Gallery II

April 2024: Sue Kryzanowski – “Artist in Training”

Gallery II is excited to showcase the talent of Sue Kryzanowski in an exhibit she calls “Artist in Training.”

Sue is a retired supply chain professional who had an affinity for art her entire life. She started drawing at a young age tracing her favorite musical artist, Elvis, from magazines.

She received her first “blue ribbon” in the sixth grade for a painting of a haunted house on a window in the Lawndale neighborhood.

The summer before high school, she enrolled in a drawing class at the Art Institute of Chicago, with the hopes of honing her skills.  High school found Sue a very serious student, however, and she fell out of drawing practice.  Finishing high school in three years, she went on to study at Loyola University of Chicago, where she obtained a degree in Psychology.

After graduation the corporate world followed, then a family.  As her family grew, she often found a pen in her hand and drew flowers, hearts and other little designs on her daughters lunch bags!  Knowing how much she enjoyed doodling, her children gifted Sue with The Fundamentals of Drawing class at the DuPage Art League along with supplies, so she could rekindle her creative side.  Graphite, charcoal and eventually pen and ink took over. An early retirement in 2016 allowed Sue to expand her talents to include pastel and advanced levels of drawing.

To this day, Sue is not only a passionate hobbyist, but also an award winning artist.  This wonderful show runs the month of April, and you can meet the artist in person at a reception on April 7th, 2:00 – 4:00.

 

March 2024: Nature’s Beauty – Watercolor and Pastels by Vicki Liszewski

The DuPage Art League is thrilled to present the work of Vicki Liszewski this March in our Gallery II.

One of Vicki’s first drawings at about age three was proudly pasted into the family album and trotted out to embarrass her often: an elephant with two of it’s legs emerging from the middle of it’s stomach. The arts were encouraged in her family so extra art classes soon corrected the anatomy error. She’s been making art ever since.

Exceptional high school art teachers gave her a superior grounding in the fundamentals of art and a career goal. She attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison as an art major with an area of emphasis in drawing and completed a B.S.E. in art at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

Beginning in high school she spent most of her working life as a graphic designer, typographer and corporate Art Director with brief stints as a K-12 art teacher and a not-for-profit office manager. Over her career she has designed everything from record album covers to parking garage signage to web sites, and typeset everything from cookbooks to computer manuals. She mastered the elementary art teacher’s “art cart” and is proud to say her high school students were accepted in state-wide shows. There were many interesting projects along the way but there was no time for fine art outside of work.

Approaching retirement Vicki decided to return to watercolor and pastel. She took an evening watercolor class with Kay Wahlgren at the DuPage Art League and was hooked. Since then she has taken workshops with Tony Couch, John Salminen, Arleta Pech, Andy Evenson, David R. Smith, Dan Danielson, David R. Becker, Robert Krajecki and several other watercolor and pastel artists. She likes to consider herself a life long learner and has taken classes at the LaGrange Art League, the Naperville Art League, Peninsula School of Art and Dillmans Art Workshops.

Nature, birds and landscapes are her main subjects in watercolor and pastel. Depicting the beauty of nature realistically but expressively is her goal. The process of seeing as an artist sees and translating that vision to paper is something she finds endlessly thrilling.

She is a member of the Nature Artists Guild of the Morton Arboretum, the Chicago Pastel Artists and the DuPage Art League.

Awards: 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 DuPage Art League shows: Merit, Special Merit, and Theme awards
2019 Danada Nature Art Show: Animal and Plant categories honorable mention awards
2022 Danada Nature Art Show: Animal category honorable mention award

This exhibit will be on display March 1 – 31.
Please join us for the reception! Friday, March 8 at 7pm.

 

February 2024: Best of the Best

The DuPage Art League (DPAL) is excited to bring back “Best of the Best,” the renowned gallery exhibition, featuring the works of more than 50 award-winning artists from 12 suburban art organizations. The exhibit allows artists and art lovers an opportunity to view the work of artists who have been recognized by their peers.

This year’s participating organizations are: Addison Art Guild, Artists’ Association of Elk Grove Village, Aurora Art League, Downers Grove Art League, DuPage Art League, Elmhurst Artists’ Guild, La Grange Art Guild, Lemont Artists Guild, Midwest Collage Society, Naperville Art League, Oak Brook Art League, and Yellow House Artists.

Best of the Best, last held in 2021 has been absent from the arts scene since the dissolution of The Alliance of Fine Art in 2022. The Alliance had been established in 1962 as a non-profit professional association of art organizations.

