CSI Newsletter Archive

Our monthly email newsletter gives you tips on all the art happenings at Chicago Sculpture International in Chicago and beyond. Learn about art openings, exhibitions, sculpture installations, workshops, open calls for art and more. Join our email list to get the latest CSI News and Updates. If you are a member, click to submit your latest artist news to the CSI Newsletter.

Gene Skala 12/12/24 Gene Skala 12/12/24

December 2024 Newsletter

**CSI Showcased in Sculpture Magazine**

Chicago Sculpture International is being featured in the current November/December ’24 issue of Sculpture magazine, a bimonthly publication of the International Sculpture Center. The article highlights CSI programs from the past year, including the Ragdale Tree Project, the Sculpture in the Parks initiative with Chicago Park District, as well as indoor exhibits at CSI Project Space, and the Poetry of Sculpture group exhibit at Prairie State College.

News from the Grants Committee

Chicago Sculpture International has yet again been recognized for the organization’s success with an Arts and Culture Grant by the prestigious Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.

This $25,000 award is granted to CSI through its continued function as a centerpiece in the artistic landscape of Chicago, where multiple communities can experience the intergenerational creativity of our members within Chicago and beyond.

Without continued contributing success of our membership base and stepping up of members to develop crucial roles in board/leadership volunteer positions, grants from organizations such as Driehaus Foundation (as well DCASE and IAC) would be impossible.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Anthony May, Grants Chair - anthonyheinzmay@chicagosculpture.org

News from the Chicago Tree Project

Above (left): Franziska Seifert with her tree sculpture; (right) Hamburg tree sculpture inauguration

The Chicago Tree Project is now International

The Chicago Tree Project is now international, providing a model for the making of a work of art in the city of Hamburg, Germany. Hamburg artist Franziska Seifert has created the first tree sculpture there, and CSI member Christine Perri was invited to attend the recent inauguration and give a presentation on the Chicago Tree Project. For more photos and information about the artist, go to: https://www.chicagotreeproject.org/hamburg-tree-project/

News from CSI Project Space

Little but Bold! CSI Member Benefit Art Auction

The Little, but BOLD! CSI Member Art Auction exhibit runs until Sunday, January 26, 2025. An online silent auction of available works will continue throughout the run and available works can be viewed online or at the Project Space gallery (1912 N. Damen, Chicago, IL). Bid often and bid high!

Thank you to all bidders and winners, attendees, volunteers, and our sponsors for supporting CSI and making the evening a terrific success!

Little, but BOLD! is in celebration of all things un-monumental. Often flying under the radar, small things have the special ability to bridge private and public spaces. Within the sculpture field, there has been a projected narrative that bigger is better. We are here to assert that small things can hold the same importance as the largest monument. All proceeds will support the CSI exhibition and outreach programs and CSI members!

Participating Artists: Pinar Aral, Janet Austin, John Bannon, Lynn Basa, Jyl Bonaguro, Wallace Bowling, David Curry, Darlys Ewoldt, Lynn Floriano, Mirentxu Ganzarain, Ted Sitting Crow Garner, Set Gozo, Carol Hammerman, Lillian Heredia, Terry Karpowicz, Kasia Kay, Kelly Lawler, Micki LeMieux, Marianne Lovink, Yicen Liu, Ellen Lustig, Deana Bada Maloney, Anthony Heinz May, Michelle Meyer, Jordan Mozer, Frederick B. Napoli, Thomas Plum, Paul Russell, Howard Sandroff, Marvin Shafer, David Skora, Gunnar Theel, Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung, Roberta Ulrich-de Oliveira, Nancy VanKanegan, Patrick D. Wilson, Charles Yost, Shencheng Xu, and Haijun Zhang

In Memory of Ron Gard

Above: (right) Ron Gard’s sculpture *The Struggle Against Death*; (right) Ron in 2014 working in Lincoln Park on one of three tree sculptures, *Dying to Survive Nos. #3, #6 & #9*.

Ron Gard was an amazing designer, sculptor and person.

Ron owned and operated a prominent set building company in Chicago and returned to his first love of sculpture when he retired from the film and advertising industry. He was quickly recruited onto the Board of CSI, where he served as Treasurer for several years. Ron was an exquisite and exacting craftsman with a vast knowledge of materials and methods. His circle of peers was numerous and he was always ready to pitch in and help.

In 2020, Ivy Gard graciously donated the CSI Project Space Gallery to the members of CSI in memoriam of Ron's commitment to the organization.

Thank you Ron and Ivy, we love you.

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

Member News

Drawing You Outside: Artist Talk Series Part !

Oregon Caves National Monument Artist Residency and Drawing You Outside environmental project by Christine Forni

This project is partially supported by an Individual Artists Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events

When: December 19th, Thursday, 7-8pm
Where: Mana Contemporary, 2233 S. Throop St. Studio 421 in Chicago

Artist will share a video presentation and have a Q&A about Drawing You Outside at Oregon Caves National Monument artist residency. If you would like to hear more about getting a residency Christine will be sharing her proposal, her time there and the sculpture inspired by viewing microscopic views of the mineral collected by the National Park and stored in their library.

“Holiday at the Fields” exhibit at Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

The "Holiday at the Fields Exhibit" at Sculpture Fields at Montague Park is a captivating showcase of artistic talent and storytelling. Each of the invited artist's small-scale works offers a unique insight into their perspectives and creativity. The variety of media used in the sculptures, from carved marble to wood to welded stainless steel, adds a fascinating dimension to the exhibit. The opening reception will be held on December 10th in the Pamela and John Henry Gallery and coinciding with the Ambassador Board's annual Christmas Party, which will likely create a festive atmosphere for attendees to enjoy the artworks as well.

Exhibiting Artists: Philip Shore, Brian Monaghan, John Bannon, Eric Lindsey, Gwen Yen Chiu, Jyl Bonaguro, John Himmelfarb, Jill King, and Terry Karpowicz

Bethany Cordero Artist Residency Exhibition

Join us for the culmination of Bethany Cordero’s artist residency at the Oak Park Art League. This show will offer a glimpse into the sculptural work she has been developing, exploring themes of identity, impermanence, memory, and the transitory nature of being. She’s excited to share this journey with you and invite you to experience these new works up close. Please come by and see what Bethany has been working on during her time at OPAL!

Fiat Lux in Sycamore Park, Davis, CA

Nicole Beck has recently installed Fiat Lux in Sycamore Park, Davis, CA. Last year Beck was contacted by the grieving parents of Karim Abou Najm who wanted to honor their son with a memorial sculpture at the site, blocks from their home, where the serial stabbing occurred. The City of Davis and UC Davis were rocked by a series of random stabbings last April that left two pillars of their community dead and one critically injured. Davis Public Art Commission wanted to collaborate with Nicole, the parents and family and the Phoenix Foundation in creating a site-specific artwork to both heal the community and honor the brilliant star that Karim was. Nicole stayed with the family while craning the work to site, completing the glass installation and speaking at a community unveiling ceremony. CSI partner Vector Custom fabricating was hired by Beck as the lead fabricator the 10 x 10 x 3 ft. stainless sculpture.

Pictured in the photo are the family of Davis Public Art Administrator Rachel Hartsough.

Scott Mossman: Pictures & Forms

November 8, 2024 to January 3, 2025

Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago IL

An active painter and sculptor since the early eighties, Scott Mossman’s work has always involved the relationships inherent in elements and objects within a given space. Through his sculpture, Mossman’s geometric forms interact with architectural elements within a space and comment on the viewer’s relationship with the work, and existing elements such as soffits, baseboards, ceiling height, windows, and doors, among other features within a space. For this reason, the viewer never finds his sculpture placed at eye-level, where one would find a painting, and subsequently, ignores the rest of the room. Mossman’s paintings also pose this challenge, as elements within the work, such as color, perspective, and composition, work together to push the limits of a flat canvas. Painted tableaus derived from postcard images are paired with illusionistic space to create windows within the canvas. In Mossman’s Pictures and Forms exhibit, he has chosen a handful of two- and three-dimensional works that are perhaps his largest and most complex ever.

Diane Ponder in Venice Biennale, Energy Center in Korea and SoNo Gallery

November 8 - January 11, 2025
SoNo Gallery, 1527 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL. 60622

Diane Ponder is exhibiting in the Climate Change group show at the Energy Center of Ulsan, Korea, part of the ECU in Palazzo Bembo in Venice Biennale and Gabriel Fine Arts of London.

The group show, “Lightness and Being” is at SoNo Gallery, 1527 N. Ashland, Chicago and. is open until January 11, 2025.

Looking Exhibition at Trout Museum of Art

Pieces by Margie Criner

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

Call for Artist Exhibits at Harold Washington Library Center

The Music, Arts, Social Science and History Department, located in the Harold Washington Library Center is looking to schedule exhibits on the 8th floor beginning April 2025 through March 2026. Artists working in any visual media are encouraged to apply.

Deadline for submission is 5pm, December 15, 2024
Decisions will be announced by January 15, 2025.
Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL

Selected artists will have an eleven-week exhibition in the 8th floor exhibit cases.

As part of each exhibit, were quest artists be willing to teach at least one tactile art or craft class to adult library patrons. Previous workshops have included drawing, printmaking, watercolor, illustration, book making, collage and knitting, among other topics. Workshops generally run 90-120 minutes with up to 15 adults. A small honorarium will be offered plus the cost of materials covered.

For submission requirements and to apply, please visit this link.

Eligibility: Visual artists who live in Chicagoland (city and suburbs).

Clay Fans Club Fundraiser

Fellow CSI Member in need of a kiln for a small studio at Bridgeport Art Center. Every bit of assistance will help. Go fund me link at https://gofund.me/73c0fae9

Sculpture Magazine Holiday Deal

Know someone who would love to stay informed with contemporary sculpture? Surprise them with a gift subscription to Sculpture, featuring 6 issues a year in print or digital format. The digital version includes a free downloadable app, ensuring they can access your thoughtful gift anytime, anywhere. Available for a limited time at 1 for $40 or 2 for $70.

https://sculpture.org/store/

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.

Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.

Cover photo:
Scott Mossman
Pink Curve, 2022
Acrylic on wood
22-1/2 x 26 x 17 in.

This is the newsletter for Chicago Sculpture International.
© 2024 Chicago Sculpture International. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Chicago Sculpture International
3141 North Hoyne Ave
Unit 4
Chicago, Il 60618 USA

Gene Skala 11/11/24 Gene Skala 11/11/24

November 2024 Newsletter

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Existing is Political

Exhibition Dates: October 19 – November 22, 2024
Gallery Hours: Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday 12-8 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
CSI Project Space at 1912 N. Damen in Chicago

“Existing is Political” explores the notion that simply "being" - existing in one’s body, culture, gender, or identity - carries political weight and significance. In an era marked by a two-party system with sharply defined platforms, this exhibition examines how the principles of "equality and justice for all" fit into contemporary society. By showcasing diverse voices and perspectives, it aims to inspire dialogue and foster a deeper understanding of existence as a political act in order to inspire action towards a genuinely inclusive society.

Exhibiting Artists:

John E. Bannon, Roland Biermann, Heather Brammeier, Jyl Bonaguro, Charlotte Briskin, Andrew Cantu, Musa Ghaznavi, Carol Hammerman, Hoda Hasanpour, Sarah Holden, Azadeh Hussaini, Michael Gallagher, Set Gozo, Catherine Jacobi, Karl Johnson, Kelly Lawler, Micki LeMieux, Jose Trejo Maya, Thomas Plum, Marci Rubin, Dominic Sansone, Dena Sadik Daman, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Samuel Schwindt, Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung, Nancy VanKanegan, Siwei Xu

The Curators of this show would like to begin by acknowledging that this gallery sits on the traditional unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. Many other tribes, such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, and Sac and Fox, also called this area home.

In an election year marked by deep societal divides and contentious policies, "Existing is Political" takes on an urgent significance. As we witness ongoing genocides that continue to unfold with little intervention, this exhibition confronts the reality that existence itself can become a political act.

Through sculpture, painting, and mixed media, the artists in this exhibition explore how their identities, communities, and bodies are implicated in larger struggles for justice, visibility, and human dignity. Whether by resisting oppression, speaking out against erasure, or bearing witness to violence, their works make a powerful statement: in an era where not only rights are contested, but also who has them.

"Existing is Political" compels viewers to reckon with the consequences of silence, the weight of erasure, and the resilience of those who refuse to disappear. In a time when the stakes of existence feel especially precarious, this exhibition is a reminder that to live, to be seen, and to take up space is a profound and radical act of resistance.

– Musa Ghaznavi and Micki LeMieux, exhibition curators

Little, but BOLD!

CSI Member Benefit Art Auction

Opening Night Live & Silent Auction: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 from 5-8pm

CSI Project Space announces the Little, but BOLD! CSI Member Benefit Art Auction of small works at our member gallery space in Bucktown. On opening night, we will offer food, fun and fabulous art. There will be a live auction of 5 sculptures and a silent auction of over 30 sculptures. Buyers get to take art home that night!

Little, but BOLD! is in celebration of all things un-monumental. Often flying under the radar, small things have the special ability to bridge private and public spaces. Within the sculpture field, there has been a projected narrative that bigger is better. We are here to assert that small things can hold the same importance as the largest monument.

All proceeds will support the CSI exhibition and outreach programs and CSI members. So please bid early, bid often and of course, bid high! The event is free but RSVP’s are required!

Click here to RSVP

Grant Awards for CSI

Chicago Sculpture International is proud to announce that it has been awarded another cycle of grants by both DCASE CityArts and IAC General Operating Support! Securing these grants allow CSI to continue shaping engagement with Chicago communities and neighborhoods (and beyond) with public art, exhibits at CSI Project Space gallery, and free education workshops at Lathrop homes Boys and Girls Club; to push accessibility of art while spreading its importance throughout the far reaches of CSI’s expanding platform. Thank you to CSI members and leadership for their continuing efforts to share vision and expression in exploration of creativity as a centerpiece for reconnecting communities and people through art!

IAC Creative Accelerator Fund Grant (for Individual Artists)

Deadline: November 20,2024

https://arts.illinois.gov/granting-opportunities/grants-programs/creative-accelerator-fund.html

More IAC Opportunities for Individual Artists

https://arts.illinois.gov/about-iac.html

Interested in learning more about writing grants for Chicago Sculpture International, or getting involved in CSI leadership? Reach out to Anthony at anthonyheinzmay@chicagosculpture.org

Left: *The Struggle Against Death* by Ron Gard; Right: Ron Gard, circa 2014 with his sculpture *Dying to Survive* located at 2045 N. Lincoln Park West.

