Running from May 30, 2009 to June 30, 2009, the Old Town Art School Student/Faculty Exhibition is a treat -- a diversity of art from the very talented students of the Old Town Art School and a few examples from their instructors. No admission, and easily viewed in less than an hour, it seems that every student had one piece indicative of their style (no artists' statements to be found) on the walls. Most of the art is available for sale and reasonably priced; pieces seemed to range from $100 to $800, with instructor pieces or really large works coming in in the $1000 to $1500 range. There are a variety of styles to enjoy and absolutely no pressure to buy.
The instructors included this year are Robert Brasher, Grace Cole, Tom Francesconi, Didiet Nolet, Phil Renaud, and Illinois Artist Laureate Kay Smith. I had the pleasure of attending the opening reception on Sunday (apologies for not yelping it in advance!) and the artists, teachers, and patrons were all accessible, friendly people. They ran the event themselves but the food and drink assortment was nicely balanced -- wine, cheese, crudites, sweets, and non-alcoholic drinks -- and the live harpist set a wonderful tone.
I would encourage everyone to go this June if they have the time or are strolling around the neighborhood. Who knows if any of these artists are up and coming stars -- but the art itself is truly enjoyable, and that's the important part. read more