2023 Unveiling at the Hyde Park Art Center.

Hyde Park Art Center
Not Just Another Pretty Face
A group exhibit with 70 commissions by Chicago artists.

5020 S. Cornell Avenue // Chicago, IL 60615
September 14 - November 5, 2023

Gallery Hours:
M: TR: 10am – 7pm
F: 10am – 4:30pm
SA: 10am – 4pm
SU: 11am – 4pm

This exhibition is the culmination of the 2020 and 2023 iterations of Not Just Another Pretty Face. The triennial program, created by Hyde Park Art Center in the mid-1990s, allows the Art Center to play matchmaker for artists and potential art buyers. This dynamic project facilitates a fun and accessible commissioning process that builds lasting relationships between artists and patrons, creates a new base of support for artists, and invests in the vitality of Chicago’s cultural community. The completion of each iteration is celebrated by an exhibition, a catalog documenting the process, and a lively event to unveil the finished pieces, which will make their way to the patrons’ homes following the exhibition.

“Waiting for the Sun”, 22, x 22”, acrylic on canvas, 2023.

I was so excited about the possibilities in creating this painting for the Not Just Another Pretty Face commission project. We gathered at my studio and had a wonderful time discussing works in my portfolio. We talked about a source of inspiration that I've made a couple of paintings of and viewed source images of sand particles. There is this amazing creature that lives in Hoshizuna-no-Hama or Star Sand Beach in Japan. This beach has star-shaped sand and it's the only place in the world that where they exist. An Okinawa folktale describes possible origins of these special creatures and layers additional interpretations and metaphor to the painting. If you are on the beach, you can pick up the grains of sand and actually see the star-shaped sand with your naked eye! The star-sand is made up of single celled exoskeletons of the Foraminifera organisms, which like amoebas, are in the Protozoa Kingdom. My imagination goes wild thinking about the beauty of this rare and special sand as a source material.

I had the opportunity to play with scale by enlarging the grains of sand and composing them into a circular dance that rises from the sandy beach. I was super excited to develop a new work with this inspiration. The patrons sent me beach images from Union Pier, Michigan, and photographs of different sunsets from their lives. We discussed color palette possibilities with saturated oranges, reds, and neutral steel blues for this custom piece for their home. It was so fun to collaborate with them because they knew exactly what resonated with them for a special unique artwork. I was so thrilled for this amazing opportunity to create a piece of art. I hope this brings a sense of wonder and joy for a lifetime. Imagining the tide bringing these tiny treasures to shore is such a delight. Considering the different ways we can experience the beach here in Illinois, Michigan, or Japan can deepen our appreciation and awareness of everyday magic and otherworldly adventures all around us.

Installation view at the Hyde Park Art Center.

It’s really special to be able to make a custom painting for someone to live with and to have them trust deeply in your artistic vision. This project is so wonderful and fantastic. It’s difficult to express and put into words the emotions that I am currently feeling with all that went into this project just as Co-Executive Director Aaron Rodgers shared before the official unveiling. Thank you to the all patrons and the generous team at Hyde Park Art Center who made this possible. We are so lucky to have you. There is so much good work in the show. I can’t wait to get back and experience all the artworks again for a closer look.

View more artworks with the star-shaped sand recurring motif

Seeing Stars process

Exhibition Photos of Simple Pleasures

February 1, 2023

Simple Pleasures & Silver Linings: An Unseen Universe
Dec. 16, 2022 - Mar. 17, 2023
[Salonlb.]
Gallery Hours TU & TH 11 - 6 pm and by appointment.

I am collaborating with Chicago’s Still Inspired where four choreographers will be transforming my paintings into dance. I wanted to share the pieces that they have selected as well as a bit about each choreographer. We have been working on this project over the past year and I am so very excited to see these paintings come to life at the theater. We have been chatting over email about the artworks and the inspirations for the pieces. The choreographers have been working on composing the dance with the dancers over the last couple of months in the studio. There is so much love poured into this project. We hope you will join us for this unique presentation at the Athenaeum. Get your tickets now as the past performances typically sell out as the seating is limited.

Kate Vandivier with ***Everything I Ever Wanted***
15” x 22”, gouache, acrylic, watercolor, and colored pencil on paper, 2018.

About Everything I Ever Wanted:

The cosmos is infinite in scale. Star constellations are a metaphor for the human desire of everything in the artwork. Trying to count the stars is like trying to map out and count every desire. What is everything I ever wanted? The painting has some recognizable star constellations like Orion, Cassiopeia, and Zodiacs as well as invented star constellations. The title comes from trying to do an impossible task like drawing everything I ever wanted. It would be impossible to draw everything I ever wanted as we are limited to the one drawing page and our desires constantly change.

