A group of pastel painters hopes their new exhibit at McCord Gallery and Cultural Center delights the public but also helps this art venue get the recognition it deserves.
The exhibit includes the work of 31 artists from the Chicago Pastel Painters, a nonprofit and member of the International Association of Pastel Societies. It will be on display until Nov. 2 at the McCord Gallery, 9602 W. Creek Road, Palos Park.
McCord held a public reception Sunday for the juried exhibit. The paintings, which included landscapes, snow scenes, restaurant scenes, portraits and modern art, were judged by artist Eleanor Spiess-Ferris
“The secret word is glow,” Ferris said. “Each of the works I selected, I felt, had that certain glow one can only get with pastels.”
The group, which has members from across Chicagoland, including the southwest suburbs, formed in 2004. Dan Addington, of Addington Gallery in Chicago, chose the paintings exhibited in the show.
Mike Barret Kolasinski, exhibition chair for the group, said the show was a chance to show the public what pastel painting is all about.
“We wanted to show the Chicagoland area that pastel can be handled in a variety and diverse ways … it can be just as prominent as oils or any of the other mediums,” Kolasinski said. “It isn’t necessarily a fragile material to work with and it can be done and handles in so many different ways.”
Kolasinski had a painting in the exhibit of Rocky Mountain National Park, which he visited several years ago. He did the piece from sketches, notes and photographs he took while there.
Several members of the group teach at McCord, including Liz Wall, who also lives in Palos Park. Wall, who teaches pastel and oil painting and youth classes, was instrumental in getting the exhibit to McCord.
“The organization is very nice because besides holding these exhibits every year, where they give out awards, there are also a number of workshops people can take. “You get to know the group. … We go out together to paint sometimes.”
MaryAnn Nowak, who takes pastel classes and drawing classes at McCord and is a member of CPP, said the exhibit had the advantage of being held in a beautiful gallery. McCord expanded several years ago and now has classrooms and a stage, she pointed out. Nowak’s exhibit painting was of a street dancer.
“McCord is like a family, they’re all supportive of everyone there,” said Nowak, who lives in Tinley Park. “It’s nice to have something on the south side because there’s so many artists on the south side.”
Kolasinski said he hoped the public would enjoy the exhibit.
“We’d like the general public to take note and say, ‘Wow, this is really fabulous art,’ and maybe purchase a piece,” Kolasinski said.
The winning artists at Sunday’s opening reception were Kathleen Newman, Linda Gross Brown, Mary Ann Davis, Ted Fuka, Brian Sauerland, Maria Sosenko, Mary Lynn Sullivan, Dotty Carringi, Karyl Shields, Nancie King Mertz, Arlene Tarpey and Mike Barret Kolasinski.
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