Fox Valley artists launch ‘Expressions in Color’
Submitted by Yellow House Artists
Yellow House Artists, an organization of artists who work in oil pastel or oil stick, will present their spring show, “Expressions In Color,” Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, at the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., Geneva.
The opening reception will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 6, during the First Friday Gallery Walk in downtown Geneva. The gallery hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Art will be on exhibit and for sale.
This show will feature original paintings by 22 artists. Participating artists include Eve Sofferman of Bartlett; Nancy Gatfield and Gracia Stuessy, both of Batavia; Eileen Bosic of DeKalb; Mary Enck, Pam Hamilton, Joan Rieck and Marian Sommers, all of Geneva; Roberta Sieber and Sally Sharp, both of Naperville; Pat Taglus of Oak Brook; Dotti Matson of Oswego; Feng Biddle, Jo Cawthra, Sandy Povall Smith and Teri Tossey, all of St. Charles; Deann Alleman and Louise Rand, both of Sugar Grove; Laura Gerard of Trout Valley; Ellen Shelhamer and Stefanie Taranto, both of Wheaton; and Mary Hyatt of Yorkville.
Yellow House Artists is a group of oil pastel artists who promote both their art and the medium. These artists have been painting together at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles and the DuPage Art League in Wheaton with 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 48 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 unique techniques developed by their instructors, taking advantage of the special qualities of the medium. Shipperley, Zack and Bruce will be part of the Geneva exhibit. Shipperley and Zack will be present during the reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 6, to discuss their artwork.
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 at yellowhouseartists.com.