Downtown Auroran Fall 2016 Thrift Issue

FREE LOCAL CULTURE Fall 2016 ISSUE 23

the

THRIFT issue

EN H P E T S S E L I V A IGNA-

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INE L E U JACQ LER FOW

GAR L RIA O M E M HALL

THRIFT GUIDE ART POETRY RECIPE CALENDAR

INSIDE!

OWN T N DOW ORA AUR IS O ILLIN

Downtown Auroran www.downtownauroran.com Marissa Amoni Founder, Publisher and Editor

T

hrifting is a state of mind. It’s taking something old and making it new again, dedication, flexibility, and a way of life.

I’ve shopped at thrift stores since my early twenties, and from that first olive green, wool Army jacket, I’ve been in love with the hunt, and the found treasures. Thrift stores dressed me as a ‘70s throwback in the early 2000s and now as a t-shirt-with-jeggings-wearing mom (add a cardigan for fall).

When people come from out of town to visit, we tour the local thrift stores. There’s a unique mix in the Aurora area of thrift stores, resale shops, and antique stores. Some are best for clothing, some for furniture, and some for, “Wow! Look at that crazy relic!”

I found an old Santa Claus book valued at over $100 at the Hope Chest a handful of years ago, and I recently picked up a silk Alice + Olivia dress at Community Thrift for maybe $9. My leather boots are all from thrift stores. Picture frames, our dining room table, enamelware, books, albums, and countless other items around my house are all thrift store finds.

If there was a stigma behind shopping at thrift stores when I was a kid, there certainly isn’t one now. It’s a bragging right these days. The latest score at Thrift and Dollar is posted on social media or pointed out to a visitor.

Take a look at our cover story and discover some of the best thrift stores around.

As a woman said while shopping at New Uses in Aurora, “Why pay full price?”

See you downtown!

Kelmscott Communications Graphic Design Tony Scott Copy Editor Kate Purl Frank Patterson John Russell Contributors Advertising and Submissions: (630) 674-2099 m@downtownauroran.com Cover photography by Marissa Amoni Downtown Auroran (DTA) is a local, independent operation. We promote and support local arts and culture while advocating for a vibrant downtown.

DTA is published quarterly and distributed free of charge throughout downtown and select locations in the Aurora area.

DTA is printed in Aurora, Ill. by Kelmscott Communications.

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Copyrighted 2016 Pantone’s “Tangerine Tango” was 2012’s color of the year. “Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward. A fun, lively take on a traditional autumnal hue, Tangerine Tango will surely carry through to fall fashion as well.”

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ind e x

Reckless Reflections

DTA A r t i s t P r o f i l e

By Frank Patterson

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STEPHEN SIGNA-AVILES

cov e r stor y

p by Susan May Romano

COME EXPLORE DOWNTOWN AURORA!

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Hi s to r ic al No te s GAR Mu s e u m

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Ta bl e o f C o nt ent s 5 Locust Report

11 Historical Notes

7 DTA Artist Profile

13 DTA Artist Profile

8 Cover Story

15 Calendar

10 Recipe

AU R O R A D OW N TOW N .O R G

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AU R O R A D OW N TOW N

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Joe & the Easy Chair

by Tricia Marcella Cimera

Joe found the forgotten easy chair In the back of the thrift store a few days after his ex-wife informed him she had a new life and she never wanted him back.

Joe curled up in its softness (the chair whispered welcome) and fell fast asleep.

He dreamt of a yellow kitchen table set for two, a warm rumpled bed, of learning the strange secret language of women.

The chair dreamt the good dreams of everyone who had slept in its arms.

When he woke, Joe felt rested, new.

He took the easy chair back to his empty apartment and began living life.

He came to believe in second chances.

He met a woman in 2B who loved to curl up in his chair while he cooked dinner and set the pale yellow table for two.

Years later Joe’s ex-wife, waking from nightmares, would still call out Joe! She would remember lying in his arms, his hand stroking the curve of her face.

