Bloomingdale Park District Museum hosting two new art exhibitions

The Bloomingdale Park District Museum is hosting two exhibitions this month, including one featuring the work of fiber artists.

Both exhibitions - Women's Journeys in Fiber present "COLOR: Emotion, Interaction, Energy" and the Bloomingdale Artists Guild Fall Show - opened earlier this month at the museum, 108 S. Bloomingdale Road.

"COLOR: Emotion, Interaction, Energy," which runs through Oct. 30, features 24 art pieces created by Chicago area female fiber artists. The types of art vary from stitching, banners, paintings, sculptures and quilts.

John Tuleweit, the museum's head curator, said the exhibition shows how colors can express emotions such as fear, anger, or happiness.

Each piece is accompanied by an artist statement, which shares the thoughts and experiences that inspired the artist's creation. The themes include racism, climate change, inequality, feminism.

One painting called "Reflections" by artist Natasha Lehrer Lewis creates a "colorless" world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's beautiful, and there is such incredible craftsmanship," said Joe Potts, executive director of the park district, of the exhibition. "I feel like I see something new every time I walk through it. I can't say enough about how lucky we are to have this exhibit."

The second art exhibition - The Bloomingdale Artists Guild Fall Show - features 39 pieces from 13 local artists. The works include sculptures, watercolor paintings, photographs and oil paintings. Most of the pieces will be available for purchase and displayed until Nov. 6 - the same day patrons can collect the art. Money generated from the art sales will go toward a $1,000 scholarship for a high school student studying art.

"We strive to have a wide variety of works to appeal to a majority of people," Tuleweit said. "We're proud of it because it's a community resource. It has a lot of appeal to the local people to participate and those that want to enjoy art."