Feb. 23: CLC art gallery presents architectural paintings by Roland Kulla

An exhibit of paintings by Chicago artist Roland Kulla will open at the College of Lake County on Feb. 23 and run through March 24. The exhibit will kick off with a reception from 6-8 p.m. Feb. 23 in the gallery, located on CLC's Grayslake Campus, 19351 W. Washington St. The reception, which is free and open to the public, will include refreshments and live music.

The exhibit will focus on urban architecture. "I am fascinated by the built environment," he said. "I reflect on what the structures tell about their builders as well as their interaction with nature and the results of time. Since 1998, I've focused on the engineering ingenuity that created Chicago's many bridges. Structural elements are abstracted from their context and painted with a hard-edged realism on a scale that highlights the monumentality of the forms and the creativity necessary for their existence."

Kulla works in a variety of mediums and had a varied career path before becoming a full-time artist in 2002. He was a social worker, caseworker, administrator, researcher, teacher and consultant. He has also created set designs, restored two Victorian-era Chicago homes and currently enjoys a former tavern as a live/work studio that has extensive gardens. Kulla is represented by ZIA Gallery in Winnetka.

The Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art on the Grayslake Campus is located at 19351 W. Washington St. The gallery is committed to displaying the works of Illinois artists and increasing the visibility of nationally known artists in Lake County.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The gallery is closed Sundays. For more information, call the Communication Arts, Humanities and Fine Arts division at (847) 543-2040.