An awards ceremony and artists reception, will be held Sunday, Feb. 4, from 2 – 4 pm. at the DuPage Art League, 218 W. Front Street, Wheaton. This event is free and open to the public.

October 2023

The DuPage Art League is happy to showcase the Plein Air Painters for October in Gallery II.

This group uses their power of observation to visually and emotionally create stunning pieces from nature and landscapes.

The group meets every Friday morning from May through October, gathering at different venues around the area to capture an impression every week of new landscapes.  They spend an enjoyable morning not only enhancing their skills, but also to enjoy time with other artists.

All levels and mediums are invited to join this group and the criteria is to have fun!  Leave your name and contact information with one of the wonderful front desk volunteers and you will get next year’s schedule.

This fun and unique show will run the month of October in Gallery II.  Come on over and see the art created at places you may recognize!!

September 2023

Barbara Holmes

The DuPage Art League is excited to showcase the magical artwork of Barbara Holmes!

Barbara “Bunny” Holmes is an award-winning artist with more than forty years of artistic experience. Her studies include courses at the Art Institute in Chicago, IL, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL and with individual instructors like George Shipperley and others throughout the Chicagoland area. Barbara enjoys working in watercolor, oil pastel, acrylic, and pen & ink. She is particularly interested in exploring nature’s intrinsic values of pattern, color and line and she enjoys embellishing her realities, looking for the whimsy and drama in her subjects.

Barbara’s work has been shown throughout the United States, in Europe, and throughout the Cayman Islands. Her most notable exhibit was at the National Gallery on Grand Cayman. There, her painting titled “Cayman Island Angel, Guardian of the Fishes,” a watercolor celebrating the glory of Cayman’s wonderous waters, beautiful reefs, and schools of fish, was inspired by her hours spent snorkeling, floating weightless, and feeling grateful to God for such blessings. She began her fascination with the Cayman Islands decades ago and has resided both in the Cayman Islands and the United States. “All of Cayman’s shores are dotted with humble churches of every denomination, as a testament to the beliefs of the Caymanian people, where God is not only welcome, but is truly honored,” said Holmes. In addition to her art, Barbara was married for more than 50 years, she raised three children, was a registered nurse and a school social worker, she wrote a parenting book, and filled their lives (and home) with horses, dogs, geese, cats, rats, rabbits, raccoons, even a monkey. “I still get excited painting any kind of animal: mammal, fish or fowl,” says the artist. “My impressionistic paintings tell a story. Not verbally, per se, but through composition, color, and design.”

The show runs the month of September. The reception will be held 2:00 – 4:00 on Sunday, September 10th.

For commissions, lessons, art workshops or for more information about the artist and her work, please contact the artist directly: bunnyholmes2001@yahoo.com.

August 2023

Theresa Ratterman

The DuPage Art League proudly honors the memory and beautiful art of Theresa Ratterman, one of our long time members and one of our longest serving volunteers, until she passed away at the lovely age of 95 in 2021.

Theresa began painting with oils in 1955 and joined the Art League shortly thereafter. This was the beginning of her love of the arts. She staffed the front desk for over 20 years and participated in the League’s rotating shows; exhibiting at banks, libraries, and other public buildings along with the monthly exhibits at the League itself.

Theresa worked in many mediums over the years; oil, acrylic, pastels, pen and ink, and pencil. Most of her work was of the natural world; landscapes, flowers, the environment. Theresa studied with many teachers at the Art League and all enjoyed helping her hone her skills. She also painted weekly with her dear friend and mentor, Grace Magill for many years. All her teachers were a major influence and inspiration on her journey to becoming an accomplished artist.

Theresa’s words: “The DuPage Art League has been an important part of my life, giving me the chance to express my love of art and gather with like-minded people.”

Please come and enjoy the art show and share in our heartfelt tribute to a dedicated volunteer, artist and friend.

This lovely show will run the month of August.

June 2023

Volunteer Show

The DuPage Art League is very excited to be presenting the upcoming Volunteer show in June. Highlighting the work of acclaimed artist Andy Warhol, our volunteers were invited to enter their interpretation of his style in their own personal artwork for all to enjoy. The art league volunteers are not only talented artists themselves, but also offer their time and
services to help build professional networks, and share art techniques and skills. They make certain the art league is an enjoyable, welcoming place giving all a chance to learn from people they might not meet otherwise.
Please stop by and view this excellent show in June.

 

 

May 2023

Susan McClean

The DuPage Art League is excited to exhibit the artwork of Susan McClean in Gallery II.

