Bluetown Skateboards release party at Peanut Gallery

Bluetown Skateboard Co was founded in 1996 by skater Jesse Neuhaus in Chicago.  After some time away Jesse has brought Bluetown back with artists/skaters Jourdon Gullett, Stevie Dread, Graham Critch, Ryan Gray, Johnny Fonseca, and Timmy Johnson.  Tonight Saturday they're unleashing a new set of boards by Jourdon Gullett at Peanut Gallery.  

There'll also be a show of artwork by Jeremy Barbour, Erik DeBat, Nick Hennessey, Jackson Hennessey, Max Brown, Juan Chavez, John Herndon, Meghan Kelleher, Justice Leppanen, Nate Lyons, Nate Otto, Jay Moore, Greg Penrice, Chuy Rodriguez, Michael Ruta, David Snedden, Steve Snyder, Harlan Thompson, Joaquin Verges, and Rob Villanueva.

Bluetown Skateboard Co: Better Late Than Never
at Peanut Gallery
1000 N California
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Saturday, September 15, 2012
7 to 11pm

Chicago Meeting of Styles and the Eastern Sentral Pacific show

This weekend kicks off the 9th annual Meeting of Styles graffiti showcase in Chicago.  With several art shows planned and walls being painted in various locations there'll be plenty to check out.  This is part of a series of annual events originating in Germany and held in cities around the world.

Tonight Friday will be the closing reception for Zore's beautiful art show at the Zhou B. Art Center in Bridgeport.  Saturday will feature live painting of walls in Little Village and Englewood at 30th & Kedzie, 36th & Albany, and a massive 6 crew pair of walls at 59th & Western Aves by both Chicago artists and graffiti writers from across the country and Europe.

Saturday night will be the opening for the ESP - Eastern Sentral Pacific show at Maxwell Colette Gallery in West Town.  I'll have some photographs on display!  There are many artists involved with this show from Chicago as well as the east and west coasts.

More info and list of participating artists here.

Zore's closing reception is 

at Zhou B. Art Center 

1029 W 35th St

Chicago, IL

Friday, September 14, 2012

7-11pm

The main walls on Saturday will be in two neighborhoods. In Little Village at Kedzie going south from 30th st, and nearby at the factory at 36th & Albany.  And the large crew walls will be at 59th St & Western Ave in Englewood.

The ESP - Eastern Sentral Pacific show is at

Maxwell Colette Gallery

908 N Ashland Ave (1blk north of Chicago Ave)

Chicago, IL

Opening reception is Saturday, September 14, 2012

6 to 10pm

On view through September 22, 2012

Afterimage at the DePaul Art Museum

The DePaul Art Museum opens Afterimage tonight Friday with paintings reflecting the influence of Chicago Imagist artists.  There'll be works by artists from that seminal period of Chicago art history including Roger Brown, Jim Nutt, Ed Paschke, and Christina Ramberg as well as contemporary artists like Lilli Carre, David Leggett, Joe Tallarico, and Chicago comics collective Trubble Club.  There'll also be a solo show by Ellen Lanyon on view.

Afterimage
at the DePaul Art Museum
935 W Fullerton (just east of the Fullerton Red Line CTA station)
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, September 14, 2012
5 to 7:30 pm
On view through November 18, 2012
Admission is free at all times and the museum is open seven days a week.

Hawkins/Hawkins: One Saw Everything, One Saw Nothing

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art opens a show tonight Friday with work by self-taught artists Williams Hawkins (1895-1990) and Hawkins Bolden (1914-2005).  They both worked with simple found materials to create their artwork.  Tonight's reception is free and gives you an opportunity to check out the George Kagan radio show and the permanent Henry Darger room installation they have as well.

Williams Hawkins and Hawkins Bolden: Hawkins/Hawkins: One Saw Everything, One Saw Nothing
at Intuit
756 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL

Free opening reception: Friday, September 14, 2012
5-8pm
On view through January 5, 2013

Staple at the Believe Inn

Guest curator Michael Ruta, of Uprise, presents Staple at the Believe Inn in Bucktown.  20 artists were each give a kit of materials and three weeks to create artwork with it.  Artists Dave Snedden and Armani Howard will also present work.  It should be a fun time!

Staple 
at the Believe Inn
2043 N Winchester (1blk north of Armitage/1blk east of Damen)
Chicago, IL

Opening reception Friday, September 14, 2012
6 to 10 pm
On view through September by appointment at 773.562.2270

Dia de los Muertos at the National Museum of Mexican Art

Tonight Friday kicks off the 26th annual Day of the Dead exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.  This year's show is titled, Hanal Pixan, which means, "food for the soul" in a Mayan language.  There'll be a great variety of artwork and ofrendas and installations from artists from Mexico and the U.S.  Check out the list of featured artists here.

Dia de los Muertos
at the National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 W 19th St
Chicago, IL

Free opening reception: Friday, September 14, 2012
6 to 8:30 pm
The exhibition will be on view through December 16, 2012

Erik "RISK" DeBat at Howard Street Gallery

Chicago artist Erik DeBat currently has a solo show up at Howard Street Gallery.  Tomorrow Thursday will be a reception for his work as well as the release of a limited edition "RISK" t-shirt by Grime Time.  

Erik has a long art history in Chicago going back to his roots in graffiti writing the name "RISK" in the 80's and 90's.  He's been creating contemporary work on canvas as well as drawings on paper and other installations for the past two decades, participating in shows at the Hyde Park Art Center, Firecat Projects, the Chicago Cultural Center, CISA Gallery, the Swope Art Museum, and other galleries.

