The Beginning of a Third Chicago School

LLC

Forming Function Art Exhibition Catalog 2015

Galaudet Gallery In Cooperation with EuroFurniture The Chicago Architecture Biennial & Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs presents The Beginning of a Third Chicago School: 21st Century Chicago Artists’ Studios’ Forming Function Art Exhibition Catalog

Galaudet Gallery presents The Beginning of a Third Chicago School:

Forming Function Art Exhibition Catalog

Galaudet Gallery Published by Galaudet Gallery 2223 West Hubbard Chicago, Illinois 60612 & 618 South Farwell Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 @ http://galaudetgallery.wix.com/ggllc Galaudet Gallery copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved Organized and Designed by Vicki Milewski Michael Milewski

Published for the 21st Century Chicago Artists’ Studios The Beginning of a Third Chicago School Inaugurated by two Art Exhibitions: Forming Function and Hunting With Louis Sullivan

Participating Organizations Galaudet Gallery Euro Furniture Mike’s Building and Construction Alt Architecture + Research Associates Allan A. Teske and Associates, Inc Studio Beck, Inc. Nagle Photography Creative Claythings

Above is drawn a diagram of a typical seed with two cotyledons. The cotyledons are specialized rudimentary leaves containing a supply of nourishment sufficient for the initial stage of the development of the germ.

The germ is the real thing; the seat of identity. Within its delicate mechanism lies the will to power: the function which is to seek and eventually to find its full expression in form.

--from the Prelude of A System of Architectual Ornament: According with a Philosophy of Man’s Powers by Louis Sullivan Most seed germs produce cotyledons, corn, soybean, grasses, trees. These two leaves are the sustenance and beginning of most plants and enable to plant to begin its growth and individuation. Once the plant begins to grow into its characteristic form, the cotyledons fall off and protect the plant’s stem until becoming soil. The cotyledons of The Third Chicago School have recently been shed and while still protecting the stem, individuation has begun; hence, this is the Beginning of the Third Chicago School.

--from “The Third Chicago School” by Vicki Milewski,

The Beginning of the Third Chicago School: Forming Function At EuroFurniture Artists/Architects Involved: Allan A. Teske, Artist, Architect Jennifer Marie Chertow, Artist, Anthropologist Michael Milewski, Artist, Builder, Gallery Owner Megan Williamson, Artist James Beck, Artist, Musician Jenna Isbell, Artist Paul Alt, Architect Vicki Milewski, Artist, Musician, Composer Joseph and Tomoko Nagle, Artists Tim Wang, Architect Erika Doyle, Artist Corosh, Artist Shawn Vincent, Artist, Ceramicist Darya Orlova, Artist, Ceramicist Louis Sullivan, Architect

Hunting With Louis Sullivan Artists: Louis Sullivan Vicki Milewski

The Beginning of the

Forming Function Art Exhibition Catalog

Third Chicago School

The seed’s been planted, the plant has germinated, now is the time for growth

“ Here however a NEW FAITH is advanced a faith”…that we, with our “natural powers, developed and FREE, may control our DESTINY through the finer magic of enlarged vision and of a will to ATTAIN.” --Louis Sullivan Architect in the First Chicago School

The Beginning of the Third Chicago School: Forming Function Catalog Contents

Essay: The Beginning of the Third Chicago School: Forming Function

By Vicki Milewski

Catalogue of the Exhibition Artists Exhibited with Statements and Images

“all this be taken from the realms of the transcendental and brought into physical, tangible even psychic reality requires that the spirit of Man breathe upon ideas the breath of his living powers…”

Louis Suillivan 1922 From A System of Architectural Ornament , According with a Philosophy of Man’s Powers

The Beginning of the Third Chicago School: Forming Function The 21st Century Chicago Artists’ Studios 3 (CAS3) is a beginning of a new artistic focus in Chicago where artists and architects, photographers and ceramicists, sculptors and creatives will join forces with business leaders and gallery owners to usher in a Third Chicago School—when artists and architects will lead the way to the next stage of how we can live our lives free to pursue any path we choose, in any way we choose and with the power to make our dreams reality.

The 21st Century Chicago Artist Studio 3 (CAS3) was brought together by Galaudet Gallery to explore this beginning in two art exhibitions and their corresponding lecture series with its inspiration being the original “Chicago School” from the turn of the last century and "The Second Chicago School" from the 1950’s—1970’s. In viewing these two schools from the 21st Century’s future oriented perspective and unrivaled access to historical ideas, CAS3 posits that both schools included more than architecture since they enlivened the other arts and enriched educational theories as well as economic forces. Both these schools promoted new technologies and construction methods that worked with the art of their given times and created new avenues for art and architecture to follow.

