Blue Moon Gallery announces lineup of artists for 2023

GRAYSLAKE – Blue Moon Gallery in Grayslake announced its lineup of Collective Artists for 2023 – Kathleen Heitmann, Michael Litewski, Kendra Kett, Juli Janovicz and John Kirkpatrick Jr. They will be showing their artwork in the gallery this year.

All are professional fine artists from northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin with distinctive careers in the visual arts.

The gallery will continue to host monthly Artist Receptions on Fourth Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. so visitors can see the latest offerings from these artists. The first reception is from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 25 at the gallery, 18620 Belvidere Road in Grayslake. Patrons are encouraged to bring their favorite winter beverages to enjoy.

Heitmann of Buffalo Grove is new to the Blue Moon Collective this year. Her paintings are bold, colorful and flowing – using line, shape and edges to emphasize movement – drawing the viewer in and enticing the senses. She works primarily with acrylics and oils, often texturing her paintings with many layers, using multiple art tools she buys or creates herself. She adds additional texture and layers using charcoal, oil pastels and acrylic markers, bringing in more depth, excitement and variety.

After a yearlong break to build a new studio, Litewski of Zion returns to the Blue Moon. Litewski creates art that examines the impact of societal trends, cultural phenomena, media and national and world events on the notion of “house and home.” The traditional “house” shape, along with strong color and design, figure prominently in Litewski’s 2D and 3D compositions.

Also new this year as a Collective Artist is Kett, the gallery’s director and owner. Kett, who resides in Gurnee, creates vibrant, color-saturated, highly detailed watercolor pencil and colored pencil drawings focusing on healing and recovery after loss and grief. Kett also will be the gallery’s first featured artist of the year, showing 25+ drawings on paper and mixed media works on canvas.

Returning Collective Artist Janovicz of Kenosha, Wisconsin, specializes in floral watercolors.

Kirkpatrick Jr. of Libertyville also is returning as a Collective Artist. He is an award-winning painter specializing in figurative expressionism. His preferred medium is acrylic paint applied to large canvases, which allows him to work fast and fearlessly, creating vastly expressive moods via fresh, spontaneous creativity.

The gallery recently sold its 500th piece of fine art – “Humanity” by Michael Bellefeuille – in just over 3½ years of operation.

A new lineup of Affiliate Artists, whose art is available on the gallery’s website, has been finalized. The gallery’s Affiliate Artists are Tony Armendariz, Kristin Ashley, Michael Bellefeuille, Joan Bredendick, Matt Darst, Frank Fitzgerald, Jeanne Garrett, Samira Gdisis, Christine Graf, Mary Neely, Bob Nonnemacher, Laura O’Connor, Paul Pinzarrone, Jaynanne Ridder, Russ Riendeau, Les Scott, Rebecca Stahr, Colleen Steenhagen and Sally Wille.

For information, visit www.thebluemoongallery.com or call 224-388-7948.