40 sq. ft. Ceramic Tile Mural Unveiled to the Public Saturday, July 24 at 1 p.m.  

 

CHICAGO – Lillstreet Art Center’s community of students, teachers and artists have come together to create a 40 sq. ft public mural in honor of the art center’s 35th anniversary. Spearheaded by Lillstreet teachers Sonata Kazimieraitiene, Corinne D. Peterson and Julia Sowles, the mural is composed of ceramic tiles, tools and objects from each of Lillstreet’s eight art departments, and will be mounted on the exterior south side of the Ravenswood building, 4401 N. Ravenswood Ave., visible from Montrose Ave.  

 

The mural will be unveiled to the public on Saturday, July 24 at 1 p.m. with a champagne toast and light refreshments. Bruce Robbins, a Glencoe native who founded the Chicago art center 35 years ago and still presides as CEO, will make the opening remarks, followed by the artists and students who participated on the project. 

 

“We wanted to celebrate the joy of creativity and community Lillstreet has made possible for the past 35 years. Honoring a place that ignites the creative spark within us all, the mural design consists of light colored tiles and mirror pieces that spiral out to include bolder colors and varieties,” said Corinne D. Peterson. “Among these tiles will be representations of the various media and tools people use in Lillstreet’s many departments.”

 

“I’m so honored that the Lillstreet community is collaborating on this beautiful piece of art work for the center,” said Bruce Robbins, Founder and CEO of Lillstreet Art Center. “I never set out to be a business man. I started the art center in a converted horse barn in 1975 simply because I loved clay and wanted to have a place to make art with friends. I continue to be amazed and humbled at how Lillstreet has grown into such a vibrant and supportive community and learning center.” 

 

Encircling the ceramic tile mural will be clay hands made from molds by Lillstreet students. The hands represent the means by which community members express their creativity in the materials with which they work, and the open, guiding hand that Lillstreet has provided to so many for the past three and a half decades. 

 

Everyone at Lillstreet contributed to creating the mural. A four-week mural class taught by Kazimieraitiene, Peterson and Sowles made the handmade tiles and worked additional hours

outside class hours to collect, create and assemble all the pieces of the mural. All three teachers also work with the Chicago Public Art Group, an organization that produces quality public art through a community effort.

 

The students used pieces of broken pottery and test tiles from the Ceramics department; scrap metal and glass elements from the Metalsmithing and Jewelry departments; pieces of fabrics, old bobbins and other tools from the Textiles department; old camera parts and computer parts from the Digital Arts and Photography department; sketches, small sections of paintings and paintbrushes from the Painting and Drawing department, fabric textured clay pieces, printed clay

pieces and tools from the Printmaking department and even a spoon, fork and knife from the First Slice Café to create the mural. 

 

 

The ceramic tiles were secured on large piece of mesh and later cut into sections to be installed to the outside wall using cement, grout, installation tools and scaffolding. The installation process began on July 5 and will take continue through July 8. The mural will then be covered until it is unveiled at the public Dedication ceremony, Saturday, July 24 at 1 p.m.

 

“Creating and installing an outdoor mural is a massive task that would not be possible without the enthusiasm and support of a community,” shared Julia Sowles-Barlow. “The way Lillstreet’s community has collaborated so enthusiastically on this task is yet another example of why this place is so special and the art center continues to thrive.”  

 

In addition to Lillstreet’s state-of-the art facility, excellent materials and high tech equipment, the art center generously offers open studio time, which allows students to freely work in the art center outside of class hours. 

 

“For those people who are really interested in learning any art that they offer here, it's a great asset because you can just come in whenever you want and keep working,” said Kim Courtade, a metalsmithing student. Encouraged by her roommate to try something new, the Chicago resident started taking a metalsmithing class, not knowing if she would like it, or even be good at it. The helpful community at Lillstreet, however, welcomed her with open arms. 

 

“Everyone is really friendly,” Courtade said. “They're really encouraging; they're interested in you and what you want to do, and in your life outside of Lillstreet. It's a really great community.” 

 

Judy Timmerberg who, after working 25 years at Abbott Laboratories, tried a First-Time Artist class and fell in love with Lillstreet. She has continuously studied at the art center for the past eight years. 

 

“It's kind of like your home away from home, sort of like the bar from ‘Cheers,’” Timmerberg said. “There's always someone to talk to. You stop in and there will always be someone you know. I have made some very good friendships as a result.”