About Kate:
Kate is thrilled to return to Still Inspired for Season 9 after having previously choreographed for Seasons 2 & 3. She recently spent 5 years living and working in London, England at the British Ballet Organisation (bbodance) where she also earned her OFQUAL Level 4 & 5 Diplomas in Dance Teaching, and was a lead instructor and choreographer for Monarch Studios. Her professional performing credits include Chicago Repertory Ballet, Dance in the Parks, Giordano Dance Chicago II, Piel Morena Contemporary Dance, and Thodos Dance Chicago's New Dances. Kate currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and 2 kids, and works at Point Park University.

Brian Hare with the south wall ***A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds,*** 14 ft high x 112 ft wide, Fullerton & DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Lake Michigan in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, 2017.

About A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds:

A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds, considers the complex relationships between humans, nature, and the cosmos.

Moving between the real and imagined, Robbins’ work brings together microscopic and telescopic views; she positions hybrid floral and faunal forms within a space that simultaneously evokes the deep sea and the cosmos. By creating associations between things that are seemingly disparate, such as plankton and stars, Robbins’ work sparks a curiosity about the universe. Responding to biodiversity, her art suggests our place within the natural world while creating a sense of wonder for all living things. Inspiration for this site-specific work involved research on the local ecology. Themes include the symbiotic relationships between species as well as camouflage behaviors inform the design. The composition’s sense of movement draws from cycles in nature, such as growth and decay, changing seasons, and rising and receding tides. Design motifs were inspired by spirals, which repeat in different natural systems, including DNA helixes, flower structures, hurricanes, and galaxies. Robbins’ use of wave patterns mimics those present in water, light, and planetary motion. The artist’s layering of numerous extraordinary worlds—often hidden from view—encourages viewers to take a closer look at their surroundings.

About Brian:
Originally from the Detroit area, Brian graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Arts Entertainment Media Management and Dance. As a performer Brian spent four seasons as a company member with Chicago Dance Crash and five seasons with Thodos Dance Chicago. He has been a part of original processes by Melissa Thodos, Anne Reinking, Ron De Jesus, Brian Enos, Harrison McEldowney, Jeremy Plummer, KT Nelson, Elijah Gibson, Eddy Ocampo, Lizzie Mackenzie, Jessica Deahr and many others. As well as being an original cast member of rare Bob Fosse archival work. He was administrator, costumer and dancer for LEVELDANCE under the direction of Eddy Ocampo. As a choreographer he has presented work in Dance Chicago, Dance in the Parks, set multiple works on Chicago Dance Crash and had work in the rep of Thodos Dance Chicago. He teaches students of all ages and disciplines at several Chicago dance studios. He is Co-Artistic Director of youth ensemble Denise Sabala Dance Company in Lake Zurich, IL. He is a master teacher and adjudicator for competitions and conventions including Chicago Dance Connection. Brian has had the privilege to work with College and University dance programs including MaryGrove College and Madonna University, having multiple works selected for the ACDA Gala. In addition to his past company and teaching credits Brian is an aerialist and Associate Director with the interdisciplinary company C5:Createwithnolimits under the direction of Jeremy Plummer. With C5 he has performed at events with Jennifer Hudson, Lady Gaga and former President George W. Bush.

Annie Conway with ***Satellite of Love***, 30” x 42” acrylic on canvas, 2014.

About Satellite of Love:

Celestial and aquatic imagery are brought together to explore natural wonder, both real and imagined in the artwork Satellite of Love.

I got the idea for the painting while listening to Lou Reed's music on repeat. The background of blue and sea green had been fully developed and I had a few flat black silhouette shapes painted on the canvas. I was trying to figure out the next steps of the painting and where it would go or how I would develop it. I had one of those light bulb moments in the studio while listening to his song Satellite of Love. However, my concept for the painting diverges from Lou’s main idea of the song concept. My painting depicts a satellite form that conveys a love for nature and human made technology through a hybrid of imagery. It has the planet Jupiter, carnival elements, anatomical inspirations (pink and purple in the bottom form were inspired by muscle tissue), tracheid motif (blue and red webbing in the center), & circuit computer board pattern influences.

