Artist donates painting to Allendale Association
Artist Diane Nelson, whose paintings are featured at the Sheridan Road Gallery, recently donated one of her signature works to Lake Villa's Allendale Association, the 118-year-old facility for kids in crisis.
Nelson presented her gift Thursday, Sept. 10, during the Allendale Shelter Club's Back to School event. The Shelter Club has supported Allendale's efforts for more than a century and is the nonprofit's largest private donor.
"Diane's beautiful image certainly captures the spirit of Allendale, and we were thrilled to have it showcased at our event," said Nanette Jenkins of the Shelter Club.
The original piece, named "Breaking Free," will hang at the Rhonda Alter house in Highland Park. Rhonda Alter house is a community-based group home for girls ages 15-18, who are transitioning toward independent living. Many of the girls have suffered abusive, traumatic pasts.
The dreamscape features a young woman who appears to be breaking through a physical boundary into a brighter time and space.
"When I got the idea for the painting, I was visualizing a young woman breaking out of the shadows," says Nelson.
"It turned out to be very appropriate for the girls at Rhonda Alter house. I hope it inspires them to move forward toward a healthy, happy future."
Nelson is known for her Surrealist-influenced works, which integrate biology, fine art, and themes of transformation and healing. The background textures in "Breaking Free" are inspired by microscopic cell patterns.
That's because before turning to art full-time, Nelson was one of Chicago's foremost medical illustrators. She and her company, Biomedia, which she sold in 1999, created many of the anatomical charts used in doctor's offices today. Her interest in what lies beneath the surface remains evident in her work.
Nelson's art can be viewed at Sheridan Road Gallery in Highland Park and at DianeNelsonStudio.com. For more information about Allendale, go to www.allendale4kids.org.
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