 2, 2023
Email notification of acceptance: June 7, 2023
Delivery of Accepted Work: June 13, 2023, 10:00-4:00
Exhibition dates: Thursday June 22-August 9, 2023
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 22, 5-7 pm
Pick-up of work: Thursday, August 10. 10:00-4:00
No other element impacts aesthetics so directly and urgently as color. Artists who combine color with structure understand the boundless and captivating energy of this synthesis. Using color to evoke a mood is essential in their practice and message.Color/Form’spurpose is to compile creations that celebrate color and form interpreted in three dimensions.
Sculptors are invited to enter up to two works in the Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL. The Wright Gallery’s curator, Ann Rintz, will jury and curate the exhibition.
Find more information here.
CSI Remembers Dora Natella
Chicago Sculpture International is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of member Dora Natella who passed away on April 11, 2023. While gallantly fighting advanced cancer, she was involved in a fatal traffic accident. She is survived by her son Andrea and the beautiful art she created for the world to enjoy.
Dora recently retired from Indiana University South Bend where she was an Associate Professor in the Raclin School of the Arts for nearly 20 years. Her artwork is featured on the IU South Bend campus and in public venues and private collections across the United States and around the world including Rome, Italy; Merida, Venezuela; Chicago, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, and New York City. She has a sculpture currently installed at CSI's outdoor exhibit in Ronan Park. Her art celebrates the human form but also makes a statement about motherhood, sexuality, feminism, and humanity. She left a legacy of beauty in art and sculpture that will move people for generations to come.
Andrea "Dora" Carmen Natella was born on July 24, 1956 in Maracay, Venezuela and raised and educated in Italy where she studied sculpture in the classical tradition at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. In 1980, she moved to the United States where she earned a Master in Fine Arts in Sculpture at Western Michigan University and went on to work as the Sculpture Area Coordinator at Indiana University in Bloomington. In 1996, she joined the Fine Arts Faculty at the University of Oregon and was awarded a Fulbright Award in 1997 to foster ties between Venezuela and the United States. She came to IU South Bend in 2004. She received the IU South Bend Distinguished Research Award in 2021. She was a fellow at the National Sculpture Society and a member of Chicago Sculpture International, International Sculpture Center, and other professional organizations.
Donations in her memory can be made to the Dora Natella Fine Arts Scholarship at IU South Bend.
Source: https://Southbendtribune.com/obituaries/psbn0469709
https://doranatella.com
News from the Outdoor Exhibitions Committee
Photo: Maureen Gray in front of her Balance, Photo courtesy of Chuck Sabey
New Sculptures at Forest Park
Through a call put out by Chicago Sculpture International, The Village of Park Forest in Illinois purchased three sculptures for their permanent collection by Michigan-based artist and CSI member Maureen Gray. The sculptures were installed on Wednesday, April 19th, 2023. CSI would like to thank Maureen Gray and to the Park Forest staff, especially cultural arts supervisor, Chuck Sabey.
https://www.chicagosculpture.org/sculpture-in-the-parks/park-forest
News from CSI Project Space
Sculptura in Urbs in Horto
Opening: Friday, May 12, 2023 6-9pm
Exhibit dates: May 13- June 9, 2023
In conjunction with the Chicago Park District (CPD), Evanston Arts Council, North River Commission, and Marquette Park, IN, Sculpture in the Parks (SITP) is a leased program of large scale sculptures in different parks throughout the Chicagoland area organized by Chicago Sculpture International (CSI.) Works are site-contextualized to harmonize with the aesthetic of the particular park. Most of the sculptures are placed in front of park field houses, many of which are architecturally significant and have landmark status. These are designated as "cultural centers," which offer cultural and environmental programs for youth, adults, and seniors. The sculptures are changed out every other year in October. The CPD has more than 600 parks and a total of over 8,800 acres of green space, making it the largest municipal park manager in the country.
CSI also collaborates with the Chicago Park District to organize the Chicago Tree Project (CTP), which transforms dead trees into public art that are infested with Emerald Ash Borer or other diseases. The CTP uses art as vehicle for community engagement throughout Chicago parks and creates unique opportunities for citizens to celebrate the beauty of nature.