As a child Susan began drawing and painting from the beautiful scenes in National Geographic Magazine, and first painted in oils – saving her weekly allowance to buy canvas and paint tubes.

Careers sometimes get in the way of creative pursuits; but Susan enjoyed an illustrious corporate career in color imaging science & technologies with a major manufacturer – thus always working alongside clients to improve their color imaging expectations and results.

Along came retirement from the corporate world and Susan Joined the Dupage Art League – rekindling her love of the creative arts. Classes in drawing & painting, as well as volunteering at the front desk have provided continuous inspiration and the rewards of encouraging others to get back to what they love.

A passion for travel, nature, and exotic locations inspires her photography; and when weather, subjects, and lighting all cooperate the result can be an expressive photograph that is a work of art on its own. Being a purist, her photography is not manipulated or digitally enhanced.

She also uses her catalogue of images from around the world as well as our own back yard here in Wheaton to inspire “Paintings with a sense of Place” and the fun of reliving the spirit of a memorable destination.

Come and visit Susan’s exhibit in the month of May.

April 2023

Pamela Hamilton

The DuPage Art League is happy to highlight the vibrant art of Pamela Hamilton for the month of April!

Says Pamela:  “For me, art is like breathing.  It has always been in me, it just had to get out.  As a toddler, I would stick my hands in my mom’s plants and use the dirt to paint the walls.” From this earthly beginning, she has blossomed into an award-winning pastel artist and teacher.

She attended Chicago’s School of the Art Institute, then later studied graphic design.  She began her career in print and publishing, eventually becoming Art Director of Country Sampler Magazine.  The twists and turns of her life and career shaped her perspective and technique, and in 2012 she made the leap-of-faith decision to pursue art full-time.  Pamela’s words: “I’m inspired by the beauty all around me and from there it’s all about color and seeking the light.”She enjoys painting with oils and acrylics, but finds soft pastels more conducive for her lifestyle; “Soft pastels are immediate and versatile.  They are portable, tactile and rich in saturation.  I love their buttery, paint-like quality.”

Pamela is represented by Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Fish Creek, WI.  She is a Signature member of both the Pastel Society of America and the Chicago Pastel Painters and an associate member of the American Impressionist Society, American Women Artists and DuPage Art League.

Participating in more than 100 exhibits, including top-ranking fine art fairs, juried international competitions and solo exhibits, she has earned four awards for Best of Show and dozens of awards in other categories.

Some of her noteworthy accomplishments:

2021 – Feature article in the August/September 2021 issue of International Artist Magazine

2021 – Faculty Member of the 1st Annual Pastel Live-A Global Virtual Art Conference

2018 – Richeson Soft Pastels custom curated an instructor set of Pastels, “Pamela Hamilton Basics and Brights”, available at JudsonsArt.com

2017 – Hamilton’s painting “Haytime” was featured on Ampersand Pastelbord’s Spring Retail Promotion

Plan to take some time to view the beautiful art of Pamela Hamilton in Gallery II.  You won’t be disappointed!  Her work will be on display the entire month of April.

 

March 2023

Cathy Raef-Dunnigan

The DPAL is excited to present the art of Cathy Raef-Dunnigan for the month of March.

Cathy grew up in a neighborhood of Chicago with her interest in art beginning as a child, watching her grandfather sketching at the kitchen table and being in awe of the paintings he created. She has sketched, drawn and painted ever since.

Cathy studied drawing at the American Academy of Art in Chicago.  When she retired from a successful marketing career six years ago, she joined the DuPage Art League where she took classes in color theory, acrylic and oil painting.  She also attended palette knife painting workshops.  In addition, she studied color pencil with Beechtree Studio in Geneva, IL.  She was an active participant in  the Plein Aire and Front Street Salon groups and helped to curate Gallery I exhibits at the DuPage Art League.

She moved to Minnesota last summer and wasted no time in becoming an active member of her town’s Art Lab, sharing her expertise by teaching color pencil workshops.

She and her husband are avid travelers and photographers.  The photos serve as references for much of her work.  Cathy is accomplished in four media; acrylic, oil, color pencil and graphite.  Her choice is based on the subject matter along with, when and where she will be working.

Outside of art fairs, Cathy’s work has been displayed at the Kavanagh Gallery in St. Charles, the Hopkins Art Center in Minnesota and in the DuPage Art League, where she has earned numerous awards for her stunning art.  Cathy’s color pencil window series was recently featured in Color Pencil Magazine.  Her art is owned by lucky collectors in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, California and New Mexico.

