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SUNDAY BREAKFAST
WEEKEND WEATHER
The Organized Mama, Jessica Litman, insists that a decluttered house also clears the mind P18
Saturday, Mostly cloudy, high 41 Saturday night, Mostly cloudy, 50% chance of rain or light snow, low 29 Sunday, Mostly cloudy, 50% chance of rain or light snow, high 39
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
Mix a variety of squashes for this delicious autumn bake P14 FOLLOW US:
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PATTERN PLAY PAINTER AND PRINTMAKER DOROTHY STITES ALIG’S ART BRINGS A SERIES OF DOTS AND PATTERNS TO LIFE, CREATING SUBTLE FORM TO NATURE-INSPIRED ABSTRACT PIECES. ALIG’S EXHIBIT, THE ANTHROPAUSE, RUNS THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 AT VIVID ART GALLERY IN WINNETKA. BY MOLLY GEORGE THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Indianapolis artist Dorothy Stites Alig’s latest exhibit, The Anthropause, takes large inspiration from the simple small joys found in nature—happenings and observations that unless you’ve taken a moment to pause, you may not otherwise notice. Her abstract art is a combination of painting and custom silkscreen printed patterns. The name of her exhibit is a word recently coined and brought into the American lexicon: “anthropause” is used to describe the slow-down and pause across the world as a result of a global decrease of human activity, particularly travel, that came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alig’s abstract paintings in this exhibit—which runs through November 30 at Vivid Art Gallery in Winnetka— feature subtle references to wildlife through silhouettes and subtle figures hidden throughout her landscapes, as well as motifs inspired by the day-to-day happenings in nature that we wouldn’t usually detect. Because of the anthropause, Alig did take notice and is now ready to share her viewpoints with a wider audience. Continued on PG 10
Dorothy Stites Alig’s The Sage painting is one of several featured at this month's exhibit in Winnetka. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DOROTHY STITES ALIG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENDALL MCCAUGHERTY- HALL+MERRICK
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INDEX
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14 north shore foodie
Savor the harvest of baby squash with a spiced brown sugar butter recipe
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NEWS PATTERN PLAY
reference to the atomic particles that constitute all matter.” Alig’s distinctive art, while clearly recognizable as her own, is constantly evolving. And she admires and draws inspiration from many contemporary artists’ color palettes, such as Mark Bradford and Chris Ofili, although her own work doesn’t much resemble theirs. Alig also consciously tries to avoid falling into the trap of anticipating viewer's reactions to the finished piece, instead focusing on painting instinctively and staying in her creative zone while working. From a viewer’s standpoint, Alig hopes that the layering and various patterns she uses create a kind of richness that allows for a new perspective or the discovery of something new as people look at and sit with her paintings over time.
From PG 1
Alig begins her complex, creative work by covering a large sheet of Japanese paper with ink strokes—usually subtle stripes—to bring life and animation to the page. She often works from a rough sketch to begin blocking out areas of colors, although she often deviates from the plan as her painting progresses and she gets lost in the creative process. Her artwork isn’t limited to just freehand painting, however. She also uses patterns from silkscreen prints inspired by nature, architecture, designs she noticed in her studio, or patterns she imagined herself. The way Alig uses these screens is what sets her apart. “Rather than making multiples of the same image, I use small sections of the screen to delineate specific areas of the painting,” says Alig. “Often two or more patterns are layered to create the desired complexity.” This unique layering technique creates a kind of intentional dissolution of the forms within the painting, giving Alig’s work a more abstract air. She then continues to layer the screen patterns until she has created a harmonious balance of color and
Dorothy Stites Alig’s exhibit, The Anthropause, is running through November 30 at Vivid Art Gallery, located at 895 Green Bay Road in Winnetka. For more information, call 224505-5961 or visit vividartgallery.net.
After the Deluge
Braman Trail
Artist Dorothy Stites Alig
form throughout the piece. “I start with some idea of what I’m going to do and stay very loosely attached to that idea ... my art is fairly spontaneous,” explains Alig. Alig uses layering techniques to add richness to her paintings. She studies a previous layer and then adds each new layer as a reaction to her earlier work. Alig equates the complex process of creating her art to solving a puzzle: when something just doesn’t seem to be working, she’s not afraid to take a break and come back with fresh eyes at a later time. Alig’s inspiration for her paintings and artwork can come from all walks of life, but most commonly from her own lived experiences. She’s drawn inspiration from photographs of nature she’s taken, memories of past travels—such as her trip to Istanbul—and the ambiance of Northern Michigan, where she has a small studio. Her recent Postcards series was inspired by her
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own Indianapolis gardens and backyard. “I find something interesting about most places,” says Alig. “The key is, you have to look with different eyes, more closely than the average person would, in order to recreate or create something.” Alig’s artwork allows her to quite literally depict a new way of seeing the world. Her work is mostly playful and optimistic, experimenting with colors and mixing in subtle color ranges, and seeing where it takes her. Her whimsical wanderings on the canvas capture the spontaneity of playing with colorful spots and dots of every size. Although she’s now more advanced in her career, Alig is still heavily influenced by its beginning, when she worked as a textile conservator at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She has a true appreciation and understanding of the muted colors and natural dyes used in the color palettes of ancient and historic textiles. Part of her studies to become a conservator included chemistry courses, which were pivotal in shaping the way she sees the world and how that trans-
lates to her own art. “Studying chemistry allowed me to understand the physical world differently,” she explains. “It is made up of minute particles, and the omnipresent dots in my work are a
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LIFESTYLE & ARTS
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
ROAST BABY SQUASH MEDLEY WITH SPICED BROWN SUGAR BUTTER BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
Poultry may be the big star this month, but vegetables make my culinary firmament sparkle. Before Midwest farmers markets bow out for the winter, they bring out squashes of all shapes and sizes—in colors that match the autumn leaves. This easy bake makes the most of their sweet tender flesh and whimsical shapes. To make it, you’ll need a variety of small squashes. I used small acorn, baby butternut, honeynut, uchiki kuri, and delicata. Cut in half, culled of seeds and pulp, and nestled in a roasting pan with sage, rosemary, thyme and spiced brown sugar butter, they bake up beautifully.
