Artists showcasing work in West Chicago

Area artists will be displaying their works starting this month as part of the "Celebration of Art" at Gallery 200 in downtown West Chicago.

The show and sale is sponsored by People Made Visible, of which Gallery 200 is a division.

The artists displaying their works are Margaret Bucholz, Rachel DiTella, Uwe Gsedl, Nick Gurley, Judith Horsley, Fredericka Howard, Kathi Kuchler, Nate Matthews, Heide Morris and Buddy Plumlee.

An opening reception will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, at the gallery, 103 W. Washington St.

Among those new to the West Chicago art community is Nick Gurley, a self-taught traditional media artist from Warrenville, who paints in oils and acrylics in a dreamy, haunting, realist manner.

"My personal work grows from introspection and social observation that I wish to explore and share through visual art," Gurley said.

He was recommended to Celebration of Art by People Made Visible's co-founder, Sara Phalen, through their mutual connection to the Warrenville Historical Society City Museum. Phalen is the director of the historical society and Gurley served as the artist-in-residence at the Albright Studio, operated by the historical society, in 2018 and 2019.

Raised in Woodridge and a lifelong DuPage County resident, Gurley's local roots run deep.

"I am proud to be a part of a growing family of West suburban artists looking to create a hub of creativity and culture unique to our community," he said.

Along with his monthly submissions in Aurora's ArtBar pop up show, Gurley frequently works with Chicago-area musicians creating album and T-shirt art. He also has created artwork for Chicagoland music festivals but acknowledges his art is a part-time pursuit, as he works full-time at Fermilab in Batavia and raises two children with his wife, Sharon.

For details about Celebration of Art, visit peoplemadevisible.com/gallery-200/celebration-of-art/.