The Elmhurst Art Museum's McCormick House, designed by Mies van der Rohe, is closed.  It will reopen on October 13th. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The McCormick House is Closed through October 12th

A VISUAL MEMOIR is a solo retrospective of Cassandra Swierenga’s art practice, exhibited at the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild Gallery at the Elmhurst Art Museum.

Twenty-five years ago, Swierenga's painting journey began with an introductory class at the College of DuPage, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. In the semesters that followed, Swierenga had the opportunity to experiment with various painting mediums and techniques, such as oils, egg tempera, encaustic, watercolor, fresco, and acrylic. As Swierenga developed her painting practice, she focused primarily on realism in oils. In 2007, she started painting in watercolor and became a member of the Illinois Watercolor Society, achieving Signature membership in 2010. She briefly attended painting classes at the Art Institute of Chicago and taught watercolor painting at the Community School of the Arts at Wheaton College for five years. Swierenga joined the Elmhurst Artists Guild in 2013, where she is currently a member. She also served on the EAG Board of Directors for nine years, holding various roles including Program Director and President of the board.    

Swierenga’s style and focus have changed and evolved over the years. Early in her practice, she focused on realistic figurative portraits of children in oil, with each painting attempting to capture the innocence and spontaneity of a child. Her first solo show in 2002, “Children of Abby Woods”, showcased many of these portraits. Her style, subject matter, and mediums have evolved over the years to include works in woodblock printing, screen printing, oils, watercolors, collages, and acrylics. By creating in these different mediums, styles, and subjects, she aims for her work to capture a sense of wide-eyed wonder about life, surreptitiously giving the viewer insight into their own thoughts and feelings as they view the images. This show, covering her last 25 years of work, reflects her various experiences, influences, and explorations, which quite recently involved a deep dive into Wassily Kandinsky’s approach to art during the pandemic, where she experimented in abstract modernism.   

This exhibition, titled A VISUAL MEMOIR, will feature selections from various collections Swierenga has created over the years. The showcased pieces will include works from the watercolor Black Bird Farm series, the Rock and Water series in oils and watercolor, and her abstract watercolor series. Additionally, her latest graphite series, Looking in the Mirror, will complete the show with over 40 plus small portraits of people. These portraits demonstrate a wide range of facial expressions that can be conveyed through simple lines and shading.
Please join us for an opening reception on September 13, 2024, and take the opportunity to meet and talk with Swierenga about her art practice.

The artist's proceeds go to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy.


 A VISUAL MEMOIR is a Solo Retrospective of Cassandra Swierenga’s Art Practice

Elmhurst Art Museum celebrates 10 years of public art by artist Rafael Blanco, co-creator of Elmhurst’s own *Be Bold* mural. 

This exhibition will introduce the viewer to Blanco’s artistic journey through visual works in progress, video of Blanco’s process, and large-scale new work transforming the Museum’s galleries into its own urban landscape, filled with color, texture, and the serendipity of discovering public art in the wild.

Rafael Blanco’s work is deeply influenced by his own immigrant experience, and the beauty of embracing a new country while maintaining your own identity. Blanco extends that idea in a collaboration with nearly 100 area students, encouraging them to embrace who they are, be inspired by their own identity and culture, and let it all come out in their own work. 

Rafael Blanco creates murals that grab your attention and pull you in.   

Information about the September 6th Opening Reception and other events can be found [here](https://elmhurstartmuseum.org/events).

This exhibition is sponsored by Wintrust Bank with additional support from the Tom Watson and Mary Cunningham Family Charitable Fund, the Illinois Arts Council, Discover DuPage, and Enjoy Illinois.   

Artwork image:  Rafael Blanco, *Alcatraces*, 2024. 113" x 240"

 Rafael Blanco: Reflecting on a Decade of Public Art

The Elmhurst Art Museum has recently completed a roofing restoration project. This roofing restoration was made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.

The National Endowment for the Humanities website can be found [here](https://www.neh.gov/).

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this Elmhurst Art Museum website do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Museum Roofing Restoration

The Elmhurst Artists' Guild Summer Member Show opens on July 13th, 2024, featuring works by Katie Marisco and other EAG members. Katie will showcase some of her favorite pieces, centered around the theme "Fantastic Fauna."

Participating Artists:  Joe Abboreno • Dalia Abdelaziz • Colette Wright Adams • Judie Anderson • Kyrstin Avello • Bernard Bahr • Peter Bialecki • Kera Bjerga • Mary Blinn • John Brudek • Paul Callahan • Maggie Capettini • Sandra Chlebek • Bethany Cordero • Judy Druschitz • John Duffy • Emily F Friel • Mohammad Abdul Gafoor • Jeanne Garrett • Kathryn Gauthier • Cherylyn Gnadt • Diana Leviton Gondek • Fletcher Hayes • Nancy Hlavacek • Susan Janssen • Donald Johnson • Louie Jones • Heather Jones-Pryor • Ken Kucera • Joan Ladendorf • Kim Laurel • Cynthia Lee • Linda Lindstrom • Katie Luo • Lynn Mackenzie • Carol Marcus • Julie Mars • Nolan McCants • Jeane McGrail • Siegfried Mueller • Susan Nester • John Nester • Shereen Oehler • Dave Pryor • Anke Richert-Korioth • Janet Roller-Schmidt • Rebecca Russow • Gary Schirmer • Adrienne Smith • Annemarie Spencer Toedt • Jennifer Starchvill • Ted Strandt • Karen Sugay • Cassandra Swierenga • Catherine Tanner • Anna Toberman • Catherine Tully • Debra Vaccaro • Marlene Vitek • Charles Williams, Jr • Jeanne Yargicoglu


Elmhurst Artists' Guild Summer Member Show

*Later Impressions 2024*, the current show in the Elmhurst Artists' Guild Gallery, showcases newer work by the Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists (CAVA). The sculptures, paintings and mixed media have all been created within the last two years. There were just under 193 pieces submitted for this show, with 65 pieces accepted. 

