by Nicole Sankowski | Apr 15, 2019 | Uncategorized
“Her Voice”
3rd Annual Art Exhibition, June 1 – July 26, 2019
SHOW PROSPECTUS
“Her Voice” is an exhibition of women printmakers and their guest artists. The event brings women from different art backgrounds together to interact in a shared studio space.
Who is Eligible: Women artists and those who identify as female.
Must be 2-dimensional artists (i.e. painting, drawing, collage, printing, etc). There will be a $25 fee per person to cover costs of this event.
Juried Show: Fees are only collected from those whose pieces are in the show.
Jurors: E.G. Board of Directors & Liz Born of Hoof Prints Workshop
Reception: Friday, July 19, 6:30-9:30 pm
. Special Guest Lecture TBA
PRIZES!
First place- $50
Second place- TBA during the reception!
Spend a day in our studio! All participating artists will be invited to spend a day in our studio and try different types of printmaking.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Please Register online
Work must be submitted by May 12th!
Images must be in JPEG or PDF format ONLY
Include brief write up about your piece(s)
2D work ONLY, maximum 22” x 30”
Unframed work ONLY
Email your images by May 12th to [email protected]
Hanging Fee to be assessed if selected: $25 (1-2 pieces)
Hanging Date: June 1st, 10:00 am
Sales: E.G. member retain 60% of sale, Non members retain 50% of sales
Expressions Graphics has the right to refuse any works of art.
by Nicole Sankowski | Jan 9, 2019 | Uncategorized
by The Eastgate Cafe
Over the years, the Oak Park Arts District has become well-known as a showcase for local musical talent like the Farmers Market Band and other groups that play folk, country-western, rock, and pop favorites. All of these genres can be heard at family friendly venues like the Buzz Café and the District Kitchen and Tap. Not to mention the talent and musical resources provided by Val’s halla Records for over four decades. But now the Eastgate Café offers sophisticated music lovers’ access to a treat rarely experienced outside of a handful of downtown Chicago clubs – a weekly jazz jam session for top tier professional musicians. What’s more – this entertainment is available without the drawbacks of cover charges, expensive parking fees and late hours.
Of course, the Eastgate Café has long been a venue for great jazz, rock and pop bands. But the bistro’s Sunday jam sessions offer a different perspective on America’s most unique musical art form. Jam sessions are a venue for high-quality musicians and singers to meet, practice their craft, share original compositions, and develop new connections. Audience members, on the other hand, have the opportunity to see and hear how the music they love is created. Now, every Sunday, jazz fans can unwind with their favorite drink, enjoy a delicious meal, and hear some of the top musicians in Chicago sit in with the Eastgate’s talented house band, the Doug Lalli Trio.
For local talent, the Eastgate’s jam session has been a welcome addition to Chicagoland’s jazz scene. For years they’ve had to go into town or to a few geographically scattered sessions to jam with their peers. Now players in Oak Park, Forest Park, River Forest, Berwyn, LaGrange, Elmwood Park, and other nearby suburbs can connect close to home. Joined by their neighbors, friends, and family members, they can offer their own unique contribution to Chicago’s justly famed jazz scene and Oak Park’s own arts community.
by Nicole Sankowski | Oct 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
By Whitney Parchman
Owner Elizabeth Madden celebrated the grand opening of Rare Bird Preserves late last month in the Oak Park Arts District. The space at 211 Harrison houses a commercial kitchen and multi-use retail area designed to host classes and parties.
With a background in fine arts, Madden attended the French Pastry School and quickly fell in love with small batch artisan preserve making. Thousands of jars later, the opening of the Rare Bird Preserves storefront represents the culmination of these efforts.
Upon entering the new space, visitors immediately note its relaxed elegance and are quickly drawn in by the selection of handmade goods from local and international artisans. An artisan herself, Madden’s support of others in complementary vocations highlights a movement she fell in love with over 20 years ago.
