<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761143747/rjqakljwlqfn6cicbxvr.jpg">The couple pictured at the opening of the Christina Ramberg show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in February 2025. In the background is&nbsp;“Belle Reve”, (1969) on loan from their collection for the show, one of two pieces by Ramberg that was loaned to the show. “Our collecting continues to be focused on post-war and contemporary Chicago-based artists as we fill in gaps in our collection. It is always a thrill when a piece by an artist in our collection is borrowed for a major exhibition, such as the recent Christina Ramberg retrospective, which traveled from Chicago to LA, then to Philadelphia. Attending the openings is enormously gratifying and is a great way to meet other curators, collectors, and arts patrons from around the country.”

CGN Collecting Stories: Michael Robertson and Christopher Slapak

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474850/hp5ao05yl1ydzgf1wjed.jpg">The couple pictured at the opening of the Christina Ramberg show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in February 2025. In the background is&nbsp;“Belle Reve”, (1969) on loan from their collection for the show, one of two pieces by Ramberg that was loaned to the show. “Our collecting continues to be focused on post-war and contemporary Chicago-based artists as we fill in gaps in our collection. It is always a thrill when a piece by an artist in our collection is borrowed for a major exhibition, such as the recent Christina Ramberg retrospective, which traveled from Chicago to LA, then to Philadelphia. Attending the openings is enormously gratifying and is a great way to meet other curators, collectors, and arts patrons from around the country.”

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018248/wmwcpgazpjgu5l1tfvm1.jpg">The exterior of Addington Gallery on Wells Street in River North By JACQUELINE LEWIS This year marks the 25th anniversary of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://danaddington.com/addingtongallery/" target="_blank">Addington Gallery</a>, a fixture in Chicago’s River North Arts District and a reflection of founder Dan Addington’s unique role as both artist and gallerist. Since opening its doors, the gallery has navigated major shifts in the neighborhood’s landscape, from changes in the retail environment and art market to a steadily growing residential population, attracted to the area’s artistic reputation but simultaneously pricing galleries out of it. Through it all, Addington and his gallery have remained passionate about showcasing thoughtful, process-driven art that people can afford. As River North keeps evolving, Addington Gallery remains a welcoming space where creativity and community come together. * CGN: Let’s start with a bit of background.&nbsp;What led you to your home in River North at&nbsp;Addington Gallery? Dan Addington: I grew up in the western U.S., in Colorado, Montana, and Alaska, but our family eventually returned to our Midwestern roots. I went to high school and college in Iowa. I double majored in art and theater at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, followed by a master’s degree in art and art history at Arkansas State, and an MFA in painting at Illinois State University. Immediately after graduate school, I moved to Chicago and began exhibiting my own work right away. CGN: How did your past experience lead to Addington Gallery? DA: My original intent was to continue exhibiting my work and eventually teach art at the college level. I had taught classes as a graduate student and knew that I loved that interaction. I had also worked at the campus galleries at Arkansas State and Illinois State. I worked side-by-side with Director Barry Blinderman at ISU designing art catalogues and organizing and installing exhibitions. During that time, I also spent time with well-known artists Barry brought in from New York, where he had previously owned and operated Semaphore Gallery. Working so closely with notable artists over those years and talking to Barry about his time as an art dealer had an indelible effect on me. I was intrigued by the idea of working in galleries. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018249/k7ea8bmeaqy1riushnsz.jpg">Dan Addington, pictured in his gallery circa 2010 CGN: You’re celebrating 25 years of Addington Gallery in River North this year. How has the gallery changed and evolved over the past quarter century? DA: I spent the first six of those 25 years working in other spaces, meeting dealers, and learning as much as I could about the process. My first full-time gallery job was with Eva Cohen Gallery in both Highland Park and River North. I split my time between the two locations and eventually became the director of the downtown space on Superior Street. Eva was a great teacher. It was a challenging job, and I learned very quickly that you had to get good at everything. One day I was helping curate a show and learning the physical techniques associated with preparing and installing artwork. The next day I was meeting new clients, learning to be responsive to their needs, deciphering their ideas, going to their homes, negotiating acquisitions, and installing on site. I loved all of it, but what kept me most excited was working with artists and feeling like I was part of a team helping facilitate their vision in the world.&nbsp; Around the same time, I began exhibiting in commercial galleries in other cities and found that I had a unique rapport with the dealers who represented my work. Gwenda Jay Gallery was the first to represent my work in Chicago, and Gwenda was a great mentor to me. After Eva Cohen retired, I became director at Gwenda’s gallery, and eventually a partner. Gwenda Jay / Addington Gallery opened in 2000–that’s the 25 year anniversary being celebrated this year. Operating the gallery day-to-day gave me the experience that ultimately convinced me to open my own space in 2007, Addington Gallery, where I started showing many of the artists Gwenda and I had represented together. The challenge of opening a gallery and the excitement of becoming a parent for the first time happened within a year of each other. Looking back to 2007, those 18 years have been thrilling. I’ve loved exhibiting each artist and have learned from every one who has hung art on these walls. The gallery has grown too, and every time a new artist shows here, it brings new life and vision into the space. The gallery is a kind of macro-vision of the values I believe in as an artist. Being an artist and a curator intermingle and inform one another. In many ways, the gallery is a physical manifestation of the creative concepts I care most deeply about, and it comes to life through relationships and collaboration. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018250/nses1ywessmukwgxkxxd.jpg">Gallery visitors view work by Robin Deneven CGN: You’ve been in the center of River North for many years. Can you speak to the changes you’ve seen? What do you think the future holds for the neighborhood? DA: Wells Street has seen a lot of development, especially in the past 10 to 12 years. Businesses come and go, and COVID was tough on small retailers. But many restaurants in the area have persevered since 2020, and more have joined them. The same is true of galleries. Those that have closed in River North have typically done so because an owner retired, while some new galleries have also opened. Meanwhile, a large number of new residential buildings continue to go up across the neighborhood, and Wells Street has never been as active as it is today. When I first started here, the vast majority of art deliveries I made were to the North Shore and western suburbs. Now, most of our deliveries go to homes in the city, especially the area from downtown Chicago up through the upper North Side. The River North Arts District remains a thriving center for the arts in Chicago. CGN: Have you ever considered moving the gallery? DA: I’ve looked at other spaces, but I love the walk through traffic we get here, and I like our space. River North is easily accessible, more people live in the area than ever, and there are many visitor in nearby hotels around Michigan Avenue. The number of galleries within walking distance makes it a destination for art lovers. Opening nights happen every other month, usually on the first Friday, and they’re always fun and well attended. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018251/a6vyg1d9mavzjebxmkhb.jpg">A view of work by Howard Hersh at the gallery in early years. CGN: With all these years under your belt, what do you consider to be some of the most important aspects of managing your gallery? DA: Every exhibition we mount still feels important and exciting to us, and we continue to get better at curating and installing them. You know that anticipation you feel when a musician or band you love releases a new album, and the excitement of listening to it for the first time? That’s how I feel when an artist brings in a new series of paintings. It’s exciting every single time. As an artist myself, I make it my business to understand how each painting is made—the materials, the process—but even more importantly, why the artist made those choices. Every artist has a story. It’s embedded in the work, and it’s my job to help communicate that. It’s thrilling to see people who visit the gallery connect deeply with the work, whether it’s on a gut level, a spiritual level, or an intellectual level. Some are young people walking in for the first time, and others are seasoned collectors. I’m constantly reminded how meaningful a career in the arts is when someone tells me how moved or affected they were by what they saw here. I’m also fascinated by process-oriented abstraction and the materiality of the medium, and I value drawing and the skill of observation. I’ve pursued these ideas in my own work for years, and I’m always interested in how they emerge in other painters’ work. At the gallery, it’s not unusual to see artists who chart their own course between these two sensibilities. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018252/qnt2bfbhq4efddctqwfe.jpg">From left: Dan's wife Steph, Dan, son Aedric, and artist Makoto Fujimura during his exhibition reception at the gallery in 2011. CGN: With this year’s milestone, do you have anything special planned?&nbsp; DA: While we’re always working to develop new, exciting, and visually compelling exhibitions, we also continue to look outward to the community. I regularly guest curate exhibitions at other venues across the city and work with local community art centers. We recently launched the Young Curators Initiative, in which we turn over the gallery space to curatorial studies students with a focus on women of color. We work with their advisors to support them as they curate their first public exhibition in a professional setting. This summer, we launched Sketchbooks for Kids, where we give a quality 8x10” sketchpad and dual-tip pen to any child 15 or younger who visits the gallery with a parent or guardian. These were the tools I loved most as a child, the ones I carried everywhere, and they’re what started me on this journey. It’s a small but meaningful way to pay that forward. Both of these programs flow directly from my own experiences. We love to encourage the artist, and the art viewer, within each person at every age. * After 25 years, Dan Addington’s dedication to art and community remains at the heart of the gallery. As River North continues to change, Addington Gallery stands strong as a space where artists and audiences come together. This milestone marks not just an achievement, but a continuing journey. Addington Gallery744 N. WellsChicago, IL 60654<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://danaddington.com/addingtongallery/" target="_blank">addingtongallery.com</a> View Dan’s work at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://danaddington.com/" target="_blank">danaddington.com</a>