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T h e Lo c u st R e p o r t Reporting the News and Gossip in Downtown Aurora Leland Legends Pub and Grill is now open on the ground floor of the historic Leland Tower at 1 S. Stolp Ave. The restaurant is owned and operated by Karademas Management, which recently branched into hospitality. Leland Legends pays homage to the building’s rich blues history and offers a full lunch and dinner menu. Look for another Karademas restaurant to come to The Mayan (the old Elks building at 77 S. Stolp Ave.) at a future date.

Zen Loft Wellness Center is open on the second story of the building on the southwest corner of Downer Place and Stolp Avenue above QT3 Body Systems. The wellness center run by Emily Beau features yoga, reiki, massages, drum circles, and more.

Two locations are listed on Endiro Coffee’s website: Uganda and Aurora. Proprietor Cody Lorance is excited to bring a Ugandan café to downtown Aurora. The coffee roasting company operates a restaurant It’s most excellent that Public in Uganda and works closely Access is coming soon to the with African coffee farmers, northwest corner of Downer p The original international Harvest Tractor Manufacturing enabling Endiro to achieve their Place and Stolp Avenue in Company located in the Middle Avenue Historic District is soon end goal of missionary work with a long shuttered one-story to become a luxury event space at 251 S. River St. in Aurora. “vulnerable children” including property that lived past lives as street children and orphans. a convenience shop, a flower Aside from bringing an indie shop, and an overseas exporting coffee shop and roastery to Aurora, Endiro also offers a creative business. breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu and table service. Look for Mike Mancuso, of The Yetee, is renting the property from downtown investor and proponent Kevin Fitzpatrick. Mancuso is Endiro to open in December at 29 W. New York St. partnering with Marcus and Jenni Contaldo, of Modest Coffee, At the end of August, Mayor Tom Weisner announced that he to bring an arcade, a coffee shop, and some fun to the corner. was stepping down as mayor of Aurora at the end of October.

They’re already looking to expand the arcade into part of the old Weisner said that after dealing with cancer most of his three Colorlab building, also owned by Fitzpatrick, to the north on terms as mayor, he now feels that he cannot continue in the same Stolp Avenue. Mancuso plans on being open for First Fridays in capacity. In September, the Aurora City Council voted to nominate February to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Wayne’s World with alderman-at-large Bob O’Connor to serve as “acting mayor” until “Waynestock,” the first art show at the new location.

April 2017 when Weisner’s current term ends. O’Connor has served on the city council since 1985.

SciTech Hands On Museum is now open one Sunday a month with STEAM Sundays, an opportunity to engage children in The four-story Harvester Building at the northwest corner of River fun STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) and Gale streets will soon become the premier wedding venue in learning opportunities. The museum in the old post office at 18 Chicagoland according to owner Matt Marquez. Marquez, who W. Benton St. has spent the last few years reinventing itself under also owns Moveable Feast in Geneva, purchased Moveable Feast the direction of Arlene Hawks. Hawks has overseen the creation with a bigger goal in mind thus the name change to Moveable of several new, interactive exhibits that utilize the talents of local Feast and Company. With the purchase of the Aurora building, artist, Gaiter.

Marquez can bring a private, luxury wedding event space to the area when he and his wife, Ashley, open Company 251 Gallery 1904 in the lower level of the old library building, now SupportTechs at 1 E. Benton St., opened to the public on First after they renovate the first and second floors of the circa 1908, 40,000-square-foot space at 251 S. River St., formerly owned by Fridays in October. The gallery, curated by Gaiter, features a “book Kevin Fitzpatrick. Moveable Feast is staying put up north. Check wall” and several photos of the library building from 1904 when it out a 3D rendering of the interior at company251.com. opened until present day. SupportTechs moved into the building over the summer and fully utilizes the main level as a technology A list to like on Facebook: call center.