Each CTP artist aims to create an impact on the neighborhood and park visitors.
This exhibit Sculptura In Urbs In Horto celebrates this important collaboration between our parks and our organization. Maquettes from exhibiting sculptors are also offered for sale here in our gallery.
Exhibiting sculptors: Terry Karpowicz, Janet Austin, Emily Moorehead-Wallace, Andrew Arvanetes, Nicole Beck, Paul Russell, Brian Monaghan, Ruth Aizuss Migdal, Ted Sitting Crow Garner, Berthold Boone, Indira Freitas Johnson, Kara James & John Bannon.
In memorium: Ron Gard and Dora Natella
CSI Project Space
1912 N. Damen Ave., Chicago, IL 60647
Hours: Friday-Sunday 1-6pm, or by appointment
2D and 3D artwork by CSI members for upcoming exhibit: ALIVE
Submission Deadline: Monday, May 29, Memorial Day at Midnight
ALIVE - Exhibition dates: June 16 – July 28, 2023
What does it mean to be alive and a part of Nature?
All animal and vegetable tissues are made up of a complex collection of cells
endlessly at work generating energy for life. In this sense, there is no life without action.
All these little parts and drops of goodness ignite the living in our world illuminated
by the energy of the sun.
We are not mere observers taking measurements and making plans. We are a
structured and complex stimulus being, emerged within the patterns and cycles of Nature. These connections and patterns along with their cycles are expressed as a whole through the living. This experience of life, however interconnected and reliant upon parts both big and small, is inevitably singularly perceived.
This is an open call for 2D and 3D artwork that explores the patterns and connections found in life which embrace Nature.
Please complete an entry form and submit 1-4 jpeg images here:
https://forms.gle/LZ27c8KLgjAEaBqx5
Entry Requirements:
1-4 jpeg images, no larger than 2MB. Each artist may submit up to 4 artwork entries.
Artwork information that corresponds with submitted images; including title of work, material, dimensions, year, and sale price with 30% added per artwork.
Artist Statement.
Contact information including email, address and phone number along with optional inclusion of website and Instagram handle.
All accepted artists must be current CSI members or will need to join in advance of the exhibition.
Submission Deadline: Monday, May 29, Memorial Day at Midnight
Notification: June 3
Drop off work: Sat/Sun, June 10 –11, 1-6pm.
Opening Reception: Friday, June 16, 6-9pm.
Exhibition Dates: June 16 – July 28
Pick up Work: Sat/Sun, July 29 – 30, 1-6pm.
Please Note: We are requiring exhibiting artists to cover one or two gallery sitting shifts during the duration of this show. CSI Project Space is run strictly by volunteers, we encourage you to get more involved.
For any questions contact csiprojectspace@chicagosculpture.org
Above: Installation image from the 2022 By Degrees exhibition
Upcoming CSI Project Exhibition: By Degrees II
Notice: Upcoming call for student and recent grad work. Please share this with any students or recent graduates that you know. Important dates, including exhibition dates, submission terms and deadlines will be shared on the CSI website by May 15.
Chicago Sculpture International (CSI) will be calling for artists who are enrolled, or recently (2022 or later) graduated from a degree-seeking program to submit works of sculpture, installation and media work to be featured in the second annual juried group exhibition By Degrees, scheduled for summer 2023 at CSI Project Space in Chicago. (Exact dates and call info TBA.)
Artists will be able to submit up to 3 works for consideration. There will be no fee for entry, but accepted artists will be required to gallery sit for at least two 3-hour shifts during the run of the exhibition. Accepted artists will be granted a one year non-transferrable student membership to CSI.
News from the Education Committee
There are a few more exciting educational art workshops scheduled for later this year.
I look forward to sharing these workshops with our members in the upcoming newsletters.
We are always looking for fun art workshops to share with The Boys and Girls Club
at the Lathrop Homes. We are looking for art projects that can be completed in one hour with the children.
