Feels so right

Brand spanking new Chicago R&B/funk record label, Cherries Records, released their inaugural 7" vinyl single this past week. Featuring two tracks, Feels So Right and Love's Gone Wrong by Cermakk and Doug Shorts, this record is limited to 300 copies and is now nearly sold out.  A few more copies have just been restocked at Dusty Groove America/Chicago.  There may also still be some left at People's Records/Detroit, Friends of Sound/Austin, Doc's Records/Fort Worth, Revolver/Phoenix, Phonica Records/London, or Soul Palladium/France.





Cherries is the love child between DJ/producers Andrew Brearley and Sheila Hernando, better known as Meaty Ogre and Shred One.  They have more releases in store for 2012.  I can't wait.

Relentless

The M. Collective presents a group show tomorrow night Saturday at OhNo!Doom Gallery in Wicker Park.  Featuring work by Matthew Ryan Sharp, Brent Nolasco, Tyler Coey, and Yosiell Lorenzo.

Relentless 
at OhNo!Doom Gallery
1800 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Saturday, May 12, 2012
6 to 10 pm
On view through June 7, 2012

Medley

The Chicago Urban Art Society in Pilsen opens their highly anticipated collage art show tonight Friday.  The preview images look phenomenal, I highly recommend this show.

Medley
at the Chicago Urban Art Society
600 W Cermak Rd
Unit 1B
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, May 11, 2012
On view through June 16, 2012

Graveyard at Terraformer

Terraformer is an empty lot in Bridgeport that has the type of hidden history that usually only neighborhood residents know.  The scene of a drive-by shooting at one point, the former house on that lot burned down and a demolition worker died after the collapse of the resulting wreckage.  Graveyard is a show that will be on view this Sunday and will feature cemetery markers and other related work by 21 artists including Tim Pigott, Edra Soto, Jourdon Gullett, Jim Zimpel, Anna Reich, Miguel Cortez, Jason Lazarus, Alex Bradley Cohen, and more listed below...

Graveyard 

at Terraformer

3216 S Morgan St

enter through the gangway

Chicago, IL

On view Sunday, May 6, 2012

4 to 8pm

Positive Reinforcement

Peanut Gallery presents a multi-media group show opening this Sunday.  More info and full list of artists here.


Positive Reinforcement
at Peanut Gallery
1000 N California
Chicago, IL


Opening reception: Sunday, May 6, 2012
5 to 9pm
On view through May 29, 2012

Cosmic Debris

Sarah Belknap and Joseph Belknap unveil what sounds to be a fantastic show later this afternoon at Logan Square's Comfort Station.  The main focus of their show will be an outdoor installation titled, Almost Planets.  Over a thousand foam rocks will be attached to thin metal rods in the park outside of Comfort Station.  These will sway in the wind and simulate a meteor shower.  Parts of the meteor installation will spill into Comfort Station, which will also feature photographs.

Sarah Belknap and Joseph Belknap: Cosmic Debris
at Comfort Station
2579 N Milwaukee Ave (across from the Logan Square eagle monument going east)
Chicago, IL


Opening reception: Saturday, May 5, 2012
3:30 pm
Comfort Station is open on Sundays from 11am to 3pm
and Cosmic Debris will be on view through May 27, 2012

Dock 6 Design and Art Series #3

I was luckily enough to get to curate the art portion of this furniture and art show opening tonight at the massive 30,000 sq foot Dock 6 studio.  There's going to be a wide range of work and installations by 17 artists and 7 furniture designers.  


Dock 6 partners Carson Maddox Studios, Zakrose, -ism furniture, Navillus Woodworks, SAP Design, Thomeworks, and Lagomorph Design will feature work in their open studio space as well as on a 60 foot long catwalk down the center of the warehouse.

Painting on wood panel by James Jankowiak

Artists Jo Dery, Chris Kerr, Tom Torluemke, Sabina Ott, Ghetto Po, Jim Zimpel, Ryan Duggan, Angel Harrold, Russ White, James Jankowiak, M. Tuteur, Russ White, Phoebe Fisher, Taylor Hokanson, Uriel Correa, Jourdon Gullett, and Anna Reich will have photographs, sculptures, paintings, and video installations on display.  It should be a fun time!  


Dock 6 Design and Art Series #3
4200 W Diversey 
Entrance in the rear, 1 blk north of Diversey
Chicago, IL


Opening reception: Friday May 4, 2012
6pm to midnight
Tonight's reception will feature an electronic music performance as well as food by the E-Dogz Food Truck and Jo Snow.


This show will also be open Saturday May 5, 2012 from 11am to 4pm

Sunshine Daze

Chris Uphues unveils a huge show tonight at Rotofugi in Lincoln Park.  I took a sneak peek as they were installing the show last night and saw a lot of great pieces.  Chris has a wide range of work on view ranging from his iconic painted hearts (like the ones he put up in the streets of Chicago and New York over the years) to intricately detailed and beautiful paintings.  


There are also some really nice screeprints as well as a huge installation of plush hearts.  