In Memory of Ron Gard

Land Acknowledgement

Member News

Scott Mossman: Pictures & Forms

November 8, 2024 to January 3, 2025

Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago IL

An active painter and sculptor since the early ‘80s, Mossman’s work has always involved the relationships inherent in elements and objects within a given space. Through his sculpture, Mossman’s geometric forms interact with architectural elements within a space and comment on the viewer’s relationship with the work, and existing elements such as soffits, baseboards, ceiling height, windows, and doors, among other features within a space. For this reason, the viewer never finds his sculpture placed at eye-level, where one would find a painting, and subsequently, ignores the rest of the room. Mossman’s paintings also pose this challenge, as elements within the work, such as color, perspective, and composition, work together to push the limits of a flat canvas. Painted tableaus derived from postcard images are paired with illusionistic space to create windows within the canvas. In Mossman’s PICTURES& FORMS exhibit, he has chosen a handful of two- and three-dimensional works that are perhaps his largest and most complex ever.

Diane Ponder in Venice Biennale

Energy Center in Korea and SoNo Gallery

November 8 - January 11, 2025

SoNo Gallery 1527 N. Ashland Ave.60622

Diane Ponder is exhibiting in the Climate Change group show at the Energy Center of Ulsan, Korea, part of the ECU in Palazzo Bembo in Venice Biennale and Gabriel Fine Arts of London.

Group show “Lightness and Being”at SoNo Gallery, 1527 N. Ashland, Chicago is open till January 11, 2025.

Image Credit: by Maia Peters

“Besides the Heaps” by Ei Cullina

Sculpture show on display featuring the work of Ei Cullina at Gallery 1619.
On display until November 15

Gallery 1619
1619 W. Summerdale
Chicago, IL

Gallery 1619 looks like another neighborhood “little free library” but a second glance reveals a high-art showroom featuring a rotating collection of pint-sized paintings, drawings and sculptures. Local artist John Airo hosts Gallery 1619 — a miniature art gallery — at 1619 W. Summerdale Ave. in Andersonville. The gallery has since secured work by artists from across Chicago and as far away as France and the Netherlands, and it is already booked until next July.

Nicole Beck to install Fiat Lux in Davis, CA

In November, Nicole Beck will be traveling to Davis, CA to install and unveil Fiat Lux, a site specific sculpture for Sycamore Park. The stainless steel, custom-laminated dichroic and prismatic glass commissioned work is a commemorative sculpture specifically designed to embody the life& spirit of Karim Abou Najm. Nicole was commissioned by a joint committee of Karim's parents, the Davis Phoenix Coalition and the City of Davis following Karim's tragic death by a mentally ill youth who went on a stabbing rampage in the city last year. The sculpture is intended to promote healing and well-being within the community. CSI member Vector Custom Fabricating collaborated with Nicole in fabricating the steel work.

Unveiling: Friday, November 22, 2024 at 4pm

Looking Exhibition at Trout Museum of Art

September 20, 2024 – January 12, 2025

Above (left to right) *All is Not Lost, Swim,* and While I Sleep by **Margie Criner**

Weisses Gold

Work by Roland Biermann

September 8 - November 24, 2024

Weisses Gold is the title of Roland's current solo exhibition at Parsonage Gallery, Maine. At the centre of the show is a new Rheingold installation, consisting of hundreds of plastic bottles and containers in trash bags, car tires, oil barrels and other materials, all sourced locally in midcoast Maine. On the walls in the background are two large screen prints on tinplate panels, showing a plastic bag floating in used engine oil. The work explores the relationship between human greed, plastic and the environment and especially, our continued dependency on plastics and other oil derivatives, polluting oceans, atmosphere and soil.
www.parsonagegallery.org

69 for 69 A Magnetic Fields Art Show

Curated by Janelle O'Malley
Show running to November 30
Side street studio arts 15 Ziegler Ct, Elgin, IL 60120

69 for 69 is a nostalgic filled ode to Magnetic Fields album, 69 Love Songs. A love song, the most common and often banal tune on the radio. So pervasive the idea in music that how could anyone possibly make a love song that stands out. Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs bible thick collection uses every conceivable genre to explore the depths of the love song. Stephin Merritts’ lyrics take you through the stages of love spanning from lust, terror, excitement, denial, torment, passion, to tenderness. The most personal emotion is expressed in each song like a small epiphany about lusty human connection. The albums duality of absurdity and sincerity create a space for contemplation. As an homage to the album's 25th year in existence, each artist created a piece decoding a selected song of their choice. Each piece echoes 69 Love songs' sentimental goopiness and cynicism. The exhibition serves as a collective look into our perception of relationships and all the taboos that follow.

Leather and Fur: Uncommitted Crimes

by CSI Members Catie Burrill and Samuel Schwindt
November 8 - December 11, 2024

Parlour and Ramp in November presents "Leather and Fur: Uncommitted Crimes," a duo show of CSI members Catie Burrill and Samuel Schwindt. In an epoch riddled with mixed signals of luxury and economic subterfuge, Fur-dom Catie Burrill and Leather-dom Samuel Schwindt provoke seductive aesthetics to skewer cultural normativity. The exhibition delves into the intricate relationship between materiality and message, and the artists utilize charged materials to remix stereotypical stories. Potential energy permeates the work in a state of “uncommitted crimes” as Theodore Adorno wrote in a rallying cry to artists who work against the status quo and celebrate the counter-cultural.

https://parlourandramp.com

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

Northeastern Illinois University Spring 2025 Semester

Art + Design Visiting Artist Program

KEY DATES:

November 1 - 30: Open Call
Mid-December: Emailed Acceptances
January 3: Public Announcement of Spring Semester's Visiting Artists
January 13 - March 14: Visiting Artist Program Session 1
March 17 - May 16: Visiting Artist Program Session 2

Each semester, the NEIU Art +Design Visiting Artist Program offers two residency opportunities for emerging to mid-career Chicago-based artists:

The Visiting Artist Program strives to create visible connections between our diverse population of art and design students with working artists who embody these identities. This interaction provides invaluable insights and inspiration to our students, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and techniques. Visiting Artists should demonstrate a commitment to their artistic practice and an interest in engaging with NEIU’s students and creative community.

Each Visiting Artist is awarded an honorarium and has 2-months full access to NEIU Art + Design Facilities specific to their project. Over the course of their residency, the Visiting Artist showcases their work in a public academic forum, leads a hands-on workshop and participates in a Portfolio Review Day for NEIU’s Art + Design students.

For more information, details, and benefit about NEIU's Visiting Artist Program and past residents, visit the website HERE.

Krasl Art Center – ART & ABILITY OUTDOORS

Project Budget: $10,000 all inclusive

Entries must be submitted no later than November 15, 2024

Important Dates:
Letters of Interest due November 15, 2024
Artist Selected December 20, 2024
Project Install May 12 - 23, 2025

Krasl Art Center (KAC) seeks artist proposals for an interactive, accessible, and multi-year outdoor installation in the East Garden of the museum’s campus to be installed May 2025. The selected artist will conceptualize, design, and fabricate a site-specific installation that must be structurally sound and creatively interactive with a specific lens of accessible, universally designed art that engages all ages and abilities. The artwork will be accessed by the general public at all times of day.

This project is open to artists and designers regardless of whether they have achieved a project of this scope previously. Creativity, vision, competence and drive are key characteristics required for its fulfillment. The goal is to have an artist-envisioned, visually unique and engaging artwork. There is not a mandated theme or use of materials.

Click here for the full RFP and to Apply

2025 Perryville Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Call for Artists

All work entered must be durable and freestanding. Each sculpture or sculpture proposal must be safe for the general public and be suitable and maintenance-free for this one-year outdoor exhibition. Each sculpture will be bolted to a concrete pad using Tapcon anchor bolts supplied by the artist.

Each artist selected for the exhibition will receive a $1,500 honorarium to cover transportation, installation and de-installation of the sculpture, and all other expenses involved. Any costs over $1,500 are entirely the responsibility of the artist.

For more details and application, download the full RFQ here.

Call for Artist Exhibits at Harold Washington Library Center

Deadline for submission is 5pm, December 15, 2024

Decisions will be announced by January 15, 2025.

Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL

Selected artists will have an eleven-week exhibition in the 8th floor exhibit cases.

For submission requirements and to apply, please visit this link.

Eligibility: Visual artists who live in Chicagoland (city and suburbs).

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

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

Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.

Land Acknowledgement

Cover image: View of mini exhibit at 619 Gallery by Ei Cullina

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

Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.

Gene Skala 10/4/24 Gene Skala 10/4/24

October 2024 Newsletter

In Memory of Jan Petry

We are saddened to announce the passing of member, Jan Petry. She was an amazing sculptor and a big supporter of CSI.

Read her obituary here.

CSI Picnic at Chicago Botanic Gardens

On Sunday, August 11th, from 12-4pm Chicago Sculpture International hosted its Annual General Membership Picnic at the beautiful Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. We toured the grounds and ate some delicious food on the rooftop terrace.

Huge Thanks to our Development Chairs, Patrick Wilson and Shencheng Xu, for arranging this delightful retreat! We would also like to extend our gratitude to Leslie Albrecht, Executive Assistant, Learning & Engagement, and Jennifer Schwarz, Vice President, Learning and Public Programs, at the Chicago Botanic Garden for their support and contributions.

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Little, but BOLD!

CSI Member Benefit Art Auction
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N Damen Ave.

Submission Deadline: Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024
Notification: Sunday, Nov. 10
Drop off artwork: Sat-Nov. 30, Sun-Dec. 1
Opening Night Live & Silent Auction: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024
Exhibition Dates: Dec. 7, 2024 - Jan. 26, 2025
If your artwork is Unsold. Pick up artwork: Sun. Jan. 26 and Mon. Jan. 27

Submission Instructions:
Please submit 1 image only and all information using this online submission form..
CSI Project Space announces an open call for the CSI Member Benefit Art Auction of small works at our member gallery space in Bucktown. On opening night, we will offer 5 art works for sale at a live auction and the rest of the art works will all be on a silent auction. Buyers get to take art home that night!

Little, but BOLD! is in celebration of all things un-monumental. Often flying under the radar, small things have the special ability to bridge private and public spaces. Within the sculpture field, there has been a projected narrative that bigger is better. We are here to assert that small things can hold the same importance as the largest monument.

Guidelines:
Applicants must be CSI members
All submissions must be smaller than 12 in. x 12 in.
2D and 3D work accepted - open theme small works
Wall mounted sculptures or sculptural work encouraged

Please note:
This is a fundraising benefit for CSI members. Each artist will receive a 50% commission of the sale price. But this is an auction, so please provide us with your minimum bid price. For example, if the piece is valued at $500 then the minimum bid could be $250 and the piece could sell for $250 and you the artist needs to be okay with that selling price, so please price accordingly. We are requesting exhibiting artists to help with Opening Auction Night and/or to cover 1 or 2 gallery sitting shifts during the duration of the exhibition.

We look forward to viewing your submissions!
Holiday Cheers.

In Memory of Ron Gard

Ron Gard was an amazing artist, sculptor, and person.

Ron worked within set building in the Chicago film/advertising era and has also been advocating to get a permanent sculpture installed near Universal Studios.

In 2010, he sold his studios and shifted back to his first love of creating sculpture, and was recruited onto the Board of CSI, where he served as Treasurer. Ron was an exquisite and exacting craftsman with a vast knowledge of materials and methods. His circle of peers was numerous and he was always ready to pitch in and help.

In 2020, Ivy Gard graciously donated the CSI Project Space Gallery to the members of CSI.

Thank you Ron and we love you.

Land Acknowledgement

CSI Member Exhibition

Existing is Political

Chicago Sculpture International Project Space

Opening: Saturday, October 19, from 6-9 pm.
Exhibition Dates: October 19 – November 22, 2024

“Existing is Political” explores the notion that simply "being" - existing in one’s body, culture, gender, or identity - carries political weight and significance. In an era marked by a two-party system with sharply defined platforms, this exhibition examines how the principles "equality and justice for all" fit into contemporary society. By showcasing diverse voices and perspectives, it aims to inspire dialogue and foster a deeper understanding of existence as a political act in order to inspire action towards a genuinely inclusive society.

Exhibiting Artists: John E. Bannon, Roland Biermann, Heather Brammeier, Jyl Bonaguro, Charlotte Briskin, Andrew Cantu, Musa Ghaznavi, Carol Hammerman, Hoda Hasanpour, Sarah Holden, Azadeh Hussaini, Michael Gallagher, Set Gozo, Catherine Jacobi, Karl Johnson, Kelly Lawler, Micki LeMieux, Jose Trejo Maya, Thomas Plum, Marci Rubin, Dominic Sansone, Dena Sadik Daman, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Samuel Schwindt, Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung, Nancy VanKanegan, and Siwei Xu

Join us for fun, conversation, and Art!!

CSI PROJECT SPACE
1912 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL

Gallery hours: Fri. 2-6 pm; Sat. 12–8 pm; Sun. 1-5 pm; or by appointment
For more info: projectspace@chicagosculpture.org

CSI Member Outreach

Chicago Artist-Run Spaces Fair

On September 25, CSI participated in the Chicago Artist-Run Spaces Fair hosted by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Career and Professional Experience office and SITE Galleries!

Spencer Gale and Micki LeMieux talked with numerous students sharing information about our organization. The day was high energy with extra fun. There was a dancing gorilla afterward on Michigan Ave.

Member News

**Ribbon Cutting for Transmigration Sculpture**

Join us on Thursday, October 3rd from 5 - 6 PM at Mautene Court Plaza (1258 N. Milwaukee Ave.) to formally welcome Wicker Park Bucktown’s newest sculpture installation: Transmigration by CSI president Jyl Bonaguro! Celebrate this exciting new work funded by Special Service Area 33 with light refreshments and meet the artist behind the work!