If you have an idea for an art workshop, please contact mickilemieux@chicagosculpture.org
News from the Membership Committee
2023/2024 Inclusion Fellowship for AALANA or BIPOC identifying Artists/Sculptors
In an effort to expand and enrich our community in 2023/2024, CSI Membership is offering three (3) AALANA or BIPOC fellowships in total. The fellowships will be offered to three (3) new AALANA or BIPOC identifying artists of exceptional promise and interest. Fellowships will cover the cost of one year's membership dues, a range of perks, and opportunities to exhibit your work.
Application Deadline: May 31, 2023
Click here for more details and to download an application.
Happy Women's History Month . . . continued!
Happy Women's History Month…continued! In honor of this special month and continuing acknowledgement of CSI Womens’ accomplishments, please click the link! 94 Women strong from the website membership page. The links represent each artists’ singular “greatest hit” it is not exhaustive and may not be what they chose, but it is IMPRESSIVE! Congratulations Ladies, I am honored to be in service to each and every one of you!
Click here to view
Hilde DeBruyne, Tree of Life
International Sculpture Center special discount
For the entire month of May 2023, ISC offers CSI members 50% discount on membership dues! REGISTER
Congratulations to all members who participated in International Sculpture Day April 29th!
Please share your open studio events and any news about new work on our facebook or instagram pages.
(20+) Chicago Sculpture International | Facebook
@chicagosculptureinternational
Land Acknowledgment
To provide immediate assistance to Native American communities in Chicago, you can send donations to the city’s American Indian Centerhere.
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.
Land acknowledgments are not rhetorical gestures, but rather calls to action. 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. We also encourage everyone to ask themselves how they may benefit from the continuation of settler colonialism, militarism, and warfare. Confronting these realities allows us to break down our privileges and adopt anti-colonial practices that can one day help us in creating a more equitable society.
STARTS Program (Short-term Teaching Residency Program)
Deadline: May 15, 2023
Provides support of up to $4,500 to eligible Illinois not-for-profit organizations, schools, and school districts for short term residencies focused on hands-on learning experiences conducted by Illinois artists, companies, or ensembles.
Grant requests for fiscal year 2023 are for activities occurring by August 31, 2023.
Open deadline program. Applications must be received no less than eight weeks before the project start date as identified in the application. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received and will be accepted through: May 15, 2023. Look HERE for more information.
If anyone is interested to apply, I have contacted Jerome Grand (program director) who explained the program is still open and looking for candidates. Specifics can be found online. Otherwise, feel free to reach out to me: anthonyheinzmay@chicagosculpture.org
Save the Date: August 19th, 2023
Chicago Sculpture International Membership Picnic at The Chicago Riverfront (with a rain date of August 20th). More details to follow . . .
Member News
Members are welcome to submit news regarding exhibitions and professional development achievements toinfo@chicagosculpture.org
We would love to see what you are doing!!
Overflow, by Gina Lee Robbins
Epiphany Center for the Arts
Slemmons Gallery
Opening Reception: Friday May 12, 6-9PM; RSVP here.
Exhibition Dates: May 12- June 24
In Overflow, Gina Lee Robbins combines found and reclaimed materials to explore the elements of human experience that we can’t quite contain. Natural debris and spillover from the urban landscape reference our inability to maintain a firm grasp on all that we’d hoped to bear. This might include the perennial lost sock, a wardrobe malfunction, or grief bubbling up at a traffic light. On a deeper level, Lee Robbins is musing on who we are in relation to who we dreamed we’d become, who we present ourselves to be, and how we’re actually seen. Her focus is the confluence of propriety and social norms with the actual spillage that occurs in everyday life–the bits that dribble out and make us uncomfortable.
Hen and Homage x 3 by Jan Petry
CSI member Jan Petry is pleased to relay that her wood sculptures, Hen and Homage x 3 have been accepted into the permanent collection of the Racine Art Museum.
Above (L to R): Sculptures by Scott Mossman, Susan Smith Trees, Bethany Cordero, Brian Northup and John Upchurch
Sculpture: Motley Cruise
Several CSI members will be featured in the upcoming exhibition Sculpture: Motley Cruise, at ARC Gallery.
Scott Mossman, Susan Smith Trees, Bethany Cordero, Brian Northup and John Upchurch will be among the 30 artists participating in the show.