Public Access, Leland Legends Pub & Grill, Endiro Coffee

Fall 2016

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Imagine • Explore • Discover

Hands On Museum of Science and Technology 18 W. Benton St. • Downtown Aurora

We are open Tuesday thru Saturday!

VISIT scitechmuseum.org FOR DETAILS.

flexible desk rental - meeting + event space 14 W. Downer Pl. - (331) 256-9016 6

Downtown Auroran

WORK HAPPENS HERE. JOIN US. mcowork.com Fall 2016

DTA Artist Profile: Stephen Signa-Aviles Interview by Frank Patterson

Stephen Signa-Aviles thought he was in trouble when, in the fifth grade, his art teacher held up a sketch he had done and asked, “Who did this?”

But he wasn’t in trouble. The teacher followedup by saying, “We love it!”

The sketch of a backdrop for a school play was something Signa-Aviles had done without much effort, but the teacher’s reaction made him realize that maybe he had a talent for art.

Before that ‘a-ha’ moment, Signa-Aviles had nurtured his creativity in a homeschool environment.

“For people that I knew, making things was not something that you didn’t do,” Signa-Aviles said. “Everyone made things. Everyone drew, everyone painted. Everyone made whatever, like costumes for a play. That’s just what you did as a homeschooler. That was kind of natural to me.”

Signa-Aviles is still making things. The Aurora artist creates masks and wall art from sneakers and other materials.

His sneaker art was inspired by Brian Jungen, a Canadian artist of Native American heritage, who uses sneakers to create tribal masks.

“He was sort of speaking my language immediately,” Signa-Aviles said. “Because being a young kid growing up in the ‘90s, who liked hip-hop and graffiti, sneakers and sneaker culture are very much a part of that life.”

Signa-Aviles’s sneaker sculptures are likenesses of animals. To date, he has completed 10 pieces of sneaker art, including a horse, a fox, and a gorilla.

The sneaker art has gotten a good response, Signa-Aviles said.

“I was able to do a couple commissions for a soccer magazine based out of California”

Fall 2016

he said. “They’re called Kickstothepitch.com. They do lots of events with different brands that are trying to increase their markets with soccer and sneakers. Adidas actually sent me a couple shoes to do masks for the Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers. They flew me out there for the events that they were at.”

But sneakers aren’t the only material Signa-Aviles uses for his sculptures. He has reconfigured some of his own paintings into sculptures, and he has a piece from a show at Emergent Gallery in downtown Aurora that he created from the paper of a discarded card catalogue from his college library.

Signa-Aviles studied art at North Park University in Chicago.

“When I went to North Park, my focus was painting,” he said. “And through the course of their program I was introduced to installation art and sculpture. One of the professors there—her name is Nnenna Okore. Both she and Tim Lowly shaped me.”

Nowadays, Signa-Aviles finds sculpture to be more fulfilling than painting.

“I haven’t abandoned painting entirely, but image-making is not something that’s held my interest very much,” he said. “And paint as a material is flat. Its intention is to make an image. For me that was a great game to play, but I’m like, why don’t I make sculpture? Because it’s holding my attention much more. I’m finding a lot of life in doing that, so sculpture has kind of taken over now.”

Born in Elk Grove Village, Signa-Aviles has moved many times. He has lived in Kansas, Milwaukee, Michigan, Chicago, and now lives in Aurora with his wife, Nicole, and their daughter Senora.

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Royal Finds:

Thrifting in Aurora WORDS AND PHOTOS BY MARISSA AMONI

Whether you’re saving the

Here’s our list of the best thrift stores and resale shops in Aurora and beyond.

environment, saving a buck,

The clothing queen:  SALVATION ARMY 1590 DOUGLAS ROAD • MONTGOMERY

or scouring for treasures,

Salvation Army wins for best clothing due to amazing selection and incredible prices. It’s easy to fill a cart to the brim and spend a total of $30 or $40. It’s hit or miss on furniture and household items.

Book selection is tiny. No dressing room is the biggest fault with this gem.

thrift stores can offer one-stop shopping and a

The clothing prince:

one-of-a-kind experience.

