EAG Artists Display and Sell Original Art at Winter Members Show

The Elmhurst Artists’ Guild (“EAG”) will host the annual Winter Members Show, featuring a variety of its members’ original artwork, in the EAG Gallery at the Elmhurst Art Museum (EAM), 150 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, from December 17, 2017 through January 26, 2018. The public is invited to the free opening reception on Friday, December 22, 2017 from 7:00 to 9:00pm.

The Winter Members Show presents an opportunity to view and purchase affordable original contemporary artwork by emerging local artists from the greater Chicago area. Their breadth of styles and medium encompasses dramatically different artworks including watercolor, ceramics, oil, acrylic, digital, collage, photographic and sculptural works involving landscapes, portraits, abstract and other styles. The inspiration for each artist is as diverse as the spectrum of media employed.

“Toys,” a vibrant watercolor by Lasma Maher, depicts common toys strewn around a toybox of a young child. Maher explained her goal with this painting, “The bright colors, shapes of different animals, cars, and Legos® are appealing. Painting the still life of these objects is creating a lasting memory of the beautiful events in one's childhood.”

Terrance Johnson also incorporated memories into his acrylic painting, “Poe in the Attic.” Johnson said, “The title just came to me and wouldn't leave me alone. It is less complex than most of my paintings because I decided to do a literal depiction of the title. As I began painting, I started to add objects from my past and objects associated with old friends.”

Photographer Kathy Lisle blended mythology and astronomy with Morton Arboretum’s light show, “Illuminations,” as her inspiration for “Aurora.” The colorful, undulating striations evoke the “Aurora Borealis, Polar Lights, and the Goddess of Dawn, ‘Aurora,’ who lost her only son,” Lisle commented about her photo taken at Morton Arboretum.

Robin Liefeld used the pages of an old ledger book dated 1859 as the backdrop for her mixed media paint and collage work, “September 1859,” because she was so struck by the beauty of the handwritten entries. She explained that the pages were “almost a work of art in themselves. I wanted to give the pages a new life so I used them as a sort of canvas for my art so they will see the light of day again!”

“Consider a holiday gift of original art this year, whether for yourself, or someone special on your list,” suggested Cassie Swierenga, EAG President. “The EAG Gallery provides an opportunity to acquire great art by living artists at affordable prices. Original art inspires the viewer and makes our homes and work places more interesting. Finally, purchases provide three-way support to the artists, the Guild and the Elmhurst Art Museum,” she continued.

The exhibition can be viewed during regular Museum hours, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm and Friday from 11 am to 7 pm. Admission is $9 adults / $8 seniors except the first Friday of each month which is the Museum’s free admission day. EAM and Guild members, students and children under 18 are admitted free. More information is available at elmhurstartistsguild.org and elmhurstartmuseum.org.

The EAG gallery is not-for-profit, operated by the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild. It features contemporary artworks in a variety of styles and media. In addition to four member shows each year, the guild hosts exhibitions of individual member’s artwork and invitational shows for significant local artists. Exhibits are partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council.