Looking Ahead: Arts This Week(end) in Chicago

Things are looking jam-packed and promising this week. Here's a little survey of what I'm excited to see and be a part of around Chicago.

May 16th–September 8th, 2010: Chicago Stories: Prints and H.C. Westermann's 'See America First' exhibit at the Art Institute in the Prints & Drawings galleries. I've mentioned this before in previous posts, but I've been working long and hard with curator Mark Pascale and fellow-intern Andrew Blackley, and I'm really proud of the show.

Wednesday, May 19th: It's AIGA's Design Week in Chicago and Wednesday May 19th is the Chicago North Side Studio Walk from 6-9pm. There are also other location-centric walks throughout the city. I'm excited to see some design studios on the north side, including my friends Nick and Nadine at Sonnenzimmer. Also open will be Winterbureau, Someoddpilot, Rohner Letterpress, Threadless, and 50,000feet.

Thursday, May 20th: The closing reception for Marwen's incredible show, Oaxaco Now: Young Radical Printmakers. I got the chance to serve as the teaching assistant for a printmaking (linocut) workshop at Marwen in conjunction with this exhibit a few weeks ago, and it was a treat! More information about the show is here.

Friday, May 21st: This night! A plethora of delights!

From 7:00-11:30pm is the opening for We Are Family at the Post Family (1821 W. Hubbard, #202), what promises to be a stellar line-up of Chicago's young, emerging graphic designers who also make art. My friend Scott Reinhard, who's responsible for many of the classy wall/print designs coming out of the Museum of Contemporary Art, has one of his awesome text-based "colloquialisms" paintings in the show. Scott was recently profiled at the Post Family, along with Isaac Tobin. Margot Harrington of Pitch Design Union is also working on a piece, inspired by a recent trip to Detriot, which I'm excited to see.

From 7:00-10:00pm is also the opening for Canadian artist and illustrator Ryan Heshka-- he has a new painting show at Rotofugi (1953 W. Chicago Ave), curated by Monte Beauchamp over at BLAB!. I'm really digging these epic, fantastical, pre-Comics Code-style paintings.

To cap off Friday night, at 8pm, Gaper's Block is holding it's annual anniversary party (7 years!) at the Metro.

Saturday, May 22nd:  Saturday night is the last (tear!) opening at the stellar Barbara & Barbara Gallery. Not sure on the time (it's usually 7-10pm-ish), but it promises to be a great gathering of good people and fun art. I may or may not be making delicious cupcakes to devour...

I'm sad that those beautiful Barbaras are closing the gallery doors, but never-fear, lesbian haircuts will be making a comeback at the new salon location they are opening up at the beginning of June. Details to come!

At 10:00pm the lovely and talented Madison, WI-based songstress Anna Vogelzang is playing a banjo-filled show at Uncommon Ground (at Clark/ Grace), part of her tour for her new album, Paper Boats.