Chicago, Illinois Woman Made proudly announces the opening of the "15th Anniversary Exhibition" with works by 55 artists and and an exhibition by participants in the "Her Mark 2008" annual datebook publication.

In addition, Woman Made's Artisan Gallery shows works in "All Manner of Humor," an exhibition that continues the exploration of the materials and techniques being used by women artisans.

Please join us at the artist reception on August 3, 2007, from 6 to 9 pm, at 685 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Works will be on display until August 30, 2007.

Regular Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4pm.

Since 1992, WMG has exhibited the artwork of over 5000 women artists from around the world in over 200 exhibitions. A 1993 show open only to men in 'Men Define the Feminine' resulted in our first newspaper review. 'Mary Mary Quite Contrary' a 1996 exhibition about the Virgin Mary juried by Bonnie Lopez, got us varied responses including death threats. 'The Female Gaze' with nudes by women and 'Menarche, Menses, Menopause and Blood' brought in more men to view the art by women than ever before. The '5th International Open' in 2002, juried by Faith Ringgold resulted in more than 500 art entries. Considering that WMG's exhibitions are planned two years in advance, 'From Sham to Shame: A Woman's Perspective on War and Politics', opened the 2007 exhibition season in a timely manner as more troops were sent to Iraq.

Whether serving as a space for emerging artists to test their creative imagination or as a venue for established artists to participate in a wide spectrum of group shows, Woman Made Gallery creates a welcoming and challenging environment for visual arts appreciation. Join in the celebration of this supportive and committed organization as they mark their 15-year milestone.

Participating artists include: Renie Breskin Adams, Stephanie Rose Bird, Janet Bloch, Dayna Block, Ilse Bolle, Whitney Bradshaw, Maureen Burdock, Pamela Callahan, Kay Campbell, Jan Brown Checco, Cat Chow, Melissa Jay Craig, Barbara Crane, Mary Ellen Croteau, Amy Stacey Curtis, Claudia DeMonte, Lari R. Gibbons, Susan Graf, Sharon Harper, Juarez Hawkins, Laurie Hogin, Fujiko Isomura, Indira Freitas Johnson, Marva Pitchford Jolly, Ursula Kammer-Fox, Mary King, Joyce Kozloff, Dorothy Simpson Krause, Beatriz Ledesma, Riva Lehrer, Lauren Levato, Bonnie Lopez, Rosemary Luckett, Joanne Mattera, Gladys Nilsson, Leah Oates, Mary O'Connell, Mary K. O'Shaughnessy, Patricia Otto, Joyce Owens, Gisèle Perreault, Aimée Picard, Julie Pitzen, Judith Raphael, Helen Redman, Faith Ringgold, Fern Samuels, Eleanor Spiess-Ferris, Ann Starr, Mary Stoppert, Ginny Sykes, Ann Tyler, Anna Tyler and Jere Van Syoc.

The 15th Anniversary Exhibition will be held from August 3rd to the 30th and is free and open to the public.

Image: "Jazz Stories #8: Don't Wanna Love You" by Faith Ringgold
acrylic on paper, 22 x 17 1/4 inches
Image courtesy of the artist and ACA Galleries, New York

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Offering a space to record special events and everyday appointments, the annual Her Mark datebook celebrates both poetry and the visual arts while serving as a practical tool for daily use. Some of the works evoke surprise while others represent lyrical recollections. Diverse in form and content, the works in the datebook offer something for everyone.

Open to women worldwide, contributors are selected via annual poetry and art competitions. This year's poetry jurors included Mars Gamba-Adisa Caulton, Ellen Kort and Simone Muench. Janet Bloch, Pamela Callahan and Beate Minkovski juried the artwork entries. The cover artwork is by Ellen Miret and the datebook was designed by Karin Kuzniar.

Visual Artists: C. Albert, LaThoriel Badenhausen, Charlotte Bynar, MalPina Chan, Nuala Creed, Katherine Cummings, Mary Gaynier, Meg Harper, Jennifer Maria Harris, Dawn Hunter, Beverly Keys, Max Liboiron, Kelly Malec-Kosak, Danelle Manthey, Ellen Miret, Jenny Pauckner, Alice Sharie Revelski, Katrina Rhein, Ellen S. Rosenberg, Forrest Solis, and Joyce A. Yarbrough.

Poets: Lana Hechtman Ayers, Carol Willette Bachofner, Maureen Tolman Flannery, Sarah J. Gardner, Irene D. Hays, Connie Hershey, Karla Huston, Colette Jonopulos, A. Kaiser, Helga Kidder, Kathleen Kirk, Mary Jean Kledzik, Caitlin Krause, Kathy Kubik, Merimée Moffitt, Diane Mulligan, Natalie Olsen, Susan Richardson, Diane Stone, Dale Myra Tushman, and Wendi F. Weill.

Please join us at the opening reception on August 3 from 6 until 9pm. Works are up through August 30, 2007.

Her Mark Release Party: Sunday, August 5th, from 2 to 4pm.

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Linda Michel-Cassidy, from Arroyo Seco, New Mexico, has been selected as the "featured artist" for the "All Manner of Humor" exhibition. The jury was impressed with the consistency of her excellent craft and the development of concept in the body of work that she submitted. The work takes risks by playing with the expected notion of function and decoration in wearable art. The concept and humor in each work becomes a wonderful narrative as a series.

Other "All Manner of Humor" artists include Rachael Dillon, Sandy Duval, Roberta Elliott, Judy B. Freeman, Christine French, Judith Geerts, Karen J. Gubitz, Cathy Lyn Harrison, Mavis Leahy, Laura Leonard, Rachel Lewis, Dory Maier, Peggy McDowell, Gisèle Perreault, Leslie E. Smith.

Artists exhibiting in other media include Angela Askin, Beth Bartley, Molly Bitters, Olga Czerny- Sanchez, Sarah Chapman, Lori C. Coan, Linda Deardorff, Sandra Golbert, Judy Gray, Caroline Haurie, Laura C. Hewitt, Ala Jaron, Mara Krumins, Stephanie Marder, Carol Metzger, Emily McCormick, Mary Mintich, Emily Murphy, Kimberly Nikolaev, Carmen M. Perez, Natalie Prevost-Mero, Karen Roberts, Kristi Sloniger, Liz Vercruysse, Emily Watson and Lisa Williams.

'All Manner of Humor' will be on display through August 30, 2007.

Image: "Man of Mystery Villain Moustache" by Linda Michel-Cassidy; silver, earth magnets, 2 x 4 x 5 inches

Artisan Gallery

Woman Made Gallery is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization founded in 1992. Its goal is to support women in the arts by providing opportunities, awareness, and advocacy. It specifically accomplishes this through monthly thematic exhibitions which raise public awareness and recognition of women's cultural contributions.

Woman Made Gallery is supported in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; a CityArts Program II grant from the City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs; The Chicago Community Foundation; the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation; the Efroymson Fund, a CICF Fund; and the generosity of its members and contributors.