Warehouse art party support supports Lake County's Forever Fund
A crowd of nearly 300 people came together on Nov. 10 to celebrate local philanthropy and Lake County art at stART Something Lake County, the Lake County Community Foundation's warehouse art party.
The event marked LCCF's 15th Anniversary and is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness of local needs as well as funds for the Robert F. Reusché Operating Endowment. Over $130,000 has been raised to date for the Operating Endowment - Lake County's Forever Fund.
Attendees experienced an eclectic celebration as the warehouse at Bernie's Book Bank in Lake Bluff was transformed into the perfect backdrop for the fun, interactive evening. A diverse mix of the region's artists set up pop-up studios in the warehouse where they created pieces live on site that drew on Lake County for inspiration. From painters to street artists, muralists, sculptors, a mosaic artist and more, guests watched art created in front of their eyes, including a human model who was painted live. The newly created art was auctioned off in support of the Reusché Operating Endowment, a permanent fund which serves as the engine that powers LCCF and its work as a builder and steward of permanent charitable assets in Lake County.
"What an exciting evening," said Maggie Morales, LCCF's director of Community Leadership and Investment. "This impressive gathering celebrated the power of art and philanthropy to build vibrant communities across Lake County."
One highlight was world renowned, locally based watercolorist Mark McMahon, who served as the event's lead artist. McMahon debuted a commissioned map of Lake County in his signature style, a colorful representation of Lake County that literally put "LCCF on the map" in recognition of the Foundation's 15th Anniversary. Signed giclée prints were sold and are still available to order, all benefiting LCCF's Operating Endowment. For more information or to order prints, visit, www.lakecountycf.org.
Other local artists who joined the celebration and auctioned their artwork with proceeds donated to LCCF included: Sandie Bacon of Lake Bluff, Golden Artist Colors teacher, who paints with acrylics and is known for her paintings and commissioned murals; Jason Michael Bentley of The Art Center Highland Park, commissioned portrait painter, exhibiting artist and teacher; David E. Dallison of Waukegan, a watercolor artist who takes inspiration from his worldwide travels and also does portraits of homes and landmarks; Mary Haas of Waukegan, who paints landscapes and commissioned portraits of people's children, grandchildren, pets and family homes; Ahmed Ibrahim of The Art Center Highland Park, who specializes in one-of-a-kind mosaic designs for residential and commercial use, reproduction, restoration, consulting, and teaching the traditional art form; Shelly Johnson of Waukegan and Chicago, who uses a variety of mixed mediums, primarily acrylics and some aerosols; Carolyn McMahon of Lake Forest, who works both in two and three dimensions, creating work using ceramics, painting, bronze casting, metal, neon and slumped; Everett Reynolds of Waukegan, who creates oil paintings and large-scale murals; Matt Specht of Kenosha, Wisconsin, who creates large-scale abstract expressionist style pieces with acrylic and ink on canvas and uses colors and shapes to express emotion; and Skip Wiese of Waukegan, whose body of work includes illustration, abstracts, landscapes, cartoons and murals.
The Lake County-focused event also included a host of locally based establishments offering signature dishes and drinks. CAP Catering, a social enterprise of Waukegan-based Community Action Partnership of Lake County, served a comfort food menu. Members of the Lake County Libation Trail, including Copper Fiddle Distillery, Tighthead Brewery and Wild Onion Brewery, hosted the bars. A jazz ensemble from the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory kicked off the evening followed by The White Stallions Band, made of musicians who all reside in Lake County. Table centerpieces featured Lake County-inspired artwork commissioned from Zion's NorthPointe Resources Art 360 Program, which provides opportunities for artists with disabilities and/or mental illness.
"We were so pleased to have a chance to celebrate The Lake County Community Foundation's regional impact, and look forward to inspiring even more collective philanthropy among a new generation of Lake County donors, partners and friends," Executive Director Miah Armour said.
Sponsors for the event included William Blair LLC, Winston & Strawn LLP, Atturo Tires and Housing Headquarters, BMO Harris Bank, the College of Lake County, Grainger, Pro/Data Solutions, Razny Jewelers and Uhlmann Prices Securities with media sponsors Make It Better and Yelp.
For more information, visit www.lakecountycf.org.