CAVA is a volunteer not-for-profit organization founded in 1988 to serve artists aged 50+. CAVA is dedicated to giving our over 300 members throughout Chicagoland the opportunity to exhibit artwork in juried exhibitions in notable venues such as the Chicago Cultural Center, Beverly Arts Center, Bridgeport Art Center and many others throughout the years.

[More information about CAVA](https://www.wearecava.org/)
[More information about the Elmhurst Artists' Guild](https://www.elmhurstartistsguild.org/)

Elmhurst Art Museum Elmhurst Artists' Guild Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists Later Impressions 

CAVA - Later Impressions

Join us for an exciting summer of family-friendly programming exploring the visual evolution of the popular PBS KIDS show *Donkey Hodie* produced by Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures.

As featured by [the Chicago Tribune](https://res.cloudinary.com/elmhurst-art-museum/image/upload/v1717166949/Designing%20Donkey%20Hodie/5-28-24_Chicago_Tribune-Pioneer_Press_Donkey_Hodie_hndfg2.pdf), [Fox32 Chicago](https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1466410), and [Daily Herald](https://res.cloudinary.com/elmhurst-art-museum/image/upload/v1716216084/Designing%20Donkey%20Hodie/Looking_for_summer_fun_Try_a_museum_kzox39.pdf), *Designing Donkey Hodie: From Make-Believe to Someplace Else* draws audiences into the unique and creative visual world of the Emmy®-nominated, live-action puppet series. The exhibit introduces the origins of Donkey Hodie, a character that debuted on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in the 1960s and has been reimagined for the puppet series today. Attendees experience the visual development of the series through storyboards, drawings, models, puppets, set pieces, and other props from the show. 

Displays, including original concept artwork and props from the series, and multiple ways to explore the practical magic behind the imaginative puppet series, from puppet design and building to the art of set and prop design. The exhibit follows efforts by the award-winning production team from Chicago-based Spiffy Pictures and Pittsburgh-based Fred Rogers Productions to create the adventures of Donkey Hodie and her pals. 

Inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, *Donkey Hodie* is an imaginative puppet series that follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, an enthusiastic and charming go-getter who takes on each day with curiosity and resilience, and her pals Purple Panda, Duck Duck, and Bob Dog. Set in the whimsical land of Someplace Else, the series is designed to empower children ages 3-5 to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, work hard and persevere in the face of failure, be resourceful, and discover they can solve problems on their own—and laugh themselves silly along the way.

*Donkey Hodie* is produced by [Fred Rogers Productions](https://www.fredrogers.org/about/) and [Spiffy Pictures](https://www.spiffypictures.com/about-us). The series is created by Adam Rudman and David Rudman of Spiffy Pictures and developed by Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer of Fred Rogers Productions. Executive producers are Doherty, Adam Rudman, and David Rudman.

*Designing Donkey Hodie* is sponsored by DuPage Foundation and Explore Elmhurst with additional support from Lakeside Bank and WTTW. 
![Designing Donkey Hodie sponsors](//images.ctfassets.net/df2y673eghyz/6ilfrjcvRwEU59DBUe2bRg/fd0425ee62563e9c091fa83acdb98677/sponsor_logos_oxlh66.jpg)

DONKEY HODIE © 2021, The Fred Rogers Company. All rights reserved.


Designing Donkey Hodie - From Make-Believe to Someplace Else Elmhurst Art Museum Fred Rogers Spiffy Pictures PBS WTTW kids television TV show family-friendly things to do hands-on in western suburbs summer activities for families puppet behind the scenes

Designing Donkey Hodie - From Make-Believe to Someplace Else

Artwork image attribution: Peter Max, *Universal Runner*, Color Serigraph, 1970.  Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Ronald H. Stefani, Jr.

__Magic & Imaginary Realms__ presents selections from the Elmhurst Art Museum’s Collection with works by artists who share uniquely inventive perceptions of the world around us - or who invent worlds we are invited to inhabit. 

This peek into the collection draws inspiration from the whimsical worlds of the *__Neighborhood of Make-Believe__* and *__Someplace Else__*, created by Fred Rogers and continued into today's PBS KIDS show *__Donkey Hodie__*, showcased in the Museum's main galleries.

Here, we present visions of the strange and magical by artists working in a variety of media and representing a broad range of dates and approaches. Included are the completely made-up beings in works by __Peter Max__ and __Sonia Delaunay__, mystical interior spaces created by __Phillip Hansen__, oddly revealing juxtapositions framed by photographer __Caroline Allison__, or the bizarre collision of worlds experienced by __Rebecca Keller__ whilst standing at a photocopy machine, presented to us on a shoe.

The small selection of artworks presented here is indicative of the range and depth of the EAM Collection which includes works by local and regional artists together with those of international acclaim.

__Artists:__

Anonymous Japanese artist,
Caroline Allison,
Nikki Renee Anderson,
Tarrant Clements,
Sonia Delaunay,
Philip Hansen,
Sophia Harmon, 
Rebecca Keller,
Kimberly Kopp,
Aleš Lamr,
Miles Lowry,
Peter Max,
Hollis Sigler,
Nicholas Sistler,
Buzz Spector, and 
Junsuke Watarai

__Curated by Liz Chilsen,__ assistance from Holly Goodwin, Ana Rosaslanda, Karen Lecker & Stefania Camaci.

Magic & Imaginary Realms:  Selections From the Elmhurst Art Museum Collection

Exhibitions