Galaudet Gallery curated two exhibits to expose the beginnings of a Third Chicago School. The first exhibit is a group show called Forming Function” which examines the idea of “function” as known from a famous quote from a First Chicago School architect Louis Sullivan, “Form ever follows function.”1 Galaudet Gallery sees Sullivan’s function in the following statement for this exhibit: “When our cultural life, our spiritual life and our creative life merge and support one another, then you are Forming Function” 2 Chicago artists were selected for inclusion in Forming Function who share common beliefs and themes and embrace new technologies while recognizing the role historical ideas play in creating our present times and future dreams. All the artists have a faith in nature and its presence in their art and thinking. The second exhibit Galaudet Gallery mounted is called “Hunting with Louis Sullivan” a solo show of Vicki Milewski’s artwork derived from Louis Sullivan’s drawings in his book A System of Architectual Ornament According with the Powers of Man which brings more of Sullivan’s philosophy into the 21st Century through Milewski’s use of polychromy and technology.

1

“…form ever follows function.” Is from Louis Sullivan’s essay “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered” as printed in Lippincott's Magazine March 1896 2 Galaudet Gallery placed statements like these around the exhibit and used them during their artists/architects talks as anchoring devices to further elucidate tenets of the Third Chicago School.

Now as we turn fully into the 21st Century we have found the “Third Chicago School” in the dissolution of a hierarchical system for producing, disseminating and collecting art and realizing architecture which has created a new platform to work from that is based on networks, dialogue and cooperation. Art and Architecture seeks more sustainable ways to create, design, build and reclaim. This Third Chicago School also looks to nature for instruction in lasting systems that work in concert with the surroundings as well we creative elements to inspire; however, we are looking with new eyes that have vast amounts of information to integrate, understand and take into consideration. CAS3 embraces this new looking and puts out the call for others to see anew too.

The First Chicago School occurred during the turn of the last century, when Chicago was completing its rebuilding after the Chicago fire, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the First Chicago School experimented with the idea that form follows function, expanding it to include the functions of morality, spirituality and freedom. With the publication of Louis Sullivan’s A System of Architectural Ornament , According with a Philosophy of Man’s Powers in 1924 a vision of an architecture which would elevate its users to a state of freedom, power and control over personal destiny and natural occurrences was in place and mirrored the Chicago School of Sociology which was happening at the same time and with similar themes. Just as Sullivan freed architecture by utilizing the line as a form of energy and unshackled the grids of Euclidean Geometry in order to free our minds though seeing a new function of buildings, people like John Dewey 3 were freeing our educational system to allow experience and nature into instruction. These ideas were in line with the artists and artisans of Sullivan’s day as well as theosophists and philosophers.

Unfortunately these ideas were at first left behind in a zeal of steel construction and the wonderment of larger and larger windows. These two ideas gave rise 50 years after Sullivan to Chicago’s Second School with Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and others who championed these new building techniques but at a cost to the morality, freedom and spirituality which Sullivan sought to infuse into architecture. Modernity in minimalism was sought in Euclidean straight lines and triangular tubing networks which allowed wind and height to be overcome. But the horror of packing people into a downtown commercial district void of any recognition of spirit, nature or morality that Sullivan lamented over in the later 1910’s became a hallmark of modern architecture

3

John Dewey (1859 – 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, Georgist, and educational reformer

and was embraced by the general public with a disdain for what was viewed as superfluous ornamentations like the ones Sullivan proposed.

The windowed walls of the super skyscrapers do have a magic similar to what Sullivan identified as ancient, esoteric ritualized formulas which “formed part of an elaborate system of magic…” used to control…the destiny of man amidst the powers of nature.”4 These buildings do scrape the sky and mirror it while allowing the people inside to view the coming and going of clouds and now during our climate change world, they can even view the upper parts of the atmosphere dropping down into our breathable world. Yet the advent of the office cubicle, the increasing hierarchy of business models so that only a few chosen ones would have a windowed office (and usually sit with their backs to it) meant that these achievements in construction were to be marveled at from the street and the meeting rooms while the vast majority of the buildings were sectioned and walled off from the rest of the world. Even the bastions of consumerism such as the Marshal Fields store on State and Washington (now Macy’s) closed off their windows so that shoppers would not be distracted. Saks and Nieman Marcus on Michigan Ave. did the same. And so the recent revelations these stores have provided by opening these windows up and allowing the city scenes to be part of the shop floor is a definite signal that something is in transition.