INGREDIENTS FOR SPICED BROWN SUGAR BUTTER
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper • 1 Tbsp finely minced fresh rosemary • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves FOR ROAST BABY SQUASH MEDLEY
• 6 small squashes (I used a medley of acorn, baby butternut, honeynut, uchiki kuri, and delicata) • Four small sprigs rosemary • Four small sprigs thyme • Four small sprigs sage • ½ tsp sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper • 1 cup water • Garnish with 1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans OR pepitas
METHOD MAKE SPICED BROWN SUGAR BUTTER
Melt butter. Add all remaining ingredients and whisk to make a smooth caramel. Set aside. MAKE ROAST BABY SQUASH MEDLEY
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash squash well. Using a sharp knife, cut each squash in half lengthwise. Using a serrated edged spoon, or apple-coring tool, remove seeds and filaments from each squash cavity and discard. Pat squash dry. Trim a very thin slice from the bottom of each halved squash, allowing them to rest, hollow side up, without bobbling. Arrange squash in a roasting pan. Pour cup of water into the pan, being careful not to splash the squash. Fill the cavity of each squash with about 1 Tbsp of the spiced brown sugar butter. Sprinkle squash with pepper and salt. Scatter sage, thyme and rosemary sprigs over all. Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil. Roast squash for 50 minutes. Remove foil. Roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until squash are fork tender. Brush edges of each squash with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans or pepitas. Serve hot.
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| SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13 | SUNDAY NOVEMBER 14 2021
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S U N D AY B R E A K FA S T
ORGANIZER EXTRAORDINAIRE GLENVIEW’S JESSICA LITMAN—ALSO KNOWN AS THE ORGANIZED MAMA—ESPOUSES THE ‘DECLUTTERED HOUSE EQUALS A DECLUTTERED MIND’ AXIOM. BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
There’s likely at least one pile, of something, sitting around your home. Thinking of adding a piece of paper, or an item of clothing, or a dish, to it? Be careful. That same sedentary pile may very well be standing—and wobbling—at this time tomorrow. Who you gonna call? Jessica Litman, pile buster. Or, more formally, The Organized Mama, which is also the name of the media company she started in 2016. (Litman’s “The Organized Mama” blog, born in 2013, kickstarted the burgeoning venture). The Glenview resident and mother of two (Eli, 9, and daughter Adleigh, 7, with husband Ben) has as an exemplary track record of helping folks whittle their in-house mountains down to molehills. And, ideally, no hills. “When you declutter a physical space, your mental space opens up as well,” Litman says. “Mental clutter and internal roadblocks can be thoughts or overstimulation from outside sources that keep you from thinking clearly or making decisions quickly. “One of the most important things, for people who want less chaos in their life, is finding out what being organized means to them. They have to figure out what they want it to look like at home for them and their family.” The Organized Mama’s mission is to teach families how to find the calm in their homes by removing clutter with easy tips, tricks, and tutorials everyone can do. Among Litman’s 100-plus blog entries: “15 Ways to Store Decorations”; “20 Ways of Organizing Clothing in Closets”; and “5 Tips for Clearing Mental Clutter.” One of her tips for tackling, or at least denting, a pesky pile is to do so with the help of a checklist and a timer. Set the timer to buzz at 15 minutes, Litman suggests. Then focus solely on dividing the mass into this-must-stick-around stuff and this-must-go stuff until the timer blares time’s up. Check off the task on your list. Feel weight melt off your shoulders. Move on to the next task. “Maintaining order and living as clutter free as possible can be a sanity-saver when things get chaotic,” Litman claims on her website (theorganizedmama.com). “I found solace in organizing at a young age, because I experienced a lot of loss at a young age. “When things get out of control, I know I
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can create order for myself.” Litman grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota, and performed for the tennis and dance teams at Armstrong High School. Her most devastating loss occurred in middle school, a setback that had nothing to do with a competition. Jessica’s good friend and neighbor, Brian, who made her laugh often, died at age 13. “After he passed away I felt like I was falling apart,” Litman recalls. “I focused more on my space in my bedroom, constantly making sure everything
One of the most important things, for people who want less chaos in their life, is finding out what being organized means to them.