There is a further layer to the tracheid form in this painting as I was looking at diagrams for transfer of energy in engines from hot to cold so that’s why the color moves from blue to red. See the blog post below for tracheid descriptions.

https://reneerobbins.com/blog/2020/9/2/recurring-motifs

There are two medallions or paintings within paintings on this piece. The medallions are surrounded by yellow dots which I think of as glowing carnival lights. The abstracted medallions are inspired by the paintings that decorate the top of carousels. The little peach patterns on the white circular disks come from mitosis and cellular division.

About Annie:
Annie Conway grew up just outside of Milwaukee, receiving her early training from Accent on Dance Studios in Waukesha, Wisconsin under the direction of Kellie Plath. She went on to study at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where she performed works by Billy Siegenfeld, Agnes DeMille (set by Gemze De Lappe) and Larry White of the Martha Graham Dance Company, ultimately earning her BFA in Dance Performance with highest honors. Upon moving to Chicago, she apprenticed with River North Chicago Dance Company and performed with Thodos Dance Chicago New Dances. In 2003, her childhood dream of owning a performing arts school was realized when she and her two sisters founded Virtuoso Performing Arts -- a training facility offering classes in Theatre, Dance and Music -- which they operated until the spring of 2020. Her students have gone on to achieve successful careers ranging from concert dance to Broadway, stage management and teaching. It was during her time as a studio owner and director that choreography grew to be one of Annie’s greatest joys. She is honored to be able to share this passion with others as a co-producer and choreographer for Still Inspired.

Laura Thurston with ***Allure***, 24” x 24”, acrylic on canvas, 2017.

About Allure:

The artwork Allure evokes themes of desire and attraction through layering patterns from species camouflage and mimicking movement from courting dances of aquatic creatures. The shapes or invented species moving from left to right shows another layer of desire as the species moves in front of the viewer to attract attention or even a mate. The colorful dot pattern configuration on the invented species comes from a chameleon’s skin who can change or shift the brightness or hue of their colors.

About Laura:
Laura Thurston studied dance at Northern Dance Theatre of Northern Illinois University under the direction of Randall Newsom, Judith Chitwood, and Paula Frasz. Laura also studied dance at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, studying under Margi Cole, Angie Hauser, Banu Ogan, Anna Paskevska, Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Natalie Rast, & Eduardo Vilaro to name a few. Laura graduated from Columbia College with a BA in Dance Performance in 2005. Her professional career began in 2004 with Chicago Dance Crash, where she performed and trained from 2004-2007. From 2007-2008, Laura performed and trained with Corpo Dance Company, and 2008-2009 she performed and trained with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater. In 2009, Laura Co-Founded Piel Morena Contemporary Dance, performing from 2009-2012. In 2013, Laura Co-Founded Still Inspired, performing in the first season. Laura has had the pleasure to work with many incredible instructors throughout her professional training including: Greg Begley, Homer Bryant, Joel Hall, John Leher, Lizzie MacKenzie, Cheryl Mann, Stephanie Martinez, Laura Gates, Randall Newsom, Kirby Reed, Molly Shanahan, & Laura Wade among others. She's Performed works by: Ricardo Garcia, Elijah Alhadji Gibson, Doris Humphrey, Tony Powell, Michelle Manzanales, Wilfredo Rivera & Jaime Sierra to name a few, and was lucky enough to perform in venues throughout the Midwest, New York City, and Monterrey, Mexico.

Laura began her work in arts administration in 2009. She learned about the “behind the scenes” efforts of running a Not-For-Profit in the Chicago Dance Community and has experience in public relations, grant writing, data management, accounting, fundraising, and event coordination.

Laura is also a dance educator, and has instructed children, teens, & adults in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs for over 21 years. She thoroughly enjoys working with students and is grateful for the opportunity to observe her students’ experiences of growth and success in dance.

Laura is thrilled to work as Artistic Director, Choreographer and Co-Producer of Still Inspired. She will be producing the show’s ninth installment in the beautiful city of Chicago where she shares artistic visions with other dance and visual creators while providing opportunities to artists and dancers. It is a dream come true! She is incredibly grateful for her family, including her supportive husband Andrew and her two young children Parker and Clara who inspire her every day to keep creating and cultivating a better world through the lens she knows and loves.

Simple Pleasures & Silver Linings at [Salonlb.]

November 30, 2022

[salonlb.] is proud to present a solo exhibition by Chicago-based artist, Renee Robbins titled “Simple Pleasures and Silver Linings: An Unseen Universe”, opening Friday, December 16th, with a special reception from 7-10pm during Bridgeport’s Third Fridays gallery walk.