This Third Chicago School is a continuation of Sullivan’s vision of form following the function of life filled with freedom, morality, spirituality and power. CAS3 emulates the architectural legacy of The Chicago School’s embrace of radical, new ideas with CAS3’s 21st Century twist.

Vicki Milewski Chicago October 2015

4

This quote is from A System of Architectural Ornament , According with a Philosophy of Man’s Powers by Louis H Sullivan 1924, as found in the section Sullivan titled “The Inorganic” which was the beginning of his philosophy where first we must manipulate Euclidean principles and then we must move beyond them in order to control our destiny and to be free.

Forming Function is when our cultural life, our spiritual life and our creative life merge.

--Curators Michael Milewski and Vicki Milewski for Forming Function

Galaudet Gallery presents “Creating the Third Chicago School” 10/01/15—11/15/15 CAS3 Artist Reception Euro Furniture 5pm-7pm CAS3 Artist Reception Galaudet Gallery 7pm--9pm 10/24/15 CAS3 presents: “Creating the Third Chicago School” Artist/Architect Talks At Euro Furniture: 12pm—1pm Architect Paul Alt Talk "The Arts and Architecture After War: The Aesthetics of Healing" 1pm--4pm Artists/Architects Talk "The Function of Form" 1:00pm-1:25pm Vicki Milewski, Artist "Creating the Third Chicago School" 1:30pm-1:55pm Allan A. Teske, Architect and Artist “Constructed Connections” 2:00pm-2:25pm Megan Williamson, Artist “Where Infrastructure and Nature Meet” 2:30pm-2:55pm Tim Wang, Architect “The Sustainable Future of Architecture” 3:00pm-3:25pm Darya Orlova, Artist “Weeknight Artist” 3:30pm-3:55pm Michael Milewski, Builder, Artist, gallery owner "Tools of the Trade" At Galaudet Gallery: 4:00pm—5:00pm Vicki Milewski, Artist "Hunting with Louis Sullivan"

“…of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function” “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered”--Louis Sullivan

The Artists Joseph and Tomoko Nagle, Artists Vicki Milewski, Artist Megan Williamson, Artist Jennifer Chertow, Artist James Beck, Artist Darya Orlova, Artist Paul Alt, Architect Shawn Vincent, Artist Michael Milewski, Artist Allan A. Teske, Artist and Architect Louis H. Sullivan, Architect

Nagle Photography Joseph and Tomoko Nagle Artists Statement Joseph and Tomoko are Chicago based photographers and artists who work as a team.

Our work is a collaboration in every sense. Our visions are unique but play off common themes such as: street life, light, texture and capturing the isolated moments of everyday life. Much of our work is focused on our beloved Ukrainian Village neighborhood. http://nagleweb.com

North Damen El Stop Autumn 11� x 14�

Archival photo print Contact Artist for Price

naglephotography@hotmail.com

Nagle Photography Joseph and Tomoko Nagle

Tokyo Bikes 24� X 32�

Limited edition Archival Print Contact Artist for Price

Nagle Photography Joseph and Tomoko Nagle

Our Alley 24� X 32�

Limited edition Archival Print Contact Artist for Price

Nagle Photography Joseph and Tomoko Nagle

Elder 30� X 20� canvas print Contact Artist for Price

Vicki Milewski, Artist Vicki Milewski is an abstract experientialist challenging the boundaries of canvas, film, paper, words and music; mixing mediums in artworks and in compelling art collections pursuing experiences expressing the healing potential of nature. Her work often makes precise references to sites, history, metaphysics, ontology and pop culture. Milewksi’s award-winning artworks are internationally collected and exhibited in solo and group shows. http://vickimilewski.wix.com/vmartist

vickimilewski@gmail.com

From the Chakra Collection

Purple is Divine The Svadhisthana Chakra 18” X 24” Oil on Linen with Amsterdam Oils On loan, Limited Edition Artist Proof Prints available

Vicki Milewski, Artist From the Chakra Collection

Singing and Dancing The Visuddha Chakra 48” X 72” Oil on Linen with Amsterdam Oils On loan, Limited Edition Artist Proof Prints available

Vicki Milewski, Artist From Badlands Roads Collection

Badlands Road South: Going to See Joe (2015) 16” X 20” Gamblin Oil Paint and Natural Media on Belgian linen canvas.