Fragmented Memories: A Visual Diary

CSI Member Richard Pitts is having a solo exhibit at NoHo M55 Gallery in New York City. of his drawings, painting, and printmaking in collage format from the 1960s to 2025

Exhibition Dates: September 24th - October 12, 2024

Noho M55 Gallery
548 W 28 Street
Suite 634 New York, NY

(917) 675-6884
Email info@m55art.org
Gallery Hours: Tu-Sa, 12-6 pm

Looking Exhibition at Trout Museum of Art

Weisses Gold

Work by Roland Biermann
September 8 - November 24, 2024

Weisses Gold is the title of Roland's current solo exhibition at Parsonage Gallery, Maine. At the centre of the show is a new Rheingold installation, consisting of hundreds of plastic bottles and containers in trash bags, car tires, oil barrels and other materials, all sourced locally in midcoast Maine. On the walls in the background are two large screen prints on tinplate panels, showing a plastic bag floating in used engine oil. The work explores the relationship between human greed, plastic and the environment and especially, our continued dependency on plastics and other oil derivatives, polluting oceans, atmosphere and soil.
www.parsonagegallery.org

69 for 69: A Magnetic Fields Art Show

Curated by Janelle O'Malley
Opening: November 1, 6-9 PM
Side street studio arts 15 Ziegler Ct, Elgin, IL 60120

69 for 69 is a nostalgic filled ode to Magnetic Fields album, 69 Love Songs. A love song, the most common and often banal tune on the radio. So pervasive the idea in music that how could anyone possibly make a love song that stands out. Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs bible thick collection uses every conceivable genre to explore the depths of the love song. Stephin Merritts’ lyrics take you through the stages of love spanning from lust, terror, excitement, denial, torment, passion, to tenderness. The most personal emotion is expressed in each song like a small epiphany about lusty human connection. The albums duality of absurdity and sincerity create a space for contemplation. As an homage to the album's 25th year in existence, each artist created a piece decoding a selected song of their choice. Each piece echoes 69 Love songs' sentimental goopiness and cynicism. The exhibition serves as a collective look into our perception of relationships and all the taboos that follow.

Leather and Fur: Uncommitted Crimes

by CSI Members Catie Burrill and Samuel Schwindt
November 8 - December 11, 2024

Parlour and Ramp in November presents "Leather and Fur: Uncommitted Crimes," a duo show of CSI members Catie Burrill and Samuel Schwindt. In an epoch riddled with mixed signals of luxury and economic subterfuge, Fur-dom Catie Burrill and Leather-dom Samuel Schwindt provoke seductive aesthetics to skewer cultural normativity. The exhibition delves into the intricate relationship between materiality and message, and the artists utilize charged materials to remix stereotypical stories. Potential energy permeates the work in a state of “uncommitted crimes” as Theodore Adorno wrote in a rallying cry to artists who work against the status quo and celebrate the counter-cultural. The exhibit opens November 8, with a reception from 6-9 pm, and an after-party 9-close.

https://parlourandramp.com

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

City of Wichita Arkansas River Public Art Project

Deadline for submission is November 4, 2024

CNL Projects, LK Architecture and the City of Wichita invite artists and artist teams with a demonstrated history of completing complex, permanent, outdoor public art projects (and/or other relevant experiences) to submit their qualifications for one of three public art commissions for a $592,000 Arkansas River Public Art Project. This project aims to enhance the aesthetics, safety, and accessibility of the Arkansas Riverfront through downtown Wichita, building upon its character and topography to create unique experiences and spaces for the public. The project will complement and support adjacent development cohesively and seamlessly, creating opportunities for public art to enhance the experience of the riverfront and Wichita.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The selected artist(s) will collaborate with CNL Projects (Art Consultant), LK Architecture and the City of Wichita to conceptualize, design, fabricate, and install engaging, site-specific, permanent public art installations at one of three distinct, identified locations along the Arkansas Riverfront. Artists will select only one area for proposal based on the identified locations listed below. This commission involves the creation of new, integrated artworks that enhance the functionality and aesthetics of the designated areas. Each new commission should engage the general public and host one changing, perceived changing, or interactive element.

The project encompasses the following:

Design-team collaboration: The artist(s) will work closely with CNL Projects, LK Architecture, and the City of Wichita to ensure the seamless integration of the artworks into the overall design scheme of the riverfront development.

Commission of new works: The project entails the creation of original, site-specific artworks that respond to the unique context and character of each location.

Integrated art: The artworks will be thoughtfully integrated into the existing and proposed infrastructure and landscape, enhancing the functionality and visual appeal of the spaces.

Functional art: In some instances, the artworks will serve functional purposes, such as providing shade or concealing electrical systems, while also contributing to the artistic and aesthetic value of the riverfront.

The project will be overseen by the City of Wichita’s Design Council, which will provide guidance and feedback throughout the design phase. The City of Wichita, LK Architecture and CNL Projects will manage and oversee both the design and implementation phase. All parties are committed to ensuring that the selected artworks reflect the community's values and aspirations, contributing to a vibrant and engaging public realm along the Arkansas Riverfront.

Click here for more details and to apply

Image Credit: *Liberte* by Chris Wubbena

2025 Perryville Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Call for Artists

Deadline for submission is December 6, 2024, by 5pm

Exhibition Dates: April 25, 2025, to April 24, 2026.
All entrants will receive email notification of results by December 20, 2024.

The City of Perryville is excited to announce its annual sculpture exhibition beginning in the spring of 2025. As artists, you are invited to submit sculptures in consideration for Perryville’s Sculpture Trail located at Miget Park and historic downtown Perryville. The juror for this year’s selection of artwork is Jessica Lambert. This year, the juror will be choosing five sculptures from those entries submitted.

All work entered must be durable and freestanding. Each sculpture or sculpture proposal must be safe for the general public and be suitable and maintenance-free for this one-year outdoor exhibition. Each sculpture will be bolted to a concrete pad using Tapcon anchor bolts supplied by the artist.

Each artist selected for the exhibition will receive a $1,500 honorarium to cover transportation, installation and de-installation of the sculpture, and all other expenses involved. Any costs over $1,500 are entirely the responsibility of the artist.

For more details and application, download the full RFQ here.

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

Cover image: A new piece made of sculpted red oak called ecoaesteticism by Anthony Heinz May for the 2024-2026 Sculpture in the Parks exhibition season.

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

Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.

Gene Skala 9/9/24 Gene Skala 9/9/24

September 2024 Newsletter

News from the Outdoor Committee

Above: S. Thomas Scarff, *Goddess of Wind and Sand,* Bronze and aluminum, 15 x 7-1/2 x 3 ft.

Sedgwick Studios to Host Memorial for Tom Scarff

Sedgwick Studios will host a memorial to celebrate the life of longtime CSI member S. Thomas Scarff on Saturday, September 14th, at 3 PM. To attend the memorial, please RSVP to Siena Scarff at siena@sienascarff.com.

Location:
Sedgwick Studios 1544 N. Sedgwick Chicago, IL
(1/2 block south of North Ave. on Sedgwick St.)

Over a four-decade career as an artist, Tom established a national reputation for his large-scale sculptures, and he was a pioneer in the incorporation of lighting into sculptural work. His art was exhibited in several prominent venues, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry, and various public art programs. He also served as the Odyssey curator emeritus for Purdue University for 18 years. Tom's work was recognized with many awards and honors nationally, including multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. He practiced out of Sedgwick Studios, a collective workspace supporting the work of several artists in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. Over the past decade, he spent more time in his painting studio on the beach at Michigan City, where he enjoyed the view of the lake and Chicago skyline on the western horizon.

Because Tom was a captivating storyteller, the organizers of the event would love to hear the stories he shared with his friends, family, and colleagues. If you have one you’d like to share, please send a brief 2-minute video (MP4) or a written story to Siena Scarff at siena@sienascarff.com.

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Top left: Allison Ford, *Spider and Baba Paska*, bottom left: Siwei Xu, *Nemophilist*, right: Shu Wang, *Humanization*

By Degrees III - 2024 Exhibition

Exhibition Dates: September 14 - October 4, 2024

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14, 2024, 6-9 pm

CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N Damen Ave.

Often an artist’s most groundbreaking work comes from being immersed in a culture of study and intellectual pursuit. Chicago, home to some of the most globally revered academic arts institutions, could be considered a sort of proving ground for tomorrow’s most promising contemporary emerging artists.

The artists in this exhibit are enrolled in or recently graduated from a degree-seeking program. They have submitted works of sculpture, installation, and media work to be featured in the third CSI annual juried group exhibition By Degrees.

Exhibiting Artists: Charlotte Briskin, Catie Burrill, Andrew Cantu, Andi Crist, Dena Sadik Daman, Allison Ford, Abby Franke, Dave King, Maddy Lee, César Benavente Oblitas, Shu Wang, Sishi Wang, yanqi feifei wang,
Siwei Xu

Image Credit: Top left: Allison Ford, Spider and Baba Paska, bottom left: Siwei Xu, Nemophilist, right: Shu Wang, Humanization

Land Acknowledgement

CSI Project Space Call for Entires

Existing is Political

Entry Deadline: Friday, September 27, 2024
Exhibition Dates: October 19 – November 22, 2024
Notification: Saturday, October 5
Artwork Drop-off: Saturday & Sunday, October 12-13, from 1-5 pm.
Opening: Saturday, October 19, from 6-9 pm.
Artwork Pick-up: Saturday & Sunday, November 23-24, from 1-5 pm.

“Existing is Political” explores the notion that simply "being" - existing in one’s body, culture, gender, or identity - carries political weight and significance. In an era marked by a two-party system with sharply defined platforms, this exhibition examines how the principles "equality and justice for all" fit into contemporary society. By showcasing diverse voices and perspectives, it aims to inspire dialogue and foster a deeper understanding of existence as a political act in order to inspire action towards a genuinely inclusive society.

Applicants must be current CSI members. To sign-up for membership: www.chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member
2D-3D work accepted – Sculptural installation work encouraged.
Open interpretations of the exhibit theme are welcomed.
Short paragraph statement about the work.
Artists must install their work.
Contact Info: Name, address, phone, email, website
1 to 3 jpg images (+ image details): Title, medium, size, price with 30% donation to CSI added

Submit on this Google form here: https://forms.gle/nhvWW3VKHjcGXZaGA

Please Note: We request exhibiting artists to cover 1 to 2 gallery-sitting shifts during the show.

CSI Members Special Event

CSI Special Tour of the Richard H. Driehaus Museum

RSVP Deadline: Wednesday, October 16th

On Saturday, November 2nd at 10 am, CSI will have a special tour of the Richard H. Driehaus Museum. The tour will feature the upcoming exhibit. Photographing Frank Lloyd Wright (Photographs taken by, and taken of Frank Lloyd Wright). There is a $35 ticket fee for this event.

Click here to Register and Reserve your Ticket

Member News

Above: Christine Forni, *Looking for refractions in the light,* 2024, Glass, oil & acrylic on canvas and metal

Christine Forni solo exhibition, Natural Recall

Christine Forni's solo exhibition, Natural Recall, curated by Trevor Power at McHenry County College is located in both Gallery One and Two consisting of thirty sculptures and paintings. Her work addresses the shifting landscapes of nature and memory through methodically deconstructing and then reinterpreting relationships merging from the past to the present. The installations capture moments of solitude with terrain using light's interaction with glass, porcelain, reclaimed minerals, and pigments. The work merges unused remnants or overlooked relics to evoke, recall, and remember. Salvaged and mounted together like specimens, they form a “beautiful but broken” material memory of a point in time. Unlike precious specimens, these are not preserved under glass but placed vulnerably on the surface with their fragility on display.

https://www.mchenry.edu/artist/

Artist Talk and Reception: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Exhibition Dates: August 6 - September 13, 2024

2:30pm – Artist Talk, Luecht Auditorium, B170

3:30pm – Reception in Gallery One, A212x

Location: McHenry County College, 8900 US Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012-2761

Gallery Hours: Monday–Thursday 8am – 6pm, Friday 6am – 4:30pm

Above: Top left to bottom right: works by Stacee Kalmanovsky, Jay Wolke, Mia Capodilupo, Christine Forni, and Paul Gerard Somers.

Lure of the Local Color Wheel exhibition

Curated by Stacee Kalmonovsky with a grant from the Mundelein Arts Commission

Opening Reception, Friday Sept 13, 2024, 6 - 9pm, free and open to public
Local Food, Music, and Refreshments

Open to the Public: Sept. 14 - Nov 10, Saturdays and Sundays (11-5pm)
Artist Talks - Sat Sept 21 3pm-5pm

Location: 165 N. Archer Avenue, Mundelein IL
Sponsored by Tonality Brewing Company

Exhibiting Artists:
Allison Hausladen, Ann Ossey, Aruna Sarode, Ben Bates, Christine Forni, Diane Adamek, Ed Watson, Elizabeth Sullivan, Elliot Harold, Heather June Toser, Isabella Meltzer, Jay Wolke, Joan Ackerman-Zimny, John DePinto, John Hatlestad, Jonathan Pruc, Justin Ogden, Kate Uttich, Katherine Harvath, Katie Levy, Ken Krasinski, Kevin Shifley, Kim Childress, Kristen Neveu, Laura O'Connor, Lianne Johnson, Maggie Hazard, Mariko Harkin, Maureen Ivy Fisher, Mia Capodilupo, Michael Trahan, Mundelein Historical Commission, Paul Gerard Somers, Rachel Yim, Robert Hogan, Roberta Ulrich-de Oliveira, Roberto Ferrer, Rozanna Shambrook, Ruth Hutter, Samantha McDonald, Sara Graves, Sarah Mastalerz, Sinéad Carus, Sissie Halperin, Sparker, Stacee Kalmanovsky, Susan Berns, Tanya Leintz, Tell Draper, Theresa Fontana, and Tobin Fraley.

Image from top left to bottom right: Stacee Kalmanovsky, Jay Wolke, Mia Capodilupo, Christine Forni, and Paul Gerard Somers.

**Nicole Beck installs Sólace Star at Quincy Veterans Home**

Sólace Star by Nicole Beck was installed at the Quincy Veterans Home in the outdoor garden area of their Long-Term Care Facility. The work is 15’H x 71” sq. Stainless steel, custom-laminated dichroic and prismatic glass, with custom mosaic seatback panels where veterans, visitors and care takers can find much needed respite. The commission was awarded to Beck by the Capital Development Board of Illinois Art-in-Architecture Program and the fabrication of the steel was subcontracted by her to Vector Custom Fabricating and included complex rolls by Chicago Metal Rolled Products. Micki LeMieux was hired by Nicole to assist with the installation on August 6. Nicole’s childhood friend and neighbor Rob Magiera worked closely with Nicole in creating the cgi renders for the design, and Nathan Overley at Vector transcribed those images into detailed CADs for fabrication. The Long-Term Care Facility will open early in 2025 for those Veterans with Dementia and Alzheimers. Vets were polled by Nicole to supply character traits they found most valuable regarding their military service and laser cut into the middle ring with HONOR-SERVICE-DIGNITY-INTEGRITY.

