Justin Van Genderen

Justin Van Genderen is just one of the growing number of talented artist, who have taken the middle man out of the equation. A freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Chicago, who also has a keen eye for photography. Whether he's slicing up the John Hancock building or making his own interpretations of planets from the more recent Start Wars saga, his work is always to the highest standard. The name of his website 2046 Design may give some insight as to the balance he achieves between skill of technique and a respect of classic design and retrospective elegance, blended with rich vibrant colour. The ability to apply new technology, without the compromise of simple and stylish aesthetics, with a kick. You can also view his work on Flickr where you can purchase his digital and screen prints.

Art London 2009

While I have experienced ArtChicago for many years, last week was a first for ArtLondon. A much smaller version than it's midwest sibling, it proved to be a lot more enjoyable and the gallery rep's were equally more receptive. Below are my top 6 favorites from the fair...

Luciano Ventrone oil on linen

Steven Nederveen mixed media

Yuko Moriyama-Wiffen graphite on paper

Pamela Stretton inkjet fragments

Anne Penman Sweet oil on canvas

Anish Kapoor

and 6 more that I just couldn't leave out...

Mack MacKinnon
John Monks
Steven Marshall
Sherry Karver
Emily Allchurch
Helen Sear

Bargain Basement

"The following is written after reading "In Poland, Style Comes Used and by the Pound" by NICHOLAS KULISH in The NYTimes."

In Chicago I had a plethora of secondhand stores to cherry pick: The Ark on Lincoln, The Brown Elephant in Wicker Park and The Salvation Army next to the tracks behind Grand, were my favorites. And if I was in the market for vintage or a unique gift, a quick trip to Milwaukee avenue between Damen and Ashland would give me more choice than necessary with Recycle, Lenny & Me and Uma Ma. Back in London the availability of quality, style and bargain price is not as accessible. While I have been lucky to find the odd treasure, a repeat visit to the same locale has proven fruitless. Vintage chic on the other hand is plentiful, however the price tag is not one I'm willing to pay. London's high sense of fashion and heavy pound is seemingly hindering this lady's healthy wardrobe and gifts for the holidays. Books I would pay 25cents for State side, start at $2 and go sharply up dependent on your postcode. The Brit's appear to have mistaken the penny wise shopper for the Kensington tractor and fleecing us all. So my advice to Poland is grab it before someone realizes there's money to be made in what's left behind.

Melting Ice – A Hot Topic?

Today was World Environment Day, thought up by the United Nations as a way to increase global awareness and political action. Every year one issue is chosen from the plethora to be the focus, along with it's very own slogan (see title of entry and cringe). While Coke promises to replenish the water it uses to produce it's sweet beverage...about 2.5 times the finished product and The Vatican plan to have solar panels installed by 2008, I wondered what I was doing to help the cause. Last year I slowed down on my consumption of my favorite British bottled water, Hildon and started to drink Brita filtered from my own kitchen tap...now I carry a bottle of Chicago with me at all times. I walk a minmum of 4 miles a day and take public transportation when necessary. A bad yet effective habit I have acquired is to write notes on my forearm, thus saving pages upon pages of ink script I will never reference. This has a bonus as I must attend to the note within an almost immediate time frame. I'm vegetarian...that's an easy one. I try to purchase only second hand clothes. I do have one major downfall...I waste energy by not turning my computer off! I remember my dad used to tell us that the TV needed to be turned off at the main switch and not just put to sleep. He quoted some silly fact that the TV uses 40% of it's full energy needed when in sleep mode. I doubt that was ever true or tested, but regardless I will turn the computer off tonight and all subsequent times when not in use.

Urban Oasis

Last Saturday I had errands to run downtown, a part of Chicago you can get away without visiting due to it's neighborhoods that are a little town unto themselves. After completing my tasks, I found myself in a familiar place. Surrounded by the greenery and chirping birds, it was hard to imagine I was in the heart of this metropolis. My mind wondered to happy lazy days and London. As I read my paper the only thing missing was a pret-a-manger baguette and a dog chewing on a stick near by...but this is Chicago! Click play again to repeat experience...