It’s no accident that her selections, much like her preserves, reflect a beautiful merging of tradition and modernity. Beyond the retail area the commercial kitchen provides the perfect setting for Madden and her team to practice and grow their craft. Inspired by the seasonal availability of locally and sustainably grown fruit, Madden uses a traditional combination of French and British preserving techniques to create modern flavor pairings.
Classic Preserves and Signature Curds such as Strawberry Rhubarb and Blackberry Lime are available year round online and in stores throughout the US. Those fortunate enough to grab an inspired exclusive blend (sometimes as few as 20 are made) enjoy unique flavor combinations such as Cherry Lime, Red Berries Rosé and Meyer Lemon Rosemary.
When asked how Madden develops these combinations she relates a cycle of experimentation, failure and reattempts. Persistence and passion have regularly guided Madden through this creative cycle and, to the delight of many palates, success. Tasting Table, an online guide for food and drink enthusiasts, describes Rare Bird Preserves as, “Deeply flavored… with intriguing combinations.” Whole Foods Market refers to it as, “Deliciously unique.” While Chicago Magazine has declared it, “The season’s perfect present for foodies.”
Patience is an equally important part of the practice. Traditional copper kettles and unrushed production methods allow the fruits’ natural pectin to be extracted. This traditional extraction method is an art in itself. According to Madden the process is simple, however, any-one who has attempted to make their own jam knows the best intentions can lead to either a syrup-like or overly dense consistency. In an effort to thwart failure, hobbyists and mass-producers alike frequently use a combination of animal gelatin and additives. The consistency may be a relative improvement, however, the flavor is often less vibrant.
Each jar of Rare Bird Preserves, in contrast, celebrates each ingredient’s natural beauty, taste and texture. When asked what she loves most about making her preserves and curds, Madden responds, “Just a few ingredients, put together properly, can have spectacular results.” We agree!
Check out Rare Bird Preserves in per- son at 211 Harrison Street right here in the Oak Park Arts District and online at RareBirdPreserves.com. Follow their mouthwatering Instagram @rarebirdpreserves.
by Nicole Sankowski | Sep 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
by Whitney Parchman
In 2015 neighbors Jen Gold, Lauren Elliott and Lindsay Monroe became fast friends while in the throes of caring for their young children. They shared labor and delivery stories between carting their kids to various activities and navigating life as new moms.
They reflected on the challenges of transitioning into postpartum life. Through this sharing they realized women weren’t hearing and talking enough about the birth process. They also saw a deficit in resources for women who wanted to make educated decisions.
Fast forward to May 2018 when this trio of moms-turned-doulas opened the Birth Boutique.
Established in the vibrant and family-friendly Oak Park Arts District, the Birth Boutique provides childbirth and postpartum doula services, professional photography, a lending library and classes for expectant and new parents and a thoughtful collection of retail items perfect for gift giving.
Doulas are more than just birth companions or coaches. They’re professionals trained to provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to mothers before, during and after childbirth. Doulas provide these support measures so families feel empowered to advocate for themselves.
Says Gold, “There are so many options when it comes to birth and postpartum. We want to pro- vide women with as much information as we can to enable them to make the best decision for themselves. Ultimately the decisions are yours and should reflect what is best for you and your family.”
The popularity of doulas has increased over the years, however, there are still lingering miscon- ceptions about their role. People often assume doulas are only for home and/or unmedicated births. In reality, the majority of births attended by Gold, Elliott and Monroe take place in the hospital. Of those births about half require some type of medical intervention.
Regardless of what type of birth a woman plans, the consistency of doula support provides com- fort and positive outcomes in potentially stressful circumstances. Many women see a variety of medical care providers throughout their pregnancies. It’s difficult to predict who will be on call when a woman goes into labor.
States Elliott, “There’s comfort knowing the person next to you. They’re there to help you in whatever way you need at any given moment. You won’t receive that attention without a doula.”