Image credit (left to right): *Cosmic Threads, Wave Dance* by Michele Thrane

black & white

Opening Reception: September 15, 2024, 1-4pm
September 14- October 6, 2024
Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central Street, Evanston, IL

black & white showcases the work of Michele Thrane and Trotter Alexander. Thrane works in pure abstraction; working with encaustic monotypes. Thrane uses asemic writing that creates gestural abstractions in her work drawing the viewer in. Alexander’s work uses vivid colors and figures to push a narrative of growth and transformation through the artist’s personal grievances. There is a stark contrast between Thrane and Alexander’s work at first glance, but as the viewer spends time with the pieces and absorbs the content, connections can be drawn through the emotional context and visual abstractions."

https://www.evanstonartcenter.org/exhibitions/trotter-alexander-michele-thrane

4 Makers

Opening Reception: Friday, September 27, Noon - 8 pm
September 27 - 29, 2024
Space 900, 816 Dempster St., Evanston, IL 60202

Four Makers are a select group of 4 women artists who came together to show their handmade artworks. A consistent theme is inspiration from natural forms translating to fiber, clay, collage and wearable jewelry. We each are the sole designers and makers of our work.

Four women artists present recent works in ceramics, jewelry, painted silk and collage. All artists will be present during exhibit hours. Lynn Floriano, Roberta Urich-de Oliveira, Joanna Alot and Chris Thiel.

This has been in the works since November of 2023. We are very excited and are looking forward to working together, discussing our ideas and showing our work.

69 for 69 a Magnetic Fields Art Show

Curated by CSI Member Janelle Rae

Opening Reception: November 1, 6-9 pm
Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Ct., Elgin, IL 60120

69 for 69 is a nostalgic filled ode to Magnetic Fields album, 69 Love Songs. A love song, the most common and often banal tune on the radio. So pervasive the idea in music that how could anyone possibly make a love song that stands out. Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs bible thick collection uses every conceivable genre to explore the depths of the love song. Stephin Merritts’ lyrics take you through the stages of love spanning from lust, terror, excitement, denial, torment, passion, to tenderness. The most personal emotion is expressed in each song like a small epiphany about lusty human connection. The albums duality of absurdity and sincerity create a space for contemplation. As an homage to the album's 25th year in existence, each artist created a piece decoding a selected song of their choice. Each piece echoes 69 Love songs' sentimental goopiness and cynicism. The exhibition serves as a collective look into our perception of relationships and all the taboos that follow.

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

**Call for Proposals: Wild Things Annual Conservation Conference at Rosemont**

Proposal are Due Monday, September 23, 2024

On Saturday, March 1, 2025 nature lovers will gather for Wild Things conservation conference at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL to spend a day learning how we can protect, understand, and celebrate our biodiverse treasures. For this incredible conference, we need high quality presentations from our community.

The Wild Things Conference celebrates the volunteers, nonprofits, governments, and partners working together to care for the nature and wildlife in their communities. Recognized as one of the nation’s largest networks of people engaged with nature, the community is made up of stewards, advocates, educators, volunteers, and professional staff, all working together to promote and protect prairies, woodlands, wetlands, wild yards, and natural parks of Illinois, the Great Lakes, and the Upper Midwest.

The biennial conference is the largest conservation gathering the in Midwest, regularly drawing nearly 2,000 attendees for the single-day event. The 2025 Conference will take place on Saturday, March 1 and focus on innovative, adaptive solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis and the importance of human interventions.

Wild Things is an educational program of Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves.

Click here to Apply

Call for Artists: Equal Temperament at Kentucky Museum

Oct. 1, 2024 Online Entries due at 11:59pm
Jan. 1, 2025 Notification of acceptance
Mid-July 2025 Show opens to public
Oct. 2025 Hammer-In & Awards Reception
April 2026 Show closes; works returned.

Equal Temperament highlights the inclusivity of modern metalworking in a juried art show, accompanied by a variety of interpretive programming to showcase metal’s links with other artistic and historical forms. The show invites artists to submit works inspired by or including metalworking or forging that safely fit within a USPS Flat Rate Shipping Box. The works will be juried by an independent panel and showcased at the Kentucky Museum during a 10-month exhibition from July 2025 to April 2026.
Five awards will be given, named in recognition of the field's historical innovations:

Kentucky Museum Purchase Award, $600

Ulfberht Award for the most puzzling work, $250

Masamune Award for the most intricate work, $250

Yellin Award for the most functional work, $250

Brim Award for the most humorous or fantasy-like work, $250

Click here for more information and entry form

Grants for Rural Midwest Communities

Deadline for submission is October 1, 2024.

Any interested CSI members, please go to: http://forecastpublicart.org/midwest-memory/ to see if your projects and ideas match the grant criteria.

CSI Contact: Anthony H. May, Grants Chair, anthonyheinzmay@chicagosculpture.org

2025 Perryville Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Call for Artists

Have Any News to Share?

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

Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.

Gene Skala 8/8/24 Gene Skala 8/8/24

August 2024 Newsletter

News from Indoor Exhibitions Committee

CSI x ALMA Closing Reception

2024 Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Midsummer Dreams

Exhibiting Artists: Maeve McGale, Jeremy P Wong, and Micki LeMieux

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 20, from 6-9 pm.
Exhibition Dates: July 20 – August 11, 2024
Gallery Hours: Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday 12-8 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N Damen Ave.

Midsummer Dreams
Midsummer is for dreaming. It’s a time for celebration, romance, and new possibilities. This time has served historically as inspiration for European conceptions of fantasy, epitomized through the Scandinavian festival of Midsummer and the Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In both examples, the forest sets a stage for magic and mischief.

Our tale takes a distinct Americana approach. Midsummer Dreams brings together three Chicago artists working in the Midwestern Surreal- a discourse that refers to integrating belief-oriented meaning mechanisms into secular systems. This is displayed through a midwestern sensibility, grounding whimsical imagery in familiar landscapes, rituals, and materials. In a forest of our own making, themes of bounty, desire, shelter, body, and landscape are explored and challenged in sculptural form. Fantasy becomes a powerful tool to reimagine and reflect our reality.

Exhibiting Artists:
Maeve McGale – The Landscape – Structural Installation
Jeremy P Wong – Figures and creatures
Micki LeMieux – In Between – Bronze collection

Visit www.chicagosculpture.org for more information.

Land Acknowledgement

Call for Entries

Existing is Political

Entry Deadline: Friday, September 27, 2024

Exhibition Dates: October 19 – November 22, 2024
Notification: Saturday, October 5
Artwork Drop-off: Saturday & Sunday, October 12-13, from 1-5 pm.

Opening: Saturday, October 19, from 6-9 pm.
Artwork Pick-up: Saturday & Sunday, November 23-24, from 1-5 pm.

Existing is Political explores the notion that simply "being" - existing in one’s body, culture, gender, or identity - carries political weight and significance. In an era marked by a two-party system with sharply defined platforms, this exhibition examines how the principles "equality and justice for all" fit into contemporary society. By showcasing diverse voices and perspectives, it aims to inspire dialogue and foster a deeper understanding of existence as a political act in order to inspire action towards a genuinely inclusive society.

Applicants must be current CSI members. To sign-up for membership: www.chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member
2D-3D work accepted – Sculptural installation work encouraged.
Open interpretations of the exhibit theme are welcomed.
Short paragraph statement about the work.
Artists must install their work.
Contact Info: Name, address, phone, email, website
1 to 3 jpg images (+ image details): Title, medium, size, price with 30% donation to CSI added

Submit on this Google form here: https://forms.gle/nhvWW3VKHjcGXZaGA

Please Note: We request exhibiting artists to cover 1 to 2 gallery-sitting shifts during the show.

Member News

Christine Forni, *Looking for refractions in the Light,* 2024,
Glass, oil & acrylic on canvas and metal

Location:
McHenry County College
8900 US Hwy 14
Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012-2761
Gallery Hours: Monday–Thursday 8am – 6pm, Friday 6am – 4:30pm

Natural Recall, Christine Forni solo exhibition

https://www.mchenry.edu/artist/

Exhibition Dates: August 6 - September 13, 2024
Artist Talk and Reception: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
2:30pm – Artist Talk, Luecht Auditorium, B170
3:30pm – Reception in Gallery One, A212x

*Photo Credit: Bethany Cordero Fabrication Studio Image/ Installation Image*

Bethany Cordero's Saints' Rest selected for Oak Park Art Council's 2024 Sculpture Walk

CSI member Bethany Cordero's work was selected for the Oak Park Art Council's 2024 Sculpture Walk. Her piece titled 'Saints' Rest', celebrates Oak Park's commitment to integrating diverse populations, promoting inclusive policies, and fostering a thriving artistic community. The sculpture is made of steel, woven rope, fabric, and thread. The strength of steel, the flexibility of rope, the softness of fabric, and the delicacy of thread all contribute to a cohesive whole, just as the varied backgrounds and perspectives of community members come together to create a vibrant and resilient society. This integration celebrates the richness of Oak Park's cultural tapestry. By using contemporary materials like steel in conjunction with traditional methods like weaving, she is reflecting on the community's embrace of both its heritage and its forward-looking vision. The juxtaposition of these elements highlights the community's ability to innovate while honoring its roots, reflecting a progressive mindset that values both tradition and change. The work will be on view until June 2025 and is located across from the Lake Theater in downtown Oak Park.

*Photo Credit: Surface Design Journal Photo Credit Bethany Cordero / "Lineage" Steel, Woven Jute, Onyx Lacquer*

In The Studio: Exploring Impermanence by Bethany Cordero included in SURFACE DESIGN 2024 Summer Journal

CSI member Bethany Cordero's writing and work were included in the Wrapping & Binding, Summer 2024 edition of Surface Design Journal. Her article entitled 'In The Studio: Exploring Impermanence by Bethany Cordero', discusses her studio practice working through an interdisciplinary lens using materials that have transformative properties such as clay, metal and textiles to create sculptural works that are visual abstractions of herself as a woman, exploring issues of identity, memory and the impermanence of self. The article explores the similarities between the vulnerability and deterioration of materials and the transience of human existence.

Roland Biermann, *Stations 3,* 2019, Guard rail beams, oil barrels, 14-2/3 x 1-2/3 x 14-1/3 ft. (cross), 2 x 2 x 3 ft. (oil barrels, each)

Roland Beirmann shortlisted for Liverpool Sculpture Prize 2024

Congratulations to London-based CSI member Roland Beirmann. His sculpture "Stations 3" has been shortlisted for the Liverpool Sculpture Prize 2024. This new work is part his "Stations" series, which previously have been exhibited at iconic venues, such as Barbican Centre, London, Trinity Wall Street, New York and Hermitage Museum, Amsterdam.1
www.grolandbiermann.com

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

Fortuned TRIALS - A Visual Art Exhibition

CSI Project Space and Gallery

Featuring Zsófia Ötvös large-scale multimedia graphite drawings and Lidoska Guietti with oil paintings inspired by their homeland Hungary and Italy respectively.

Guest artists:
Melissa Kolbusz with WIRED jewelry
Tonette Navarro with crochet sculpture

Dates: Exhibition runs from Aug 16- Sept 6, 2024

Opening Reception- Saturday, Aug 16th : 4-9 pm
Hungarian day- Tuesday, Aug 20th : 5-9 pm
Labor day pARTy, Sept 30th : 4am-9 pm
Closing reception- Friday, Sept 5th 4-9 pm

Fortuned Trials is following up on the recent exhibition Parts Apart, an exhibition that has been in the making for several years. Zsófia’s large-scale drawings are between 4 feet and 9 feet tall, and her medium is hard pencils ranging from HB to 5H, to be exact in her drawing. The needle-sharp points leave precise fine lines helping to prevent any accidental yet workable strokes. Instead, every line must be intentional and purposeful. The drawn figures are set in a painted abstracted environment.

Three-month residency for international artists at Westwerk, Hamburg, Germany

Announcement of residencies for 2025 and 2026
Closing Date for applications is August 28, 2024.

The Hamburg Ministry for Culture and Media is inviting applications for 8 three-month residencies in 2025 and 2026 in the Westwerk artists' centre in Hamburg. The residency is a residential and work grant that requires the artist to live and work at Westwerk and facilitates both work on an artistic project and networking with the Hamburg cultural scene. Westwerk is centrally located in inner-city Hamburg, in a relatively large complex of buildings on Fleetinsel that houses further studios, galleries and a small theatre.

Learn more about Westwerk HERE.
Further information about the residency and application details.
Online Application

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

Cover Image: Micki LeMieux, Garlic Dreams, Bronze, from the Midsummer Dreams exhibit.

Chicago Sculpture International is partially supported by a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. Learn more about DCASE

Gene Skala 7/10/24 Gene Skala 7/10/24

July 2024 Newsletter

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Midsummer Dreams
Exhibiting Artists: Maeve McGale, Jeremy P Wong, and Micki LeMieux

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 20, from 6-9 pm.
Exhibition Dates: July 20 – August 11, 2024
Gallery Hours: Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday 12-8 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N Damen Ave.

Midsummer Dreams
Midsummer is for dreaming. It’s a time for celebration, romance, and new possibilities. This time has served historically as inspiration for European conceptions of fantasy, epitomized through the Scandinavian festival of Midsummer and the Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In both examples, the forest sets a stage for magic and mischief.

Our tale takes a distinct Americana approach. Midsummer Dreams brings together three Chicago artists working in the Midwestern Surreal- a discourse that refers to integrating belief-oriented meaning mechanisms into secular systems. This is displayed through a midwestern sensibility, grounding whimsical imagery in familiar landscapes, rituals, and materials. In a forest of our own making, themes of bounty, desire, shelter, body, and landscape are explored and challenged in sculptural form. Fantasy becomes a powerful tool to reimagine and reflect our reality.

Exhibiting Artists:
Maeve McGale – The Landscape – Structural Installation
Jeremy P Wong – Figures and creatures
Micki LeMieux – In Between – Bronze collection

Visit www.chicagosculpture.org for more information.

CSI Collaborations

Ragdale Tree Project, "Diversity of Birds"

The Ragdale Tree Project, "Diversity of Birds," was quite a success for Chicago Sculpture International! For 3 weeks a team of CSI artists —Margot McMahon, Mia Capodilupo, Anthony Heinz May, Jyl Bonaguro, Nicole Beck, Julia Sulmasy, and Fredy Hauman Mallqui — with photographer Laurie Irwin transformed a 200-year-old elm tree that passed away from Dutch elm disease into a work of art. Learn about the Ragdale Foundation and watch a video of team members carving the tree sculpture with hand tools like chisels and mallets, and power tools like chainsaws and grinders.

This project was made possible with the generous support of Louisa and Nelson Levy.

