Zhou B. Art Center - You Need to Go See

Another well attended opening at Zhou B. Art Center in Chicago.  I did not shoot a lot of photographs this time.  Rather, I took more of it in.  Each of the artists are unique, as are all of us.  However when one comes closer to art, you feel the inspiration, the drive, the passion from each artist that did not exist in you without the artist.  This is why I do what I do, going around photographing, taking it in, and showing it for you to take in.

I could not wait to go back and visit Brigitte Wolf. Her studio, the corner that it is in, smells like art. The happy memories growing up in an artists home. Brigitte was the first artist I zoomed up the stairs to see. And I made several trips back, and once again before I went home. Brigitte spoke of it first, though both of us probably felt it whether anticipating the upcoming evening or when we first saw each other this evening. It was like we were good friends already, yet we met only briefly last month.  This is why I grow . . .

Here are some photo's of Brigitte's work . . .

I really liked the small piece sitting on the floor (above photo).  It says, "Think with your senses, feel with your mind, art in the present tense."  Yes, to be in touch with your feelings, emotions, energy, at the present time is what sends the signals through your body to grasp the situation in context and to let it flow into the art that develops in front of you.  This is the closest reality at that moment.  To think to far pulls back that present energy.  To think to hard there is no feeling for the art.

It was nice to just watch people walk in and out of, and inside and around, all of the studios.  To see their expression, of the expression of art right before them, was to me art in itself.  I hope I have captured one of those moments here in Brigitte's studio in this next photograph.

Thank you Brigitte for inviting me back. It was joyous.  I am coming back with arms open next time!

As I am going through my photos, there are a lot of happy moments for me this night. One that put a simple "happy smile" on my face was Clarisse Perette's studio. She did not open her studio last month, so I was not able to view her work, let alone her studio. Just walking into her studio tonight uplifted me. And I mean, just walking in the door.  Hard to explain right now, so I will let the photos tell the story for me . . .

Thank you Clarisse, I am still smiling :)


Keiko Nemeth is another artist that I came to enjoy this evening. Talking to her, understanding where her passion lies, brought me closer to here art and the same passion. Seeing life is usually two sided, so one wants to discard the heavy weight on either side to become balanced. To bring some tranquility, harmony, essence. Now I am not saying this is what Keiko is striving for. This is what I saw in her work, and from conversation.

For whatever reason the one photo that I wanted of Keiko's work did not come out good. Bad camera settings on my part. I will just have to come back to this exciting place . . .

Dana Major Kanovitz. Simple, complicated, multi dimensional, multi facet. No, just plane cool. As a photographer I like to work with lighting and shadows. Dana's work did just that, which is what caught my eye right away. Check this out . . .

Each one of the above three photos, to me, can give you a different interpretation. Which is why I could not decide which to use. So why fight it. Use all three.

The above photos were taken earlier in the evening, when there was sunlight coming through the windows to brighten the painting on the wall. Later I came back, and with the sun set the shadows took over . . .

And, it never ends. The diversity, the beauty, the mind of an artist. So complicated at times, well thought out, visionary. Corinna Button's work humbled me. Just take a look "About Faces".

Some other photos I took around the art center . . .

Last month I tried hard to get the photo I wanted of this next piece of art. I was not quite happy with it, so I took another photograph this time.

And, back to 4Art studio 403 and my friend Brabant Lenting who is part of that collective group . . .

This was my second time at Zhou B. Art Center. I will come back every time they open the studios to the public. There is sooooo much to take in. When you go, please take the time to talk to the artists, to understand their passion, vision, their gift to us.

Zhou B. Art Center has the opening every third Friday of the month, from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Check it out . . .

Zhou B. Art Center

1029 W. 35th Street

Chicago, IL  60609

(773) 523-0200

www.zbcenter.org

Click on this line to read my previous blog post on Zhou B. Art Center.

Click on this line to read my copyright. And, please respect the artists work by showing them at the very least the same favor.