Dan Addington: 25 Years and Counting in River North

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760641331/u74rqm5lleb1hbyp4dlx.jpg">Judy Ledgerwood, Flowers for the Blue Line Racine Station, 2025. Artwork © Judy Ledgerwood / Chicago Transit Authority. By CGN Staff If you ride the CTA's Blue Line, your commute just got a lot brighter. Artist Judy Ledgerwood has unveiled a stunning new ceramic installation at the Racine Station, part of the CTA’s multi-year effort to make the Forest Park Branch fully accessible. Titled Flowers for the Blue Line Racine Station, the work stretches across 40 feet of wall space, wrapping the station’s north and west walls in 704 hand-made tiles. This joyful burst of color and pattern transforms a daily commute into something worth slowing down for and also offers a chance to engage with art daily. Ledgerwood developed the project in partnership with Ingrid Harding, Chief of Production at Munich’s historic Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, a renowned producer of fine ceramics since 1747. Each tile was individually shaped in red terracotta and finished with vibrant glazes, so no two pieces are alike. Sixteen distinct tile designs repeat and recombine into quatrefoils — four-petaled flower forms — that shimmer and shift as you move through the space. The design echoes the white tile grid used throughout the station, blending seamlessly with the architecture while infusing it with Ledgerwood’s signature painterly energy. <blockquote>“The installation reflects the rhythm of daily transit,” Ledgerwood says. “It’s familiar and routine, yet always changing.”</blockquote> For more than four decades, Judy Ledgerwood has pushed the boundaries of abstract painting — challenging its supposed neutrality and reimagining it through color, pattern, and light. Known for her bold use of pinks, fluorescents, and pastels, Ledgerwood has long drawn inspiration from textiles, quilting, and the Pattern &amp; Decoration movement. This new installation marks her first permanent ceramic project of this scale, merging her painter’s eye with the tactile, enduring qualities of clay.<h3> </h3>With Flowers for the Blue Line Racine Station, Ledgerwood joins an impressive lineup of artists — including Theaster Gates and Nick Cave — whose work brings Chicago’s public transit to life. Today, the CTA’s art collection features more than 80 installations across its system, each helping turn ordinary travel into a shared cultural experience.

Judy Ledgerwood Brings Color and Craft to CTA’s Blue Line Racine Station

<h3>St. Louis has long been a hub for the visual arts, with a deep bench of contemporary galleries and museums, as well as thriving grassroots art communities. For those planning a road trip from Chicago or elsewhere in the Midwest, a few days in St. Louis this fall can yield a surprisingly rich art itinerary that blends institutional heavyweights with independent spaces.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>There is even a road trip-themed photography exhibition to enjoy on your road trip! “In Search of America” is on view at the St. Louis Art Museum through October 19, so get on the road!&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>&nbsp;– CGN</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474819/vus8dwehdkkg8smmvdex.jpg">Anselm Kiefer, German, born 1945; Anselm fuit hic (Anselm Was Here), 2024; emulsion, oil, acrylic, shellac, gold leaf and sediment of electrolysis on canvas; 30 feet 10 1/16 inches x 27 feet 6 11/16 inches; Collection of the artist and courtesy Gagosian 2025.309; © Anselm Kiefer, Photo: Nina Slavcheva <h3>Where to Start</h3> Start your art wandering in the Grand Center Arts&nbsp;District, a walkable cluster of art institutions. • Pulitzer Arts Foundation: Housed in a&nbsp;Tadao Ando-designed building, the Pulitzer offers&nbsp;rigorously curated exhibitions. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pulitzerarts.org/art/jennie-c-jones-a-line-when-broken-begins-again/" target="_blank">Jennie C. Jones: A Line When Broken Begins Again</a> runs Sept 5–Feb 1, 2026.&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pulitzerarts.org/" target="_blank">pulitzerarts.org</a> • Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM): Next door, CAM champions emerging and mid-career artists with an international lens. Haegue Yang: Quasi-Heartland runs Sep 5–Feb 8, 2026. The exhibition marks Yang’s first solo museum presentation with a comprehensive selection of works in the midwest since 2009. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://camstl.org/" target="_blank">camstl.org</a> • The Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) houses an encyclopedic collection. Don’t miss the 20th-century and contemporary wings, and plan for a stroll outside—the museum’s monumental front steps offer a panoramic view of the park’s autumn foliage. Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea opens October 18 (pictured above). <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.slam.org/" target="_blank">slam.org&nbsp;</a> • The St. Louis University Museum of Art, founded in 2002, is housed in a stunning Beaux Arts style building from the turn of the 20th century. The permanent&nbsp;collection includes artists such as Chuck Close,&nbsp;Robert Motherwell, Jasper Johns, Kiki Smith, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.&nbsp; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.slu.edu/sluma/" target="_blank">slu.edu/sluma</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474821/nojzqt0y7rhvlqpnfmcy.jpg">Jennie C. Jones has an exhibition at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation <h3>The Grove &amp; Cherokee Street</h3> From the Grand Center Arts District you can take a short drive south to explore revitalized areas like The Grove and Cherokee Street, both known for their vivid murals, vintage shops, and artist-run spaces. Local initiatives nearby like Paint Louis have turned highway underpasses and brick buildings into open-air canvases. The Luminary is just one space that features forward-thinking programming, from installation, conceptual work, to socially engaged projects. The Luminary also supports residencies and has an on-site publishing initiative. <h3>Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum</h3> Part of the Sam Fox School of Design &amp; Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, this is one of the nation’s leading university art museums. A teaching museum, it serves as a center of cultural and intellectual life on campus and in St. Louis. The museum dates to 1881 and holds more than 8,700 works in its collection.&nbsp; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu//" target="_blank">kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474823/rlk9q08sjcuv56ugilas.jpg">Stan Strembicki: Art History Revisited features work by the&nbsp;St. Louis-based photographer and is just one of four exhibitions on view at Bruno David Gallery Sept 13–Oct 25, 2025 <h3>Friday Nights and Gallery Hopping</h3> If you time your trip around First Friday, many galleries and museums in Grand Center stay open late, hosting free events. First Friday also extends into the Central West End, which was recently damaged during devastating May 2025 tornadoes. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.duanereedgallery.com/" target="_blank">Duane Reed Gallery</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.houskagallery.com/" target="_blank">Houska Gallery</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.squareonegallery.com/" target="_blank">Square One</a> stay open late each month and are within a 5 minute walk of each other. 15 or so minutes away is <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.brunodavidgallery.com/" target="_blank">Bruno David Gallery</a> which has been showing art since 1984 and hosts openings on some Friday nights. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.shearburngallery.com/" target="_blank">William Shearburn Gallery</a>, a Midwestern mainstay, is also nearby. The co-op <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.soulardartgallery.com/" target="_blank">Soulard Art Gallery</a>, east by the river in the city’s oldest residential neighborhood also participates in First Friday, and it’s close to award-winning <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tuckersplace.com/" target="_blank">Tucker’s Place</a> steakhouse and the famous Soulard pre-lenten Mardi Gras celebration, which usually runs from mid-winter into spring. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474824/omkhftl0h09wnsp3uijs.jpg">Tony Tasset, Deer, 2015, fiberglass, steel, paint, 12 x 20 x 8 feet.&nbsp;On view at the Laumier Sculpture Garden. <h3>Where to Stay and Get Outside</h3> Art lovers will appreciate the funky, historic atmosphere of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hotelsaintlouis.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Saint Louis,</a> a boutique property in a restored 1893 building. A stay at the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.angadartshotel.com/" target="_blank">Angard Arts Hotel</a>, keeps your art experience running 24/7. Their rooftop <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.angadartshotel.com/restaurants-bars/art-bar/" target="_blank">ART Bar</a> offers great views of the city and the Mississipi River. If you have kids in tow (and even if not), get outside to the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/" target="_blank">Laumier Sculpture Garden</a> where everyone can marvel at 60 large-scale sculptures while enjoying fresh air and space to stretch in a 105-acre park in the heart of St. Louis. Free and open daily.&nbsp; Other creative ideas? <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.jbtelmuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum</a> is an off-beat space featuring phones from the late 1800s to 2012. There is also the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.neonmuseumstl.com/" target="_blank">Neon Museum of St. Louis</a>, open certain dates each month.