Cathy says nothing compares to the connections she makes with those who recognize and want to own a scene she has drawn or painted.  You will find her talking art and travel at Art Fairs in Illinois and Minnesota each summer.

Keep up with Cathy at facebook.com/ArtbyCARD or at instagram.com/Art_by_CARD

 

This beautiful collection of her work will run the month of March in Gallery II. Artist reception March 5, 2:00pm – 4:00pm, 2023.

 

February 2023

Children’s Exhibit

Children are born creators. The DPAL is excited to begin its 2023 Gallery II season by encouraging and nurturing this natural act by showcasing young, artistic talent. Bring your children to see the exhibit and perhaps they too, will want to sign up for a class with the art league’s exceptional teachers who help inspire children in their journey into the world of art! Come and enjoy the Children’s Exhibit for the entire month of February.

October 2022

Plein Air Painters

The DuPage Art League, Gallery II, will showcase our Plein Air Painters, the group of artists promoting the tradition of painting the landscape directly from life. Using observation to gather information, the artists create visually and emotionally stunning pieces. Each Friday morning from May through October, they gather at different venues around the area to capture their own impressions of the landscape. Not only do they enhance their skills, but they do so enjoying the time spent with other artists.

If you think you might be interested in participating in this fun painting experience, leave your name and contact information with one of our wonderful front desk volunteers. Your information will be added to next year’s mailing list for the Plein Air schedule. All levels and mediums are
invited and welcomed. The only criteria is to have fun! Come see this unique show which runs the month of October.

Artists reception: October 9th 2:00 – 4:00

September 2022

“Art for the Joy of It” by artist Linn Eldred

Linn grew up in Lemont, Illinois raising her family in Lockport, currently residing in Bolingbrook. Art and Natural Science were foremost in her activities, and she spent time either drawing pictures or leading neighborhood kids on a hike in a neighboring wood.

The Morton Arboretum always held a special place in her heart, making it difficult to decide which season she liked best; spring daffodils, vibrant, green summers, the colored leaves of fall, or the winter snow. Nature art objects are what she enjoys most when creating, for to her, there is no equal for variety of shapes and colors.

With talent in many mediums, her favorites are acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink and colored pencil. Drawing and painting are meditative to Linn, and “time seems to stand still” when she works on a piece.

Schooling began at the Art Institute of Chicago as a teen. A BS in Ed in Physical Science and Fine Art were obtained from Northern Illinois University. A MS in Ed degree in Strategic Human Resource Development from the University of Illinois followed. Later, she also obtained a Bachelor’s and Master’s certificate in Art from the Morton Arboretum.

A career highlight was to have been chosen as the 2013 featured artist in Spring’s Nature Artist Guild Show. She has exhibited at many libraries, hospitals, private art shows and studios. She is a published artist in “Seeding the Snow”, “Wordeater”, and the “Nature Artists Quarterly”
periodicals. Several of her pieces are in private collections and she continues to earn well deserved awards for her art.

The DPAL is honored to showcase this fine artist in the month of September.

 

May 2022

Meet “Nature’s Beauty” artist, Marge Hall

While many of us know Marge Hall from her years of teaching at the DuPage Art League, her bio may fill in a few things you didn’t know about her. Enjoy!

Marge Hall was born and raised in Chicago Illinois. She lives in Winfield and has four sons and ten grandchildren. She graduated from Southern Illinois Vocational Technical Institute with a degree in Commercial Art. After working as a package designer she came to the DPAL and took classes with two abstract instructors. While that was enjoyable, her passion went back to realistic painting. In 1971 the League asked if she would consider teaching and her classes have been full ever since. She has also taught at the Oak Brook Art League and the College of DuPage and has done many demos. Wheaton Library was her most recent program. 

A workshop in 1992 led her to her enlarged flower series of over 350 paintings. She creates an almost three-dimensional effect by layering the oil paint and enhancing the colors and values. It can take 30 to 60 hours to create a painting in this manner. She has won numerous awards at Galleries and Art Fairs but feels helping her students find their own style is her biggest reward. Two quotes relate to Marge, “Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” and “Take time to smell the roses.”

March 2022 – Annette Lieber

The DuPage Art League Gallery II presents “Passage Thru
Time,” an exhibit by artist Annette Perone Lieber. While
embracing contemporary techniques, she likes to discover the
intricate in all objects, especially those of the hidden
microscopic world.