was straightened up; doing so helped me reset, mentally, and it put me in a better place. I’d always made my bed and lined up my stuffed animals every morning, but those actions, more than ever, helped me get through a difficult time.” The daughter of Jim and Debbie (a former special education teacher), Litman didn’t even know what a household chore was when she was a student in middle school. She couldn’t believe it when she discovered her classmates labeled tidying up their rooms a “chore.”
Jessica Litman
| SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13 | SUNDAY NOVEMBER 14 2021
Born to get things done at home—without being asked. That was young Jessica. Litman received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Indiana University and her master’s degree in Special Education at DePaul University. She taught secondgraders in Schiller Park for two years before serving a stint as a third-grade teacher in Arlington Heights. After earning her master’s degree, Litman returned to Schiller Park as a special education teacher and later became director of special education for the Schiller Park School District. Her visits to the homes of special education students fueled the creation of “The Organized Mama” blog. “Parents of special education students have a lot of paperwork,” Litman says. “I helped them with it, right there at their homes. That led to discussions about strategies to organize a student’s room—with one being, take all of the toys out of the room, because that’s a place to sleep, not play. How best to make sure the child was ready to leave the house on schooldays was another strategy I shared with parents.” Litman formed The Organized Business in 2020, a business consultancy to help organizing experts expand their reach and impact. The Organized Business services consist of social media outreach strategies, creating and writing a successful blog from scratch, emphasizing the importance of multimedia content, course creation, and more. The Organized Mama is also The Coach of the Organizing Experts. Litman’s first book, Home Sweet Organized Home, will be released next spring. It took her only a month and a half to write the book’s 19 chapters. That’s akin to a spacecraft needing only three minutes to reach the moon. “I had my outline, and as I wrote, everything flowed,” she says. “I couldn’t type fast enough.” The mama, wife, The Organized Mama CEO, teacher-for-life, blogger, coach, and author was named People.com’s Organizing and DIY Expert as part of its Parent Expert Squad in 2018, and earned “Stylemaker” status from Better Homes & Gardens in 2019. Add “Go-to Resource During a Pandemic” to Litman’s IMAX-screen-sized business card. “People, now more than ever, want a home that feels comfortable, organized, and tidy,” Litman says. “They want to come home and feel calm and patient. “You’d never feel anywhere near that,” she adds, “if you have to face piles and chaos as soon as you enter your house.” Visit theorganizedmama.com for more information. THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
TO OUR WONDERFUL CLIENTS, THANK YOU. It has been an amazing year for our team with over $47 million closed and under contract so far, but we couldn’t have done it without your trust and support. We look forward to another wonderful year ahead helping you all find your place in the world!
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“Stephanie was absolutely amazing! We went from thinking about moving to buying a new home and selling our home in a matter of days. Stephanie knows the area extremely well and was so helpful during both buying and selling. She is a hugely valuable person if you are looking to either buy or sell! She was a pleasure to work with!” “Jacqueline is an exceptional agent. She has a superb knowledge of the northern suburbs and found us the perfect home in our move from the city. Jacqueline also sold our condo in the city in less than a week (in the middle of snow storm). Jacqueline is quick to respond to requests for information, she has a great eye for construction and design, and she has a roster of trusted service providers for home customization. We highly recommend Jacqueline.”
Jacqueline Lotzof
Stephanie Malk
Licensed Real Estate Broker jacqueline.lotzof@compass.com 847.917.8220
Licensed Real Estate Broker jacqueline.lotzof@compass.com 847.917.8220 Lotzof Malk Residential is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass, a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local Equal Housing Opportunity laws. 1849 Green Bay Rd, Suite 107. Highland Park, IL 60035.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13 | SUNDAY NOVEMBER 14 2021 |
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FOR SALE
WELCOME TO 1045 STARR ROAD, WINNETKA 7 Bed, 7.2 Bath | $4,199,000 | 1045starr.info Custom designer brick and stone newer residence with over 600K of upgrades. Built in 2014 with 9,600 square feet of finished living space, spanning 3 floors set on approximately .5 acres in the heart of Winnetka. Better than new construction with custom window treatments, designer lighting and wall coverings have been added to make this exceptionally beautiful, light-filled transitional home true perfection! The private and secluded rear yard is a vacation oasis, bluestone patio, pergola with retractable waterproof roof, built in heating system, stone fireplace with TV and a built-in kitchen complete with grill and Green egg. All of this in a neighborhood setting, close to town, school, and train.
MARLENE LEON, Broker 847.644.4218 | Marlene@MarleneLeon.com | MarleneLeon.com
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| SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13 | SUNDAY NOVEMBER 14 2021
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND