'Spring Into Art' with Yellow House Artists at Geneva's Gallery Walk
Yellow House Artists, an organization of artists who work in oil pastel and/or oil stick, present their spring show, “Spring Into Art,” on Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May 5, at the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., Geneva. The opening reception will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 4, during the First Friday Gallery Walk in downtown Geneva. The gallery hours are from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Art will be for exhibit and sale.
This show will feature original paintings by 21 artists. Participating artists include: LaVerne Bohlin of Aurora; Eve Sofferman of Bartlett; Nancy Gatfield and Gracia Stuessy, Batavia; Joan Minsky and Anne Marie Piemonte, Chicago; Ed Zack, Elgin; Mary Enck and Pam Hamilton, Geneva; Carol Gorman, Glen Ellyn; Sally Sharp and Roberta Sieber, Naperville; Pat Tuglus, Oak Brook; Dotti Matson, Oswego; Feng Biddle, Sandy Povall Smith, Teri Tossey, and Pat Van Dusen, St. Charles; Deann Alleman, Sugar Grove; Carol Kincaid, Wheaton; and Mary Hyatt, Yorkville.
Yellow House Artists promote both their art and the medium. These artists have been painting together at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles and/or the DuPage Art League in Wheaton with artists/teachers George Shipperley, Carol Zack and George Bruce.
The group originated with 17 oil pastel artists who had a gallery in a yellow house during the 2007 St. Charles Fine Art Show. The group has since grown to include 47 members who are interested in creating and showing their work as well as informing the public about the qualities of this little known medium.
Members of Yellow House Artists use techniques developed by their instructors, taking advantage of the special qualities of the medium.
Oil pastels were developed in the 1940s at the request of Pablo Picasso. He wanted a medium with the qualities of oil but with ease of application and portability. Pure pigment is suspended in inert mineral oil, formed into sticks with a color palette much like oil paint. To the casual viewer the appearance of the round or square sticks may belie the serious artistic application of this medium. Colors can be layered and blended, smeared or smudged, using fingers, some type of tool, or left as applied, all at the artist's discretion. The works are generally framed under glass to protect the surface image.
More information about the group and the medium can be found on the website yellowhouseartists.com.