Conservator-approved; archival quality $2,400.00

Badlands Road North: The Pink Road (a gentle way to learn the red one) (2015) 16” X 20” Gamblin Oil Paint and Natural Media on Belgian linen canvas.

Conservator-approved; archival quality $2,500.00

Vicki Milewski, Artist From Badlands Roads Collection

Badlands Road East: Road Like a River Spilling Me Home (2015) 16” X 20” Gamblin Oil Paint and Natural Media on Belgian linen canvas.

Conservator-approved; archival quality $1,425.00

Badlands Road West: Hills Breathing Pink (2015) 16” X 20” Gamblin Oil Paint and Natural Media on Belgian linen canvas.

Conservator-approved; archival quality $1,400.00

Vicki Milewski, Artist From the Chakra Collection

Anahata Lilies The Anahata Chakra 16” X 20” Oil on Linen with Amsterdam Oils On loan, Limited Edition Artist Proof Prints available

Vicki Milewski, Artist From Where Our Food Comes From: The Receiving Jar Collection

Glenn’s Corn 9 The Fire Within 24” X 36” Gamblin Oil Paint on Belgian linen canvas.

Conservator-approved; archival quality $2,138.00

Glenn’s Corn 10 Seeing the Other Side 24” X 36” Gamblin Oil Paint on Belgian linen canvas.

Conservator-approved; archival quality $2,152.00

Megan Williamson, Artist Megan Williamson has had 21 one-person exhibitions and participated in group shows in the US, Italy, Ireland and Canada. She has had earned fellowships and grants. Ms. Williamson received her BA from Knox College followed with two years of study at the New York Studio School.

Megan gave an artists talk “Where Infrastructure and Nature Meet” outlining her practice as an urban artist who has an affinity for nature. She also spoke on how unusual places in Chicago have captured her imagination and that she feels after painting them that she is bringing these unknown places to others, making them known: “I paint because I love color and light. Because translating what I see into paint is a puzzle that I can't leave alone. I paint because I love the feeling of a full brush being dragged across a canvas. Because in front of the easel I make sense of a small piece of of the world so I can live with the ambiguities and chaos and randomness of life. I paint in order to find beauty and to show it to others, to you.” http://www.meganwilliamson.com/

m@meganwilliamson.com

Landscape with Fences (2011) 16” x 14” Oil on canvas $1,200.00

Megan Williamson, Artist

The L at Leavitt (2013) 20” x 16” Oil on canvas $1,000.00

Salt Pile on the Cal Sag Canal (2014) 19” x 13” Oil on canvas $1,200.00

Megan Williamson, Artist

Division Street Bridge (west end) (2011) 24” x 18” Sumi Ink on Claycoat Paper $950.00

The Skyway Seen from the Cal Sag Canal (2014) 24” x 18” Sumi Ink on Claycoat Paper $950.00

Megan Williamson, Artist

Crowley Boatyard (2014) 24” x 18” Sumi Ink on Claycoat Paper $950.00

Jennifer Marie Chertow Artist I graduated with an A.B. in history and literature from Harvard College, an A.M. in social sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Stanford University. I recently took up painting and sculpture to express my love of nature in art. http://www.jenniferchertow.com/

Evening Island in Autumn – Chicago Botanic Gardens (2014) 20” X 16” Acrylic on Canvas $495.00

jenniferchertow@gmail.com

Jennifer Marie Chertow Artist

Du Sable Bridge, Chicago (2015) 20” X 16” Oil on Canvas $649.00

Studio Beck, Inc. James Beck James Beck states, “The real world is all around us. I am fascinated by pulling small pieces out and coaxing the eye to see in a new way. That becomes another world. An unexpected world....”

James Beck founded Studio Beck, Inc. 33 years ago, specializing in tabletop, food and jewelry photography for the web, packaging, brochures and catalogs. beckfirst@ameritech.net

Phoenix 17” X 11” Limited Edition Pigment-based archival print $450.00

Studio Beck, Inc. James Beck

Bullrush 17” X 11” Limited Edition Pigment-based archival print $450.00

Passing By 17” X 11” Limited Edition Pigment-based archival print $450.00

Studio Beck, Inc. James Beck

Drape 17” X 11” Limited Edition Pigment-based archival prints $450.00

Studio Beck, Inc. James Beck

Shish 17” X 11” Limited Edition Pigment-based archival prints $450.00

Darya Orlova, Artist Darya is an artist and ceramics teacher living in Chicago. Though her education was in psychology and computer science, ceramics has always been a passion that she pursued since high school. Her style is inspired by nature and characterized by clean lines and bright accents.

