Chicago tips

Ilya Kaler In Concert Monday Night!

current calendar, music

A special opportunity awaits us tomorrow at the DePaul Concert Hall.  Ilya Kaler, a faculty member of DePaul Music School will give a violin concert that's certain to be exceptional.

He's won three Gold Medals at three of the world's most prestigious competitions:  the Tchaikovsky, Moscow 1986, the Sibelius, Helsinki 1985 and the Paganini, Genoa 1981.  Kahler's been compared to Heifetz and Perlman and we all have the chance to hear him free of charge, courtesy of the DePaul Music School programming.

I'd love to give you the program but it's not available until concert time.  Go anyway!

The DePaul School of Music Concert Hall is at 800 W. Belden.  It's the large chapel-like looking building just to the right inside the large black iron gate.

Revolution Tattoo Halloween Exhibit Begins Saturday

art, culture, current calendar

Check out Revolution Tattoo at 2221 N. Western.  This Saturday, October 13 is a perfect time since their annual Halloween Art Exhibit reception is from 8PM til midnight.

Revolution has a swell looking red neon star in the window that I couldn't resist so I went in to talk to Max Brown (see photo).  He explained that Revolution is a custom tattoo shop and began five years ago as a gallery, adding tattoos after the first two years.  Principals are Omar Guitierrez, his soon to be wife, Cheri Basak and Max along with his brother Marshall (Brown too).

Tattoos used to be synonymous with biker culture but no more.  You may remember that not so long ago they were pretty standard, boringly so.  Now complete arm and leg tattoos, handsomely rendered are not unusual.  Servers in hip restaurants often succumb to cool-looking visuals.

I am fascinated.  In New York recently I noted a young Brooklyn father with a tattoo covering his completely shaved head and realized he can wear or not wear his decorations, depending on his chosen hairstyle of the moment, the best of both worlds, I figure.

Much of Revolution's business is referral based, although there's walk in traffic too.  Ask to see some of their reference books and you'll realize that Japanese culture, among many others is rich with the tattooing tradition.

Revolution is open Monday through Saturday from 12noon-9PM, 2221 N. Western Av., 773.486.8888.

"Tranquillity Woods" Is A Real Must At Steppenwolf Garage

theater, current calendar

Tranquillity Woods is the new play by one of my all time favorite playwrights, Chicagoan Joel Drake Johnson.  It is directed by Sandy Shinner.  If you've heard that Chicago can be home to some of the best original theater in the country, and I think that's the truth, here's a chance to experience something very special in its' workshop version.

The play is on the boards right now, for a very short time, in rotating repertory at Steppenwolf's Garage Theater and part of its' 3rd Annual First Look Repertory of New Work there. 

Personally I don't applaud all Steppenwolf plays since many are mainstream efforts geared to mainstream audiences and, let's not kid ourselves, that kind of thing keeps S afloat.

Johnson's work, however is definitely not mainstream.  The characters at first seem bizarre and off the wall but suddenly you realize they are meant to depict a world we all know but often fear facing.  So, I'd say this work is all about honesty, often jarringly so.  You can always count on comedy and tragedy in Johnson's work.  He has an uncanny ability to search out the hidden truth in life's dramatic and everyday moments.

Joel will have a new play premiering at Victory Gardens in the spring of 2008 also directed by Sandy Shinner and another play, The End Of The Tour will be presented by the Road Theater in Los Angeles in January.  He recently retired from Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire where he taught theater and playwriting classes.  As a farewell gift, his students presented him with a Shi-tzu named Adlai, a favorite gift.

After you've seen the play, send me your comments.  That way Joel can see them too.

I should add, there are two other plays in this festival of developing productions.  Tickets are $15 each.  For more info, access www.steppenwolf.org/boxoffice and click on Joel Johnson's photo, just like the one above, courtesy Steppenwolf.

Hop Down To Munster. See Mike Noland's "Call Of The Wild"

art, current calendar

Mike Noland is a Chicago artist of notable merit, and now through July 15th you can view his ouevre broadly in an exhibit at the South Shore Arts Center in Munster.  It's a half hour at most from downtown Chicago.   The exhibit, the first in the Center's invitational Outstanding Midwest Artists Series is jointly curated by Arts Center Executive Director John Cain and art enthusiast Eugenie Johnson.

Noland is influenced by both his favorite outsider artists and by Chicago imagists but his work is strongly his own   I'm hoping to provide you with additional images but they're not available to me just now since I'm out of town.  This one, of the energetic fish is courtesy of the Carl Hammer Gallery.

South Shore Arts is at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster.  Hours are 10-5 weekdays, 10-4 Saturday and 12 noon-4 Sunday.  Call 219.836.1839 for additional info.  Also ask about the Italian restaurant in town with swell food and a stopped-in-time 60's atmosphere.  You can try it for lunch.

Many of the pieces shown are for sale which for me, adds to the excitement.  It would be tough to make a choice since most are noteworthy.  You can also pick up the handsome full color catalog that accompanies the exhibit with an excellent essay about Noland by  James Yood who teaches at The Art Institute of Chicago and writes for Art Forum magazine.   It's available without charge.  Don't miss this exhibit!

A companion Noland exhibit at the newly opened Lakeside Gallery West in Michigan City, Indiana should be noted.  It's at 827 Franklin with weekend hours from noon -5PM or by appointment at 219.363.2750.

Of course, both exhibits are free and open to the public.

Enjoy The Quirky Gardens Of Michigan Avenue

culture, current calendar, gardening

Now the sidewalk gardens along Michigan Av., are sprouting a variety of dress forms, (see photo), some of which defy description. That's because the Greater North Michigan Avenue Assn., the sponsor of these growing spaces wants to call everyone's attention to the fashion aspect of the Mag Mile.   

I met Mary, my informant,  at a bus stop in front of the Apple store a couple of weeks ago and she gave me fair warning of all this.  Mary had been chatting prior to my arrival with another bus rider who is a volunteer for the Michigan Ave. Assn. and that's how she got an advance clue-in.   She was obviously very enthusiastic about something so I just had to introduce myself.

She thought the dressmaker forms were a great idea and planned to bring her mother-in-law who is a recovering cancer patient there for a cheer-up.    Mary herself is a walking cheer-up.  She called my attention to the babbling brook to the north of the Apple Store.   I noted others on the boulevard itself.  The lush plantings are sponsored by retailers in the area.

The GNMMA was responsible for the bicycle component installations that graced these gardens  recently.  Although I personally disagree  that all this is "art",  it is a diversion that many find  pleasant.  I guess we owe all this inspiration to the "year of the cows."  Remember?

The dressmaker bust pictured, entitled Dahlia Pinnata was created by Shawn Holtaway, a student at the International Academy of Design and Technology here in town.   

The association wants you to visit their website, www.themagnificentmile.com but frankly when I did I was uninspired.

Lonnie Holley Is Intuit's First Artist In Residence

art, culture, current calendar

Be sure to get over to Intuit:  The Center For Intuitive and Outsider Art to meet outsider artist, Lonnie Holley who's visiting Chicago from Birmingham, Alabama as their first artist in residence.  You can actually see him at work until this Friday when he'll be showing the results of his two week visit to Chicago at a 5 PM reception.

Holley has taken over the main gallery of this non-profit arts organization, a recent participant in Artropolis, to demonstrate how he makes his work.     With the aid of Lucy Slivinski, a mainstream artist who uses discarded materials in her work, he has toured much of the city and its' environs for appropriate salvage and any remnants of urban life he may want to use.

Holley is the confident survivor of an extraordinarily difficult life.  He was one of 27 children, lived for a time in foster care as well as in the Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, AL., from which he ran away.  He left school before completing 7th grade and became a student of National Geographic magazine.

His art began with carving sandstone which was used as industrial waste and progressed to painting and sculpture using found or recycled material.

His work has been shown at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC., the American Folk Art Museum in New York and the High Museum in Atlanta.

Do stop in to meet Holley while he's in town.  He's extremely articulate and is happy to answer questions.  The exhibit continues at Intuit through September 1, however.  Don't miss it.  The photo of his chair sculpture is included, courtesy of William Arnett.