A Handful Of Gems

It's a sad day indeed when you attend the BA/BFA show that you were once part of and graduated from and there is only 5 student's work that makes you stop and move in for closer inspection. Columbia College is now in it's third year of showcasing it's graduating class (this year well over 100 students) in the Raw Space at 525 S. State Street. This ever poorly ventilated commercial space added to the already present feeling of clastraphobia achieved by the overcrowding of student work on the walls. This lead to some students work being placed behind pillars that few would peer around or worse in a room at the back. As seems to be the running theme in past shows, the work was broken up into Portraits, Landscapes and Food, non of which inspired. As I covered the entire space, ensuring I took the time to give each piece a chance, I snapped 5 students work who had obviously spent time and indepth thought with their vision. Keep your eys open for: Christina Mann, Christopher Starbody, Hans Seaburg, Brian Imhop (shown below) and Michael Kemp, all of which coincidently happened to be in the landscape genre.



Also, check out the MFA show at the Glass Curtain Gallery...Josh Winegar's work is both subtle and evoking.

SAIC MFA 2007

It's that time of year when all the schools in Chicago are saying goodbye to their students and putting on big extravaganza's to showcase their hard work. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago had their opening last Friday in the G2 space on Jackson. Unfortunately, as with a lot of openings, the majority of the people seemed to be more concerned with each other than with the art work in front of them. Sadly, it could be said that this was reflected in the work itself, with many of the pieces showing more of a knowledge and practise of technic, than of mastering and execution of concept. I went to support a fellow photographer Chase Carroll Bowder and am happy to say he is showing progress in his chosen subject. Other note worthy artists were: Gillian Collyer, Megan Euker, Thomas Gokey, Jinsu Han, Louie Holwerk, Sung Soo Kim, Elise Rasmussen, Bikram Singh Saggoo, Carrie Schneider, Jeremy Tinder, Feng-Shu Wang and Scott Patrick Wiener. The video is of Jinsu han's work, Multiple paint brushes painting the floor white, attached to wheels, run by motors all connected by a clay chicken head with glowing orange eyes. Very Cool! I could have stood in front of for a while, if it had not been for the bad ventilation. Please forgive the poor quality of the recording, but hopefully it will intrigue you enough to see it in person. Open may 5-18 FREE admission.

The Endless Suspended

Three up and coming fashion designers collective known as Endless Suspended showcased their latest collections at Prairie Productions last night. This is Chicago photographer Michael Roberts all natural light studio, where everything from table top product to full set shoots to the most lavish of weddings take place. I was there for Moire Conroy's designs, my favorite shown center below a two layered off white coat with two hoods and five lapels. She has an eye for modern clean lines in the direction of utilitarian but a feminine twill that exude confidence and doesn't intimidate or scare off the opposite sex or anyone else for that matter. The night was a big success and lots of fun. Check out local designer boutiques for these presently one off creations.

A More Than Pleasant Surprise...

When you find yourself supporting one friend or another by attending some show or event on a weekly basis, it is more than invigorating the energy and inspiration you can receive in return. That aside, today I went to the cultural center (who really needs to have their own website seperate from that disaster of design and king of confusion they presently share with the city) to see my friend Ausberto perform in a chamber music recital. Now this isn't his usual thing and as I was soon to find out, was not his thing today. He was taken sick the night before and could not perform. Regardless, I took the hike downtown on this most beautiful of Sundays and found a seat in the center of the room towards the back. The room itself is amazing and my photo below does not come close to doing it justice. I sat almost transfixed for 2 hours. The flute and the clarinet were sheer delight, where as the piano and oboe left something to be desired...execution and (for want of a better word) performance style! Lastly, the singer had a beautiful voice, however I wish she had been singing in French as the lyrics themselves were less than inspiring. These recitals are going on throughout the summer and are free, so you should give one a try. Third floor 3pm start.