Art Road Trip: St. Louis

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760585924/ahyo2fbsrsrytmwrtmxy.jpg"></h3>The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events' headquarters are located in the Chicago Cultural CenterPhoto courtesy the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events <h3> </h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/10/08/chicago-cultural-commissioner-clinee-hedspeth-resigns" target="_blank">Chicago's cultural commissioner resigns following accusations of bullying and mismanagement</a></h3> During a meeting of the city of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council on Tuesday (7 October), it was announced that the commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Clinée Hedspeth, had resigned, effective immediately. When Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Hedspeth in&nbsp;<a style="color: inherit;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2024/march/hedspeth-appointment.html" target="_blank">March 2024</a>, the announcement noted “a wealth of experience” in arts administration, public policy and community engagement, but arts leaders were sceptical. Via The Art Newspaper <h3><a style="background-color: rgb(251, 251, 251); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/11/museum-tour-state-funding/" target="_blank">On a tour in Chicago, state reps hear from museum leaders in an uncertain cultural funding landscape</a></h3> A walk through the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center’s first floor is a walk through African American history. It begins with slavery, and a visualization of slave ships arriving in the Americas, informed by primary-source insurance documents; the haunting progression shows vessels at first dotting the Atlantic, then overwhelming it. It ends with footage from Barack Obama’s election night address. Via Chicago Tribune <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/chicago-gallery-weekend-dealers-artists-collaborate-1234754476/" target="_blank">In an Uncertain Market, Chicago’s Art Scene Offers a Beacon of Hope for Artists and Gallerists Alike</a></h3> Luke Agada could have moved anywhere after finishing his MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2023, showing his work in national and international exhibitions, and receiving several awards and fellowships along the way.&nbsp; But the Nigerian painter and his wife decided to make Chicago their home—instead of New York or Los Angeles, the two biggest art hubs in the US. Via ARTnews

What We're Reading: 10/16/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579360/ymo2lem4hwifpcvhvcg2.jpg">Guests at DMoC's annual fundraiser on October 9, 2025 By GINNY VAN ALYEA During a lively and art-filled week in Chicago, the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.designchicago.org/" target="_blank">Design Museum of Chicago</a> hosted Interwoven City, a spirited evening that brought together artists, designers, collectors and supporters for a night of connection and creativity. The benefit took place in the expansive Secrist | Beach space in West Town, where guests gathered among Jacqueline Surdell’s dynamic textile-based works, currently on view in the gallery. The festive night was filled with art, food, signature cocktails, a DJ, silent-auction and conversation—all in support of DMoC’s mission to make design accessible to everyone. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the event raised an impressive $163,901, helping the museum stay free every day and continue to present thoughtful exhibitions and programs. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579362/msrviyolcpsguloxoemz.jpg">Tanner Woodford, founder and executive director of the Design Museum of Chicago, welcomes guests to the event. Recently, DMoC also highlighted community collaboration through a special exhibition in its downtown gallery featuring work by artists from Arts of Life, a Chicago-area organization supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The show underscored the museum’s ongoing commitment to showcasing inclusive and diverse creative voices. Up next, DMoC is tapping into Chicago’s love of craft beer with Design on Draft: Breweries &amp; Beyond, opening Thursday, October 23, 5–9 pm at 72 E Randolph St. The exhibition celebrates the artistry behind beer branding and how design shapes the way we experience what’s on tap. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579363/hzot6ndhyvw9rfwz0176.jpg">Guests mingle with the backdrop of Jacqueline Surdell's monumental art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579363/ya28ufuw1ycf77maugoh.jpg">An immersive environment by interior designer Andee Hess / OSMOSE was on view at Secrist | Beach in their salon

 Design Museum of Chicago Weaves Together Art, Design, and Community at “Interwoven City"

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760473105/odgwbk3owfijefyii4eq.jpg">Sally Schwartz with her prized gold lighter that found its way back to her after making the right match. “Ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated by four cool sculptural cigarette lighters that were on my grandparents’ coffee table. They were such fun. One was a tall gold and rhinestone studded cupid that you could wind and it played music. My grandmother smoked Benson &amp; Hedges, but I don’t remember her ever using one of these lighters.&nbsp; Some years later I gave my high school boyfriend a gold Dunhill lighter engraved with “Love, Sally” for his graduation.&nbsp; More years followed and I ended up with all four original lighters from my grandparents’ coffee table, plus I’d started collecting my own and the collection had grown nicely. In the meantime, I successfully set up my long-since-graduated high school boyfriend with a girlfriend of mine, and it turned out to be a real love match. They got married! When I was congratulating them on their wedding day, they made a little presentation to me of the same Dunhill lighter, which has been a highlight of my collection ever since.”

CGN Collecting Stories: Sally Schwartz

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461091/xsmpsk4879bopnkcelhx.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/theaster-gates-oh-youve-got-to-come-back-to-the-city" target="_blank">Theaster Gates: OH, YOU'VE GOT TO COME BACK TO THE CITY</a>Opening: Thursday, October 16, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMGRAY <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461093/xygknhoc4d1jwwetauk6.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/yoko-ono-music-of-the-mind" target="_blank">Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind</a>Begins October 18Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461094/m4robroza6iqlgiyanwu.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/blockbuster" target="_blank">blockbuster</a>Opening: Friday, October 17, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PMLily Pad | West <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461096/pb6pjkli4dwqcti4zgvg.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/animalia" target="_blank">Animalia</a>Opening: Thursday, October 16, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMKavanagh Gallery at Fine Line Creative Arts Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461097/eo6kkvs2fz2qkdait08q.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/andi-crist-live-laugh-labor" target="_blank">Andi Crist: Live Laugh Labor</a>Opening: Thursday, October 16, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMThe Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461097/oaw0mculethzekmm1tih.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/an-evening-of-art-architecture" target="_blank">An Evening of Art &amp; Architecture</a>Opening: Friday, October 17, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMEast Erie Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760461099/zobxudzkrw9vnb1qzskv.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/michael-j-miller-a-measure-of-time" target="_blank">Michael J. Miller: A Measure of Time</a>Opening: Friday, Oct 17, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSoNa Chicago Contemporary Art

New Exhibitions Opening October 15 - 18

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Tony Fitzpatrick was the kind of friend I never imagined in a million years I would have. I met him within a year or so of taking over as publisher of CGN, when I stopped into his studio on Damen Ave. because I was picking up a framed work by one of his studio assistants, KS Rives. My parents had bought the collage for me and it was really the first work of art I had fallen in love with. KS had said she would be away so it would be ready at Tony's studio. I had no idea what walking in would be like. He had a lot of questions. He wanted to know who I was. How I had met KS. I felt like I a high-schooler meeting the parents before a first date. I said I published CGN, and he said he always liked Natalie [van Straaten, CGN's founding publisher.] Then he said something to the effect of "Too bad her ex-husband was such an asshole." After that I was disarmed. We talked for an hour. I left with my new collage, three books Tony had written, and a promise he wanted to support CGN and buy a full page ad, as he said, "To show all those other fuckers they should be advertising too." Tony gave me confidence when I was getting my bearings as publisher, and he showed me what it meant to double-down on Chicago and love it no matter what. It's not easy to do, but Tony did it. He always seemed to try to give back to the city what it gave to him and to his art. I really think he also made me deeply appreciate living an urban life where you will never run out of things to see or do or think about, complain about and also appreciate. Tony found birds and heard their music in the noisiest places. I hope he's listening to all the songs of his beautiful birds among the moths and butterflies now. * I told someone a couple of weeks ago, who used to be one of his many assistants, that I count myself very lucky that after 17 years, Tony and I hadn't fallen out – yet. She nodded knowingly. Tony's love was fierce and he wore his big heart on both of his fully tattooed sleeves. You always knew where you stood with Tony. Sometimes it was out, but if you hadn't done something really wrong, he'd welcome prodigal friends back in and admit to others if he thought he'd been wrong. No one could bullshit Tony. However, if you cheated, lied, thought you were better than someone else, that was it. His rules were simple and iron-clad. He was a curious and generous person, and he would tell you when he'd been burned and he'd tell you who'd done it, but then he'd move on. Tony had a lot of thoughts on just about very topic, and he was so well known, in part, because the man could talk, and talk and talk. He loved to ramble, but he also loved to spar. He could be cool, well-read, interested in whatever came next. He collected people and their stories - inviting dogs into his open studio and making sure to stock their favorite treats. He'd buy 200 copies of a poetry book and give them all away to friends. He changed gallery models regularly, all in the name of making sure artists got visibility, and their money. He would be on his computer, on the phone and on Facebook all at the same time. And he'd be directing an assistant to cut this fragment of paper a little more or place a piece of ephemera just over there. It was magic to watch. On a visit to his studio one weekend last fall my 8 year old son brought him a drawing of a football player, and Tony gave him some advice about using colored pencils because they're so much better than markers. A couple weeks later he asked how his drawing was going. Tony's artistic resume is well known - artist, writer, playwright, actor, former boxer. He designed album covers - the Neville Brothers, Steve Earle, Big Head Todd and the Monsters. He made art all over town, in restaurants (Yuzu) and tattoo parlors. He has murals from the Old Town School of Folk Music, to Steppenwolf Theater to the town of Glen Ellyn. Tony will always be everywhere in Chicago, even though the man himself is actually gone. At 66 he is gone too soon, but he lived a lot of lives –&nbsp;many more than most. Michele, Max and Gaby - my heart breaks for the three of you. Thank you for sharing your remarkable husband and father with so many of us who were so lucky to have him in our city and in our life.

Artist Tony Fitzpatrick Has Died at 66

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760116783/j3hab4piabgmqmw0k401.jpg"></h4>Pigment magazine on site at EXPO CHICAGO 2024 pictured in front of an IN/SITU installation<h4> </h4><h4>By JACQUELINE LEWIS</h4><h4> </h4><h4>This fall, Chicago will host the inaugural year of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.pigmentintl.com/pigmentedblackfineartfaire" target="_blank">Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire</a>. Held at Zhou B Art Center October 30–November 2, the fair is the latest creation of Patricia Andrews-Keenan of Pigment International, a media and arts publication. Drawing on decades of storytelling and a deep love for the Black arts tradition, Andrews-Keenan has built a platform that amplifies artists and Black-owned galleries alike. In this conversation, she shares what inspired the fair, what visitors can expect, and why Chicago was always the right city to bring it to life.</h4><h4> </h4><h4>With the inaugural exhibition Andrews-Keenan isn’t just hosting an event, she hopes to build a legacy rooted in storytelling, community, and cultural preservation. As she looks to the future, her vision is clear: to create a platform that lasts well beyond her, amplifying Black art for generations to come.</h4> CGN: Can you tell me how your experiences led you to found Pigment International and now Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire? Patricia Andrews-Keenan: It started with reading and writing in elementary school, and then I became a journalism major in school. I segued from there into corporate communications. The whole time I was there it was about doing articles, doing speeches, communications, annual reports, those kinds of things. From there I started doing media and PR on my own, but the thread that has always run through that has been my love of things surrounding Black art. When I was young, I would buy posters, really anything that had images of people of color on them. I would buy sheet music, go to thrift stores, go to the flea markets and look for things to hang on my wall. And as my career progressed and I was able to buy art, I began to buy prints and more. And then as I began to travel, I would buy even more art. That was always kind of the simultaneous thread. CGN: So how did that thread evolve into Pigment International? PAK: After I left corporate America around 2008, I found myself doing media and PR for events in Chicago. One of the first ones I did work for was the African Festival of the Arts, which has been happening here for at least 35 years. Through this experience, I started to meet the artists themselves. It was just very cool, because what I realized was that each of these artists had a story to tell. And in my mind artists don’t become famous unless people write about them. If no one wrote about Rembrandt or Picasso or any of those art history big shots, no one would know their name. Someone had to tell their stories and begin to cement them in history. So [in Chicago] I could see where there was a need for these [contemporary] artists to have their stories told, and it is within the Black art community. That’s when I began to fully realize the need to put together a platform for Black art and Black voices. I remember sitting in the office at home trying to come up with the name. I started looking up art terms and all these things. When I came across the word “pigment” which is what paint is created out of and thought about how it also represents the pigment in our skin, I just knew. That was it. It was perfect. And that’s what we’ve done for the last seven years. We’ve taken that platform and continued to build it with the printed publication, the digital publication, the events, the exhibitions, all of that. CGN: How did Pigmented: Black Fine Art Fair come about? PAK: One of my other great passions, in addition to art and writing, is travel. Since 2017, we’ve gone to see shows in Miami, Venice, New York, Morocco you name it. We’ve seen how shows are done. We’ve met the people running them. But what I found was, when we talk about shows that are run by people from the diaspora–Black people, whether they’re in Africa, the Caribbean, or the U.S.–there are very few. There’s PRIZM out of Miami, the Harlem Fine Art Show out of New York, Black Pony in the Caribbean. That’s about it. And people in Chicago were telling me there hadn’t been a show here organized by people of color in more than 40 years. [Artist} Nick Cave said nothing since the 2000 Colors show organized by Oprah and her partner Stedman, and the two traveling exhibitions by the Harlem Fine Art Show. CGN: Why did you choose Chicago to be the home base for this new fine art fair? PAK: Well, I’m from Louisiana, but a lot of my influence comes from people who were made by Chicago, Dr. Margaret Burroughs, for one. I’ve learned so much from the South Side Community Art Center and the arts organizations here. There’s so much history- from Archibald Motley to Charles White, from the Black Arts Movement to AFRICOBRA. And right now, there are two big anniversaries: the 85th of the South Side Community Art Center, and the anniversary of the American Negro Exposition, which happened here in 1940 to commemorate the end of slavery. When I realized that, I wanted to marry that history with a show that reflects where we are now. I also knew other galleries wanted to come here. Folks from Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis—they were saying, “If there was a show in Chicago, we’d do it.” So that’s where it came from. It’s the confluence of history, need, and willingness. CGN: And this year’s fair is being held in Bridgeport at the Zhou B Art Center? PAK: Yes, October 30 through November 2. We expect to have 10 different galleries, 10 different artists, and all kinds of programming. We’re doing things that reflect both the history of this city and the future of Black art here. We’re going to open with a reception that nods to the Black Renaissance. We’re going to have fun with that. I also found an image from the American Negro Exhibition that’s in the public domain, so we can reproduce it for merchandise. We want this to be a tourist destination. This is a perfect time to come to Chicago. CGN: What kinds of artists and galleries will be&nbsp;showing? PAK: We’re putting a big emphasis on Black-owned galleries and how they’ve contributed to Black artists’ careers. September Gray Fine Art Gallery out of Atlanta, Blackbird Gallery from Detroit, Waterkolours from Memphis. GangGang, the creator’s of Indianapolis’s successful Butter Art Show, will be curating an event during the show. &nbsp;&nbsp; We also have local galleries including Connect Gallery in Hyde Park, Faie Afrikan Art in Bronzeville and The Daniel Texidor Parker Gallery. Dan Parker’s been collecting art for 60 years. He came up under Dr. Burroughs in Chicago, and now has his own gallery.&nbsp; We’ve also confirmed artists including Dr. Thomas Lockhart out of Denver who is just finishing a residency in Martha’s Vineyard. Eric January, a local artist who was awarded the Derrick Adams Residency will be joining us, as well D. Lammie Hanson, whose work was featured during the 2024 Venice Biennale. Many of the artists who have been involved with us since 2018 will be showcased. The caliber of the creativity is exciting. CGN: What would be your ideal outcome after this first fair? PAK: I want people to say it was a wonderful event. I want it to be financially successful–for the galleries and for us. Our Pigmented Store will be fun and revenue generating, something we’ve learned from the shows we’ve attended. &nbsp;&nbsp; But really, we want to do it again. That’s the dream. CGN: And longer term? Where do you hope the fair goes in the next 5–10 years? PAK: The Harlem Fine Art Show has been going on for 17 years. PRIZM has been around about 10. I’d love for this to become that. But personally I also want to be able to go on vacation. I want this to be something the next generation can take on. We’re already working with organizations including&nbsp;the Flourish Fine Arts Accelerator, I Love Art (ILA), and Englewood Arts Collective, and these young people are doing amazing work in the arts. I’m honored to be associated with them. I hope they see this as something they can take further, and I’ll be there to help, but from the sidelines. It’s a passion for me. I think it’s something that needs to be done. And I hope people see that it’s something that needs to continue, even when I’m not doing it. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760116784/ebly1h9gehmul0lxa67b.jpg"> <h4>The Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire</h4>October 30–November 2, 2025Zhou B Art Center&nbsp;1029 W. 35 th St. Chicago, IL 60609<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.pigmentintl.com/pigmentedblackfineartfaire" target="_blank">pigmentintl.com/pigmentedblackfineartfaire</a>

Launching Legacy: The Inaugural Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760048898/romowui6o23wdjjraqh0.jpg"> By CGN Staff 3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit that supports artists in the performing, teaching, and visual arts, has announced 17 recipients of its annual 3Arts Awards. The organization will distribute more than $1 million in grants this year, a $400,000 increase from previous years, in direct response to widespread national cuts in arts funding. <blockquote>“A thriving city depends on a thriving arts community,” said Cat Tager, Executive Director of 3Arts. “Right now, our arts community faces mounting challenges with each new day, each news cycle, and each trip to the grocery store. Recognizing this critical moment, so similar to the onset of the pandemic, 3Arts will dramatically increase our support for artists this year.”</blockquote><h3> </h3><h3>Honoring Artists Across Disciplines</h3>Now in its 18th year, the 3Arts Awards recognize Chicago-area artists working in dance, music, teaching, theater, and visual art. Each awardee receives $30,000 in unrestricted support, part of the organization’s mission to sustain creative practice through direct and flexible funding.The 2025 honorees include dance artists Wendy Clinard, Chih-Jou Cheng (程之柔), and Torrence “Tea Buggz” Griffin; musicians Tommy Carroll, Ariella Granados, Kara Jackson, and Maxwell Senteney; teaching artists ebere agwuncha, Victoria Boateng, and Tom Lee; theater artists Rammel Chan, Nina Castillo-D’Angier, and Kristin Idaszak; and visual artists Jess Atieno, Leasho Johnson, Fern Logan, and Odette Stout. The 2025 3Arts Awards Celebration will take place Monday, November 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph St.), featuring performances by past awardees including The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, D-Composed, and an aerial collaboration by Michel Rodriguez and Jacinda Ratcliffe. Tickets ($150–$300) include a reception, ceremony, and after-party, and are available at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.3arts.org/tickets" target="_blank">3arts.org/tickets</a>. Proceeds benefit both 3Arts and the Center for Native Futures. <h3>Expanding Reach and Emergency Support</h3>This year’s program introduces two new awards in Music and Visual Arts for artists in downstate Illinois, presented in partnership with Artspace Southern Illinois, expanding 3Arts’ geographic reach.In total, the organization will increase the number of awards and emergency funds available:<ul><li>17 artists will receive $30,000 awards (up from 10 in 2024).</li><li>Six Next Level Awardees will each receive $50,000.</li><li>The Make a Wave microgrant program grows from 10 to 40 artists, each receiving $2,000.</li><li>More than $150,000 in emergency funding will be distributed to artists facing financial hardship.</li></ul><h3>Visual Arts Awardees</h3>Among this year’s visual arts honorees:<ul><li>Jess Atieno explores diasporic histories and identity through printmaking and research between Nairobi and Chicago.</li><li>Leasho Johnson, a Jamaican-born artist, investigates Black queer identity through painting, installation, and sculpture.</li><li>Fern Logan, a photographer and professor emerita, is celebrated for her Artist Portrait Series documenting prominent Black artists.</li><li>Odette Stout, a Chicago-based artist and drag performer, creates multimedia performances examining technology, transformation, and community.</li></ul><h3>Investing in the Future of the Arts</h3>Founded in 1912 and relaunched in 2007 with its current awards program, 3Arts has distributed more than $8.2 million to over 2,500 artists across the region. Its support prioritizes women artists (66%), artists of color (74%), and Deaf or disabled artists (17%).At a time when public and private arts funding has declined nationally, 3Arts’ expansion underscores its belief that investing in artists is investing in community resilience. Read about all the 3Arts Awardee Bios <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.3arts.org/awards/3arts/2025/" target="_blank">here</a>.

3Arts Increases Artist Support in Response to National Funding Cuts

<h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617284/mzij9sq1gvtv94hsfet6.jpg"></h1><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/silver-lining-the-prints-of-derrick-adams" target="_blank">Silver Lining: The Prints of Derrick Adams</a></h1> Oct 8 - Dec 19 Opening: Thursday, Oct 9, 7–9 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/tandem-press" target="_blank">Tandem Press</a> – Madison, WI <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617287/xfcn7npwpaclzqgjb1nk.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mapping-outside-the-lines" target="_blank">Mapping Outside the Lines</a></h1> Oct 9 - Feb 14, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/newberry-library" target="_blank">Newberry Library</a> – Gold Coast <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617291/qc4m57fmqnjezmr7lp8c.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/recycled" target="_blank">Recycled</a></h1> Oct 10 - Oct 18Opening Friday, Oct 10, 5–9 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-art-center-highland-park" target="_blank">The Art Center Highland Park</a> – Highland Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617295/qbxxof7jtj4hmiy4rmiu.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/closing-reception-erosion" target="_blank">Closing Reception: Erosion</a></h1> Friday, Oct 10, 2025 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/chicago-grand-gallery" target="_blank">Chicago Grand Gallery</a> – Humboldt Park <h1> </h1><h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617307/vf5sicll62sozimhk5as.jpg"></h1><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/vesna-jovanovic-carnival" target="_blank">Vesna Jovanovic: Carnival</a></h1> Oct 11 - Feb 15, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/hyde-park-art-center-hpac" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC)</a> –&nbsp;Hyde Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617308/ypegrkbipbrfnx3qf4ng.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/csi-project-space-group-exhibit" target="_blank">CSI Project Space: Group Exhibit</a></h1> Oct 11 - Nov 21 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/chicago-sculpture-international-csi" target="_blank">Chicago Sculpture International (CSI)</a> – Bucktown <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617309/ttnqivxq4uviktndcu0t.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/spaceshift-collective-garden-activation" target="_blank">SpaceShift Collective Garden Activation</a></h1> Saturday, Oct 11, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-arts-club-of-chicago" target="_blank">The Arts Club of Chicago</a> – Streeterville # <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">VIEW FULL CGN CALENDAR HERE</a></h4>

New Exhibitions and Events: October 9-11

By CGN Staff Today after months of turmoil and press attention about the state of the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), it was announced at the Chicago Cultural Council meeting that Clinee Hedspeth has resigned as as DCASE Commissioner. A new local arts advocacy group,&nbsp;Artists for Chicago,&nbsp;was created in April of this year with a mission to collectively share a voice on behalf of the city's artistic community because of concerns about DCASE and its leadership. In the following months the group worked to raise awareness about what it saw as dysfunction in one of the city's key departments that has offered vital support to artists and cultural organizations. In April the group's public letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson said, "We write to share our deep concern about the dysfunction in the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Our sector depends on DCASE to be a partner in local government that is available and responsive to the community's needs and a strong advocate for the economic and civic power of the arts. Last month marked the first anniversary of Clinée Hedspeth's&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/culture-the-arts/2024/03/18/chicago-names-clinee-hedspeth-cultural-commissioner" target="_blank">appointment</a>&nbsp;as the City of Chicago’s Commissioner of DCASE. Over the last year, through revelations in the media, reports from DCASE staff, and statements from the community, it has become evident that the urgent needs of the arts and cultural sector are not currently being met." The letter outlined the problems facing the artistic community and the tangible solutions and leadership it sought. Artists for Chicago shared an updated message to their community today: Dear Artists for Chicago and Others: At today's meeting of the Chicago Cultural Council, Clinee Hedspeth's&nbsp;resignation as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events was announced by the committee's co-chairs. You can read more about it in this piece by the Chicago&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/10/07/chicago-cultural-commissioner-dcase-clinee-hedspeth-resigns-city-hall" target="_blank">Sun Times</a>. Many months ago, we asked you to trust us by signing onto a Letter of Concern to Mayor Brandon Johnson. Because of that letter, the staff at DCASE felt seen and heard, substantive changes occurred, and real accountability happened.&nbsp; Some individuals have faced retaliation for signing the letter or speaking out in the media. They lost opportunities, grants, and roles. This is not acceptable and should not be tolerated.&nbsp; Artists for Chicago hopes to continue its work holding elected officials accountable to the creative sector and fighting for what we need in the upcoming elections. Thank you for being part of this work with us. The Artists for Chicago Team # Key image credit:&nbsp;DCASE Chicago YouTube

Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Clinee Hedspeth Resigns

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759868147/c1vmdz0pck0jb6dquyuj.jpg">At left: The Peterson children engaging with art in Andi Crist’s studio. “Our family’s most recent acquisition is a ceramic sculpture by Andi Crist that she made as part of a benefit sale, with proceeds going to the Chicago Artists Coalition. CAC is an incredible resource for artists in our city and an important space for the art-curious to connect with creatives who are living and working here.&nbsp; We bought one of her pieces for ourselves and two as gifts for friends–I highly recommend considering artwork when you are seeking an extra-ordinary present for someone special.&nbsp; As a bonus, Andi let us come for a studio visit when we organized our pick-up. It was an absolute treat for our family to explore materials and ideas with Andi.&nbsp; We’re all looking forward to seeing her upcoming show, Live Laugh Labor, at the Cleve Carney&nbsp;Museum of Art (opening October 16).”

CGN Collecting Stories: Lauren Peterson

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Doug VanTress founded The Golden Triangle in 1989 in Chicago’s River North arts district and it has been a national source for Asian and European luxury furnishings ever since. The Golden Triangle moved to West Town a couple of years ago. We spoke with Doug about what’s new in his Grand Ave. space and what projects are bringing him the most joy. 2035 W. Grand Ave. Chicago, IL 60612 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://goldentriangle.biz/" target="_blank">goldentriangle.biz</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759869218/czow0faradoqtdeme0qu.jpg"> CGN: Please share how things have been going at the Golden Triangle this year.&nbsp;Doug VanTress: Things are going well! We’ve had our best year so far (first 7 months) since 2019. So it feels like our transplanted tree, so to speak, is doing well again after losing a few leaves, and a branch or two, on the way from downtown. Designer interest is high and the neighbors are really coming in. West Town is doing very well, and lots of shoppers come in on Saturday, with their kids and dogs. CGN: What has been your wildest project or installation recently?&nbsp;&nbsp;DV: Our biggest installation by far is at La Casa de las Flores in Little Village. It opens this fall. The theme is flowers and beautiful wooden architecture. They selected Indian arches and columns, and we created a plan to divide the space. It’s fabulous! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759869219/hvbym8yi5t4whnli0ngo.jpg"> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759869220/pxaxlyg1fy7hbawbvsb8.jpg"> Above: Pre-work as well as the final results for a custom installation for a client. Golden Triangle fabricated a custom art piece from vintage Indian cement molds for a the entryway to a client’s modern condo, hiring a local metal worker to make the frame. VanTress says, “Ancient and modern projects take the edge off of modern (sometimes sterile) interiors.” CGN: How are things in West Town?&nbsp;DV: West Town is having a moment. It’s quietly booming.&nbsp;(Don’t tell anyone–we want to expand on Grand.) There is a lot of small, in-fill development going on everywhere.&nbsp;There must be 100 projects going up north of Grand, South of Chicago, between Western and Ashland. Some are multi-unit. Others are single-family. The diversity of the neighborhood is off the charts, and it’s very livable, with parking on the street for your friends, walking to restaurants and shops, good bus service to downtown, easy driving north or south. I talked to a young couple that just moved from New York into a home near Western Ave. (Western!) They said West Town feels like the part of Brooklyn near Queens. They have a baby, and the schools are good, too.&nbsp; CGN: What favorite local spots can you share? • JJ Bangkok Street Food – Thai1715 W. Chicago Ave • Tuman’s [Tap &amp; Grill] – Old-school tavern2159 W. Chicago Ave. • Dark Matter – CoffeeThe Mothership738 N. Western Ave. #

Checking–In: Doug VanTress – The Golden Triangle

<h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617236/prj3rq1urpkcfiy1si0n.jpg"></h1> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/25th-anniversary-benefit-auction" target="_blank">Arts of Life 25th Anniversary Benefit Auction</a></h1> Saturday, Oct 4, 2025 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsoflife.org/event/25thbenefitauction/" target="_blank">Details and tickets</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/circle-contemporary-arts-of-life" target="_blank">Circle Contemporary (Arts of Life)</a> at Epiphany Center for the Arts (West Loop) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617236/davd4nh8oyudqbrzmoam.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/theaster-gates-unto-thee" target="_blank">Theaster Gates: Unto Thee</a></h1> Sep 23, 2025 - Feb 22, 2026 Opening: Saturday, Oct 4, 2025 (check website for details) <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/smart-museum-of-art" target="_blank">Smart Museum of Art</a> (Hyde Park) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617237/upq6tff3t1lbztflvvgq.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/andrew-light-the-shadow-caster-variations" target="_blank">Andrew Light: The Shadow Caster Variations</a></h1> Oct 4, 2025 - Nov 16, 2025 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/krasl-art-center" target="_blank">Krasl Art Center</a> (St. Joseph, MI) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617238/z5qeedojbegbzeysdgpe.jpg"><h1> </h1><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/gods-of-small-things" target="_blank">Kaushik Sunder Rajan: Gods of Small Things</a></h1> Oct 2, 2025 - Oct 26, 2025 Opening: Saturday, Oct 4, 2025 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/perspective-photo-gallery" target="_blank">Perspective Photo Gallery</a> (Evanston) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617239/xne7kqmzjyi5qkbwvhbo.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/modern-vintage-chicago-oct" target="_blank">Randolph Street Market's Modern Vintage Chicago</a></h1> Sunday, Oct 5, 2025 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/randolph-street-market" target="_blank">Randolph Street Market</a> (Ravenswood)

New Exhibitions and Events: October 4 and 5

<h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617210/rjx8jow9izsnfpxyrnt7.jpg"></h1> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/scott-burton-shape-shift" target="_blank">Scott Burton: Shape Shift</a></h1> Oct 3, 2025 - Dec 20, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM Also on view: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/the-joffrey-ballet-in-the-us" target="_blank">The Joffrey + Ballet in the U.S.</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ellen-altfest-forever" target="_blank">Ellen Altfest: Forever</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/wrightwood-659" target="_blank">Wrightwood 659</a> (Lincoln Park) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617212/ocgrcwtqfncbxwy0mjep.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/william-blake-brothers-bones-beside" target="_blank">William Blake: Brothers’ Bones Beside</a></h1> Oct 3, 2025 - Nov 9, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/gallery-victor" target="_blank">Gallery Victor</a> (River North) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617213/ncte8gpmkb6ghajmofri.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/cinematic-dreams" target="_blank">Cinematic Dreams</a></h1> Oct 3, 2025 - Nov 15, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/hilton-contemporary" target="_blank">Hilton Contemporary</a> (River North) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617215/zo8gsyat9ygtoms0904o.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/found-in-place-tiffany-stronskys-abstract-exploration-of-belonging" target="_blank">Found in Place – Tiffany Stronsky’s Abstract Exploration of Belonging</a></h1> Oct 3, 2025 - Nov 1, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/oliva-gallery" target="_blank">Oliva Gallery</a> (Logan Square) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617217/fepjwxg6iadpnl4cqk2h.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/beyond-the-fold-a-journey-through-the-realms-of-jason-brammer" target="_blank">Beyond the Fold: </a></h1><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/beyond-the-fold-a-journey-through-the-realms-of-jason-brammer" target="_blank">A Journey Through the Realms of Jason Brammer</a></h1> Oct 3 - 5, 2025 During West Town Art Walk Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/chicago-truborn" target="_blank">Chicago Truborn</a> (West Town) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617218/hxtxkmwbvlokjkkxrf1x.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/michael-banning-my-window-is-a-garden-gate" target="_blank">Michael Banning: My Window is a Garden Gate</a></h1> Oct 3, 2025 - Nov 8, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 17, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/kim-storage-gallery" target="_blank">Kim Storage Gallery</a> (Milwaukee) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617219/f09w33ujejfqqofihsk5.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/entwined-landscapes" target="_blank">Entwined Landscapes</a></h1> Oct 3, 2025 - Oct 31, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/vivid-art-gallery" target="_blank">Vivid Art Gallery</a> (Winnetka) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760617221/sts24bjhrlqcodjmrdmt.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/elyse-martin-moving-on" target="_blank">Elyse Martin: Moving On</a></h1> Oct 2, 2025 - Oct 24, 2025 Opening: Friday, Oct 3, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/arc-gallery" target="_blank">ARC Gallery</a> (West Town)

New Exhibitions and Events: October 3

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758209666/iao496ahlxlp20wt78sx.jpg"> “Although we’ve been writing about art for the last 15 years on Colossal, 2025 marks our first fall art season as gallerists. We’re thrilled to be working with twin sisters Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez on their exhibition, Speak of the Devil, on view at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joymachine.art/" target="_blank">Joy Machine</a> through September. It’s a very Chicago show, complete with the checkered brick patterns seen on many of our buildings and scenes of the artists’ beloved community here in the city.&nbsp;We’ve also had the pleasure of working with Maria Gaspar, Bryana Bibbs, Raoul Deal, and Swoon at the Haggerty Museum of Art in Milwaukee. Titled <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/no-one-knows-all-it-takes.php" target="_blank">No One Knows All It Takes</a>, this project explores the connection between personal health and collective wellness through the lens of immigration, addiction, caretaking, and incarceration. We hope the exhibition inspires empathy and solidarity in a time of profound devastation and grief.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Christopher Jobson  & Grace Ebert – Joy Machine

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758826732/oflbqwmhh7wxawsrwegk.jpg"> Christopher (“Kit”) MaxwellSamuel and M. Patricia Grober CuratorThe Art Institute of Chicago “We recently reopened our newly redesigned galleries of European design, 1600–1900, following more than three years of collaboration with the Barcelona-based architectural firm Barozzi Veiga. It’s an elegant and striking space, and I’m looking forward to sharing both the galleries and the exceptional collection they display with our audiences.&nbsp; This fall, I’ll begin work on an updated edition of the Thorne Miniature Rooms publication, featuring new research and photography, set for release in early 2027, offering a welcome update to a longtime favorite. In spring I’ll be curating a special installation of important, never-before-published Renaissance ceramics on loan from a private collection—a rare opportunity to present these remarkable works to the public for the first time.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Christopher (“Kit”) Maxwell

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758732840/rddftzys8pb0myroxu36.jpg">Tony Fitzpatrick Artist, actor, writer Tony Fitzpatrick has a new book out soon, The Sun at the End of the Road: Dispatches from an American Life, with an opening celebration at Great Lakes Tattoo in the West Loop on October 4. Fitzpatrick sports many tattoos himself, several of which are his own designs. In addition to being a sought-after space to get inked, Great Lakes Tattoo is also home to the Great Lakes Tattoo Gallery, a dedicated art space. Fitzpatrick shared with CGN an excerpt from the forthcoming book, which can be purchased from Eckhartz Press <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/the-sun-at-the-end-of-the-road-dispatches-from-an-american-life/" target="_blank">here</a>. – GV <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758732841/lxqumybniargm0e09f4a.jpg"> <h3>THE MYSTERY OF COCK ROBIN (1969)</h3> More and more, an Albert Camus quote—about artists taking a long, arduous journey to rediscover the images which first opened their heart—feels true to me. As a kid, I loved signs, and Chicago was full of them. I memorized signs in Villa Park and Lombard as a way of navigating, and I especially loved the Cock Robin one because of the rainbow cones you could get there: three neon-bright, square scoops of sherbet. I also loved their burgers, which is not to say they were good. They weren’t. They were buffalo pucks but, as a kid, I ate all manner of garbage—happily—and I never stopped loving these. As a teen, Cock Robin was a safe place to hang out. The management didn’t seem to mind, as long as you consumed your share of Silver Dollar shakes and burgers. It was on Main Street, a draw for every kind of kid: greasers, potheads, jocks and oddballs like me were welcome. Kids from different cliques got to know each other and flirt with one another. I came to realize greaser girls were hot, but you ran the risk of getting your ass kicked for chatting them up. I’ll never forget the place. It is locked forever in the amber of my memory. Especially that sign—with its jauntily dressed robin, complete with top hat. I almost got a tattoo of it. Hell, I still might. Me and my delinquent friends took delight in informing the nuns we were going to “CA-a-a-h-h-C-K Robin.” They were a humorless lot of Felicians—mostly Polish, mostly from the old country. Sister Asunta was a straight-up psychopath. She would beat the snot out of you with beads, fists and the knotted rope she wore around her habit, signifying she was, in fact, a Bride of Christ. No wonder Jesus died a virgin. The nuns suspected we were saying something dirty but couldn’t really prove it. Knowing us though? They guessed it was unsavory and sinful, which is what we intended. I can tell what kind of neighborhood I’m in—anywhere in the world—just by their signs. The drive on Los Angeles’ Sunset Blvd from the Pacific to downtown LA takes you through every American circumstance and appetite, from penthouse to outhouse and back again. One minute, you’re driving through tony Bel-Air, and soon you’re among the walking wounded of East LA. The drive is amazing at night, when Los Angeles looks like a fleet, dark, sleek animal decked out in lights. I get what people love about it; on that majestic ride, everything looks possible. There are no Cock Robin burger joints in LA; they have Rick’s Drive In &amp; Out—way better food, with an iconic sign of its own. People who have had near-death experiences say, “Your life flashes before your eyes,” or some such jive. Maybe they’re not all the way wrong; I experienced something like it during my heart surgery. I found myself revisiting familiar places, situations and circumstances. Like déjà vu, but with greater resonance: the images that had first opened my heart. I saw the Cock Robin sign, and their rainbow sherbet cone from forty years ago; I saw the side of our ranch house from my childhood, where my mother grew lily of the valley and my sister kept rabbits. They felt like missives from a childhood, waving goodbye. # <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758732842/pmzskogvpovm3ecjmo4w.jpg">

