JAM FINE ARTS

The Evanston Biennial is up and open. Go see it! There are so many great pieces each by an outstanding artist. I saw artists that I've worked and exhibited with for decades and met wonderful up-and-coming talent.

The EAC space is great for showing art, but the acoustics made it very difficult for conversation. I wanted to talk to everyone, so I was losing my voice by the time we left. 

I am very grateful to the curators for the opportunity to exhibit with so many artists that I've admired for years and to get to know the work of artists that are new to me. I saw their excellent exhibit space prior to installation when I dropped off Arctic Ice Sheet this morning. I am really excited to see the show! Come check it out. If you are planning to attend the opening, RSVP at the link below.

On view: August 26 – October 1, 2023

Opening Reception Sunday, August 27, 1-4 pm RSVP

Our Biennial is one of the Midwest’s largest and most prestigious juried exhibitions, offering artists an opportunity to have their work viewed by three talented curators:

Chantal Healey, Executive Director, Chicago Public Art Group
Denny Mwaura, Assistant Director, Gallery 400, UIC
Erica Warren, PhD, Art Historian, Curator, Editor, Craft Quarterly

The following artists were selected by the jurors to exhibit their work in EAC’s Biennial: Alice Rebechini, Ann Blaas, Audrey Barcio, Beth Herman Adler, Brian Petrone, Carolyn Cronin Hughes, CoCo Ree, Delaina Doshi, Emma Rose Gudewicz, Erika Mulvenna, Gretchen Jankowski, Indira Johnson, Italav Langmar, Jacqueline Kott-Wolle, Jeanne Reilly, Jennifer Bock Nelson, Jerry Bleem, Jihyun Ra, Juliann Wang, Julie Mars, June Ahleman, Karen Perl, Katheran Lampert, Kevin Lyle, Kim Laurel, Liang He, Lorraine Peltz, Malika Jackson, Marco Bendin, Mariko Ventura, Mary Fedorowski, Mia Capodilupo, Michael Gallagher, Nelson Armour, Nikki Anderson, Peter Mudd, Ramin Takloo-Bighash, Raul Ortiz, Riva Lehrer, Robert Frankel, Robert Tanner, Ruth Lantz, Ruth Poor, Sarah Kaiser , Shelley Brucar, Steven Turner, Susan Bennett, Susan Marx, Tim Lowly, Vanessa Filley, Vivian Visser, William Weidner, Yiwei Wang, and Yvette Kaiser Smith.

GALLERY HOURS & VISITOR INFORMATION
This exhibition will be held in the First Floor Gallery of the Evanston Art Center (EAC). Masks are optional but strongly recommended for students, visitors and staff.
Gallery Hours
Monday–Thursday: 9am–6pm
Friday: 9am–5pm
Saturday–Sunday: 9am–4pm

HOW TO PURCHASE ARTWORK
Artwork sale proceeds benefit both the artist and the Evanston Art Center. If you are interested in purchasing artwork on display, please contact Emma Rose Gudewicz, Director of Development and Exhibition Manager, at [email protected] or (847) 475-5300 x 102.

I am applying to the EAC's Evanston & Vicinity Biennal and they are asking for an artist bio AND an artist statement, which seems redundant, but okay. (I *think* my suburban town qualifies as in the Evanston vicinity, but I'm not sure.)

I'm still on a Chat GPT tear. Me and the AI baked this confection from cutting and pasting my entire About Me page into the chatbot and asking it for a short elegant artist bio. This was after asking it for a "casual" artist bio that returned some hokey bullshit that sounded like it was from the deep South and then signed off with a "Cheers!" 

Bless its cold, hallucinating AI heart.

A lot of this text came from pre chat AI copy so the result is relevant, plus, I've already tweaked it.

"Julie Mars is a visionary artist with a profound dedication to environmentalism and upcycling. For over 30 years, she has cultivated a remarkable career as a creator, promoter, and entrepreneur in the arts. Her artistic journey revolves around the creation of unique woven bead mosaics on convex mirrors, vessels, and other objects.