Darya gave an Artists Talk called “Weeknight Artist” about keeping the passion alive for making art and how she has struggled with calling herself an artist but is coming to understand that she is one. http://dashaorlova.com/

Barnacles (2015) 60” x 48” Ceramic $500.00

daorlova@gmail.com

Alt Architecture + Research Associates LLC Paul Alt , Principal Paul Alt is the founder of Alt Architecture and Research Associates LLC. The studio’s work focuses on “architecture as a tool” for behavioral health services, educational support, and community building spaces for warriors and inner city youth.

Paul Alt gave an Architect Talk "The Arts and Architecture After War: The Aesthetics of Healing" presenting his work with inner city youth at Du Sable High School in planning an Urban Ecology Sanctuary and with the Cedar Rapids Veterans Memorial Building.

Both these projects deal with healing warriors from different kinds of warfare but with similar needs. http://www.aaplusr.com/

The Cedar Rapids Veterans Memorial Building 30” X 40” Computer Generated Architectural Rendering (Details shown here) $500.00

palt@aaplusr.com

Shawn Vincent, Artist I have been working in ceramics for over 20 years now. My passion is in the thrown piece, through which I love to explore the subtleties of form, function, and decoration. I strive for simplicity, harmony, and grace of form. Though my work is primarily functional, it is ongoing and ever changing. shawnvincent@comcast.net

After the Storm 2015: Small Cell (2015) 7� in diameter Low fire Earthenware and glass fit $85.00

After the Storm 2015: Medium Cell (2015) 10� in diameter Low fire Earthenware and glass fit $120.00

Shawn Vincent, Artist

After the Storm 2015: Large Cell (2015) 16� in diameter Low fire Earthenware and glass fit $165.00

Michael Milewski , Artist Michael Milewski has been an artist his whole life, receiving the first of many awards at the age of 5. Michael is also a successful businessman first as a contractor featured in publications and then as a real estate entrepreneur. His art has been featured in many exhibitions and he is fearless toward juxtaposing elements from history, economics, personal experience and pop culture.

Michael gave an Artist Talk called "Tools of the Trade" discussing the intersection between building homes and commercial properties and his other work as an artist. He used true stories from his life to illustrate how these two practices merge and complement each other. One memorable story involved a heirloom pocket knife that was a tool of his grandfather’s trade. mikesbldg@gmail.com

21st Century $wag (2015) 18� X 24�

Ink and paper $250.00

Michael Milewski , Artist

Half Moon Brace for Chicago Back porch (2013) 3’ diameter Constructed brace for actual back porch designed and built by artist Photo by Vicki Milewski 11” X 14” $150.00

Allan A. Teske , Artist The paintings invited the viewer to see from not knowing, to disconnect from their “truth” and consider that “truth” is transitory. Knowing is not seeing. See what is in the background forming the foreground, thus see in the whole. Knowing is a monologue of the mind without language. It is through speaking that all transformation Allan gave an Artists Talk called “Constructed Connections” where he discussed the nature of shared reality, the possibilities inherent in viewing art and the constructions each viewer brings to each moment. Allan explained that he likes to approach each canvas with no-thing in mind so that he can create something new and something that will fill each space of emptiness. www.allanateske.com

ateske821@aol.com

Orchids 27”x 27” Oil on Canvas $4,500.00

Allan A. Teske , Artist

City Back Streets 66”x 66” Oil on Canvas $75,000.00

Allan A. Teske , Artist

Conceived Insights 27”x 27” Oil on Canvas $4,500.00

Allan A. Teske , Artist

Old Ones Watching 27”x 27” Oil on Canvas $4,500.00

“Forms, objects, growths, humanities, to spiritual images ripening.”

“Song of the Universal”--Walt Whitman

Forming Function Exhibition Venues: Galaudet Gallery http://galaudetgallery.wix.com/ggllc 2223 W. Hubbard, Chicago, IL 60612 715-513-9994 Euro Furniture http://www.eurofurniture.com/ Chris Racuna 2145 West Grand Avenue, Chicago, Il 60612 (800) 243-1955

Please contact Galaudet Gallery for more information and for printed versions of this catalog: galaudetgallery@gmail.com 715-513-9994

This catalog is dedicated to all those who work toward bringing art into the world

Louis Sullivan Plate 16 Impromptu! with Artists names