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 COMMUNITY THRIFT 315 E. INDIAN TRAIL • AURORA Typically a great place to shop for a skirt and shoes, although they know the worth of many items and price accordingly, it’s still a deal. A decent room of kitchenware and miscellanea is worth a search. The toy room is a fun mess for kids.

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The clothing princess:  VILLAGE DISCOUNT 900 N. FARNSWORTH AVE. • AURORA Huge, color-coded selection and great prices make this place a fun, marathon shopping experience. Various other items are the icing on the cake, like scarves, hats, cheap books, and the rare album find.

Runners up in clothing royalty:

tools, baskets, and pretty much whatever you can think of.

Furniture wingmen:  ST. VINCENT DE PAUL’S DÉJÀ VU 911 SULLIVAN ROAD • AURORA When it’s open, this is the place to go if you like to dig for your treasures. The Bargain Basement is one of the best hidden spots for vintage finds. The main showroom is full of your grandma’s furniture, sheet sets, and, sometimes, free bread.

 SAVERS 204 S. STATE ROUTE 59 • NAPERVILLE

 HOPE CHEST 36 N. LINCOLN AVENUE • AURORA

Shoppers are paying a couple more dollars here than most local thrift stores, but the clothes and shoes are well-organized and it feels like shopping like a TJ Maxx.

This sweet thrift store is likely our editor’s pick for favorite thrift store. It’s just fun to shop there. There’s a little bit of everything and workers from Wayside Cross keep everything nicely organized and stocked.

 GOODWILL I450 N. RANDALL ROAD • BATAVIA 1901 HILL AVENUE • MONTGOMERY 1543 MESA LANE • AURORA Goodwill is a solid standby thrift store.

Nice clothing selection. Good homewares, shoes, and purses. Best for books and women’s clothing in our book.  ST. VINCENT DE PAUL 1014 N. FARNSWORTH AVENUE • AURORA We’re liking this store more and more for their well-picked items. Clothing is a nice mix of vintage and trendy. Some of the best housewares grace the shelves in a separate home goods room. Shop often for quality furniture pieces.

The Don Juan of Furniture:  THRIFT & DOLLAR 950 N. LAKE STREET • AURORA If you’re looking for furniture, this store should be your first stop. Probably the largest thrift store in Fox Valley, it’s filled with mostly furniture—all kinds. It also has an impressive collection of dishes, books, Fall 2016

 SWEET CHARITY RESALE SHOP 3450 MONTGOMERY ROAD • MONTGOMERY Also run by Wayside Cross, this resale shop is a beauty. This is a good one for those who prefer their thrifting to be a clean, tidy, and organized experience.

Things for your castle:  RESTORE FOX VALLEY HABITAT

FOR HUMANITY

4100 FOX VALLEY CTR. DR., AURORA Need a sink? You’re welcome.  NEW USES 4305 WESTBROOK DRIVE • AURORA It’s like the thrift store version of Tuesday Morning, if you ever went to that store.

 LITTLE FOOTPRINTS 5 N. BROADWAY • AURORA A newbie, this small, downtown thrift store has a sampling of clothing, shoes, and décor.  DEAL’S AND DISCOUNTS RESALE 131 W. ILLINOIS AVENUE • AURORA Across from Prisco Community Center, this hidden shop is worth a looksee for fun finds.  SCHOMER’S TRADING POST 169 S. LAKE STREET • AURORA If you love digging, then this is a must-stop for some of the best thrifting deals along with friendly folks.  SECOND TIME AROUND 731 S. RIVER STREET • AURORA Check this off-the-beaten-path shop for unique, vintage furniture and appliances.

Shiny things for ladies and squires:  PAST AND PRESENT SHOPPES 22 E. STATE STREET • NORTH AURORA Lots of pretty things sold by multiple treasure hunters, located across from Harner’s Bakery.  OUT OF THE ATTICS ANTIQUES 4054 FOX VALLEY CENTER DRIVE #B • AURORA A huge store with tons of vendor booths.