Stories from Memory: Tony Fitzpatrick Shares Tales and Art

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758596298/scncoinyqcdtooilmge3.jpg"></h3>The painting that didn’t get away: Eric White, Orgonomic Functionalism Conference, 1973 “We have a ‘one that got away plus a silver lining’ story about collecting.&nbsp; A few years ago, we had been eyeing a striking painting by an artist we’d been following. We showed it to a friend of ours—a seasoned gallerist and art consultant—just as we were getting serious about acquiring it. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a tactical error. Before we could make a move, a client of hers swooped in and bought the piece. We were crushed, and more than a little annoyed with ourselves for hesitating. But as luck would have it, that loss led us to one of our favorite acquisitions. With our ‘art funds’ still intact, we inquired about available work by another artist we admired. To our surprise, a painting recently returned to the gallery had just become available–Eric White’s Orgonomic Functionalism Conference, 1973. It had been purchased by Courtney Cox and David Arquette but didn’t work in the space they’d planned. We loved it and snapped it up. In the end, missing out on the first piece turned out to be a blessing—because we ended up with something we love even more.&nbsp;After we bought the painting we learned that director Wes Anderson had also tried to buy it but missed out. So now every time we watch a Wes Anderson movie we say something along the lines of, ‘Your loss, Wes Anderson!’” # <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758596300/j7uwjxkmu9lpio7hvqiw.jpg">The collectors and the artist, in front of the painting. On left: Brian; center: Eric White; right: Michael.

CGN Collecting Stories: Brian Westphal and Michael McVickar

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758641325/fwuubknwcsk7r7um1yhp.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA Chicago’s own Vertical Gallery is setting off on an exciting new path. Though gallery owner Patrick Hull's decision means he is leaving the West Town space after the current show closes, he emphasizes that he is also adapting to the current art market to meet collectors where they are. And he's also not done with Chicago. Ultimately, after more than a decade of shaping the city’s urban-contemporary art scene, owner and curator Hull is leaving his physical space in order to expand his gallery’s reach to collectors around the globe. Vertical’s current group show, The Scenic Route—on view through September 27—will be the final exhibition in its West Town space. From here, the gallery will focus on art fairs, pop-ups, and destination events across the U.S. and abroad. The new approach begins this winter at Aqua Art Miami (December 3–7) and builds on Vertical’s successful presentations in Paris and New York. Chicago will remain part of the journey. In March 2026, Vertical will celebrate its 13-year anniversary in partnership with Jackson Junge Gallery, and in July the gallery will present acclaimed Dutch painter Collin van der Sluijs in collaboration with Joy Machine Gallery. Additional exhibitions are planned. As Patrick Hull describes it, “Vertical 3.0 brings our artists and our aesthetic to the world at large, and better serves the needs of a global collector audience demanding new, more interactive experiences.” Though the format is evolving, the gallery’s mission is unwavering: showing the best in contemporary art and giving artists fresh ways to connect with collectors.It’s a bold new chapter for Vertical—one that keeps Chicago close to its heart while embracing a worldwide audience. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://verticalgallery.com/" target="_blank">verticalgallery.com</a> Read CGN's spring 2020 interview with Hull <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/vertical-gallery-s-digital-embrace-how-patrick-hull-sees-art-online-long-term" target="_blank">here</a>.

Patrick Hull Announces He's Leaving West Town Location and taking Vertical Gallery Virtual 

Vertical Gallery Prepares to Take Its Vision Worldwide

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758643728/epe3m8vsraiancxt3ew7.jpg">Ching Wei-Wang, performance documentation of&nbsp;Maintain Status Quo Indefinitely, 2024 Via PR CHICAGO&nbsp;–&nbsp;Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago (MoCP) announces the 2025 Snider Prize award recipient and honorable mentions. This year, the Snider Prize has been awarded to Ching-Wei Wang with honorable mentions awarded to Annelise Duque and Selena Kearney. The Snider Prize is a purchase award given to emerging artists in their final year of graduate study. The winner receives $3,000, and two honorable mentions each receive $500 towards the purchase of work to be added to MoCP’s permanent collection. Ching-Wei Wang (Way)&nbsp;holds a BA in Foreign Languages and Literatures from National Taiwan University (2021) and an MFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design (2024). Her work in performance and photography explores Taiwan’s political histories and what she calls “the layered identities shaped by colonial histories, geopolitical tension, and ideological frameworks.” Way has a background in writing and dance, which is evident in her use of text and the movement of the body. <h3>Snider Prize Honorable Mention: Annelise Duque</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758643729/qiyjxcih2gpnameyfcyc.jpg">Annelise Duque,&nbsp;After Image, 2024 Annelise Duque&nbsp;earned her MFA from Ohio State University. Working across photography, performance, video, and collage, she examines issues of time and memory, particularly in relation to her Filipino heritage and ancestry. In her own words, she “is forever entranced by the camera’s ability to reveal both truth and lies, currently using the photograph as a method of time-travel.”&nbsp; <h3>Snider Prize Honorable Mention: Selena Kearney</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758643729/lboo1jbaujjitl9utolo.jpg"> Selena Kearney,&nbsp;Suspended Dust 1, from the series&nbsp;Shadowy Evidence,&nbsp;2025 Selena Kearney&nbsp;holds an MFA in Photography from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Evergreen State College, and a Certificate of Fine Art Photography from the Photographic Center Northwest. A member of the Coast Salish tribe, Kearney’s practice is deeply rooted in her heritage. Her work, as she describes, “centers Indigenous presence, cultural continuity, and visual sovereignty.” Working across disciplines including drawing, photography, and performance, she investigates colonial US histories while honoring and elevating the stories of the people who lived before her.&nbsp;About the Snider Prize Award <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758643730/itgeiumhjdxr19u4bq9d.jpg">Lawrence K. and Maxine Snider, MoCP DARKROOM, 2022 Through the generosity of Lawrence K. and Maxine Snider, the Snider Prize was established as a prestigious endowed purchase award supporting emerging artists completing their graduate studies. Since its inception in 2013, the prize has recognized twelve artists and awarded twenty-four honorable mentions, integrating their works into the museum’s permanent collection. This initiative reflects MoCP’s enduring commitment to nurturing new talent and advancing the field of contemporary photography. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/about-museum-of-contemporary-photography/opportunities/the-snider-prize/?mc_cid=1ea25cf0f2&amp;mc_eid=58cea278c7" target="_blank">Learn more about the Snider Prize Award</a> #

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