Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest Returns To Rogers Park This August

The popular Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (GAAF) returns to Rogers Park for its 18th year on August 17-18, 2019, bringing more than 120 artists and two outdoor music stages to the Glenwood Avenue Arts District, steps from the Morse Red Line 'L' stop at 6900-7000 N. Glenwood Avenue and 1300-1500 W. Morse Avenue. Admission is free to the public. The Fest includes an art fair, live entertainment with more than 30 acts, kids' artmaking activities, food and drinks from local restaurants, and live demonstrations of performance art and artmaking. A list of highlighted artists can be found below.

The Fest will start with an Opening Night Kick-Off Jam (music only, limited artist vendors), Friday August 16, 6 - 10 p.m. on East and West Stages, 1300 W. Morse (at Wayne) and 1500 W. Morse (at Greenview), followed by the Outdoor Festival on Saturday, August 17 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sunday, August 18 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. For more information and a complete list of participating artists, visit www.GlenwoodAve.org.

GAAF 2019 showcases over 120 artists from a vast array of disciplines including painting, drawing, sculpture, glass, ceramics, pottery, photography, wood, textiles, metal art, mixed media, jewelry, and more. This year's highlighted artists are:

Daniel J Johnson (Painting) Born on the South Side of Chicago, Johnson creates a mix of life like surreal illustrations of jazz scenes, cityscapes and African American history, with subject matters chosen to provoke thoughts and emotions.

Eugene Pembroke (Photography) Pembroke captures moments of life as he sets foot across the globe, the result of which is photographs that present a simple recurring theme: the extraordinary nature of ordinary life.

Jackson Ocheltree (Glass) Ocheltree has been blowing glass since he lived and worked in a glassblowing shop in 2010 while studying chemistry and museum conservation at New Mexico State University. Featuring elements suspended in glass, the intricate orbs he creates exhibit dramatic optical illusions designed to engage the viewers' minds in an abstract and tantalizingly intangible space.

Eva Ansellem (Painting) Ansellem creates unique abstract paintings that represent a marbling style post impressionism.

Laura Gardner (Painting) Gardner is versed in depicting natural and street scenes from her travel across Europe and Southeast Asia, intricately capturing the colors and spirits of each culture.

Hiroshi Ariyama (Screen Prints)

Ariyama produces a series of original screen prints "Our City, Our Neighborhood," comprised of simple urban scenes that enhance aspects of reality through graphic manipulations of light, color and texture, with the intent to capture an emotional point in time within each scene whether it be nostalgic reflection, simple observation, or a happy glance into a moment's fleeting possibilities.

Lewis Lane (Mixed Media) A narrative visual artist and illustrator from Chicago, Lane uses "resonant" materials (re-claimed windows, found-glass and recycled cardboard) as tools to reveal an ongoing story by an "enlightened" typeface designer named 53947. The results are paintings containing bold-color, elevated layers and interlocking "linework," as well as an ongoing cardboard sculptural series, "cardboard forge."

GAAF is presented by the Glenwood Avenue Arts District, with leading sponsors Heartland Cafeì, Morse Fresh Market and Clark/Morse/Glenwood Special Service Area #24. Additional support is provided by the nonprofit Rogers Park Business Alliance.

"The arts are an important component of our diverse Rogers Park community," says Sandi Price, executive director of Rogers Park Business Alliance. "The Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest brings together the whole community including our residents, local businesses, and artists, while showcasing to thousands of visitors the rich cultural legacy of our neighborhood."

Detailed GAAF programming information is as follows:

Outdoor Art: More than 120 artists will exhibit on Glenwood and Morse avenues, offering a diverse selection of works. Each booth displays hand-made work by the artist, giving attendees a unique opportunity to purchase original artwork directly from the artist. Mass-produced merchandise is not permitted. Many artists have developed an avid following through ongoing Fest participation.

KidFest Area: Free hands-on arts activities for kids, sponsored by Morse Fresh Market.

Two Festival Stages: More than 30 bands will perform live, original music during the weekend. Schedule will be announced at www.GlenwoodAve.org.

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