Tons of vintage goodness. Try not to get lost.

Random finds for peasants:  SCOTT’S VINTAGE ANTIQUES

AND COLLECTIBLES

105 S. RIVER ROAD • NORTH AURORA The sideshow of thrift stores, Scott’s boasts oddities and a fun atmosphere on Sundays.

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins Contributed by The Reluctant Hippie

220 N. BROADWAY • AURORA NOVEMBER CREAM CHEESE OF THE MONTH:

Pumpkin Honey OPEN MONDAY THRU SATURDAY FAMILY-OWNED SINCE 1990 These muffins are really just my Pumpkin Bread recipe made with gluten-free flour. I approached this recipe trial with trepidation since this is one of our favorite recipes of all time.

I was afraid that it wouldn’t convert so easily.

NEW n’s

re Child very c Dis o m Roo

I was wrong. There were a few quick adjustments to get the consistency right, but otherwise these muffins are almost as good as the gluten version. They stick to the wrapper a little more, but that was my only complaint. Next time, I will try greasing the muffin tin and skipping the paper liner. Note: After posting this on my blog, a reader suggested parchment paper cups.

53 N. Broadway, Aurora $5/ADULTS, $3/CHILDREN

Come learn about the history of firefighting and the Aurora Fire Department.

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Get poked. Get healthy.

Inner Harmony Acupuncture

383 W. Galena Blvd. (inside Sculpted Image)

Mavis A. Bates, L.Ac.

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I used Hodgson Mill’s gluten-free baking flour. It didn’t require adding any additional stabilizers like xanthan gum, and it was by far the most affordable GF flour available at our grocery store. I was pleased with the results, and I look forward to trying this flour in other recipes.

Yield: 18 muffins Ingredients: ✗ 2 cups gluten-free baking flour ✗ 1 tsp. baking soda ✗ 3/4 tsp. salt ✗ 1/2 tsp. cinnamon ✗ 1/4 tsp. nutmeg ✗ 1/4 tsp. cloves ✗ 1/8 tsp. ground ginger

✗ 1/8 tsp. cardamom ✗ 2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1 can) ✗ 2 eggs ✗ 3/4 cup sugar ✗ 1/4 cup honey ✗ 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper or foil liners (see above).

2. Mix dry ingredients (except for sugar) in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a smaller bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry mix. Stir gently to combine.

5. Pour into prepared muffin tin. Fill each cup almost to the top – the batter doesn’t rise much.

6. Bake until a toothpick comes out cleanly. Start checking around 20 minutes.

Kate Purl whips up creative and healthful recipes for her family of four on a regular basis and chronicles the fun on her blog: thereluctanthippie.wordpress.com.

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Historical Notes: 23 E. Downer Pl.—GAR Museum Veteran’s meeting hall was also Aurora’s first free public library.

Architecture

The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall was designed in the Gothic Revival style by Aurora architect Joseph P. Mulvey. It was constructed of rock-faced, ashlar laid limestone, which was quarried in Aurora. The original GAR building consisted of the octagonal structure only. In 1885, a two-story addition, also designed by Mulvey, was added at the southwest corner of the building. The addition featured a banquet room and formal parlors. Between 1903 and 1906, the entire building was raised several feet and a two-story stair tower was added. In 1963, the 1885 addition was demolished. The remaining octagonal building and stair tower were preserved and today the GAR Memorial Hall, purchased by the City of Aurora in 1964 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

The Grand Army of the Republic was founded in Decatur, Ill. in 1866 and was one of America’s first veteran’s organizations. Union veterans of the Civil War established “Posts” in many states as memorials and meeting halls. Membership was limited to honorably discharged veterans of the Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps or the Revenue Cutter Service who had served between 1861 and 1865.

