Sneak Peek of Artwork for Nov. 7 ‘Celebrating Veterans Through Art’
This image of the Memorial Day parade in St. Charles is courtesy of local artist Rick Brems, whose work will appear in the gallery. The feature image is a piece titled “Becoming Like The River,” which was created by local artist Rita Grendze, whose public art installation project Surfacing will be on the front lawn of the Baker Community Center for the duration of the event.
The St Charles Arts Council’s pop-up art gallery program, the neXt gallery on E. Main Street is popping up at 11 East Main Street, St. Charles, Illinois. The gallery opens as a featured program of Celebrating Veterans Through Art on Saturday, Nov. 7, running through Sunday, Nov. 29.
The Opening Reception is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. Appetizers and drink will be provided. Artists James and Nanette Stephens will provide their famous BBQ meatballs and grilled pork for the reception.
This neXt gallery on E. Main, features 2D and 3D visual art, including painting, sculpture, and photography created by local and regional visual artists, many of whom are veterans. The gallery will also feature a literature display of the stories of local veterans, from interviews with them by writers Russ Devereaux, Wayne Johnson (himself a veteran), Jay Payleitner and Tricia Whitworth.
The gallery will also feature the work of local students — St. Charles East High School’s Class of 2017’s videotaped interviews of veterans made possible by the Library of Congress, as well as paintings designed by St. Charles East’s Nina Grover that will decorate the exterior windows of the space.
In addition, the gallery will display the “Yes I Served and I’m Your Neighbor” Project.
Visual Artists in the neXt gallery on E. Main
- Guy J. Bellaver
- Rick Brems
- Jasmine Clark
- Jennifer Knobloch
- James Patinka
- Richard Penningto
- Linda Roxe
- John Sibley
- James E. Stephens
- Nanette B. Stephens
- Folleh Tamba
- Jack Wooldridg
- Richard Zayat
- Fred H. Zinke
- Special Guest Artist: Rita Grendze
- Special Art Installation: Amy Furio
Elizabeth Bellaver, St Charles Arts Council volunteer curator, said the theme of the gallery is “Stories” — in keeping with the “Yes, I Served … ” concept of using the arts to tell veterans’ stories of service and sacrifice.
“It’s the first time that we’ve required Artist Statements — and we’re so pleased that the stories and artwork that were submitted are so interesting and so broad in scope,” Bellaver said. “Many of them are powerful stories of or about veterans. The gallery will include paintings, photographs, sculpture, and an art installation project. More than half of the artists in the gallery are veterans themselves, which is just wonderful.”
Bellaver said the “Yes I Served and I’m Your Neighbor” gallery of veterans’ photographs has received more than 70 submissions.
The Arts Council encourages everyone to see the gallery during the three weeks that it is in the E. Main space, and to check out Rita Grendze’s public art installation project on the front lawn of the Baker Community Center. The piece is titled “Surfacing” and is dedicated in memory of her nephew who served in the Navy, Brandon Lee Grendze. Grendze’s very moving Artist Statement may be found on the neXt gallery website.
More information about the neXt gallery on E. Main Street can be found on the neXt gallery website. – nextgallerystcharles.org. More information about the Celebrating Veterans Through Art event can be found on the SCAC website. The SCAC phone number is 630.443.3794.
The Celebrating Veterans Through Art event is Presented and Sponsored by the St Charles Arts Council, American Legion Post 342, AMVETS Post 503, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5036, and P-ARTS/East High School in partnership with Community Unit School District 303. In-kind sponsorship provided by the Kane County Chronicle.
About neXt Gallery
The neXt gallery Pop-Up Art Gallery program is a collaboration that promotes local/regional artists, the SCAC, and the St. Charles business community. The program is called neXt gallery, because you never know where it will pop up next! The Arts Council encourages building owners, volunteers, art supporters, and art collectors to get involved in this program to support the arts, and encourages artists to contact the SCAC to learn about neXt gallery opportunities. Contact the SCAC at 630.443.3794 or info@StCharlesArtsCouncil.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the St Charles Arts Council
The St Charles Arts Council is a 501(c)(3), registered not-for-profit Illinois corporation whose mission is to create an organization that serves and promotes the arts and cultural activities in St. Charles, to the mutual benefit of the arts and the community. The SCAC is staffed entirely by volunteers. Contact the SCAC for information at 630.443.3794 or at info@StCharlesArtsCouncil.org.