In the 90s, Mars found inspiration in environmentalism and upcycling, leading her to craft vibrant bottle tree fruits by embellishing single-serving juice bottles. Since then, her passion for repurposing and sustainable art has driven her to scour thrift stores, flea markets, and online platforms like eBay for large-scale items to transform into extraordinary bead mosaic artworks.

Mars's profound appreciation for glass and reflective acrylic beads arises from their diverse colors, lusters, translucencies, and captivating optical effects. Continuously pushing the boundaries of her chosen medium, she has recently delved into installations and a captivating series of woven bead mosaics on convex mirrors, exploring new possibilities and expanding the horizons of her art.

As a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Mars brings over 30 years of experience as an artist, gallerist, and museum administrator to her creative endeavors. Currently, she serves as the Director of Communications at the Addison Center for the Arts, where she passionately fosters and promotes the arts in the western suburbs. 

Driven by a deep passion for environmentalism and prioritizing the repurposing of post-consumer items, Mars endeavors to create pieces that not only bring aesthetic pleasure through innovative design but also inspire others to reflect on the impact of their choices on the environment. Through her captivating bead mosaics, she aims to spark a dialogue around sustainable art and demonstrate that post-consumer materials can be transformed into something truly beautiful. Ultimately, Mars's goal is to promote a more mindful and eco-conscious approach to art and consumption.

You can learn more about Julie Mars and her captivating artwork at her web site, jamfinearts.com.

Important dates about this show:
IMPORTANT DATES 
Application Deadline: June 5, 2023 at Midnight
Artist Notification: July 10, 2023
Exhibition Dates: August 26 - October 1, 2023

AWARDS
Cash awards and cash equivalents will be presented. Awards, which may include Best of Show and Juror’s Merit categories, are given at the jurors’ discretion. From the final pool of selected applicants, the jurors will also award 3 artists, who have not exhibited at the Evanston Art Center in the past 5 years, with the opportunity to be included in an exhibition in our galleries.
ELIGIBILITY
The 26th Evanston + Vicinity Biennial is open to artists 18 years of age and older living in Illinois. All work must be original and completed within the last two years. All mediums accepted. A non-refundable entry fee of $35 is required from each artist.
ACCEPTANCE
Notification of acceptance will be emailed by July 10, 2023. A valid email address is required.
CONDITIONS
The Evanston Art Center (EAC) reserves the right to refuse any work which differs from the submitted images. All accepted entries will be considered temporary loans to the EAC. The EAC will assume insurance responsibility for the object upon receipt and inspection, and during the exhibition. The EAC is not liable for any claim for loss, theft or damage of any kind during transportation. The EAC will exercise the usual care in handling and will provide insurance coverage subject to EAC policy guidelines. It cannot be responsible for minor wear resulting from normal handling.
PRESENTATION
All selected work must be delivered in its final state ready for installation or hanging. If you decide to cover your work, framed pieces larger than 24” x 30” must be covered in Plexiglas, not glass. No dimension of any work may exceed seven feet. All sculptures exhibited must be able to be moved by two people; as the Evanston Art Center hosts many rentals in the gallery space, for the safety of the artwork, unmovable sculptures must be placed on wheels or a platform. Any special handling instructions must accompany the piece in writing. Artists will assume reasonable risk for damage for all unframed work and any other unconventional display preferences. Each entry must be clearly identified, where possible, on the bottom or back with artist’s name and title of work. The EAC reserves the right to reject previously accepted works due to inadequate framing / mounting or for security/public safety reasons.
SALES
Works will be for sale unless noted as NFS (not for sale) on the entry form. The EAC will retain a 35% commission on all sales from the exhibition. Payments to artists will be made after the closing of the exhibition.
RETURN OF ACCEPTED WORK
The exhibition closes October 1 at 4pm. All works not picked up will be placed in storage at the artist’s risk and expense and will be charged a $5/day storage fee. The EAC is not responsible for work left over 30 days beyond the close of the exhibition.