Artists work in their native media
The work of six American Indian artists will be displayed March 2-15 at E. Max vonIsser Gallery of Art in the Student Resource Center of Elgin Community College, as part of Women’s History Month.
The exhibit, titled “Native Women Artists: Creating Contemporary Life Journals” features works by Lisa Bernal, Julia Brown Wolf, Frances Hagemann, Nora Moore Lloyd, Norma Robertson and Sharon Okee-Chee Skolnick. The women work in a variety of mediums – photography, drawing and beadwork. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. An artist reception, open to the public, will be 5 to 8 p.m. March 8 in the gallery.
Photographer Frances Hagemann, who earned a master’s degree in history, is a contributing writer of textbooks and professional journal articles, and co-founder of the Native American Women’s Artist Guild.
“Somewhere along the way, I became determined to learn as much as I can and to pass that knowledge along to as many people as possible,” Hagemann said in a written statement. “As I became more aware of the stereotypical images of Indians in the public works of art on the streets of Chicago, I found a whole new topic of interest, and the camera was the best tool I had.”
Norma Robertson, who lives on the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota, learned how to bead as a teenager from her “kunsi” – the Dakota word for grandmother. Since then, she has taught her daughters her craft and beaded amulets for her grandchildren. Each amulets holds their umbilical cord and first pair of moccasins.
Sharon Okee-Chee Skolnick specializes in painting and doll-making – working in oils, acrylics, pastels and colored pen. Past projects included “Portraits, Indian Chicago.” This series of large-scale portraits in oil were the subject of a 30-minute television documentary. She is a former executive director of Chicago’s American Indian Center.
At ECC
Elgin Community College’s fine arts faculty is displaying work in a free exhibit through March 18 at Safety-Kleen Gallery One in ECC’s Visual and Performing Arts Center on the first floor just inside the entrance off Renner Drive.
Participating faculty include Kim Ambriz, Christopher Cannon, Peggy Dee, Adam Ekberg, Claire St. John, Daniel Josh, Ed Krantz, Nate Larson, Denise Laurin, Dennis Markley, Eddwin Meyers, Joel Peck, Doreen Rasmussen, Nancy Reid, Howard Russo, Phil Saindon, Ellen Vartanian-Maher and Sigrid Wonsil.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays; 2 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays. For information, call Ed Krantz, (847) 214-7405.
Little Hands, Big Hearts
The Woodstock Early Learning Center is auctioning off an original piece of art – created by third-, fourth- and fifth-graders – during its Little Hands, Big Hearts dinner and auction at 6 p.m. Saturday at Boulder Ridge Country Club. The painting, acrylic on canvas, is on display at Jenapea’s coffee and sandwich shop on the Woodstock Square. It is available for private bidding by calling (815) 321-4039.
Klara Chavarrķa
International artist Klara Chavarrķa, formerly of Cincinnati, has moved to Geneva.
The native Guatemalan has been studying art since she was 8. Her resume includes a public collection piece exhibited at the Museum of Science and Industry and now in terminal three of O’Hare International Airport. She is participating March 1-5 in the New York Artexpo in New York City.
Her work is available for viewing at www.klarachavarria.com.
• Kurt Begalka can be reached at kbegalka@nwnewsgroup.com.