Hall was a sanctuary. It served as a gathering place for men who had fought side by side on the battlefields, it was a shrine to the Union dead, and it was a place of scholarship - Aurora’s first free library.”

Over the course of 60 years, Aurora Post 20 boasted a membership of more than 700 Civil War veterans, representing 70 Illinois regiments.

By 1939, however, membership was dwindling, and Daniel Wedge, a past commander of Post 20 organized the GAR Memorial Association.

Wedge passed away in 1947 on his 106th birthday, the last surviving At one time the GAR had a membership of 400,000 men nationwide member of Post 20. The GAR Memorial Association, which consists and was a potent political force. The GAR founded of descendants of Post 20, still exists to this day. soldiers’ homes, worked to provide relief for After Wedge died, the building was turned over to widows and orphans, and lobbied for pension the Grand Army of the Republic Association and legislation. they operated it as a museum until 2001, when the The GAR founded building was closed due to safety concerns.

The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall, soldiers’ homes, Post 20 was built as a memorial for Civil War Since that time, the city has spent about $2.8 worked to provide relief veterans and was completed in 1878 for the sum of million in local funding and $700,000 in grants $7,184.54 on land donated by Aurora businessman to stabilize the building and restore the main for widows and orphans, Joseph Stolp. The funds had been raised over a gathering area to its look of almost 140 years ago. and lobbied for pension period of ten years by the Soldiers Monument The GAR Museum reopened this year on Memorial Association and the Ladies Monument Association, legislation.

Day and is now open on Saturdays and during a group that later became GAR Aurora, Post 20.

First Fridays and features a dozen educational and According to the city of Aurora website, “The proud informational exhibits. The exhibits highlight local members of Post 20 were visionaries. The men had soldiers, the growth of Aurora and the growing fought a long and bloody war for the abolition of role of immigrants and women in society, and the formation and slavery and preservation of the Union. Indeed, some had served importance of the GAR. in nearly every battle of that bloody conflict. In the very heart of a In October, the museum was presented with the 2016 President’s thriving new community they built a monument that would honor Award for Preservation by the Landmarks Illinois/Richard Driehaus their fallen comrades while creating a legacy for the future. The GAR Foundation.

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DTA01

Center Stage

Blue Bird Beat Coffee & Conveniences is proud to welcome Kevin Trudo as its manager!

WITH HIM WE ARE INTRODUCING: - A new coffee lineup, roasted locally by Modest Coffee Company.

- Hot soup daily.

- A great selection of sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit and other tasty grab-and-go items.

p by Laura Lein-Svencner

9 S. STOLP—LOCATED WITHIN THE LELAND TOWER

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Trivia 7 - 9 pm, prizes and fun.

Acoustic Artists, select dates.

Karaoke 8:30 pm to close.

Live Music 8:30 pm to close, featuring Jazz, Blues & Rock Artists.

1 S. Stolp, within the Leland Tower 12

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DTA Artist Profile: Jacqueline Fowler Interview by Frank Patterson

“When you’re an artist, you don’t just like to draw,” Jacqueline Jayne Fowler explained. “You have to draw, or you have to create.”

As an artist, Fowler meets her own standard: “All I do every single day is I wake-up and I just start painting, or creating something, like jewelry,” she said.

Jewelry is a relatively new medium for Fowler. She began making jewelry about four months ago, she said. But she’s been painting for five years and now has more than 150 of her paintings in the home she shares with her parents, whom she describes as “the most supportive people in the world.”

Fowler’s paintings have amassed in various rooms of the home, including the living room. “My house is bursting at the seams with paintings,” Fowler said. She said her mother had to move the paintings from the kitchen, saying, “This is getting unrealistic.”

She is now showing her art in galleries.

Fowler said she has always gravitated toward art.

“I had a natural tendency toward it,” she said.

In kindergarten, she was always at the easel, and as early as third grade, she told her teacher she wanted to be an artist when she grew up.

Fowler’s art embraces beauty and femininity, sensuality and sexuality.

“I love beautiful things,” she said.