For more information about Intuit and its' many activities, access its' website www.art.org.
Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11AM-5PM and Thursday, 11AM-7:30PM.

 

Russian Music Thrives This Week At DePaul

current calendar, music

Right now they're in the midst of a terrific Russian music celebration at De Paul University's Lincoln Park campus.  Get over there tonight and hear this event's organizer, grande dame and artistic director of the music school's AmerKlavier music program, Eteri Andjaparidze, at right, show her stuff.  She's the Keyboard Programs Co-ordinator at the university's School of Music and she's invited some other musical stars to join her this evening for piano, vocal and instrumental music par excellence.

The concert begins at 8PM at the DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden.

Other events continue every evening this week, culminating in a 4PM musicale and painting exhibition on Sunday the 22nd at the Belden Stratford Hotel, 2300 N. Lincoln Park West.

For complete program details, visit www.musicdepaul.edu, where you can avail yourself of all kinds of DePaul music info via their email list.  All these events are free and open to the public.

Wow! A Big Top Rises In Millenium Park

current calendar, culture, parks

A coup by the Chicago Children's Theatre has brought us a  brilliantly colored "Big Top" as a venue for the group's upcoming production of  "Go, Dog. Go!", an adaptation of P.D. Eastman's children's classic with original music by Michael Koerner.  The huge tent just went up in Butler Field in the park, directly south of Monroe Street and between Michigan Av. and Lake Shore Drive. 

Dates are April 13- May 20 and tickets are on sale as you read this, either by calling 312.334.7777 or accessing the theatre's website, www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org.  Performances are held mornings, afternoons and evenings, depending on the day.  The full schedule may be viewed on their website. Ticket prices vary.  The play is suitable for age 4 and up.  Target will sponsor a family matinee series on Sunday afternoons with 2 for 1 ticket prices, depending on availability. 

When I stopped by today Michael Andrew Currey, the production manager was arranging to install sandbags to hold back spring rains and keep everything dry during the month plus run and enabling the play to go on, rain or shine.

A gala benefit is scheduled for Saturday, April 21.  For info, call 773.227.0180, ext.50.

The bright gold and fuschia tent looks pretty spectacular, especially against the loop skyline.  It was rented from the Giovanni family in Florida and shipped here especially for "Go, Dog. Go!"

"Go Dog.  Go!" by Chicago Children's Theatre in Millenium Park at the Big Top.  312.334.7777.

Two Chicago Architecture Foundation Events

architecture, culture, current calendar

Are you aware of the Chicago Architectural Foundation and its' many exciting projects?  This is the group that sponsors the architectural tours of the Chicago River that will begin again soon.  The foundation is at 224 South Michigan where there are always interesting exhibitions and lectures.

Right now through April 29th there's an exhibit in the Atrium Gallery entitled, "Prairie Skyscraper: Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower."  The tower, in Bartlesville, OK is celebrating its' 50th anniversary  this year.  The exhibit includes photographs, documents, reproductions of drawings, building components and furnishings, illustrating Wright's belief in merging architecture, design and art.

An exhibit catalog is available at the Chicago Architecture Foundation shop.

There's also an evening lecture on Thursday, March 22 at 6 PM, entitled, Frank Lloyd Wright: Designing an American Way of Living.  Virginia Terry Boyd, Professor, Design Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison will emphasize Wright's interest in new spatial arrangements, aesthetics and affordability in his fervent and radical concept of American housing.

The lecture will be held in the John Buck Company Lecture Hall of the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan.  Call 312.922.3432 or access www.architecture.org. for all kinds of aditional information.

One More Chance for "Carmen"

current calendar, music, culture

Tomorrow, March 4th at 5PM, there's a rare chance and the last one to see a version of Carmen much more akin to Bizet's original than the productions around today.  All the well-known arias are included and a spokesperson for American Opera Group in Oak Park indicated that this is a more serious production as well.

AOG's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni will be presented on May 13, 18 and 20 at  5PM, 7:30PM and 5PM, respectively.

Tickets for both operas are reasonably priced at $35 and $25 and are available in advance or at the door.  Call 708.434.0485 for additional information.

Both productions will take place at The Arts Center, 200 N. Oak Park Av., Oak Park.