Location:
Ragdale Foundation
1260 N Green Bay Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Directions

CSI Member Announcement

CSI Picnic at Chicago Botanic Gardens

On Sunday, August 11th, from 12-4pm Chicago Sculpture International will host its Annual General Membership Picnic at the beautiful Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. A complimentary lunch and entrance to the Chicago Botanic Gardens will be provided for current CSI members only. Members are welcome to bring desserts in addition to share.

We will meet in The Plant Science Center (seminar room) at 12 pm (see #8 in map below). We will also be provided access to the rooftop garden. Click here to view a larger map of the garden map (The Plant Science Center and Roof Garden is #36 on the map).

Chicago Botanic Garden has parking available at $10 per car. Different rates may apply for other types of vehicles.

Because space is limited for this event, we ask that you kindly RSVP to info@chicagosculpture.org by August 1st. Please note this is for CSI members only.

Please RSVP to info@chicagosculpture.org

We look forward to seeing you there!

Chicago Botanic Gardens
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, IL 60022
(Located along I-94 between Dundee and County Line Roads)

Land Acknowledgement

CURRENT CSI EXHIBITIONS

Image credit (left to right): Bruce Webber, Ted Sitting Crow Gardner, and Rachel Stork

Self-Portaits group exhibit

Chicago Sculpture International Project Space
Exhibition Dates: June 8 – July 12, 2024

Artists periodically ask themselves, “How am I doing?”. A closer look often inspires auto-biographical work. Objects are born of thoughts and feelings, then made from an examined life. Self | Portraits invites sculptors to check-in on their condition.

Exhibiting Artists: John E. Bannon, Ted Sitting Crow Garner, Amanda Gentry, Set Gozo, Peter Gray, Philipp Groth, Carol Hammerman, Lillian Heredia, Catherine Jacobi, Stacee Kalmanovsky, Kasia Kay, Micki LeMieux, Bill Mitchell, Scott Mossman, Greta Olson, Dominic Sansone, Mary K. Seyfarth, Rachel Stork, Lisa Walcott, Nathan Ward, Bruce Webber, Yimei (Emair) Zhu.

Curated by Thomas Plum

Visit www.chicagosculpture.org for more information.

CSI x ALMA

2024 Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors

Images: Above (left to right): *Fairy Ring* by Greta Olson, *Soil Samples* by Kristina Rogers,
*Two-Headed Fawn* by Ariana Hocking,, *Rest Area* by Stella Moon

CSI CALL FOR ENTRIES

By Degrees III (2024): Last Call for Submissions

Entry Deadline: Sunday, July 28, 2024, midnight central standard time
Notification by: Sunday, August 18, 2024
Artwork Drop-Off Date: Sunday, September 8, 1-5pm
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14, 6-9pm
Pick-Up/Deinstall Artwork: Sat/Sun, October 5-6, 1-5pm
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, September 14 - Friday, October 4, 2024

Often an artist’s most groundbreaking work comes from being immersed in a culture of study and intellectual pursuit. Chicago, home to some of the most globally revered academic arts institutions, could be considered a sort of proving ground for tomorrow’s most promising contemporary emerging artists.

Chicago Sculpture International (CSI) is calling for artists who are enrolled in, or recently (2023 or later) graduated from a degree-seeking program to submit works of sculpture, installation, and media work to be featured in the third annual juried group exhibition By Degrees, scheduled for September 14 - October 4, 2024, at CSI Project Space in Chicago.

Artists will be able to submit up to 3 works for consideration. There is no fee for entry. Accepted artists will be granted a one-year non-transferrable student membership to CSI. This call is not limited to students and graduates of Chicago-area institutions, but accepted artists will be required to gallery sit for at least one 4-hour shift during the exhibition run.

Please complete the application form HERE.
Look HERE for submission information.
For any questions contact projectspace@chicagosculpture.org

Member News

Congratulations to Member Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung

Cherry Tung is from Hong Kong, China. She graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a painter, sculptor, and much more. CSI and Project Space sponsored Cherry Tung for a 0-1 Visa to stay in this country. It is for excellence in art. The (UCAIS) - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung for a Visa. Valid from 6/3/24 – 6/2/27. Cheers!

Sculpture Walk Peoria 2024

CSI member - Micki LeMieux and her ‘kid’ installed her sculpture ‘Evolve and Grow’ in downtown Peoria from June 2024 – June 2026.

Peoria Illinois has a 2-year rotating outdoor sculpture loan program

Images: Set Gozo, Water Offering and Dawn Liddicoat, Bountiful

Later Impressions 2024 by CAVA

Congratulations to Set Gozo and Dawn Liddicoatt!!
Chicago Sculpture International Members for Receiving Awards

June 2–July 12, 2024
Artists' Reception:
Saturday, June 15, 6:00–8:00 p.m.

Elmhurst Artists' Guild Gallery Hours
Wednesday–Thursday 12:00 noon–5:00 p.m.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 1:00–5:00 p.m.

JURORS:
John Nester, Adjunct Instructor, Elmhurst University
Marci Ruben, Curator, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago

Awards:

Best of Show
Voytek Glinkowski, We Will Dance

Awards of Excellence
Susan Stances, Transparency
Pam Seatter, Ascension
Dawn Liddicoatt, Bountiful

Honorable Mentions
Set Gozo, Water Offering
Lynn Mckenzie, The Three Miro’s Shelter from the Cold
Robert Anderson, Everyone in Their Place

Image: Kara Cobb Johnson, *Third Wave*, 2024, Drywall shims, ink, aluminum rivets, ceiling struts, Dimensions variable.

where a knot begins / and ends

CSI member Kara Cobb Johnson will A soft opening for the group exhibition, “where a knot begins / and ends”, curated by Jeff Robinson.

“Where a knot begins and ends considers the ways artists engage our complicated relationship to time, history, and archives. The phrase also conveys the challenges faced by the exhibiting artists who represent the 2024 cohort of New Edition, a two-part class developed by the Art Center for artists to learn and make work in a medium that is new to their practice.”

The exhibition is curated by the Program Facilitator, Jeff Robinson.

Exhibition Dates: July 13 – October 6, 2024
July 27, 2024, 1-4pm at Hyde Park Art Center

Hyde Park Art Center, Kantor Family Foundation Gallery
5020 South Cornell Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615

The exhibit features a suite of modular works in an installation using materials, colors, and ephemera unique to the gallery.

Exhibiting artists: Alexandra Antoine, Dawn Brennan, Kittisak (Wa) Chontong, Mary Farmilant, Tanya Gill, Malika Jackson, Kara Cobb Johnson, Caitlin Ryan, Molly Roth Scranton, and Teresita Carson Valdez

Images: Gene Skala, (Left) *Never Trust A Spell*, 2024, Oil on panel, 16 x 12 in.; (Right) *Simple Machine,* 2024, Oil on panel, 12 x 16 in.

Poetry of Place: Landscape & Sacred Space

CSI member Gene Skala will be exhibiting three paintings in conjunction with the group exhibit: Poetry of Place: Landscape & Sacred Space at Oak Park Art League.

“A place is what you make it, when you stop to look and absorb the scene you create a place, what you see is a landscape and as artists, we take the next step and create and record the feeling in art, and by doing so make sacred space. Landscapes, interiors, architectural scenery and still life works, reveal both artist’s interpretation of, and intimacy with – place. This is an open-call exhibition for art that evokes the sacred space of creation and creativity in new ways, escape landscape, real and imagined magical spaces.”

Exhibition Dates: Jul 5, 2024 – Aug 2, 2024

Oak Park Art League
720 W. Chicago Ave.
Oak Park IL.

Walking Sculpture Tour

CSI member Stephanie Sailer installed her sculpture, Willow Dust, in downtown Mankato, MN. The annual sculpture show is exhibiting 32 outdoor sculptures until April 2025.

Image: Shane van Gisbergen, winner of 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race holding trophy designed by CSI member Nicole Beck

Trophy for the 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Nicole Beck was commissioned again this year for the 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race to design and fabricate the trophy for the Xfinity Cup Series which was won on Saturday, July 6th by New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen. Here Nicole snaps a picture of SVG as he hoisted the steel work in the Winner’s Circle. Beck was assisted by CSI member Vector Custom Fabricating by doing the laser cuts, complex back rolls and basic TIG. Rob Magiera worked with Nicole developing the cgi design work.

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

Fortuned TRIALS: A Visual Art Exhibition

CSI Project Space and Gallery

Featuring Zsófia Ötvös large-scale multimedia graphite drawings and Lidoska Guietti with oil paintings inspired by their homeland Hungary and Italy respectively.

Guest artists:
Melissa Kolbusz with WIRED jewelry
Tonette Navarro with crochet sculpture

Dates: Exhibition runs from Aug 16- Sept 6, 2024

Opening Reception- Saturday, Aug 16th : 4-9 pm
Hungarian day- Tuesday, Aug 20th : 5-9 pm
Labor day pARTy, Sept 30th : 4am-9 pm
Closing reception- Friday, Sept 5th 4-9 pm

Fortuned Trials is following up on the recent exhibition Parts Apart, an exhibition that has been in the making for several years. Zsófia’s large-scale drawings are between 4 feet and 9 feet tall, and her medium is hard pencils ranging from HB to 5H, to be exact in her drawing. The needle-sharp points leave precise fine lines helping to prevent any accidental yet workable strokes. Instead, every line must be intentional and purposeful. The drawn figures are set in a painted abstracted environment.

Three-month residency for international artists at Westwerk, Hamburg, Germany

Announcement of residencies for 2025 and 2026

Closing Date for applications is August 28, 2024.

The Hamburg Ministry for Culture and Media is inviting applications for 8 three-month residencies in 2025 and 2026 in the Westwerk artists' centre in Hamburg.

The residency is a residential and work grant that requires the artist to live and work at Westwerk and facilitates both work on an artistic project and networking with the Hamburg cultural scene.

Westwerk is centrally located in inner-city Hamburg, in a relatively large complex of buildings on Fleetinsel that houses further studios, galleries and a small theatre.

Learn more about Westwerk HERE.
Further information about the residency and application details.
Online Application

Art Items for Sale

from ChrisTina Murphy

Portable gantry crane stands about 11’ tall, 8’ across. All the connections are drilled and marked to insert the bolts. This crane can lift about 900 lbs, possible more. All framing, bolts and chain hoist are included. Can fit in a standard size SUV, the longest boards are 8’ long. I had a 1999 Blazer, then a 2007 Murano. It all fit inside easily. All you'll need for assembly is a couple of wrenches. Assembly with two average people takes about 20-30 minutes. Asking price is for the actual cost of materials.
Asking $225.00
_____________________________________________
A 40” tall, 20”x20” top, Tastefully Painted Fiberglass pedestal. Used to display a bronze sculpture. Great condition and sturdy.
Asking $150.00
_______________________________________________
146 lbs of brand new Le Beau Touché fine art oil based modeling clay by Chavant, CM-50 on their website. Chavant is professional quality sculpting clay. There are cheaper clays out there, but they really ARE cheaper. It’ll show in your finished piece. You will get the smoothness and detail of a good quality clay. The Le Beau is the softest, lower weight clay, perfect for smaller pieces and fine detail. It costs $7.50lb PLUS 10% tax and $1.00 per lb shipping. 100lbs of used clay can also be included if you buy all the new clay.

Asking $6.00 a pound, cash and carry
______________________________________________
Some sculpting / pottery tools for sale. Email ChrisTina for details: rockartstudio@yahoo.com

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

Cover image: Kara Cobb Johnson, Third Wave, 2024, Drywall shims, ink, aluminum rivets, ceiling struts, Dimensions variable.

Gene Skala 6/5/24 Gene Skala 6/5/24

June 2024 Newsletter

CSI Outdoor Committee News

Ragdale Tree Project

The CSI team at Ragdale are having an awesome time! Ragdale Foundation is collaborating with Chicago Sculpture International for “The Diversity of Birds” tree project by creating a public art sculpture out of a 20-foot-tall elm tree that passed away from Dutch Elm disease. It's now getting a second life as a sculpture. CSI Sculpting Team: Julia Sulmasy, Margot McMahon, Anthony Heinz May, Fredy Hauman Mallqui, Mia Capodilupo, Jyl Bonaguro, and Nicole Beck. Photography by Laurie Irwin

Public Opening: Thursday, June 6, 2024 4-6pm

Location:
Ragdale Foundation
1260 N Green Bay Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045

Directions

Photo caption: Bruce Niemi with his sculpture *Tall Ships II* at Marquette Park. Photo courtesy of Akilia McCain.

Marquette Park Purchases Bruce Niemi Sculpture

Friends of Marquette Park of the Legacy Foundation and Miller Garden Club recently purchased CSI member Bruce Niemi’s Tall Ship II as a permanent sculpture for Marquette Park, Indiana, and the City of Gary, Indiana. The sculpture was first installed in the park in May 2022 as a result of a call put out by Chicago Sculpture International. Another sculpture selected through that call, Here, by CSI member Ruth Aizuss Migdal, will remain on display in the park for the upcoming exhibition season. The display of both sculptures and subsequent purchase of Tall Ships II are part of the two organizations' collaboration with CSI and its initiative to bring public art to the City of Gary, Indiana. The organizations hope to have another sculpture by a CSI member selected by this fall for installation.

CSI would like to thank Miller Garden Club president, Karin Crane, and Friends of Marquette Park chairperson, Carol Smith, for championing sculptures by CSI members and coordinating the purchase.

Learn more and visit Marquette Park, Indiana.
Learn more about Miller Garden Club.

CSI Indoor Committee News

CSI x ALMA Group Exhibit

CSI Project Space News

Midsummer Dreams

Exhibiting Artists: Micki LeMieux, Maeve McGale, and Jeremy P Wong

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 20, from 6-9 pm.
Exhibition Dates: July 20 – August 11, 2024
Gallery Hours: Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday 12-8 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N Damen Ave.

Midsummer is for dreaming. It’s a time for celebration, romance, and new possibilities. This time has served historically as inspiration for European conceptions of fantasy, epitomized through the Scandinavian festival of Midsummer and the Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In both examples, the forest sets a stage for magic and mischief.

Our tale takes a distinct Americana approach. Midsummer Dreams brings together three Chicago artists working in the Midwestern Surreal- a discourse that refers to integrating belief-oriented meaning mechanisms into secular systems. This is displayed through a midwestern sensibility, grounding whimsical imagery in familiar landscapes, rituals, and materials. In a forest of our own making, themes of bounty, desire, shelter, body, and landscape are explored and challenged in sculptural form. Fantasy becomes a powerful tool to reimagine and reflect our reality.