Fowler is also a makeup artist. She studied cosmetology at the University of Aesthetics and Cosmetology in Downers Grove.

“

Art is like science and math…

It’s a representation of reality, and reality is math and science.

”

“The first month I was there, there was a school-wide competition in fantasy makeup and different kinds of makeup.

There were thousands of people there, so many people competing, and I won first place,” she said.

She also took a drawing course at Waubonsee Community College; but as a painter, she is self-taught.

Although a life-long resident of Aurora, Fowler said she was unaware of the special place art has taken her until she met artist Maureen Gasek while volunteering at the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry.

Gasek worked at the food pantry as Development Director at that time.

Gasek introduced Fowler to the ArtBar, the popular pop-up gallery that hosts themed art shows at Two Brothers Roundhouse the first Friday night of each month.

“She brought me to the Black and White Show,” Fowler said. “I remember meeting Gerardo (Madrigal) and his work was stunning.

And Jorge (Alvarez). His black and whites are breathtaking.”

That was in 2014. Just a few months later, Fowler was exhibiting her work at the ArtBar. “The Sin Show at the Artbar was the first time I displayed my art to the public,” she said of the February 2015 show.

Continued on page 14

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DTA Profile: Jacqueline Fowler

Let us honor our veterans for their service to our country.

Continued from page 13

This past September, Fowler held her first solo exhibit at If These Walls Could Talk, a custom frame shop and art gallery in downtown Aurora.

Fowler said she didn’t take any art classes at West Aurora High School. Her favorite classes there were math and science.

“Art is like science and math,” she said. “It’s a representation of reality, and reality is math and science.”

Fowler explained how water ripples in a diagonal pattern in the wake of an object moving through it, and she pointed out how she applied this knowledge to a painting of a woman moving through water. Fowler was the model for that painting, using a photograph of herself that she directed a young cousin to shoot while in Florida.

Fowler often uses herself and her friends as models for the subjects of her paintings.

Her latest creative interest is in designing clothes. She imagines one day marketing multiple lines of her creations, including paintings, jewelry, and apparel.

“I want to keep creating,” she said. “Anything I can do artistically, I want to do.”

VETERANS

DAY PARADE

Friday, Novembve November 11, 2016 The Parade steps off at Broadway & Benton at 10:15 am, heads north on Broadway turns west on Downer and will conclude with a ceremony at the GAR Museum on West Downer.

Call (630) 256-INFO (4636) for more information or visit www.aurora-il.org Co-hosted by the City of Aurora and the City of Aurora Veterans Advisory Council.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016

December 4 1 to 4 p.m.

at the Santori Public Library 101 S. River St. Enjoy live entertainment, games, drawings, and refreshments while viewing the exhibit in its 40th year!

Preview the exhibit on December 2 during

First Fridays

Extended shopping hours at participating downtown businesses. Holiday PopUP Shops on Stolp Avenue.

A Shopping wonderland filled with gifts and good things to eat!

Twinkling Streets filled with music, costumed characters, Food Trucks, festive photo ops, live reindeer, and much more!

Holiday Parade on Downer Place featuring Santa & Mrs. Claus and Aurora’s “Grinch!”

Light Aurora’s “Official Tree” with Miss Merry Christmas and Mr. Jack Frost at the GAR Museum.

Winter Lights Fireworks - A magical aerial display best viewed from the Downer Place Bridge.

Experience bright holidays in the City of Lights.

For more information: 630.256.INFO | www.aurora-il.org

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C al end ar NOVEMBER DAY OF THE DEAD Sun Nov 6 from 1 to 5 A multicultural celebration rooted in Mexican tradition. Dancing, ofrendas, and more. Free. Benton and Stolp in downtown Aurora.

