Sticker Workshop at Wooster Collective: The Sheboygan Project

Over the course of the last few days we were greatly honored to have been a part of The Wooster Collective’s on going street art project in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Sheboygan, Wisconsin is home to the Kohler family, of Kohler sinks, faucets, bathtubs etc. We had been invited by the amazing Miss Andrea Avery  and the staff at The John Michael Kohler Art Center to create workshops based around the history of and creation of stickers and the sticker medium. As aficionado’s of stickers ourselves we also brought along two guest artists in Chicago sticker artist and doodler extraordinaire BLUTT and high energy taste making Chicago graffiti artist BANDIT to work directly with the students in a more intimate setting. We encouraged the students to stick their stickers up as part of an installation that will be evolving throughout the entire run of the Wooster Lab. Over the course of the next two weeks our friend and collaborator, the prolific and notoriously thoughtful street artist Gabriel SPECTER will be hosting workshops and lectures based around public art and his role in street art and contemporary art as a public artist. Stay tuned for more from JMKAC over the course of the next year. We’d like to send a big THANK YOU to Andrea Avery, Gabriel Specter, BLUTT, BANDIT and everyone at The John Michael Kohler Art Center for your amazing hospitality and support and of course for allowing us to take up residence in the former Governor’s Mansion; Sheboygan Life.

SPECTER in Chicago for Art In Public Places

Chicago Street-Side Sticker Recap in Photos: Fall 2012

Artists at Work Forum: Public Art Panel at The Chicago Cultural Center 11.19.12

“Public art, especially murals, are being commissioned throughout Chicago in several innovative ways beyond the traditional Percent for Art program.”–Chicago Artists Resource

We are extremely honored to have been invited to participate in this upcoming Artists at Work Forum alongside the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) here in Chicago as well as a select handful of experts and motivators to discuss the importance of alternative public art initiatives and the development of projects such as Pawn Works Outdoors, which focuses on the facilitation of large scale contemporary murals. Below is the information for the event which takes place on November 19, 2012 at The Chicago Cultural Center in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. Come out, show your support and be a part of the conversation!

“Chicago Artists Resource reports….”Several Chicago alderman are looking at public art as an opportunity to engage their communities and transform neglected and inactive spaces.  Hear from representatives from 25th Ward’s Alderman Danny Solis’ Art in Public Places Initiative about its recent addition of 24 murals to the Pilsen community profile, as well as 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore’s Participatory Budgeting process that has resulted in over 30 murals planned or completed since 2010. Also, the Rogers Park Business Alliance’s Mile of Murals Project which produces several blocks of murals along embankments and underpasses for the past 4 years.”

Artists at Work Forum

November 19, 2012

6:00 - 7:30 pm

Alternative Public Art Initiatives

Chicago Cultural Center, Claudia Cassidy Theater

Admission FREE

Panelists:

• Lauren Pacheco, Special Assistant to Alderman Daniel Solis of the 25th Ward
• Nick Marzullo and Seth Mooney of Pawn Works
• Cecilia Salinas, Coordinator of Participatory Budgeting for the 49th Ward;
• Ana Bermudez, Special Service Area Manager, Rogers Park Business Alliance;
• Nathan Mason, Curator of Exhibits and Public Art/Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Moderator:  Barbara Koenen, Chicago Dept of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

MOMO in Chicago w/Pawn Works Outdoors: In Photos

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FTMD Chicago Take Over

Photos by Brock Brake

OverUnder Rolls Through Chicago

GAIA in Chicago: Art in Public Places

Chicago Street Art Review: Cutty Spots Edition

How do you keep it fresh? How do you shed the worries of what blog might pick up your piece, what half-hearted sneaker store or gallery might want to play with your image or “put you on”?  The best thing to do is to simply not worry, find the best spots, period. More than ever, Chicago street artists and out of towner’s alike have been going out of their way to find spots, far out of the way, of those who seem to be hunting it down. With pieces from local artists like Nice-One and Left handed wave popping up far west and far south of their usual North side stomping grounds, its quite obvious that many artists are trying to get their message out there, way out there. With sightings from the aforementioned local artists as far south as 47th and Ashland and as far West as the Austin neighborhood, it seems the artists themselves are trying to outrun the buff, capture a new audience or simply just make use of some truly neglected building’s.

Gaia was in town again this summer to work on a few murals and certainly left his mark in some of Chicago’s most violent neighborhood’s during, arguably, the most violent summer on record. Its no surprise for Gaia works to be found in neighborhoods like that of Chicago’s Englewood, Austin and East Garfield Park neighborhoods.Not far behind Gaia were OverUnder and Montreal’s Labrona, both of whom we have brought in to Chicago to work on some murals as well as on a new,  yet to be announced project on Chicago’s Northside. Both OverUnder and Labrona got quite a bit of  coverage all over Chicago, beautifying derelict abandoned buildings from East Garfield Park to West Humboldt Park and Bridgeport.As Chicagoan’s and active members in the street art community we are very pleased to learn of this and of course influence it where possible. If you get the nerve to travel to more of Chicago’s ‘out the way’ neighborhoods in the coming days, weeks, years, it can only help the city grow, get out there and buy gas in a different neighborhood if you have too. Buy your Sour Patch Kids and Gatorade’s at a different corner store from time to time and you’ll be likely to see a lot more on your way too and from.

ROA in Chicago 2012