Visit www.chicagosculpture.org for more information.

CSI Grants Committee News

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

Deadlines for FY25
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

Current CSI Exhibitions

Opening: Saturday, June 8, from 6-9 pm

Artists periodically ask themselves, "How am I doing?" A closer look often inspires auto-biographical work. Objects are born of thoughts and feelings, then made from an examined life. Self / Portraits invites sculptors to check-in on their condition.

Exhibiting Artists: John E. Bannon, Ted Sitting Crow Garner, Amanda Gentry, Set Gozo, Peter Gray, Philipp Groth, Carol Hammerman, Lillian Heredia, Catherine Jacobi, Stacee Kalmanovsky, Kasia Kay, Micki LeMieux, Bill Mitchell, Scott Mossman, Greta Olson, Dominic Sansone, Mary K. Seyfarth, Rachel Stork, Lisa Walcott, Nathan Ward, Bruce Webber, Yimei (Emair) Zhu.

Curated by Thomas Plum

CSI Project Space
1912 N. Damen Avenue
Chicago, Il, 60647

Image credit: Amanda Genry, Brother John, Myself

CSI Members - Teachers Needed for Workshops

The educational art workshop program wants to build a stronger presence in the community for CSI that promotes marginalized communities to use art as a way for people to connect with each other.

Presently, we are looking for artist members with creative projects to be completed in roughly 60 minutes for the boys and girls club at the Lathrop Homes, located at Damen and Diversey in Chicago.

Artists receive a stipend and materials budget. Any interested members with ideas for a kid’s art workshop activity that is roughly 60 minutes please reach out and email or call Set Gozo at setgozo84@gmail.com or (773) 372-5508.

Land Acknowledgement

Current CSI Exhibitions

Image credit: (left) Bruce Webber, Targets (right) Bill Mitchell, Amalgam

CSI x ALMA Group Exhibit

2024 Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors

Exhibition runs through September 1, 2024

Art After Hours on Friday evening of EXPO ART WEEK, and features extended hours at over 45 galleries and creative spaces throughout the city of Chicago. With a myriad of exciting events unfolding throughout the evening, be sure to plan your night accordingly using the Gertie programming schedule and map. No matter your background—whether you’re an art aficionado or a newly minted collector—Art After Hours is a great place to forge relationships with new galleries, artists and other collectors!

About CSI x ALMA: Both Indoor and Outdoor Sculptors were invited to enter up to three works for the Annual Spring Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors in Chicago, IL. The exhibition will coincide with Expo Chicago, International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, April 11- 24, 2024 Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois. Alma Art and Interiors, established 2021, is a contemporary fine art gallery in the historic Bridgeport Arts Corridor featuring over 80 artists in 10,000 sq. ft.

ALMA Art and Interiors
3636 S. Iron Street
Chicago, Illinois 60609

(847) 922-5736 or (224) 522-4525
Gallery hours: Open Sundays 12 to 5pm

Contact the gallery at: hello@almaartandinteriors.com
For general information about the exhibit: info@chicagosculpture.org

CSI Call for Entries

By Degrees III (2024): Call for Submissions

Entry Deadline: Sunday, July 28, 2024, midnight central standard time
Notification by: Sunday, August 18, 2024
Artwork Drop-Off Date: Sunday, September 8, 1-5pm
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14, 6-9pm
Pick-Up/Deinstall Artwork: Sat/Sun, October 5-6, 1-5pm
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, September 14 - Friday, October 4, 2024

Often an artist’s most groundbreaking work comes from being immersed in a culture of study and intellectual pursuit. Chicago, home to some of the most globally revered academic arts institutions, could be considered a sort of proving ground for tomorrow’s most promising contemporary emerging artists. Chicago Sculpture International (CSI) is calling for artists who are enrolled in, or recently (2023 or later) graduated from a degree-seeking program to submit works of sculpture, installation, and media work to be featured in the third annual juried group exhibition By Degrees, scheduled for September 14 - October 4, 2024, at CSI Project Space in Chicago.

Artists will be able to submit up to 3 works for consideration. There is no fee for entry. Accepted artists will be granted a one-year non-transferrable student membership to CSI. This call is not limited to students and graduates of Chicago-area institutions, but accepted artists will be required to gallery sit for at least one 4-hour shift during the exhibition run.

Please complete the application form HERE.
Look HERE for submission information.
For any questions contactprojectspace@chicagosculpture.org

Caption for photo: Above (left to right): Fairy Ring by Greta Olson, Soil Samples by Kristina Rogers, Two-Headed Fawn by Ariana Hocking, and Rest Area by Stella Moon

Members News

**Olya Salimova's sculpture for Flight Of Butterflies project**

The sculpture is presently installed on campus of the Nature Museum but will be relocated to Chicago park land on July 15th where it'll spend a year.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences (Nature Museum) at 2430 N. Cannon Dr. Chicago, IL 60614

The Nature Museum introduces the Flight of Butterflies! This city-wide exhibit merges nature, art, and story telling, creating a memorable experience for all in Chicago. Olya Salimova, among other local artists, was invited to adorn butterfly sculptures with original designs, expressing her unique connection to nature.

Each of the exhibited butterfly is a testament to the artist, their journey, and their connection to nature, and this project uniquely intertwines artistic expression with a call to action for wildlife conservation. The Nature Museum creates a platform to inspire, support, and amplify nature champions across Chicago, and it all begins with the Flight of Butterflies. Be sure to stop by the Nature Museum to be inspired by these incredible pieces.

Olya Salimova's statement on her sculpture: The way we treat humans is the way we treat nature. The reverse is equally true. If we want to save our home Earth we have to care and guard freedoms of all her citizens – human and non-human. There is no separation between the two. Today, every being on Earth faces a time of incredible transformation within continual cycles of political, social and environmental changes. Let this Wisdomkeeper guide you to the change.

Jyl Bonaguro featured in Chicago Fra Noi

Jyl Bonaguro was featured in the Italian American magazine of Chicago Fra Noi. Bonaguro tells Fra Noi about her passion for art, how she found her way to sculpting, and her determination to see Modern Athena become reality.

https://franoi.com/profiles/modern-michelangelo-jyl-bonaguro

Memorial Sculpture by Nicole Beck

On May 24 at 12:15 there will be a dedication ceremony for the memorial sculpture created by Nicole Beck for Copeland Manor Grade School in Nicole’s hometown, Libertyville, IL. All are welcome.

The initial contact for the sculpture’s design was facilitated through a CSI contact to create a customized work to celebrate the life of a beloved 10-yr old student, Charlotte Frank who lost her life tragically to an aggressive cancer. Nicole worked with the school’s principal, art teacher, family members, school community and grounds keeper to create a work appropriate to the site, her family history and limited budget. Specifically, they wanted a figurative component that resembled Charlotte who loved the color purple/lilac, often sported Chuck Taylor high tops and displayed the deaf friendship sign (because her younger brother was deaf.) The school is collaborating by their students creating cement mosaic stepping stones around the site.

Liminal Space

The art of Bethany Cordero & Deborah Newmark
Opening: Friday, May 10, 2024 5-9pm
Show runs through June 8, 2024
Workshop: May 18, 1-4pm

Olivia Gallery, 3816 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL
www.olivagallery.com

Cordero explores issues of identity, memory, and the impermanence of self. As we are left with vestiges of thoughts-memories of a life that no longer exists. We are in a perpetual state of transition from one state of consciousness to the next. By grafting, binding, and welding these materials together, she uses the remnants to create sculptural assemblages that serve as a symbolic bridge between her selfhood of today into the liminal space of tomorrow. Each iteration is equally referential and abstract, and serve as containers for space, composition and the inherent congruency and contradictions between her past and the present.

Newmark is curious about where things touch, where one thought ends and another begins, what is left unsaid. She acknowledges that singular moment in time, one that will never exist again. Using a mix of media, a layering of materials and gesture, she finds beauty in surprising relationships, often improvised or accidental.

Kara Cobb Johnson in System and Dialectics of Art

Member Kara Cobb Johnson will be in the spring group show, "System and Dialectics of Art" at Madron Gallery

The exhibit runs through June 14th

Exhibiting Artists: Andrew Arkell, Zach Balousek, Michael Banning, Shel Howard Beugen, Jess Beyler, Margie Criner, Matthew Cortez, Kara Cobb Johnson, Matt Kuhlman, Ruben Lima, MISU, Alison Mosher, Kristen Phipps, Joseph Royer, and Bruce Thorn

Featuring live music with the Steve Knight Trio, cocktails, and passed d'oeuvres.
Free parking available at Madron. 
Madron Gallery
1000 W North Ave
Third Floor, Chicago, IL 60642, USA

Image: Artwork by Kara Cobb Johnson  

The following are not CSI-sponsored calls
but may be of interest to our members

Art-In-Architecture RFQ for Purchase of Artworks

The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists for the purchase of permanent original art for the College of Lake County (CLC), Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan, Illinois.

Type of media for this project is open and includes two-dimensional media such as painting, drawing, photography, textiles, collage, mixed-media, and small-scale three-dimensional pieces suitable for hanging.

The submission instructions for this RFQ are for purchase and not commission. Artists from the Waukegan area are especially encouraged to apply. Final Deadline: Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 4:30PM. Applying before deadline is encouraged.

Download RFQ here

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 5/6/24 Gene Skala 5/6/24

May 2024 Newsletter

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Image credit: Marianne Lovink, *Plank* series (detail) and *Shortstop* (detail)

Marianne Lovink
New Work/Chicago

May 9-18, 2024

Opening Reception May 10, 6-8PM

Created after relocating to Chicago during the pandemic, this exhibition by Marianne Lovink is a survey of new work exploring the dynamic interplay of sculptural form and its graphic embellishment. Of particular interest to me is how an imposed motif can conform to, but also resist, the underlying structure, creating intriguing visual tension.

Although the graphic black and white energy of repetitive form has been a common theme over the years; the most recent introduction of color has also added a new vibrancy and playfulness to the previously spare palette of previous works.

CSI Project Space
1912 N. Damen Avenue
Chicago, Il, 60647

Special gallery hours: May 9, 10, 16 & 17, 1-6pm; May 11, 12 & 18, 12-5pm

Foam Carving Workshop

May 15 from 7-9PM at Project Space

We had so much fun at last month's Carving Foam workshop that Jyl Bonaguro decided to offer another one on May 15th from 7-9pm. Register on Eventbrite.

Welcome to the Carving Foam Sculptures Workshop Carve & Sip! Design, carve, and paint your own sculpture in foam during this 2 hour workshop class under the tutelage of professional stone sculptor, Jyl Bonaguro. With techniques similar to carving stone but without all the sweat, you will explore the techniques of blocking, detailing, and finishing as you create a stunning masterpiece. No experience is necessary!

Details: Adults Only Ages 21+. No previous experience is required to participate. All materials are provided along with aprons. BYOB. $40 admission fee.

Perfect Artist Exhibition Space or Special Events in Bucktown in Professional Gallery

Gallery rental available: 
May 20 – June 2 (OPEN 2 weeks); Aug. 14 – Sept. 6 (OPEN 3 weeks)

$500 per week professional gallery space includes track lighting, WiFi, folding chairs, pedestals, 8 foot ladder, bathroom no kitchen, 24 hr access. Features:

• Great local commercial district with artisans and small businesses.
• Gallery floor plans available upon request. 950 sq feet

For specs and details: https://tinyurl.com/project-space-rental

For additional information: info@chicagosculpture.org

CSI Educational Art Workshops in 2024

Michael Gallager, in celebration of the incoming “Mother’s Day”, will conduct an after school activity this May 6th for the CSI Educational Art Workshops in 2024 from 4:30-5:30 pm at The Boys and Girls Club of America, located at the Lathrop Homes, 2915 N. Leavitt in Chicago.

CSI Grants Committee News

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

Current CSI Exhibitions

Opening: Saturday, June 8, from 6-9 pm

CSI Project Space
1912 N. Damen Avenue
Chicago, Il, 60647

CSI Members - Teachers Needed for Workshops

The educational art workshop program wants to build a stronger presence in the community for CSI that promotes marginalized communities to use art as a way for people to connect with each other.

Presently, we are looking for artist members with creative projects to be completed in roughly 60 minutes for the boys and girls club at the Lathrop Homes, located at Damen and Diversey in Chicago.

Land Acknowledgement

Current CSI Exhibitions

CSI x ALMA Group Exhibit

2024 Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors

Exhibition runs through September 1, 2024

ALMA Art and Interiors
3636 S. Iron Street
Chicago, Illinois 60609

(847) 922-5736 or (224) 522-4525
Gallery hours: Open Sundays 12 to 5pm

Contact the gallery at: hello@almaartandinteriors.com
For general information about the exhibit: info@chicagosculpture.org

CSI Call for Entries

By Degrees III (2024): Call for Submissions

Entry Deadline: Sunday, July 28, 2024, midnight central standard time
Notification by: Sunday, August 18, 2024
Artwork Drop-Off Date: Sunday, September 8, 1-5pm
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14, 6-9pm
Pick-Up/Deinstall Artwork: Sat/Sun, October 5-6, 1-5pm
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, September 14 - Friday, October 4, 2024

Often an artist’s most groundbreaking work comes from being immersed in a culture of study and intellectual pursuit. Chicago, home to some of the most globally revered academic arts institutions, could be considered a sort of proving ground for tomorrow’s most promising contemporary emerging artists. Chicago Sculpture International (CSI) is calling for artists who are enrolled in, or recently (2023 or later) graduated from a degree-seeking program to submit works of sculpture, installation, and media work to be featured in the third annual juried group exhibition By Degrees, scheduled for September 14 - October 4, 2024, at CSI Project Space in Chicago.

Artists will be able to submit up to 3 works for consideration. There is no fee for entry. Accepted artists will be granted a one-year non-transferrable student membership to CSI. This call is not limited to students and graduates of Chicago-area institutions, but accepted artists will be required to gallery sit for at least one 4-hour shift during the exhibition run.

Please complete the application form HERE.
Look HERE for submission information.
For any questions contactprojectspace@chicagosculpture.org

Caption for photo: Above (left to right): Fairy Ring by Greta Olson, Soil Samples by Kristina Rogers, Two-Headed Fawn by Ariana Hocking, and Rest Area by Stella Moon

Members News

Thick Skinned: Lynn Basa, Christine Forni, Bobbi Meier

Thick-skinned cuts both ways. It’s the build-up of imperviousness to life’s abrasions over time and lived experience, but it’s also a form of concealment. Without these protections, the human condition would be unbearable. Lynn Basa, Christine Forni, and Bobbi Meier each have their way of approaching material as a metaphor for this survival membrane between the external world and themselves.