Howard Street Gallery is a new space in Evanston located on Howard directly across the street from Chicago's northern border.  Specializing in street and contemporary art as well as outsider artists, Howard Street Gallery also carries books, prints, art supplies, paint by Belton and Montana, art and photo zines, as well as t-shirts and clothing by Grime Time and other Chicago artists.

Erik DeBat: True North

at Howard Street Gallery

747 Howard (1blk east of Ridge Blvd.  If you're coming by CTA it's 4 blks west of the Howard Red Line station)

Evanston, IL

Reception Thursday, September 12, 2012

Noon to 10pm

The show will be on view through September.

Doze Green in Chicago

Painter Doze Green has been in Chicago the past few weeks working on a block long mural just south of the Morse train station on the CTA's Red Line.  Here's an image of a small portion of it in progress last week...

This is part of the Mile of Murals project sponsored by the Rogers Park Business Alliance that began in 2007 with the goal of completing a mile of murals within 10 years.  LA artist Mear One will also be painting a wall around the corner from Doze Green's wall.  Doze's creative output began with his time with the Rock Steady Crew in NYC in the early 80's and he's continued with his beautiful paintings working out of his studio in northern California.

Here's a great glimpse at his creative process in the studio.  This video was completed for a show he had at Jonathan Levine gallery earlier this year.


Tonight Wednesday come meet Doze at a party for his mural at the Morseland.  There'll be live painting by Slang and Joel Maxime Jr as well as DJ sets by Mr. D., Tee-Bot, and X-Ray.

Doze Green mural reception
at Morseland
1218 W Morse
Chicago, IL

Wednesday, September 12, 2012
9pm till closing
21+ after 10pm

Chris Ware's Building Stories at Carl Hammer

Cartoonist Chris Ware has a new show of original drawings/cartoons opening tonight Friday at Carl Hammer Gallery in River North.  See how his work looks before colors are added.  You will be amazed at the linework and the depressing stories.  I guarantee.

Chris Ware: Building Stories
at Carl Hammer Gallery
740 N Wells
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, September 7, 2012
6 to 8 pm
On view through October 27, 2012

Jim Newberry at Saki

I've long enjoyed Jim Newberry's music photography for the Chicago Reader but he's also shot for numerous publications like Interview, the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Spin, the London Times, and more.  Tonight Friday, Saki Records in Logan Square will open a show of Jim's photographs.  With subjects ranging from Paul McCartney to Prince to the Insane Clown Posse, Jim always manages to capture a unique portrait of each artist.

Jim Newberry: Musicians
at Saki
3716 W Fullerton
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, August 3, 2012
7pm to 10pm
DJ Mike Bulington
Beverages by Cellar Rat
Food by Saki

2012 Printers' Ball

What can I say about this event that I haven't said before?  It's a celebration of Chicago's print community.  Magazines, poetry journals, zines, and more are represented and will be giving away free issues as well.  There'll be dj's from the Numero Group, as well as a whole buncha other performances and talks.  It's all free tonight Friday from 6 to 11 pm at Columbia College Chicago.  Full schedule at the link below...

The 8th Annual Chicago Printers' Ball
at Columbia College
1104 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL
Friday, July 20, 2012
6 to 11pm

Synchrodogs at Public Works

Ukrainian duo, Synchrodogs, will open a new photo show tonight Friday at Public Works Gallery in Wicker Park.  This will be their first major solo show in the US.  I've been impressed by every show I've seen at this space, this should be well worth checking out.

Synchrodogs at
Public Works Gallery
1539 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, July 20, 2012
7 to 10pm
On view through August 31, 2012

Galerie F opening

Tonight Friday is the long awaited opening of Galerie F.  A new studio and gallery space in Logan Square devoted to screenprinting, street art and more.  Curator and screenprinter Billy Craven is opening this spot along with a few more screenprinting partners.  They've lined up a great set of artists for tonight and will have a lot of original art and exclusive prints in stock.  Their first show is titled, Send Me Your Pigeons, and will have work by John Vogl of Bungaloo, Landland, and Casey Burns.

Print by Ryan Duggan of Drug Factory Press

Send Me Your Pigeons at Galerie F
2381 N Milwaukee Ave (just south of Fullerton)
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, July 20, 2012
6 to 10 pm

New issues of Of Note!

Philadelphia artist/printmaker Alex Lukas runs Cantab Publishing, an independent concern that puts out artist books and zines.  One of the projects he's been working on is Of Note, a series of zines documenting the imprint of humans on the built environment.  Each issue concentrates on a specific topic documented by b/w photographs and is composed of an 11" x 17" sheet folded over into quarters.  Past issues have included ones focusing on scribed names on a large plant, paintings of shoes on a storefront in Miami, and graffiti on rocks. 

Alex has just released a new round of issues and is offering them for free through his site for the cost of shipping ($2.00) or you can send him a self-addressed postage paid 6"x9" envelope with $2.00 in postage.  Issue #10 features images of tags done with lighters, #11 pictures "poorly blocked stairways", and #12 presents photos of hand painted couches.

I highly recommend ordering these.  The topics he concentrates on are the same type of subject matter I enjoy photographing and it's really interesting to see them presented in these tightly focused issues.  The spot color on the covers is screenprinted by Alex and each issue is printed in an edition of 150.

Emmy Star Brown for Sharpie

I was happy to see that my friend Emmy Star Brown and her work was chosen for a Sharpie marker commercial.  She's been making great work painting on vintage windows, among other materials, for a while now.  The ad was beautifully filmed...