Youth Art Month in Main Library Lobby
Thanks to all the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 teachers (pictured above) for curating this display of artwork by students in grades K-5. It will be on view all March in the Main Library Lobby, in celebration of Youth Art Month. Come in and see the students’ colorful and creative work!
Workshop & exhibit by Constance Volk
Musician, painter, and illustrator Constance Volk, whose exhibit channeling opens March 12, will lead an art workshop for kids and adults on March 16. Read more about Volk’s work and register for the workshop below.
Art Workshop: Creating Creatures and Telling Their Stories
Saturday, March 16, 11 am-1 pm, Main Library. During this workshop, participants will merge into groups of two or three, and collaborate on the creation of imaginary creatures, giving them names and stories to match their vibe. This workshop requires no prior experience in drawing or storytelling. Excellent for ages 8 and up. Register »
Art Exhibit & Reception: channeling
Volk’s exhibit channeling is on view in the Main Library Gallery March 12-April 13, during the library’s regular open hours. Meet Volk in a reception on March 13 »
About channeling
Volk says: “My paintings begin with a clay foundation, forming channels that allow reactive oil paint to flow and marble as it cures. I call this technique ‘channeling.’
“Reactive oil paint marbles over a multiday curing process, producing organic networks that appear repetitive but, upon closer inspection, reveal unique subtleties, as the veins in a leaf. Enamored with this material, I set out to observe it in a variety of contexts. What I eventually discovered is that the incredible marbling effects reach optimal reactivity when confined. But how to confine and control this slow-drying material? After months of trial and error with numerous pastes and gels, glues, types of clay, and various piping cords, I found that building ridges out of a mixture of air-drying clay, cotton cord, and molding paste, though extremely time-consuming, results in grooves that are well-suited to this wildly unpredictable, frustrating, and entirely captivating material.”
About the artist
Constance Volk is a musician, a painter, and an illustrator. She is a member of Ensemble Dal Niente, the Grossman Ensemble, and the Chicago Wind project. She has collaborated with Lookingglass Theater, Eighth Blackbird, and Third Coast Percussion. She has exhibited paintings at Bridgeport Art Center, Miller Beach Arts and Creative District, Zhou B Art Center, Rendezvous Arts, and the Highland Park Art Center. Her illustrations are featured with “Density Seeds,” an offshoot of the “Density 2036” solo flute repertoire project. Constance is the creator of Connie’s Characters, a series of mix-and-match coloring books full of wacky weirdos. Her paintings, poster art, coloring books, and music can be found at constancevolk.com.
Through March 9: Converted – Sations by Takako Konishi
See the collages by African American artist Takako Konishi (pseudonym; birth name Keith Brown, b. 1969) in the Main Library Gallery through March 9.
