Back from our trip. I ended up driving around a few places while there.
One place I hadnt been to before was Long Grove, IL. It is an historic village in the northwest suburbs. Stopped at Patisserie Orleans in the Mill Pond shops area. Had a yummy roasted vegetable sandwich. Talked with the owner for a bit. Come to find out she is from Harrisburg and the surrounding areas.
I also stopped in Geneva, IL -- one of my favorite places to visit. While there I popped into One Fine Art . I looked at some pieces by Mike Elsass. They were quite textured and had some very high gloss areas and I thought that maybe he worked with resin. I asked the owner and he said that he used multiple layers of paint on steel --- which was apparent after he tapped on them. The edges were bent to resemble gallery wrapped canvas.
Made my way up to Madison, Wisconsin and stopped at the State Street Gallery. Len Nagler has his work there and he is one of their best sellers. I first saw Len do a demonstration an arts organization meeting in Green Bay many years ago. I was so taken by his style of painting oils on black gessoed canvas, that I tried it myself and have painted that way since.
Steve Wirtz has work there also. I have always thought his papier mache scupltures were fun. He is from Fond du Lac, WI , which is on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago.
I always like to try and stop at The Century House on University Ave. They carry alot of items with scandinavian design. Plus they also have a furniture gallery on the other side of the parking lot. Always makes me feel like I am in an A-frame with a large stone fireplace with tons of windows on a birch wooded lake lot when I visit. Think very upscale IKEA.
BTW, I also went to IKEA for the first time in Woodfield, IL. I wanted to check out the various frames that they carried. I figured if I was going to do prints, if I knew the sizes IKEA carried, I could then recommend using them. The place is huge. But I have to admit the most unique thing there was the shopping cart escalator.
Still have to unpack the bags. This is what awaits us tomorrow. Hope to finish the rest of the floor in the back and sides and maybe get things wired for a ceiling fan. Next week, back to art.
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