VETERANS DAY PARADE Fri Nov 11 at 10:15 Step off at Benton and Broadway. Parade ends with a remembrance ceremony at the G.A.R. building. aurora-il.org HARRY POTTER DAY Wed Nov 16 from 5 to 8 The Aurora Public Library hosts an evening for Harry Potter fans. Free. Santori Public Library, 101 S. River St. aurorapubliclibrary.org WINTER LIGHTS FESTIVAL & FIREWORKS Fri Nov 18 from 6 to 9 Get your holiday spirit on in downtown Aurora with a festive parade, tree lighting, a Pop Up Shop, Santa, and a fireworks show. GAR on Downer; Downer & Stolp. aurora-il.org

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AURORA ART STUDIOS OPEN HOUSE Sat Nov 19 from 5:30 to 9 Take a peek in working artist studios. Free.

50 E. Galena Blvd.

DECEMBER

THE LITTLE MERMAID Nov 23 thru Jan 8 Disney’s Ariel comes to life on the grand Paramount stage for the holidays. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. (630) 896-6666. paramountaurora.com

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS IN MANY LANDS Sun Dec 4 from 1 to 4 View Christmas trees with decorations honoring multiple countries and traditions. Join them for a sneak peek on First Fridays on Dec. 2. Free.

Santori Public Library, 101 S. River St. aurorapubliclibrary.org

THE AURORA STORY Continuing The Aurora Historical Society exhibit on the 2nd floor of The DLP tells the history of Aurora with vintage treasures and more.

Open Wed-Sat, noon to 4. Free.

David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E.Downer Pl. (630) 906-0650. aurorahistory.net

WINTER GARDEN OF YOUTH Opens Fri Dec 2 from 5 to 7 Aurora Public Art Commission presents an annual exhibit of artwork by Aurora students in grades K through 12. Thru January. Open Wed-Sat, noon to 4. Free. David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 E. Downer Pl. (630) 256-3340. www.aurora-il.org

ART AT CITY HALL Ongoing Aurora’s City Hall features works of art on every floor. Open Mon-Fri, 8-5. City Hall, 44 E. Downer Pl. aurora-il.org

POLAR EXPRESS Tues Dec 20 at 10 Watch the popular holiday film on the big screen. Hot, hot, ooh, we got it! $1.

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com LIMITED RUNS & SHOWINGS A CHRISTMAS STORY Dec 9 thru Dec 18 Fri/Sat at 8 and Sun at 3 A classic tale reinvented by the late Jack Schultz. $12$15. Riverfront Playhouse, 11-13 Water Street Mall, (630) 897-9496.

Reservations recommended. riverfrontplayhouse.com

ONGOING EVENTS M.U.S.I.C. MONDAYS Mondays from 6 to 7 Local musicians perform on stage in the bookstore. Free. Culture Stock, 43 E. Galena Blvd. M.U.S.I.C. on Facebook.

CLASSIC MOVIE MONDAYS Mondays at 7 Great, classic movies every Monday. $1. Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. paramountaurora.com DAAM! First Thursday of the month at 8 Join artists of all kinds at the informal Downtown Aurora Arts Mixers. Visit Downtown Auroran Magazine on Facebook for locations. Sponsored by Downtown Auroran Magazine. downtownauroran.com FIRST FRIDAYS IN DOWNTOWN AURORA: NOV 4, DEC 2, OFF IN JANUARY! First Friday of the month Art is alive in downtown Aurora. Enjoy several art openings in one glorious night.

Various venues in downtown, including If These Walls Could Talk, Paramount’s Grand Gallery, Emergent Gallery, Allen and Pepa Architects, The DLP, and The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse. auroradowntown.com

Need more art and culture?

Visit downtownauroran.com and click on Marissa’s Calendar for all the best local events.

630.898.0800 | kelmscott.com

Fall 2016

Downtown Auroran

15

LEADS THE 2016 JEFF AWARDS WITH 14 NOMINATIONS BRINGS HOME 3 BIG WINS TO CITY OF AURORA INCLUDING BEST LARGE MUSICAL EXPERIENCE MUSICAL THEATRE LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

under the sea and into your hearts this holiday season

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