Glenview's Charlotte Sasser's watercolor, The Greenhouse Gala, is included in the sixth annual National Art Premiere, exhibiting 43 artists from across the U.S., opening February 21 in the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild Gallery at the Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, Illinois. Juried and judged by Deborah Lovely, National Art Premiere 2012 encompasses a broad variety of media besides paintings, including photography, sculpture, hand-pulled prints and fiber pieces. An artists’ reception and awards ceremony on March 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. is open to the public.
“The show has a fresh and clean, if not to say minimalist, feel,” according to Frank Tumino, EAG curator, “Many of the pieces are constructed around forms that are to be found in the natural world. All of the pieces display a mastery of technique and an innovative use of materials. This year's show represents American contemporary art at its best.”
The show’s juror/judge, Deborah Lovely, president of Lovely Fine Arts, is a private art dealer and consultant. She is past President and was head of acquisitions for the Society for Contemporary Art (SCA) at the Art Institute of Chicago, and currently serves on the Board for SCA, New Artists Society at the School of the Art Institute Chicago, and the Elmhurst Art Museum.
NAP attracted 250 entries. Around half of them were from artists from the Chicago area, and the remainder from every other state. Fifteen states are represented among the accepted pieces, with 15 from Illinois artists and three from Texas. “Each year we attract better and better artists who are submitting better and better work,” Tumino said, “I always wind up saying that so much quality work was submitted that several different excellent shows could have been assembled with no overlap in choices.”
The show can be viewed until March 28 during regular Elmhurst Art Museum hours, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday. Admission is free all day Friday and to Museum members and children at all times. .
The EAG gallery is not-for-profit, operated by the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild. It features original contemporary artworks in a variety of styles and media. Each year it hosts several group shows featuring the artwork of Guild members, an invitational show for a significant local artist, and the National Art Premiere, a nationwide juried group show. Exhibits are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. More information is available at elmhurstartistsguild.org