On View: April 5th - May 25

Epiphany Center for the Arts, Chase Gallery, 201 South Ashland Avenue, Chicago

Gallery visiting hours by appointment:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 10:00 am-4:00 pm

To schedule an appointment contact: art@epiphanychi.com

https://epiphanychi.com/lynn-basa-christine-forni-bobbi-meier-thick-skinned/

Marci Rubin and Samuel Schwindt Solo Exhibits at Epiphany Center for the Arts

CSI Members Marci Rubin and Samuel Schwindt are having solo exhibits at Sacristy Gallery (Epiphany Center for the Arts) and they open Friday, May 31, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

About Marci Rubin’s Majora & Minora
In her sculpture and installations, Marci Rubin investigates a state of transformation, both literally and metaphorically through process and materials. Reclaiming, upcycling, abstracting, and manipulating discarded or donated clothing, Rubin questions and addresses the human body: structures & systems; proportions & scales; interiors & exteriors; textures & colors; and orientations & identities. The finished pieces unveil a dialogue that often generates debate about human rights and privileges, while touching on the status quo and deviation regarding personal bodily decisions.

About Samuel Schwindt’s Revealed Armor: Leather and Light
Inspired by archival research in Chicago, Samuel Schwindt’s site-specific installations and sculpture explore stories both forgotten and willfully disappeared. He rebuilds and recontextualizes Chicago Queer spaces of the past, seeking to showcase the LGBTQ+ community’s fight for equality. Curated by independent curator and media producer, Pia Cruzalegui, Revealed Armor: Leather and Light is an exhibition about untold tales and inconclusive archives. The work celebrates the humanity of LGBTQ+ persons, emphasizing light, boldness, discovery, and the impetus of an artist reconciling past and present.

For more information and tickets:
Marci Rubin exhibit
Samuel Schwindt exhibit

Epiphany Center for the Arts
201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, Illinois
(312) 421-4600

Gallery visiting hours by appointment:
M, Tu, Th, & Fri: 10am-4pm
To schedule an appointment contact: art@epiphanychi.com

HARPY · HUMAN · HYBRID · BEAST

Works by Nancy Lu Rosenheim
Show run: March 29 to May 11, 2024
Epiphany Center for the Arts
201 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL
312-421-4600

Gallery Hours by Appointment: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10:00-4:00
To schedule a visit, please contact art@epiphanychi.com

Nancy Lu Rosenheim’s menagerie celebrates the vulnerabilities and limitations inherent in the human psyche. Her characters expose the flaws we prefer to conceal – a hairy mole, age-spotted skin, and the cowering posture of
embarrassment or shame. Embracing sculpture, printmaking and works on paper, scale navigates between a seven-inch homunculus to a nine-foot worm, inviting the viewer to consider their own stature relative to other living beings. HARPY ·HUMAN · HYBRID · BEAST draws inspiration from Art of the Grotesque, balancing whimsy with menace. Rosenheim’s creatures assert both frailty and boldness and bear the distinct imprint of the human hand.

Rosenheim has been featured in the Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, NewCity, and Chicago Portraits. Exhibitions include the Hyde Park Art Center, Slow Gallery, and the Koehnline Museum, in Illinois, Galerías Cartel and Verlín in Granada, Spain. Rosenheim is Instructor at Northeastern Illinois University and College of Lake County. She holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts, NY.

For information, please contact:
Julie Carpenter
Director of Art & Programming
Mobile: 708.704.3681
julie@epiphanychi.com

Memorial Sculpture by Nicole Beck

Liminal Space

Asian American Heritage Month Celebration

Set Gozo’s sculpture pieces currently in Evanston Art Center as part of Sinag artist group exhibition. Sinag is a not-for-profit group representing Filipino-Asian-American artists in the US.

Set will be travelling to North Dakota to participate in a panel discussion and sculpture demonstration at the Asian-American Cultural Expo hosted by the North Dakota Asian-American Artists Cultural Initiative (NDAAACI). Some of her pieces will be on exhibit and for auction. Part of the proceeds will be donated to NDAAACI to support their initiatives to promote Asian-American artists.

Kara Cobb Johnson in System and Dialectics of Art

The following are not CSI-sponsored calls but may be of interest to our members.

Art-In-Architecture RFQ for Purchase of Artworks

Download RFQ here

   Art in the Park, Rock Falls, Illinois
Call for Entries

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.

For more information: https://dankhaus.com

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

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

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

Gene Skala 4/8/24 Gene Skala 4/8/24

April 2024 Newsletter

In Memory of CSI Founding Member
Tom Scarff

It is with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to one of Chicago Sculpture International's founding members, S. Thomas Scarff. Tom was a pillar of strength and a guiding light for the organization during its inception and remained an active member for many years. He also played a pivotal role in shaping CSI's mission, vision, and values, leaving an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.

A long-time resident of Chicago, Tom was born in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1942 and later received acclaim through exhibitions and commissions from renowned organizations such as Museum of Science and Industry and the Art Institute of Chicago. Tom’s role at Sedgwick Studio, home to other highly-accomplished CSI sculptor members, left a lasting connection with Chicago as a whole.

Tom leaves behind an artistic legacy that will continue to inspire us to uphold the ideals and principles he held dear. As we mourn his loss, let us also celebrate his remarkable life and the great impact had on our organization and the community at large.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. Tom will forever remain in our hearts and with the spirit of Chicago Sculpture International.

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

International Sculpture Day is April 27!

Come join us at the CSI Project Space and Gallery

Carving Foam Sculptures Workshop with Jyl Bonaguro

Master the art of sculpting and carving foam in this hands-on workshop led by a professional sculptor.

Saturday, April 27, 2 to 4pm
Location: CSI Project Space
1912 North Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60647

What you'll learn in this foam carving sculpture class:

Let’s Carve Foam – Design, carve, and paint your own sculpture in foam during this 2 hour workshop class under the tutelage of professional stone sculptor, Jyl Bonaguro.

With techniques similar to carving stone but without all the sweat, you will explore the techniques of blocking, detailing, and finishing as you create a stunning masterpiece. No experience is necessary!

Details: Adults Only Ages 16+. No previous experience is required to participate. Materials are provided. Workshop is free but registration is required to participate.

About CSI Project Space

CSI Project Space gallery is under the direction of a collective of Chicago-based artists, hosting curated indoor exhibitions, innovative educational programming for professional sculptors as well as the general public, while giving back through partnerships with local community and philanthropic organizations. In celebration of International Sculpture Day, CSI is offering this FREE workshop to the general public.

About Chicago Sculpture International

Chicago Sculpture International brings art to the public and encourages an evolving community for artists. We look forward to creating more programs that mutually benefit our members, the public, sculpture and the Chicago land area. We believe in Creating Community through Sculpture. visit chicagosculpture.org for more info or to join now! 

Jyl Bonaguro is a Chicago-based sculptor and playwright with a professional studio in the Hermosa neighborhood. Jyl creates sculpture works of wings and the human figure in marble, limestone and mixed media for public and private art. Her sculptures have been featured in publications like CS Modern Luxury Interiors, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Newcity Art, and Sheridan Road and are in private art collections throughout the United States.

Click here to register for this workshop

Above: Marianne Lovink, Plank series (detail) and Shortstop (detail)

Marianne Lovink
New Work / CSI Project Space

May 9-18, 2024

Opening Reception May 10, 6-8PM

Created after relocating to Chicago during the pandemic, this exhibition by Marianne Lovink is a survey of new work exploring the dynamic interplay of sculptural form and its graphic embellishment. Of particular interest to me is how an imposed motif can conform to, but also resist, the underlying structure, creating intriguing visual tension.

Although the graphic black and white energy of repetitive form has been a common theme over the years; the most recent introduction of color has also added a new vibrancy and playfulness to the previously spare palette of previous works.

CSI Project Space, 1912 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago, Il, 60647
Hours: May 9, 10, 16, & 17, 1-6pm; May 11, 12, & 18, 12-5pm

Perfect Artist Exhibition Space or Special Events in Bucktown in Professional Gallery

Gallery rental available: 
May 20 – June 2 (OPEN 2 weeks); Aug. 14 – Sept. 6 (OPEN 3 weeks)

$500 per week professional gallery space includes track lighting, WiFi, folding chairs, pedestals, 8 foot ladder, bathroom no kitchen, 24 hr access. Features:

• Great local commercial district with artisans and small businesses.
• Gallery floor plans available upon request. 950 sq feet

For specs and details: https://tinyurl.com/project-space-rental

For additional information: info@chicagosculpture.org

News from the Education Committee

CSI Members - Teachers Needed for Workshops

The educational art workshop program wants to build a stronger presence in the community for CSI that promotes marginalized communities to use art as a way for people to connect with each other.

Presently, we are looking for artist members with creative projects to be completed in roughly 60 minutes for the boys and girls club at the Lathrop Homes, located at Damen and Diversey in Chicago.

CSI Grants Committee News

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

Deadlines for FY25

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 at anthonyheinzmay@chicagosculpture.org

Land Acknowledgement

Current CSI Exhibitions

CSI x ALMA Group Exhibit

2024 Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors

Exhibition Dates: April 12, 2024 to September 1, 2024
with opening weekend, Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, 12 to 5 pm.

Opening Reception pARTy EXPO After Hours
Powered by Gertie! and sponsored by Arete Wealth & Masterworks Friday, April 12, 2024, 5 to 10 pm

ALMA Art and Interiors
3636 S. Iron Street
Chicago, Illinois 60609

(847) 922-5736 or (224) 522-4525
Gallery hours: Open Sundays 12 to 5pm

Contact the gallery at: hello@almaartandinteriors.com
For general information about the exhibit: info@chicagosculpture.org

 Rangoli Workshop with Indira Johnson

Sunday, April 28, 2024, 1 to 3pm

Alma Art and Interiors
3636 S. Iron Street
Chicago, Illinois 60609

Rangoli is a South Asian folk art tradition, where a woman inaugurates the day by painting a pattern on the threshold of her home. This tradition is embedded in a ritual practice that is centered around the protection and well being of one’s family. Drawing Rangoli patterns, establishes a ritualistic relationship to the ground we walk on, making it sacred. This traditional ritual has its origin in the need to locate the individual within a larger universe. Similar traditions exist in other cultures including Native American and Tibetan.

The making and participation in ritual art is a way of sharing sadhana or grace. We see this in the rituals we design around births, graduations, marriages and deaths. The act of performing those rituals is a way for us to come together to share our joy and sorrow.

Rangoli drawings are made up of symbols, meant to bring beauty and harmony, and counter the negative forces of imbalance with the positive powers of wholeness and vitality. Traditional materials that will be used include rice flour, turmeric powder, earth, and flower petals and leaves

Indira Johnson, has drawn Rangoli Patterns throughout the US. As she explains, “one of the goals of this project is to discover through dialog, art and ritual the commonality of our human experience, and the spiritual potential inherent in all of us.” This event is free but a ticket is required to participate.

Click here for tickets

Because tickets are limited, if you need to cancel attending after your ticket is reserved, we kindly request that you contact info@chicagosculpture.org immediately so the ticket may be made available for someone else. For more information please contact: info@chicagosculpture.org

Above: (left) Jill King, *Ebb*, (center); Nancy VanKanegan, *Sacerdotal Clown*; (right) Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, *Origin*

Unfavorable Conditions

Exhibition dates: Extended to April 27, 2024

CSI Project Space and Gallery
1912 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

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 acknowledgement of the strength that arises when faced with life's challenges.

Exhibiting Artists: Angela McElwain, Anthony Heinz May, Cherry Tung, Autumn Lundberg, Caroline Jacobson, Cherylle Booker, Dawn Liddicoatt, Deana Bada Maloney, Frederick Napoli, Howard Sandroff, Jill King, Julia Paloma, Karl Johnson, Kasia Kay, Laurie LeBreton, Lilach Schrag, Lori Rozdolsky, Michael Gallagher, Nancy VanKanegan, Maddy Lee, Pat Brutchin, Maeve McGale, Peter Gray, Set Gozo, Wallace Bowling, and Zelene Jiang Schlosberg

Curated by Micki LeMieux

Self Portraits group exhibit at Chicago Sculpture International Project Space

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Entry Deadline: Friday, May 3, 2024

CSI Project Space and Gallery
1912 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

Artists periodically ask themselves, “How am I doing?”. A closer look often inspires auto-biographical work. Objects are born of thoughts and feelings, then made from an examined life. Self | Portraits invites sculptors to check-in on their condition.

Curated by Thomas Plum

• Applicants must be current CSI members. To sign-up for membership: www.chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member

• 3D work accepted – Sculptural installation work encouraged.
• Open interpretations of the exhibit theme are welcomed.
• Artists must install their own work.
• An artist’s statement and short bio will be required for the accepted piece.
• Contact Info: Name, address, phone, email, website
• 1 to 3 jpg images (+ image details): Title, medium, size, price with 30% donation to CSI added

Submit on this Google form here: https://forms.gle/YaAdqMopfC4bhpUL7

Exhibition Dates: June 8 – July 12, 2024
Notification: Wednesday, May 29 & Thursday, May 30
Artwork Drop-off: Saturday, June 1 & Sunday, June 2, from 1-5 pm
Opening: Saturday, June 8, from 6-9 pm
Artwork Pick-up: Saturday, June 13 & Sunday, June 14, from 1-5 pm

Please Note: We request exhibiting artists to cover 1 to 2 gallery-sitting shifts during the show

Members News

Thick Skinned: Lynn Basa, Christine Forni, Bobbi Meier

Artists Talk: Friday, April 12, 7:00pm

On View: April 5th - May 25

Epiphany Center for the Arts
Chase Gallery
201 South Ashland Avenue, Chicago

Gallery visiting hours by appointment:
M, Tu, Th, & Fri – 10am-4pm

To schedule an appointment contact: art@epiphanychi.com

https://epiphanychi.com/lynn-basa-christine-forni-bobbi-meier-thick-skinned/ 

Kara Cobb Johnson in System and Dialectics of Art

Member Kara Cobb Johnson will be in the spring group show, "System and Dialectics of Art" at Madron Gallery   The exhibit runs through June 14th

Exhibiting Artists: Andrew Arkell, Zach Balousek, Michael Banning, Shel Howard Beugen, Jess Beyler, Margie Criner, Matthew Cortez, Kara Cobb Johnson, Matt Kuhlman, Ruben Lima, MISU, Alison Mosher, Kristen Phipps, Joseph Royer, and Bruce Thorn

Featuring live music with the Steve Knight Trio, cocktails, and passed d'oeuvres. Free parking available at Madron.

