4 minute read
Cover Artist - Maggie Rubin
Art All Around
Message from the Editor
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In mid-August, I found one of my grandfather’s paintings on Ebay. Yes, Ebay. This would be a neat find for anyone, but mine was especially cool because I have been Googling Pawpaw’s art periodically for the better part of 15 years. This time, the search hit paydirt!
Ralph Clifford Forman was born in 1924. As a young man, he enlisted in the Army and served in WWII. His job during the war was as a mail carrier. As he tells it, he spent his time delivering mail while reflecting on the scenery around him. I can imagine that the scenes of war caused him to mentally escape into anything beautiful where he could find it. He was lucky to come home after the war and held onto his memories. Within a few years of his return, Ralph attended The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He painted his memories off and on for decades.
In the mid-90s, after the memories—both good and bad—finally overtook his mind, our family made the decision to move him from his home into a care facility. My parents cleaned out his house and the cache of paintings and supplies. My parents kept a few of “the good ones” and sold the rest of the paintings at a garage sale we held at his house. My parents put away the saved paintings into the basement where they remained largely forgotten. In the meantime, my mother’s brother became a prolific muralist: Paul Barker, of Googleplex Murals, whose work is in Cantigny and the Museum of Science and Industry, as well as Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoos. As Paul added projects, my mother shared the family lore that my grandmother, Paul’s and her mom, was the first cousin of Edgar Degas, the famous French Impressionist. Surely, my family was magical in the art space, and something stuck in the back of my mind.
When I shared my recent discovery with my parents, my dad indicated that he had never seen the one I bought. Dad speculated that it was likely sold sometime in the 60s when the family was on extremely hard times. During that conversation, my folks also reminded me that they had a flood in the early 2000s that wiped out all the rest of Pawpaw’s paintings. So, here I found a painting made in 1950, from memory of a war in 1944-ish, that was sold in perhaps the 1960s, and SOMEHOW, I Googled it before someone else purchased—72 years after its creation!
For this issue, we pulled in local artists who create new aesthetics by taking an image in their brains and bringing it into reality. We have a muralist, several canvas painters, a few wood painters, a ceramicist, and one that pulls different objects into a collage of art. We also bring you into the community of art all around us!
Ralph C. Forman
Ashley South
Ashley’s grandfather’s painting found in 2022, created in 1950
Maggie Rubin
Instagram @aqualovestudio Facebook at Aqua Love Studio Etsy @ www.etsy.com/shop/AquaLoveStudio
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See & Be Seen
Meet & Read: Oct/Nov Issue
Thursday, October 6th 5:30pm to 8:00pm Naperville Art League 508 N Center Street
Free! Meet the artists, features, writers, and fellow readers. We’re focused on weaving the community together. Everyone is welcome - Join us!
www.MainLuxe.com/events Profiles in Action
Thursday, October 27th 5:30pm to 8:00pm Liam Brex, Upstairs 222 S Main Street, 2nd Floor
Glimpse of Gourmet: LIVE!
Tuesday, November 15th 6:00pm to 8:00pm Liam Brex Kitchen 222 S Main Street
$25. Connections. Cathy Subber, Owner of The Branch, brings our Feb 2022 profile to life! Attend our intimate workshop on how to discover a richer experience in your community.
www.MainLuxe.com/events
$50. Chef Terrell demonstrates how to make braised lamb found within the pages of this magazine! He will engage you in the kitchen with a wine toast and full dinner. He will share with techniques and modifications based on skill!
www.MainLuxe.com/events
Naperville Neighbors
“A true sense of community stands out to me. Everyone says hello when walking around the neighborhood, We are so grateful to be raising a family in a community like this one.” “I love South Pointe because it is so family- oriented, safe, and we have great neighbors. Also, we have a community pool and the houses are beautiful!” “We love living here. You can shop, eat, and stroll in the friendly atmosphere of this close-knit community. It reminds me of the sitcom, Cheers: ‘Where everybody knows your name.’” “What I love about living in Naperville is that it is a loving, giving, and caring community. I’ve lived here 20 years and just love it!