The underlying philosophy at the Birth Boutique is that support is available no matter what kind of birth you’ve planned. This support also extends beyond birth into postpartum. According to Monroe, “We have an incredible line-up of free community workshops for families to learn, grow and connect with others.”
When asked why she was drawn to the role of doula Elliott replies, “I was fortunate to have a doula by my side for my first birth. She made me realize that I have the power within myself to do anything. From that moment on, I knew I needed to support women in the way that my doula supported me.”
For more info on the Birth Boutique check out their website. For convenient and up-to-date info on their free community workshops and to view a sampling of their beautiful photography follow them on Insta- gram @thebirthboutique. Welcome them to the neighborhood in person at 128 Harrison Street right here in the Oak Park Arts District.
by Nicole Sankowski | Aug 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
August 31st, 1998 was a momentous day in our lives, and, as it turns out, the lives of many Oak Parkers.
After purchasing the vacant building at 905 S. Lombard and renovating it for 3 months, Buzz Café opened at 6am that day. The walls were largely bare, the chairs were plain wood, there were no planned events or live music… We served coffee, tea, juices, so- das, cookies, scones, muffins, pastries and a handful of sandwiches. Not to mention, we only had me and 3 employees to run the place.
Over the next few days, weeks and months, Buzz Café changed in order to meet the demands of our customers. We immediately hired 12 people in the first week to manage the amount of business, then customers started asking if we would serve eggs, toast, sausage, bacon etc…SO, we started making hot breakfast items.
Then an artist came in and asked if he could hang his art on the walls and advertise them for sale—I said, sure, and we started selling local art. A musician came in and asked if she could play live music in the evenings, I said, I think that would be great, and we began scheduling live music. A political organizer came in and asked if he could schedule an event at the café, I said, of course, and we started hosting events.
We also listened to our customers asking us for different food items and longer hours, so we expanded our menu to include organics, vegan, vegetarian etc…and our lengthened our hours. By the end of our first year in business, it was almost unrecognizable from our initial concept of a simple coffee shop. In 1999 we moved into the apartment above the café, as we realized how much easier it would be for us to do so.
We lived there for 8 years and had 3 out of our 4 kids while living there. In those days, the Café was a way of life for us, not a job. We did it 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Those were not easy years. I think back on them fondly now, but at the time, it was tough. Somehow we were able to manage through tough times—9/11 terrorist attack, the recession, rising food costs, power outages and a million more crisis! Through it all, customers kept coming.
We also formed meaningful friendships with MANY customers during that time. Friendships that continue on today and have enriched our lives in incredible ways.
Buzz Café, as you know it today, is the way it is because of YOU. All of the many customers that came through our doors and asked for something new.
We have built our business by listening to and doing what YOU have asked and now we are thought of as an “institution”. I am humbled and grateful everyday for the opportunity to serve the Oak Park community for an unbelievable 20 years.
This year, we decided it was time to refresh the restaurant. We are open 361 days per year and have done that for 20 years. The wear and tear that we have put this building through is incredible. The time has come for new floors, storefront, equipment and lighting. We will be closing for 2 weeks to accomplish this momentous task.
We hope you will join us on our official 20th birthday for a celebration to honor our customers. We will have FREE coffee and cake all day, live music throughout the day and our awesome partner Metropolis Coffee Company will be giving out free samples. The renovations at Buzz Café, will hopefully improve the customer experience as well as take care of some sorely needed repairs and updates.
The timing could not be better, as our neighbors, throughout the Oak Park Arts District are also in renovation mode! It is a very exciting time for the area, the neighborhood and for Oak Park. I have been pleased to be a part of the re-birth of the Arts District and help further define it as an “Arts” District.
Our re-investment in the building and neighborhood, will hopefully sustain us for the next 20 years. In the picture at the top of this page, you will see my family. Some of you may even know my daughter Lydia and Irene as servers in the café. Next year, Henry will join the Buzz work force. My hope is that the café will be here as an anchor for the foreseeable future and perhaps, one of my kids will choose to take it on as their own, one day…who knows!