The opening reception will be held on Friday May 26th from 5-8PM. ARC Gallery is at 1463 W Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL
Inevitable Scar by Paul Gerard Somers
Solo exhibition at Ignition satellite space
Join us for the artist talk and closing of our second exhibition,
At Mana Contemporary Chicago, Studio #421 4th floor, 2233 S. Throop St.
Curated by Christine Forni
Thursday, May 25, 6-9pm
Note: The following are not CSI sponsored calls but may be of interest to our members.
A monument design contest to commemorate honor, remembrance, and resilience
Submissions must be received by August 31 at midnight.
The winning artist will receive a cash prize of $20,000.
On this day, millions have died from COVID-19 and its variants, or have been infected. For those who have perished, for those who have lost a loved-one, for those who have recovered, and for those who courageously and selflessly served during the darkest and most uncertain days of the pandemic, we announce a competition to design a COVID-19 Monument of Honor, Remembrance, & Resilience sponsored by the Hektoen Institute of Medicine.
This Monument will be a physical sculpture or art installation that addresses and symbolizes the myriad issues and emotions encountered by citizens throughout the world as they navigate this powerful scourge and tragedy of our time. No other event in the past two centuries touched everyone as did the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether by death, illness, grief, or at best, lock-down, the pandemic left no one unscathed. This universal event respected no boundaries and did not discriminate by age, gender, religion, or nationality. As this pandemic excluded no one, our Monument is unequivocally inclusive and will embrace the sentiments of all citizens throughout the world.
Our hope is that we will conquer this virus, and the pandemic will be history—a distant memory. But lest we forget, it is critical that we come together to reflect, and to honor those who continue to fight on the front lines, those brave souls who ensured our survival. They are the nurses, doctors, health care workers, the public service sector employees, airline and banking personnel, those who rang up our groceries and medicines, delivered our packages, prepared our to-go meals, drove our buses, and many more. They all encountered significant risks dealing with an unknown illness. The Monument will honor these individuals and allow those who lost loved ones to mourn and know they are not alone. The monument design contest will bring forth ideas to educate and enlighten with the wisdom and experience we have shared.
Additionally, the Monument will celebrate resilience and victory. The discovery and distribution of the vaccine, engendered by multiple agencies, effectively saved millions of lives. This triumph of science in the COVID-19 vaccine and concomitant testing advances must be lauded and serve as a reminder of hope in the face of intense adversity and obstacles.
About the call FAQ's Submission Guidelines Submission Details
APIDA Arts Festival
Festival Dates: May 5-7, 2023
Happy AAPI Heritage Month! While this is not a CSI sponsored event, the Chicago Cultural Center will be holding free events with reservations celebrating AAPI artists on May 5th. Check out glass arts with Tiberius Seung Geisen from 3-6 and a Katie Chung fashion installation from 5-8:30. Sign up on this link!
Six Outdoor Sculptures Purchases & Commissions for Boyton Beach
Stipend: The artist contracts will range from $75,000 to $300,000 for the required artistic services in the scope of work including the design, fabrication, delivery and installation.
Schedule: The developers will be selecting artists in 2023 & 2024.
Project Summary:
In the next 24 months, five apartment developers and one hospital will commission or purchase sculptures for six projects. Three of the sculptures will join “Cavalcade” by Albert Paley and anchor the Cultural District at the prime downtown intersection. The intersection links City Hall, Library, Arts & Cultural Center, the Marina and the bridge to the beach with the major north-south Federal Highway or US1. With the completion of the apartments, restaurants, bars and sculptures, the City intends to market the zone as cultural attraction in south Florida between Palm Beach and Boca Raton.
All artist applicants will be presented to each of the developers and hospital for potential selection. Each artist has six unique opportunities with six different selection panels.
Artists can present past work for a new commission and propose the sale of existing work. Existing sculptures (or new commissions) must be resistant to the hurricane force winds, the sun’s ultraviolent light and the salt air.
Some of the developers have specific themes or other attributes required of the artwork. The Pierce by Affiliated Development seeks an engaging, educational sculpture that celebrates Boynton’s connection to the natural environment of the Atlantic Ocean with elements such as coral reef, fish, sea mammals, coral, shell fish, sand, waves, fishing, fishing boats, diving, surfing, etc. Bethesda Hospital wishes the artist to integrate moving water with the sculpture.