Chris Uphues: Sunshine Daze
at Rotofugi
2780 N Lincoln Ave (at Diversey)
Chicago, IL


Opening reception: Friday May 4, 2012
7 to 10 pm
On view through May 27, 2012


This show is located between Nice-One's show opening at Inkling (just south of Diversey on Broadway) tonight and the Dock 6 Design and Art show I curated that's also opening tonight at 4200 W Diversey.  You can visit all three shows via one bus or short car ride cuz they're all by Diversey!  It's like magic.

The CTA Experience - Nice-One at Inkling

"The CTA Experience" @ Inkling, originally uploaded by nice-one.

Prolific Chicago street artist, Nice-One, has an art show and installation opening tonight in Lakeview at Inkling.  Tonight's show will feature work inspired by a ride to the end of every Chicago CTA train line and will include paintings, photographs, and mixed media.

The first week of sales will benefit the Kickstarter project for the upcoming round the country tour of the Hotbox Mobile Gallery, which has been popping up all around Chicago.

The Hotbox is also scheduled to make an appearance around 11pm at the Dock 6 show I curated that's also opening tonight at the rear of 4200 W Diversey! Synergy. Woohoo!


Nice-One: The CTA Experience
at Inkling
2917 1/2 N Broadway
Chicago, IL


Opening reception: Friday May 4, 2012
6 to 10 pm
On view through the end of May.

Sonnenzimmer - Free Jazz Bitmaps Vol. 1

Nick Butcher of printmaking duo Sonnenzimmer is releasing a set of original songs of his that have been reintrepreted by local musicians.  Tonight's the release party as well as a show of 5 large screenprints based on the music.  


Sonnenzimmer - Free Jazz Bitmaps Vol. 1
at Saki Records
3716 W Fullerton
Chicago, IL


Friday, May 4, 2012
6 to 9pm

We're All In It Together Now

Bucktown's Believe Inn presents another solidly great group show tonight Saturday.  I was able to preview a lot of the art as it was being dropped off by the artists in the show earlier this week and was really happy with everything I saw.


One artist whose work is new to me is John Herndon.  I've known his name from the group Tortoise, but I wasn't aware that he is also a tattoo artist.  For the Believe Inn he'll be showing tattoo flash drawings with a fantastic bent.  Here are a few posted on his site that will be in tonight's show...

Other artists in the show include: Revise, Sam Kirk, Victor Lopez, Maria Gaspar, Dawn Cardona, Lauren Feece, Max Kauffman, Tyrue "Slang" Jones, Edyta Stepien, Andrew J. Hannigan, and Shannon Kerrigan.


We're All In It Together Now
at the Believe Inn
2043 N Winchester (1 blk north of Armitage and 1 blk east of Damen)
Chicago, IL


Opening reception: Saturday, April 28, 2012
6 to 10 pm
On view through May 26, 2012

Tom Torluemke and Jeriah Hildwine at Linda Warren Gallery

Tom Torluemke, Ring Around the Rosie, 2011 acrylic on canvas

Linda Warren Gallery in the West Loop presents two solo shows tonight Friday.  Jeriah Hildwine will have a series of horror film influenced paintings on view. You can read an interesting interview with Hildwine on Art Pilsen's site.  Tom Torluemke will have two rooms of work showcasing the fantastic work he creates using various techniques, including collage, drawing, and painting.

Jeriah Hildwine and Tom Torleumke
at Linda Warren Gallery
327 N Aberdeen
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, April 27, 2012
6 to 9 pm
On view through June 15, 2012

I'm happy to add that Tom Torluemke will also have a large scale mobile piece on view at a show I curated at Dock 6 opening next week on Friday, May 4, 2012.  You can find more info on that show here.

Nicholas Sistler at Firecat Projects

The always interesting Firecat Projects in Bucktown opens a show tonight Friday featuring Nicholas Sistler.  Sistler will be showing new paintings and prints from his Hotel Suite project.

Nicholas Sistler: Trouble
at Firecat Projects
2124 N Damen
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, April 27, 2012
7 to 10 pm
On view through May 19, 2012

Johnny Sampson's Love Story

Artist and printmaker, Johnny Sampson, has just put out an ode to the city he calls home.  Titled, "Chicago:  A Love Story", it details in comic form the things that alternately annoy and endear him to this city. 

Published as a 14" x 18" print in an edition of 53.  Available at his site here, where you can also find more great examples of his retro inspired screenprint work.

I'm Saying These Things to You

Public Works ends the run of their brilliant Matthew Hoffman solo show with a free talk by Matthew himself.  If you haven't had a chance to check out this show I highly recommend that you do so.  Matthew has been creating a lot of well thought out and beautifully done wood and paper artworks centered around text and ideas.

Matthew Hoffman: I'm Saying These Things to You
at Public Works
1539 N Damen Ave
2nd floor
Chicago, IL

Talk by the artist on Friday, April 20, 2012
at 7:30 pm
There will be drinks and music afterwards until 10 pm