Exhibit shows three generations of artists

For Britta Renwick of West Chicago, art is a medium that brings you home. She and her two sons, Sean and Alec, share a multigenerational creative gene that hails from Lucerne, Switzerland, and Klaus Luebben, Britta's father.

"Generations of Art," an exhibit and sale, is open through November at Gallery 200's new location, 103 W. Washington St., West Chicago.

Luebben's painting

Born in northern Germany in a town called Wilhelmshaven, Luebben is fond of saying that most of his art has been eaten. He explained to his daughter and grandsons when they visited Switzerland recently that after World War II there was little left of their hometown, so he and his new bride picked up and moved to Zurich.

In Zurich, Klaus went back to school so he could find work, but he still made time to paint - an avocation that helped him remember his German home. Many of those paintings were sold to fellow students at school and the money used to put food on the table for his growing family.

One painting that survived and is a featured piece in the Gallery 200 exhibit is a study of a boat on a beach in his northern Germany hometown. It was painted on the back of a chest of drawers, as art supplies were an extravagance the family couldn't afford at the time.

Luebben's love of art was passed down to his two daughters, Britta and Karen. Each developed her own style and technique. Britta likewise passed the love of art forward to sons Sean, 16, and Alec, 14. Her mantra has been, "When you don't feel good, go create something."

Renwick's work

Renwick's work runs the gamut from photography, handcrafted jewelry and, most recently, 3-D art. Her experimentation over the summer with a handmade papier-mâché clay product applied to an original photo canvas brought new dimension to her photography.

"I literally couldn't stop working on it," she said. "It makes me feel good."

The result is a mixed-media work in which her photographic subject is extended texturally through the application and manipulation of molded clay. The labor-intensive and multifaceted technique builds until the subject seemingly bursts from the canvas.

Several pieces are on exhibit and sale during "Generations of Art."

Sean's portraiture

Inspired by his mother's work, Britta's older son, Sean Renwick, a junior at West Chicago Community High School, uses photography as a springboard for "drawing things where you want them to be," he says.

His self-taught, special niche is drawing people and characters' facial expressions, real or imagined, and his favorite method includes the use of Copic markers. His portfolio includes Han Solo of Star Wars and Harry Potter's Draco Malfoy, as well as some portraits he brought to life from his imagination.

A piece he calls "Lady Matterhorn," which incorporates a modern-Rococo style he learned about in history class, combines his interpretation of the jagged-tooth mountain range in Switzerland with the draping gown of the mythical Greek goddess Hestia.

Sean says he views his art as a great stress reliever for his challenging academic schedule at the high school. While he doesn't plan on pursuing a career in art at this time, he says it will always be a part of his life.

Alec's 3-D

Alec Renwick became a fan of the ancient art form of origami when his dad introduced it to him when Alec was 4-years old. "I went insane for that," he says.

Since then, he has created multiple paper sculptures, including a 1,048 piece origami swan, and continues to develop a love for 3-D structures.

"For a number of years, all he wanted for Christmas was duct tape," his mom said.

Indeed, his venture into "ductigami" provided an outlet for creating a wider array of art, including a line of functional art he has given to friends and family. Wallets, jackets, handbags, even a ductigami suit, are some of his most expressive works to date.

Alec's interest in mechanical engineering, an area he hopes to pursue in college, has been incorporated in his art as well. His inventive applications of duct tape, with an eye for the mechanics of an object, have led him to create games, including a skee ball claw machine and a crank shaft mechanism he calls Alien Shooter.

Gallery 200's hours are noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For information, visit westchicago.org.

If you go

What: "Generations of Art," an exhibit of works by three generations of artists in one family

When: Noon to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through November

Where: Gallery 200, 103 W. Washington St., West Chicago

Cost: Free

Info: westchicago.org