In general, the sculptures will be sited on wide sidewalks near the street. Most have backgrounds of 3 to 7 story buildings with retail storefronts. Narrow tall sculptures may be the best solutions. Good surveillance around or through the sculpture should be possible. The sculpture at Bethesda Hospital will be the grassed landscape between the entrance and parking lot.
The sculptures should be engaging to pedestrians and have a strong visual image to automobile drivers both day and night. The works selected might be abstract, narrative, figurative, pop, collage, etc. Durability and repairability against damage by wind, sun, salt air and people including fading, graffiti and scratches are essential. By the Art in Public Places ordinance, the sculptures should last as long as the buildings.
Click here for full details and application
or visit https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=11700
B2B Arts (Illinois Creative Recovery) Grant
Arts Alliance Illinois and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
Eligible Candidates:
• Independent artists (prove through taxes losing a minimum of $5,000 during pandemic).
• Sole Proprietors, Freelancers, Independent Contractors
• Independent Live Venue Operators
• Performing or Presenting Arts Organizations
• Arts Education Organizations
• Cultural Heritage Organizations
• Museums
Applications open through May 10
Grants not on first come first serve basis
Visithttps://dceo.illinois.gov/smallbizassistance/b2b.htmlfor more information
To qualify for the B2B Arts (Illinois Creative Recovery) Grant, you must have been in operation prior to March 12, 2020 and experienced negative financial impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic; past B2B recipients are still eligible
Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce
Call for Utility Pole Sculpture
Proposal Submission Deadline: May 15, 2023
Artist Notification: May 31, 2023
Ribbon Cutting Celebration at Ravenswood ArtWalk: September 16, 2023
The Ravenswood Community Council, in partnership with the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and Special Service Area #31, is seeking proposals from artists to beautify two decommissioned utility poles along Ravenswood Avenue. The goal is to transform these structures and add new art to the Ravenswood Sculpture Garden. Artists are invited to submit proposals for work on both poles.
The total stipend for this project is $5,000, which includes all artist fees, supplies, permits (if necessary), and travel expenses.
Click here to download RFP with submission details.
Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities
Submission Deadline: May 22, 11:59PM
The Ohio Arts Council's regional arts organization, Arts Midwest, has just announced a new grant opportunity for visual artists with disabilities.
The Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities supports accessibility in the arts and celebrates the work of Midwestern visual artists with disabilities. Mid-career 2D and 3D visual artists with disabilities may apply for this award. The award application will close at 11:59 p.m. on May 22, 2023.
From 2023 through 2025, this award will recognize 27 individuals (9 per year) in the Arts Midwest region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Native Nations that share this geography. Each awardee will receive a $3,000 check award. There are no requirements for how awarded funds are used, though awardees are encouraged to use it toward growing their art career. Awardees’ submitted work will be featured on the Arts Midwest website.
https://artsmidwest.org/get-support/midwest-award-for-artists-with-disabilities
Evanston Art Center's
26th Evanston and
Vicinity Biennial 2023
Submission Deadline: June 5, 2023 at Midnight
Exhibition Dates: August 26 - October 1, 2023
The Evanston and Vicinity Biennial is one of the Midwest’s largest and most prestigious juried exhibitions, offering artists an opportunity to have their work viewed by three talented curators: Chantal Healey (Executive Director, Chicago Public Art Group, Denny Mwaura (Assistant Director, Gallery 400, UIC), and Erica Warren, PhD (Art Historian, Curator, Editor, Craft Quarterly)
Click here for more details
20th Annual Down on the Farm Iron Pour
June 28 - July 2
Look HERE for Schedule of Events.
This annual event caters to your desires to reunite with or find your iron family while sharing a wealth of diverse experience to bring your vision to life.
Enthusiasts, beginners and experts are invited to participate in our family-style meals + camp on-site in order to focus on what really matters: people, art + how they feed each others souls.
This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
While you're here...
Have any news to share? Shows, awards, residencies et al.? Send the particulars along to info@chicagosculpture.org, and we'll include them in an upcoming newsletter.
While you're at it, your profile and images on CSI’s website areimportant. 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.
