Yellow House Artists to exhibit work at Elgin Artspace
Yellow House Artists, an organization of artists who work in oil pastel and/or oil stick, will present its fall show, "Wish You Were Here," Oct. 17 to Nov. 19 at the Elgin Artspace, 51 S. Spring St., Elgin.
The Artists' Reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, will provide the opportunity to meet the exhibiting artists and enjoy the exhibit of nearly 90 paintings.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday; closed Friday.
Artwork will be for exhibit and sale. This show will feature original paintings by 30 participating artists, including:
Aurora: George Shipperley
Batavia: Deann Allema, Michael Lejcar
Chicago: Jen Stanley
Downers Grove, Carol Kazwick
Elburn: Judith Niemet
Elk Grove Village: Diane Danese
Geneva: Mary Enck, Fran Stilwagner
Glen Ellyn: Donelle Flanyak
Hampshire: Lillian Pagni
Huntley: Mary Siebert
Muskego, Wisconsin: Jim Eldlebeck
Naperville: George Bruce and Maureen McKee
Oswego: Dotti Matson
Park Ridge: Carolyn Seng
Plano: Donna Ostrye
Roselle: Beverly Miotke
St. Charles: Jim Foght, Rupali Kumbhani, Teri Tossey, Pat Van Dusen
Schaumburg: Irene Peterson
South Elgin: Carol Zack, Ed Zack
Waterford, Wisconsin: Hope Bailey
West Chicago: Victoria Wortley
Wheaton: Carol Kincaid
Winfield: Nancy Gillespie
The show will feature four paintings by George Shipperley, an Aurora artist who was inducted into the Fox Valley Fine Arts Hall of Fame in 2014. He holds the distinction and prestigious honor of being the first awarded Signature Member of the Oil Pastel Society.
Fans of oil pastel around the country consider him the "guru" of the oil pastel medium. Shipperley has been a teacher and mentor for many members of the Yellow House Artists. His influence and support led to the formation of the group in 2008.
The members of Yellow House Artists are oil pastel artists from the Chicago area. A group of 17 oil pastel artists, all students of George Shipperley, had a gallery in a yellow house during the 2007 St. Charles Fine Art Show.
The group has since grown to more than 40 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, taking advantage of the special qualities of the medium. The group will celebrate its 10th year in 2018.
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.
With Shipperley's retirement from regular teaching, three Yellow House Artist members, who were introduced to oil pastel by Shipperley, now introduce the oil pastel medium to students - George Bruce at the DuPage Art League in Wheaton, Maureen McKee at the Naperville Art League and DuPage Art League, and Carol Zack at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles and the DuPage Art League.
More information about the group and the medium can be found on its website, www.yellowhouseartists.com.