Events at Woman Made Gallery

	Events at Woman Made Gallery

Group and Solo Shows and Other Events

January 23 - February 26, 2009 / Artist Reception: Friday, Jan. 23 / 6-9 p.m.

Chicago, Illinois - Woman Made Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of a new group exhibition, "And You Think That's Funny?" and solo exhibitions by Nicole Hollander and Kathy Weaver. The Artisan Gallery is presenting "Whimsicality," constructions rooted in concepts of irony, naiveté, and fantasy with fine craft work by 11 women.

Please join us at the artist reception on Friday, January 23, from 6 to 9 p.m., at 685 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Works will be on display until February 26, 2009.

In addition to group and solo exhibitions, Woman Made Gallery presents a lecture by Julie Pitzen on January 31, from 2 to 4 p.m., about "Life and Art on the Mongolian Steppes," and a poetry reading hosted by Nina Corwin and Pamela Miller on Sunday, February 8, from 2 to 4 p.m.

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

Group Show: And You Think That's Funny?

Juried by artist and cartoonist Nicole Hollander, these works by 39 women artists are expressed in a humorous way. Included are paintings, sculptures, drawings, fiber, photography, and mixed media collages.

Juror Nicole Hollander is a cartoonist best known for her nationally syndicated comic strip "Sylvia," distributed by Tribune Media Services, and appearing in over 50 newspapers. Hollander is exhibiting some of her work simultaneously with this group show.

The following artists have their work in this exhibition: Heather Ault, Isabella Bannerman, Ellen Benson, Cathi Borushek, Linda Diane Brown, Irene Christensen, Mary Ellen Croteau, Deborah Rustin Cyr, Ellen Zak Danforth, Henrietta DuBois, Josephine Ferorelli, Beatrice Fisher, Linda Rudin Frizzell (not participating in exhibition), Janet Gerske, Darlene Graeser, Rebecca Hamlin, Sarah Hauser, Leslie Holt, Sarah Kaiser, Linda Kelen, Mary King, Sheri Klein, Heather Klinkhamer, Judy Langston, Sherilyn McElroy, Quincy Neri, Bev Overton, Louise Pappageorge, Rena Patterson, Kathy Pruyn, Jennifer Reis, Elaine Ricklin, Cynthia Rogers, Clare Rosean, Libby Rowe, Kristin Skees, Kelli Snively, Eden Stern, and Kathy Weaver.

The Artist Reception is on January 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. and works will be up through February 26, 2009.

Images: (top to bottom) Artworks by Kelly Snively and Linda Kelen

View More Art Here

Nicole Hollander - It's Enough to Make a Cat Laugh

Nicole Hollander is a cartoonist best known for her nationally syndicated comic strip Sylvia, distributed by Tribune Media Services and appearing in over 50 newspapers.

Hollander has also published numerous cartoon collections, including "My Cat's Not Fat, He's Just Big Boned," and "The ABC of Vice" with Regina Barreca. She has illustrated the children's books "I'm So Mad," "I'm All Dressed," "I Love Messes," and "I'm Not Sleepy" by Robie Harris. She has written two musicals, "Sylvia's Real Good Advice" and "Female Problems." Her most recent book is "Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial," published by Broadway Books.

Hollander earned a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds an M.F.A. degree from Boston University. She lives in Chicago, Illinois with a difficult but adorable cat, Sally Cookie.

Exhibition Dates: January 23 - February 26, 2009

Image: "Cat 3" - marker on board, 6 x 6 inches; by Nicole Hollander

Meet "Sylvia Creator" Nicole Hollander at this Special Event

Kathy Weaver - After the Soup

Trained as a painter, Kathy Weaver actively practiced her art while raising a family and having a career teaching art in the public schools. Her paintings were of a political nature and involved issues of apartheid, feminism, and anti-militarism. In 1988 she gravitated to the medium of fabric as a way to engage a larger audience to view the message of her works.

Her worldwide travel, her interest in robots, popular art, and comic books and, in particular, daily contact with children's artwork are her prime resources and inspiration for her current work.

"My work addresses aspects of the intersection between technology and art. By using the labor- intensive quilt medium, nostalgic materials, and the robot persona, the pieces have layers of meaning about time, personal and political conflict and memory. The robot represents scientific and technological improvement resulting in change to the status quo."

Exhibition Dates: January 23 - February 26, 2009

Image: "Pandora's Surprise" - airbrushed, painted, hand embroidered, quilted, egg tempera painting, 58 x 54 inches; by Kathy Weaver

Read More Here

Artisan Gallery: Whimsicality
January 23 - April 16, 2009

The Artisan Gallery exhibition "Whimsicality" was curated by Margaret Denny, a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She teaches at both Columbia College and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Denny is a former Terra Foundation fellow and has worked at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

Slide Presentation by Julie Pitzen
Life and Art on the Steppes
January 31 / 2-4 p.m.

As a ceramic artist and former archaeologist, Julie Pitzen shares her recent experience of living and working in Mongolia through this visual presentation. Having a long time interest in Mongolia and Central Asia, she traveled alone to Mongolia for the first time in 2004 to explore archaeological sites in the countryside. From 2006 to 2008, she worked in Ulaanbaatar as an English and art teacher, a newspaper editor and a TV news commentator. The slide presentation will give an overview of Mongolian art and culture, and some perspectives of life as a woman in this formerly Communist and newly re- developing country.

Julie Pitzen is a Chicago artist, former archaeologist and member of Woman Made Gallery. She has had a long time interest in Central Asia and received a degree in Art and Anthropology from Indiana University. Upon graduation, she worked as a research assistant in the Field Museum's Anthropology department for nearly ten years. She has been working in clay since she was a young girl. While living in Mongolia, she worked closely with a number of noted artists and professors, as well as the National Arts Council, and was the first American artist to exhibit at the Mongolian National Art Gallery. She plans to return to Mongolia to work with the community on various art projects, and hopes to bring Mongolian art and artists to Chicago one day.

The lecture is on Saturday, January 31, from 2 to 4 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For information contact Woman Made Gallery at gallery@womanmade.org.

Image: "Untitled Bodice" - handbuilt ceramic wall sculpture; by Julie Pitzen; photographed by Guy Nicol

Poetry Reading: And You Think That's Funny?
February 8 / 2-4 p.m.

Co-Curated by Nina Corwin and Pamela Miller, Woman Made Gallery is hosting a reading that explores the many ways humor can be used in poetry. Reading poets include Lois Marie Harrod (NJ), Elizabeth Kerlikowske (MI), Erika Mikkalo (IL), Kristin Ravel (IL), Christine Stark (MN), and Donna Vorreyer (IL). Curators Nina Corwin and Pam Miller will also share some of their humorous poetry.

The reading takes place on February 8, 2009 from 2 to 4 p.m at Woman Made Gallery, 685 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60642. The event is free to the public, and refreshments will be served.