FPR Garage Galleries 2022

Garage Galleries event showc ases local artists in garages

On Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 2-7 p.m., Forest Park garages will become de facto art galleries at Garage Galleries Forest Park, A Neighborhood Art Walk.

Garage Galleries Forest Park is a free, volunteer-driven neighborhood art walk, coordinated by Lin Beribak, Susan Cross,Andrea DiFebo and Rick Wagner from the Forest Park Arts Alliance. For the 8th year, residents throughout the neighborhoods of Forest Park will host local area artists in their garages to display their work in a casual, family-friendly, “art reception” atmosphere.

We are pleased to hold the 2022 event with over 70 artists in 28 garages across Forest Park. Each garage hosts several artists in

all mediums, including painting, photography, pottery, sculpture, mixed media, and jewelry. Most of the featured artwork will be available for purchase.

Each artist is featured on the Garage Galleries website with a photo of their work, description, and links to their websites or social media. “We have a great slate of artists for this year ’s event, including many new artists,” states Beribak.

“This free, family-friendly event is open to everyone and is a great way to see terrific art in a casual and welcoming setting,” stated Cross. “Our host garages are incredibly welcoming to the artists, and it ’s a wonderful way to explore the neighborhoods of Forest Park,” adds DiFebo

Attendees are encouraged to visit as many garages as possible, by car, bicycle or on foot. A downloadable and a printable version of the map of locations and their artists is available on the website, and printed maps will be available at each garage site.

Visitors can also pick up printed maps at Centuries and Sleuths Bookstore, 7419 Madison Street, Forest Park.

2022 Garage Locations

A list of garage locations and an online Google map, along with information on the artists, is also available at the Garage Galleries website: www.tinyurl.com/GarageGalleries, and printed maps are available at Centuries & Sleuths, 7419 Madison Street, Forest Park.

1. 122 Elgin Avenue

Nancy Gordon | Kevin Stein

Rick Wagner | Brian Walsh

2. 220 Elgin Avenue

Carla Riseman | Forestt LaFave

Mark Hadhazy

3. 301 Elgin Avenue

Kristy Fleming | Joel Heinz

Cynthia Riccolo

4. 529 Elgin Avenue

Kathryn Budd | Peter Budd

Kathy Kucia | Judy Steed

5. 505 Thomas Ave

Kimberly Adami-Hasegawa

Brenda Merle | Daniel Marcus

6. 446 Thomas Avenue

Heather Cox | Gretchen Jankowski

Dominique MacLean

7. 432 Thomas Avenue

Rosemary Gange | Alex Ptak

8. 418 Thomas Avenue

Emily Pfaff | Ian Pfaff

9. 505 Ferdinand Avenue

Bridget Lane | Chuck Michalak

10. 519 Beloit Avenue

Jonathan Scianna

11. 541 Beloit Avenue

Jason Curry | Priscilla Putman

12. 540 Ferdinand Ave.

Lynn Brown | Judy Jeske

Cheryl Ann Spran

13. 7633 Jackson Blvd.

Gary Jackson

14. 625 Thomas Avenue

Judith Deszcz | Randy Gallagher

Lynn Harris | Kristi Murray | Pat W illiams

15. 60 9 Marengo Avenue

Nancy Domash | Brad Gehrig

Lynn Merel

16. 819 Circle Avenue

Amira Aziz | Donna Cabral

Bret Juliano 17. 904 Marengo Avenue

Laurie Freivogel

Deana Rose | Kate Strong 18. 920 Marengo Avenue

Kenneth Kucera | Carolyn Moore 19. 1040 Elgin Avenue

Nannet te Abate 20. 1230 Marengo Ave.

Berkery

2022 Garage Location

A Timeless Lesson from The Lorax

My 3-year-old daughter is obsessed with The Lorax, the Dr. Seuss classic that chronicles the plight of the environment and introduces the Lorax who “speaks for the trees.”

The Once-ler finds the valley of Truffula trees for his invention, the Thneed, and eventually causes mass deforestation, in the pursuit of success, until the last Truffula tree is cut down. It is a great children’s book and enjoyable movie to share with her, but the deeper meaning always weighs heavy.

Written in 1971, the plot of The Lorax holds true today: It raises the ethical issues regarding the impact of our actions, moral implications of success, and how a person recognizes their mistakes.

We should always be conscious of our environment, and the implications of our actions. While removing trees that are heavily diseased or have been invaded by a foreign pest protects other species, we should carefully consider how our decisions will impact our environment.

The book concludes with a picture of a pile of rocks with the word `UNLESS’. Then these words from Once-ler: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Maybe we should all try to be a little bit more like The Lorax.

Scott McAdam Jr.

Ar t out back at Garage Galleries

60 artists, 28 garages and a hot dog stand

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Editor

Garage Galleries is back and it is turning all of Forest Park into a gigantic art gallery for one day Stretching between the 100 block of Elgin near the Green Line and the 1500 block of Marengo near Reiger Park, the garages of 28 Forest Park residents will showcase the work of 60 local painters, sculptors, photographers and jewelers from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27.

“There are a lot of creative people in Forest Park,” said Rick Wagner, one of the event ’s organizers. “Garage Galleries gives them a chance to showcase their art. The exposure is a great opportunity for them.”

Andrea DiFebo who coordinates the garage hosts, added, “We are not

going for the high-priced Gold Coast art although we will have some artists of that caliber in our event. Part of the is to enable our neighbors in town to have quality art that is affordable in their homes.”

In years past, said DiFebo, the least expensive item sold for a dollar and the asking price for one piece was $12,000.

Garage Galleries is a free event in the sense that there is no registration fee for the artists to display their work and no admission cost for the patrons as they roam from alley to alley throughout the village.

Wagner said that art galleries take up to 50% of the sale of a painting, but the Garage Galleries every penny goes to the artists themselves. It ’s a win/win situation, because it keeps the price affordable for patrons and the artists get to keep everything they get.

Lin Beribak, a watercolorist and one of the coordinators of the event, said that patrons intending to buy art should bring multiple means of paying for what

they purchase, because some artists accept cash or MEMO Bill Payments but not credit cards. She herself accepts cash and Zelle.

And, speaking of free, Smokey Joel will be serving up hot dogs at 505 Thomas at no charge. All he will be asking is a donation to cover his costs with the rest going to the Arts Alliance.

The organizers suggest that the best way to do the Garage Galleries is by bicycle. Because the garages all open up onto alleys, the venues are safe for pedestrians but also hidden for those driving cars. Yard signs will be planted in the front yards of all garage hosts.

Maps showing the location of each host garage are in this special Forest Park Review section.

The organizers thank the Review and Growing Community Media, the Public

Works Department, and everyone who has supported the event since its inception in 2014.

The Forest Park residents who organize Garage Galleries are volunteers. When asked why they invest the time and energy, they all answered, “Building community.”

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Garage Galleries 2021

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ALEX ROGALS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Modern rustic pottery by artist Joel Heinz is seen on display dur ing the 2021 Garage Galleries.

ALEX ROGALS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Alma Been, of Oak Park, paints a canvas dur ing the 2021 Garage Galleries.

Brenda Merle/DayofVibrancy

RoseMary Camille Gange

Bridget Lane

Lynn Merel

Randy Gallagher