FUSEDChicago artists come to Blue Moon Gallery

GRAYSLAKE – Blue Moon Gallery presents a new group exhibition, “Small Wonders,” featuring 37 pieces of encaustic fine art created by FUSEDChicago artists.

The exhibition opens Oct. 28 and is on view through Dec. 3.

FUSEDChicago is an organization of artists in the Midwest who share an interest in encaustic, a method of making art using pigmented wax fused to a surface by heat.

FUSEDChicago artists are represented in art galleries locally and nationally, have been included in world-class expositions, including EXPO Chicago and SOFA (Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design) and have work in collections throughout the world.

“Small Wonders” presents 37 encaustic small works created by 19 FUSEDChicago artists and is the perfect avenue to explore the many forms of encaustic art. The exhibition is engaging and interesting for its diverse and innovative applications of the encaustic medium as well as for its beautiful presentation of dynamic color saturation, rich textures and imaginative compositions. All of the works in the exhibition are small, under 20 inches, and perfect for holiday shopping ideas.

FUSEDChicago artists live and work in the Midwest, including Michigan, Wisconsin and the Chicago area. “Small Wonders” artists are Dan Addington, Alexis Arnold, Carrie Baxter, Kathie Collinson, Cat Crotchett, Bob Fesser, Alicia Forestall-Boehm, Tammy Haman, Ginny Krueger, Pat Lagger, Laura LaRue, Cindy Lesperance, Jane Michalski, Carol L. Myers, Kathleen Roman, Rebecca Stahr, Michele Thrane, Neli Tzintzeva and Kathleen Waterloo.

Blue Moon also welcomes collage artist Crystal Marie of Gurnee for her third exhibition at the gallery with her newest “Metamorphosis” collection of mixed media collage art paintings and assemblages.

“Metamorphosis,” on view through Dec. 3, is a highly personal, intuitive, yet universally attractive collection of works. Each is characterized by mesmerizing combinations of shapes, colors, textures, layers and forms. Some include found objects. Each is a visual diary of the artist’s journey of rebirth into a new way of being.

Painter Janet Trierweiler of Evanston, the September guest artist, continues her exhibition of small works on paper at the gallery through Nov. 5. Trierweiler’s exhibition features a lively collection of gestural abstract paintings created in acrylic, watercolor and gouache.

The gallery’s five collective artists – Kathleen Heitmann (Buffalo Grove), John Kirkpatrick (Libertyville), Kendra Kett (Gurnee), Juli Janovicz (Kenosha, Wisconsin) and Michael Litewski (Zion) – who show their art at Blue Moon year-round also will be presenting new works. Heitmann is presenting “Chromatic Elixirs,” a new collection of 12-by-12 abstract landscapes featuring brightly hued oil and acrylic paints. Litewski is showing a new set of work from his “House and Home” series created via CNC machine carving plus acrylic paint and tinted resins. Kirkpatrick, Kett and Janovicz are presenting new paintings and drawings.

The gallery is hosting an opening reception for all artists from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28. The event is free and open to the public. Patrons can view the art, meet the artists and enjoy an evening of socialization around the gallery’s fire pit. The gallery is located at 18620 Belvidere Road in Grayslake. Parking is free.

For more information, call gallery director Kendra Kett at 224-388-7948 or visit www.thebluemoongallery.com.