We've been watching the PBS art series Simon Schama's The Power of Art, which airs on Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. Schama says, “This is not a series about things that hang on walls; it is not about decor or prettiness. It is a series about the force, the need, the passion of art — the power of art.”

Each week we stroll along the streets and alleys with Schama in Spain, Rome, France, England, or another locale, as he describes and examines the lives of artists in their historical, cultural, and social milieus. He takes us on a sweeping cinematic voyage back in time, and we become omniscient viewers observing the lives, obsessions, and desires of these artists, portrayed by actors re-enacting turning points in the artists' lives and creating works that defined them at the height of their powers.
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Technorati Tags: Simon Schama, Power of Art

As I enter Frank Connet's studio in Oak Park, I notice an entire wall filled with cascading dyed wool in various hues (apparently to be used to repair old oriental rugs piled on the floor); an African beaded head with missing beads sits forlornly on a small table; small cubby holes filled with folded dyed fabric appear neat and disheveled at the same time; and yet another wall serves as a work space with pinned-up fabric in unusual puzzle pieces; and a busy back area for dyeing and rinsing fabric exudes indigo at every stage. As a textile restorer, fabricator, and innovator, Connet relishes the time he spends creating unique textile designs using ancient Japanese dyeing techniques (Shibori).

Ground Sulfur. Courtesy of the artist.

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Technorati Tags: textile designs, Japanese dyeing, Shibori

ArtStyle will be presenting a weekly art series throughout the summer on the participating Cool Globe Exhibit artists. In this fourth series, we feature: Carol Luc’s Gracie Greenroof and Mirjana Ugrinov’s DROP BY DROP.

Carol Luc

Background: Degrees in painting from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, and Wayne State University, Detroit. Teaches design and illustration at American Academy of Art, Chicago, and chairs Department of Visual Communications.
Resident of Chicago who routinely exhibits her urban architecturally themed paintings and prints in the Midwest. She has been honored with several awards, artist’s residencies, and solo exhibitions.
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Luis F. Romero was born in Mexico, grew up in Puerto Rico, and is currently living in Chicago. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has since shown his work internationally. Using his own paper-and-found-object architectural design, Romero builds multi-layered collages, swirling 3-D structures, and op art creations.

Courtesy of the artist

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Technorati Tags: found-object, architectural design, layered collages, 3-D structures, op art creations

ArtStyle will be presenting a weekly art series throughout the summer on the participating Cool Globe Exhibit artists. In this third series, we feature: Ken Klopack’s Intelligent Earth, Aesop Rhim’s Peace on a Cool Globe, Beth Shadur’s For the Seventh Generation, and Joi Leo Wagenberg’s Mighty Methane.

Ken Klopack

Background: Graduate degree, Gifted Education, Northeastern Illinois University. Retired Art Teacher, Chicago Public Schools. Faculty at Penninsula Art School in Fish Creek, WI, Art Institute.

Theme and Description: This globe shows the earth as a representation of the brain. The land areas are covered with concepts, ideas, and programs deemed as solutions to the environmental problems of our earth.

We must cherish and respect our planet by inhabiting it intelligently. Human intelligence is the most powerful tool we have to create a world we can all live in. We must use our brain, our intelligence, as a worldwide problem-solving force without self-interest, ego, political, ethnic, class, or economic issues.

The Intelligent Earth. Located at Navy Pier. Globe #106.
Sponsor: Lucy R. Waletzky, M.D.

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Technorati Tags: Cool Globe Exhibit