Crawford Steel is a steel service company in Chicago's Southwest side. For years, their huge industrial building was always being tagged by gang bangers, creating an uncomfortable eye sore for employees and customers. When owner Michael Isaacs learned that high quality murals were left alone out of respect, he had an epiphany, and started down a surprising and enlightened path that would transform the Crawford Steel building into what has been called Chicago’s Sistine Chapel of graffiti.
When I arrived, I was immediately drawn to this lonely, beat up dumpster. This image is a bit of a departure from my norm. I tend to stick with colors that might actually appear with city lights and moon light, so lots of orange and fluorescent greens and CTB blues. For the first time I went full fantasy with a light touch of magenta.
This was a 30 minute exposure, again with my 50 year old Hasselblad film camera, and with non-stop light painting. The shoot was in Fall 2015 but problems with my film scanner delayed the release.
The WCIU morning show, You & Me, co-hosted by Jeanne Sparrow and Melissa Forman, sent a crew to the shoot for a segment called "I Love my Job" and they are so right!!
Check out the clip. You'll get a glimpse into how this shot was lit.
New Web Site!
You're here now!! My old web site was soooo 2015, and so I had to upgrade. It is now far more mobile friendly, has much bigger images, has social media links throughout, and now you can place orders directly through the site, in your underwear, at 3 am, like everybody else...
The site will be tweaked over the coming months, to get it just right, including transferring my many years of blog posts. In the mean time, enjoy...
Urban Edge Gallery
220 W Clayton St, Waukegan, IL
I'm part of the group exhibition, Bugs and Birds, which runs from now to Sat June 18, and was curated by gallery Director Vickie Marasco.
Urban Edge is a huge, vibrant gallery set in a very cool industrial space.
This is the biggest showing I've ever had from my Glam Bugs collection. Thirteen of my Bugs are in the show, all of them 32X40 and 24X30 inch pieces.
I'm donating 20% of all sales at the show to the Art Impact Project, a worthy non-profit which helps adolescents in recovery through the use and benefits of art.
I'll be at the gallery for the closing reception, Sat June 18, during Downtown Waukegan's monthly ArtWauk.
Below: Crystal the Forest Fairy
Drop by my studio Friday June 10, from 6-10pm, in the Chicago Arts District
My studio and gallery, along with 30 other studios in the area are open to the public every 2nd Friday of the month. The event is a unique self-guided walking tour of the intimate world of the working artist.
Visitors can pick up a map at the Event Information Booth, located at 1821 S Halsted.
Its happening this Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12
...one of the largest and wildest art fairs in the city. Drop by and say hello!
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