February 2022 – Don Purney

February’s Gallery II Exhibit at the DuPage Art League features pastels by Don Purney. While in grade school, he went through hundreds of sketchpads, desktops, textbook covers and paint by number sets, but it wasn’t until college that he took his first art class. His years in the Navy and then as an air traffic controller took priority until he retired and signed up for a pastel painting class at the DuPage Art League. Don remarks that he’s been having a ball ever since, painting whatever strikes him as interesting! In his words, he does it FOR THE FUN OF IT!

October 2021 – Plein Air Painters

This month we feature some of the works of our Plein Air Painters. Each Friday morning starting in May, a group of painters meet and paint their surroundings. Join us next year!

September 2021 – Diana Mitchell 

Diana Mitchell’s subjects vary but are primarily landscapes, often from rural areas. Barns, which are fast disappearing from the Midwest, become the focal point of many of her paintings. Other landscape themes result from plein air painting or from her travels. She seeks to convey a mood, a glimpse of rural America, or an immersion in nature.

August 2021 – Children’s Classes

Gallery II welcomes the DPAL Children’s Exhibit.
Plan to be amazed and delighted at the talent of our young, local-area artists. From the wide array of classes offered at the league, they work in acrylics, watercolor, colored pencil, mixed media and cartoon drawing. Bring your kids to see the exhibit, too—they might want to try a class themselves. Classes are for ages 6 to 16.
Our current list of inspiring instructors and classes includes:
Amazing Acrylics: Margaret Bucholz
Drawing: Cherie Matousek
Colored Pencil: Margaret Bucholz
Watercolor: Margaret Bucholz
Mixed Media: Cherie Matousek
Art Party: Carolyn Abramofsky
Storytelling and Cartoon Drawing: Charles Welch

July 2021 – Sue Thomas

The July Gallery II exhibit, “When Tumblers Click,” features the pastel art of Sue Thomas. The catchy title refers to her many years of R.V. travels where, against all odds, the many things that could and did go wrong in her R.V., would fall into place just in time. She attributes her good fortune to a guardian angel traveling with her! Those road trips that used to be saved in slide show format are now remembered in her pastel art.
Sue graduated from Western Illinois University in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. This parlayed into a career in Graphic Art. Most of Sue’s career was in the printing industry where she wore many different hats over the years. She was a silkscreener, keyline department supervisor, production artist and color proofer. She worked with Graphic Artists to make prototypes of their designs, cutting Rubylith overlays, making negatives using a camera so large she would have to climb a ladder. Her experience included airbrushing, embossing, construction and many other important skills. Most impressive was her ability to mix every color in a PMS book by eye. Incredible! When Sue retired from this hard but rewarding work, she soon got back to her Fine Art roots. Enrolling in a variety of classes and mediums at the DuPage Art League, she found herself drawn, especially to soft pastels. Sue has won many awards in the art league’s monthly exhibits.

May 2021 – Best of the Best

April 2021 Exhibit-  by Eve Sofferman

 

Our April Gallery II Exhibitor, Eve Sofferman, talks about her love of art.

I have always enjoyed drawing and painting. I have tried various media, but since discovering oil pastels in classes with George Shipperley, I have worked exclusively in that medium. I love creating visions of sunset and ocean scenes. My favorite subjects are Door County harbors and Sarasota ocean scenes. 

I am originally from St. Louis Missouri where I attended Washington University School of Fine Arts. I have studied at the DuPage Art League in Wheaton as well as the Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, Il. I am a member of the Yellow House Artists, a group of artists who work in oil pastels and oil sticks, and promote that medium and participate in gallery shows. I am a member of the DuPage Art League as well as the Wayne Art League.

My art has been exhibited at the DuPage Art League, The Fine Line Arts Center, Art in Your Eye art fair in Batavia, Bartlett Public Library, Peck Farm Gallery, the Geneva History Museum, Norris Gallery in St. Charles, the Elmhurst Art Museum, Mayslake Mansion in Oakbrook, and the Palette and Chisel in Chicago.

Contact Information: 630-372-3385

msoffer1@comcast.net

March 2021 Exhibit-  by Chris Hughes

The DuPage Art League is featuring Christopher Hughes as the Gallery II artist for the month of March. Chris likes to paint with acrylics, oils and pastels. He was a fine art major at Utah State University before changing to a business major at Boston University. His experience living abroad and traveling brings inspiration to his work. Some of his paintings have traveled to special exhibits in China and Russia as part of a fine arts cultural program. Chris has earned recognition and awards in competitions in Texas and Illinois including Best of the Best nominations here at the Art League. He is part of a weekly art critique group and serves as co-leader responsible for organizing and mailing newsletters for Artist-Show n Tell.

Website:  www.hughespaintings.com
Email:   chris@hughespaintings.com