Madron Gallery
1000 W North Ave, Third Floor
Chicago, IL

Open House at Mana Contemporary

Kara Cobb Johnson will also have an open studio on April 13, 2024, Noon-4pm at Mana Contemporary. 

Mana Contemporary
2233 South Throop St., #913
Chicago, IL

Paul Gerard Somers: Muscle Memory

Opening Receptions: March 29 and April 10

SoNa Chicago Contemporary Art opens a new exhibit, Muscle Memory, featuring work by Paul Gerard Somers, on Friday, March 29, 2024. We will celebrate the opening on March 29 from 5-8 pm and have another Opening Reception on Wednesday, April 10 from 6-10 pm during Expo Chicago week.

Paul’s commentary on cultural norms and values play out using unexpected materials and motifs such as sports paraphernalia, childhood toys, and images from popular media. From gender roles to politics and the economy, important topics are explored in playful yet impactful ways.

Paul is an interdisciplinary artist working in fiber, sculpture, painting, drawing, and performance.

He was born in Dayton, Ohio, and lived in several states before settling in Chicago. He received a B.A. from Ball State University, and an MFA from The University of Chicago in 2013. 

Come join us for either reception and see wonderful new works by this innovative artist.

SoNa Chicago Contemporary Art
1527 N. Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
Gallery open: Fridays, 5-7 p.m. Saturdays, 12-4 p.m. and by appointment 

  Roland Biermann in Aesthetic Art Prize

Member and interdisciplinary artist (sculpture, installation) Roland Biermann has an exhibit of sculpturally-descriptive photographs in the Aesthetic Art Prize Exhibition 2024

Exhibition dates: 16 February - 21 April 2024

The artist writes: “The TWA Flight Center at New York's JFK airport, with its thin shell roof and four Y-shaped piers, feels like entering a huge walkable sculpture suggested a space experience in an era where intercontinental air travel barely existed and manned space missions were still a distant idea. As an artist working with sculpture and an interest in exploring change and transformation, it is especially the two tube-shaped, red-carpeted former departure and arrival corridors that provide an immersive experience today which, paradoxically, feels nostalgic and futuristic at the same time. 

York Art Gallery Exhibition Square
York YO1 7EW York
United Kingdom

Hours; Wednesday–Sunday, 10am – 5pm 

 Lilach Schrag's shows

Lilach is in two other current exhibits:

A Place to Belong is a site-specific video installation that shows at The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens between March 22–April 29 as part of the sixth Jerusalem Biennale for Contemporary Jewish Art. It offers a possibility of an alternate existence in a world of fantasy where miraculous beings assimilate, recharge and persevere in nature. 

Power: A Feminist Exhibition is a two-person show with Ginny Sykes at Prairie State College
Lilach’s work includes a circle of six life-size sculptures of female mythological characters from different cultures, and two large fabric panels featuring the Hesperides sisters from Greek Mythology. This body of work looks at powerful magical women who are also vulnerable and fighting for their survival. 

Exhibition Dates: March 11 – April 11

Christopher Art Gallery
Prairie State College
Chicago Heights, IL

  What We Leave Behind

Work by Toby Zallman Show continues through April 13, 2024

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. 

More INFO

The following are not CSI-sponsored calls but may be of interest to our members.

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, Wisconsin

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.

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-Architecture RFQ for Purchase of Artworks

Download RFQ here

   Art in the Park, Rock Falls, Illinois
Call for Entries

Deadline: Wednesday, June 1, 2024

The Rock Falls Tourism Department has opened up the selection process to artists within the rest of the

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.

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

Gene Skala 3/27/24 Gene Skala 3/27/24

March 2024 Newsletter

Artist Resource Happy Hour

Thursday, March 7, 2024
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Registration Page: https://tinyurl.com/AR-Happy-Hour
Fees/Admission:
$13 (includes your first cocktail)
$8 (includes your first non-alcoholic cocktail)
Location: Koval Distillery, 4241 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago

As a part of our commitment to supporting creative industry, GRCC and RCC are hosting an Artist Resource Happy Hour at KOVAL Distillery.
Come out to KOVAL’s beautiful tasting room to connect with fellow creatives and learn about resources and opportunities for local artists. We’ll be joined by representatives from:
            Andersonville Galleria
            Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)
            Chicago Sculpture International (CSI)
            Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) & Ravenswood Community Council (RCC)
            Loyola University Women and Leadership Archives
            Lillstreet Art Center

Tickets include admission, your first drink, (N/A options available), and light snacks. Additional drinks will be available for purchase.

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Self Portraits - for Chicago Sculpture International Project Space

Entry Deadline: Friday, May 3, 2024
CSI Project Space and Gallery, 1912 N. Damen Ave., Chicago

Artists periodically ask themselves, “How am I doing?”. A closer look often inspires auto-biographical work. Objects are born of thoughts and feelings, then made from an examined life. Self | Portraits invites sculptors to check-in on their condition.
Curated by Thomas Plum

Applicants must be current CSI members. To sign-up for membership: www.chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member
3D work accepted – Sculptural installation work encouraged.
Open interpretations of the exhibit theme are welcomed.
Artists must install their own work.
An artist’s statement and short bio will be required for the accepted piece.
Contact Info: Name, address, phone, email, website
1 to 3 jpg images (+ image details): Title, medium, size, price with 30% donation to CSI added

Submit on this Google form here: https://forms.gle/YaAdqMopfC4bhpUL7

Exhibition Dates: June 8 – July 12, 2024
Notification: Wednesday, May 29 & Thursday, May 30
Artwork Drop-off: Saturday, June 1 & Sunday, June 2, from 1-5 pm.
Opening: Saturday, June 8, from 6-9 pm.
Artwork Pick-up: Saturday, June 13 & Sunday, June 14, from 1-5 pm.

Please Note: We request exhibiting artists to cover 1 to 2 gallery-sitting shifts during the show.

CSI Grants Committee News

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

Land Acknowledgement

Current CSI Exhibitions

CSI x ALMA: 2024 Chicago Sculpture International Juried Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors

Exhibition dates: April 12 - September 1, 2024

Opening Reception pARTy EXPO After Hours: Friday, April 12, 2024, 5 to 10 pm
with opening weekend, Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, 12 to 5 pm.

Both Indoor and Outdoor Sculptors were invited to enter up to three works for the Annual Spring Exhibition at ALMA Art and Interiors in Chicago, IL. The exhibition will coincide with Expo Chicago, International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, April 11- 24, 2024 Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois. Alma Art and Interiors, established 2021, is a contemporary fine art gallery in the historic Bridgeport Arts Corridor featuring over 80 artists in 10,000 sq. ft.

Exhibiting artists: Nikki Rene Anderson | Nicole Beck | Hilda deBruyne | Donna Castellanos | Michelle Corazzo | Ei Cullina | Brian Divis | Victoria Fuller | Musa Ghaznavi | Shelley Gilchrist | Karen Gubitz | Donna Hapac | Indira Freitas Johnson | Fred Klingelhofer | Yvette Kaiser Smith | Seoyoung Lee | Micheal Litewski | Luba Mendelevich | Ruth Aizuss Migdal | Bill Mitchell | Chris Newman | Connie Noyes | Kaia Olsen | Louise Pappageorge | Chris Perri | Nancy Lu Rosenheim | Olya Salimova | Dominic Samsone | James Stafford | Roberta Ulrich-de Oliveira | Nancy VanKanegan | Bruce Webber | Jamie Weinfurter | Chris Wubbena | Dan Yang | Toby Zallman

This exhibition is juried and curated by Kimberly Oliva and Gosia Korsakowski.
ALMA Art and Interiors 3636 S. Iron Street Chicago, Illinois 60609
(847) 922-5736 or (224) 522-4525

Contact the gallery at: hello@almaartandinteriors.com
For general information about the exhibit: info@chicagosculpture.org
Drop off and installation dates: March 4th, 10-5 and/or Sunday, March 10th, 12-5, as well as the March 15th, 11-8

Image credit: (left) Bruce Webber, Targets (right) Bill Mitchell, Amalgam

News from Project Space

Unfavorable Conditions

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

Thank you to all the artists for making the Unfavorable Conditions Exhibition and Opening successful.

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 acknowledgement of the strength that arises when faced with life's challenges.

Exhibiting Artists: Angela McElwain, Anthony Heinz May, Cherry Tung, Autumn Lundberg, Caroline Jacobson, Cherylle Booker, Dawn Liddicoatt, Deana Bada Maloney, Frederick Napoli, Howard Sandroff, Jill King, Julia Paloma, Karl Johnson, Kasia Kay, Laurie LeBreton, Lilach Schrag, Lori Rozdolsky, Michael Gallagher, Nancy VanKanegan, Maddy Lee, Pat Brutchin, Maeve McGale, Peter Gray, Set Gozo, Wallace Bowling, and Zelene Jiang Schlosberg

Curated by Micki LeMieux

Image credit: '(left) Porcelain Schoolbag by Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung, (center) Untitled by Howard Sandroff, (right) Claw Machine by Anthony Heinz May

Workshop: Carving Foam Sculptures with Jyl Bonaguro

Master the art of sculpting and carving foam in this hands-on workshop led by a professional sculptor.

Saturday, April 27, 2 to 4pm

Location: CSI Project Space
1912 North Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60647

What you'll learn in this foam carving sculpture class:

Let’s Carve Foam – Design, carve, and paint your own sculpture in foam during this 2 hour workshop class under the tutelage of professional stone sculptor, Jyl Bonaguro.

Details: Adults Only Ages 16+. No previous experience is required to participate. Materials are provided. Workshop is free but registration is required to participate.

Jyl Bonaguro is a Chicago-based sculptor and playwright with a professional studio in the Hermosa neighborhood. Jyl creates sculpture works of wings and the human figure in marble, limestone and mixed media for public and private art. Her sculptures have been featured in publications like CS Modern Luxury Interiors, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Newcity Art, and Sheridan Road and are in private art collections throughout the United States.

Click here to register for this workshop

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
Show runs February 10 - April 13, 2024

OS Projects, 601 6th Street, Racine, WI

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

Public Art Passport

Deadline: April 10, 2024

Artists from the Great Lakes states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania) are encouraged to submit their artwork for the exhibition. Entries are being accepted now through March 30. Submissions will be reviewed and accepted by the Public Art Passport committee. After the committee reviews the entries, artists will be notified by April 10, 2024, if they are a finalist and their final acceptance status by April 15, 2024.

The Public Art Passport is a rapidly developing initiative that enhances the existing public art landscape while promoting and increasing visibility and tourism to the Great Lakes Bay Region. The 2024 summer exhibition will draw visitors to the area during this time of year when many are on their way “up north” and on vacation..

Click here for more details and to apply

Submissions will be reviewed and accepted by the Public Art Passport committee. Artists will be notified if they are a finalist by April 10, 2024 and their final acceptance status by April 15, 2024.

Contact for more information:

Ashley Ross, amross13@svsu.edu, 989-964-7125

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?

Cover image: Anthony Heinz May, Claw Machine, Aluminum, mirror, marble, paint, LED and wire, 4-3/4 x 7-3/4 x 5-1/2 in.

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

Gene Skala 2/5/24 Gene Skala 2/5/24

February 2024 Newsletter

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

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

Member News

Howard Sandroff Interview in Northfield Life

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

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

Call for Entries: St. Charles Sculpture in the Park

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

Applications must be completed online using the submission form below.

Harborpark Sculpture Walk 2024-2026

Art in the Park - Call for Entries

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

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

CSI Newsletter Archive

December 2024 Newsletter

CSI Showcased in Sculpture Magazine

News from the Grants Committee

News from the Chicago Tree Project

The Chicago Tree Project is now International

News from CSI Project Space

Little but Bold! CSI Member Benefit Art Auction

In Memory of Ron Gard

Land Acknowledgement

Member News

Drawing You Outside: Artist Talk Series Part !

“Holiday at the Fields” exhibit at Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

Bethany Cordero Artist Residency Exhibition

Fiat Lux in Sycamore Park, Davis, CA

Scott Mossman: Pictures & Forms

Diane Ponder in Venice Biennale, Energy Center in Korea and SoNo Gallery

Looking Exhibition at Trout Museum of Art

Pieces by Margie Criner

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

Call for Artist Exhibits at Harold Washington Library Center

Clay Fans Club Fundraiser

Sculpture Magazine Holiday Deal

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

November 2024 Newsletter

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Existing is Political

Little, but BOLD!

CSI Member Benefit Art Auction

Opening Night Live & Silent Auction: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 from 5-8pm

Grant Awards for CSI

In Memory of Ron Gard

Land Acknowledgement

Member News

Scott Mossman: Pictures & Forms

November 8, 2024 to January 3, 2025

Diane Ponder in Venice Biennale

Energy Center in Korea and SoNo Gallery

“Besides the Heaps” by Ei Cullina

Nicole Beck to install Fiat Lux in Davis, CA

Looking Exhibition at Trout Museum of Art

Weisses Gold

69 for 69 A Magnetic Fields Art Show

Leather and Fur: Uncommitted Crimes

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

Northeastern Illinois University Spring 2025 Semester

Art + Design Visiting Artist Program

Krasl Art Center – ART & ABILITY OUTDOORS

2025 Perryville Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Call for Artists

Call for Artist Exhibits at Harold Washington Library Center

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

Land Acknowledgement

October 2024 Newsletter

In Memory of Jan Petry

CSI Picnic at Chicago Botanic Gardens

CSI Project Space and Gallery News

Little, but BOLD!

In Memory of Ron Gard

Land Acknowledgement

CSI Member Exhibition

Existing is Political

CSI Member Outreach

Chicago Artist-Run Spaces Fair

Member News

Ribbon Cutting for Transmigration Sculpture

Fragmented Memories: A Visual Diary

Looking Exhibition at Trout Museum of Art

Weisses Gold

69 for 69: A Magnetic Fields Art Show

Leather and Fur: Uncommitted Crimes

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

City of Wichita Arkansas River Public Art Project

2025 Perryville Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit Call for Artists

Submit Your News

Have any news to share?

September 2024 Newsletter

News from the Outdoor Committee

Sedgwick Studios to Host Memorial for Tom Scarff

**CSI Showcased in Sculpture Magazine**

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

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

**Ribbon Cutting for Transmigration Sculpture**

**Nicole Beck installs Sólace Star at Quincy Veterans Home**

**Call for Proposals: Wild Things Annual Conservation Conference at Rosemont**

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