Local Flare

last night I went to Kyle Obrito's fundraiser for a new film he's making. Not only did I get to support Kyle and see mutual friend, Justin Schmitz perform in a short film, but I also got to meet and chat with an artist who's work I had only been introduced to and become an immediate fan of one week prior. With his vast collection of National Geographic magazines, Stephen Ecihhorn painstakingly cuts out pre-existing landscapes, seperately them down to their very individual being and then recreates new landscapes. Upon first approach his work appears to be the most detailed of paintings, but get up close to discover the even more highly intricate layering of razor cut foliage. Catch his work locally at Lumpen and at Penelopes on Division...he'll be in New York before you know it!

Found Treasure

So the screen on my beautiful little digital camera seems to have being impacted by some unknown force. And it is currently winging its way back to the supplier for a full refund...fingers crossed. In the mean time, the streets of Chicago are proving more than entertaining with other peoples memories. If you look closely, you can see this was taken on the Men In Black Alien Attack ride at Universal Studios Florida on 24th February 2007. Agent score not recorded!

The Love Affair Continues

As I don't seem to be having much luck taking real (whatever that means) photographs of rubbish that take time to set up, cost a small fortune in sheet film and break my back carrying equipment, this little digital camera is filling the void nicely. Expect to see more...a lot more.

Stitching Photographs...

I have been wanting to purchase a little point & shoot digital camera for some time, but it wasn't until one night propping the end of the bar up at The Skylark that I came to meet my new love. Kodak's Easy Share (I hate that title) V705. It does everything; zoom lens (39-117mm), wide angle lens (23mm), takes movies, edit in camera, print and email direct from camera at the same time as performing 5 consecutive cartwheels! But what is really cool, yes there's more, is you can take 3 images next to each other and it will "Stitch" them together to make 1 wide arse image. For best results stand in one central position and rotate from left to right (if you select left to right direction) taking your 3 sections at regular intervals. This was taken downtown at Block 37 where the State Street version of 900 N. Michigan is under construction.

A Vision of Beauty

When I left the studio this evening I felt an incredible tension in the air stabbing at me with blood dripping talons. A mass of people frantically attempting to beat one another to the biggest most expensive thing they simply must have, wrapped in smooth sparkly paper, finished with a big velvet bow to enunciate their love. Bah Humbug! I decided to join in and steaked my place at the North Avenue bus stop at the Wicker Park 6 corners. Didn't wait an unsually long time for the west bound bus to arrive & without fail it was full, but there were two more following close behind, so no need to jump the queue here. Of course I was going to one of the most middle class, white, 2.4 kids, Weimaraner in the back of the SUV shopping areas in Chicago. Sheffield and North Avenue. Now, I have never taken a single driving lesson and living in Chicago has shown me I don't need that kind of stress. I am fortunate enough to be able to walk to work & shops from my flat & if I need to go further a field, then I have no phobia inhibiting me from using the CTA. This one particular death trap that has reafirmed my prior decision is at Kingsbury & North Avenue. I have long questioned why the city did not have traffic lights. Voilà! We have lights in place...but no juice to put them into action. Don't panic, they went one further and got the best traffic management person (what are they called?) to work the insane on slaught of cars at this very junction. Watching this woman control the traffic was like magic. At no point did she make a wrong call, keep anyone waiting too long or pause for breath. If only I had remebered to put the battery in my camera when I grabbed it this morning, then you could have seen her. Instead, here is a polaroid I found at a bizarre little antique shop I came across on Belmont 2 years ago.

The Sound of Silence

I know I haven't been the best at keeping up with my blog, however it seems one entry I managed to put together made quite the crater. I'm talking specifically about the review I posted regarding my thoughts & experience of an acquaintance's show. When I wrote the post I didn't take into consideration that I know the person directly & that my posting of such sharp tongued words would effect this person so deeply. I thought I was writing my own personal point of view & giving a "friend" some helpful words of advise. Unfortuantely, my dagger shaped limited volcabulary & non-existent tact got to the keyboard before the reserved, overtly polite, true Brit climbed out of the Calvados glass. What I believed I was saying was... "this show has lots of potential that I know the creator is more than capable of pulling together and I hope to see it in the future." Sadly my words didn't translate as I had wished and now I have offended another person. Someone who means the world to me. Sorry to the both of you and to the countless few who partially listen to a word I say. I hope this photo is a prelude to better things to come.