the WHISTLER

Jana Kinsman‘s doodles are uncomplicated in concept and charmingly sweet. In this move from pen and paper to the Whistler’s store-front windows, she draws her inspiration from the bar’s clientele. As a lifelong Midwesterner, Jana appreciates the fortitude of the Chicagoan who waits in the wintry cold for a warm spot and a stiff drink. These moments are her muse. Her doodles will stand alongside you in line and provide fodder for conversation, evoke your imagination and if nothing else, plant a smile on your face.

“Winter at the Whistler” is perfectly simple in its execution. These characters are your comrades; outside and inside the Whistler.

In conjunction with the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, Plural’s site-specific interactive installation is a visual metaphor of the Whistler, consisting of two parts:

– a catalog / inventory of all the objects in the bar to be displayed in the front window.
– an interactive light installation that will output different colors based on the average volume of the sound in the bar. Over the course of the night, the color will fluctuate, allowing passerby’s to see how active the bar is inside.

carlsweets is a Chicago-based artist, primarily a photographer, working at Marwen. He received an MFA from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY in 2007. He has shown in New York, Chicago and also internationally. For more of his work visit his site.

Past shows:
2008:
electric :: Happy Dog Gallery :: Chicago, Illinois
Coalition of Photographic Arts Juried Show :: Walker Point Center :: Milwaukee, WI
these are paintings::these are photographs :: Cleaver Arts :: Chicago, Illinois

2007:
pax americana :: Steueben South Gallery, Pratt Institute :: Brooklyn, New York
Arte Laguna :: Brolo Centro d’Arte e Cultura :: Mogliano Veneto (Treviso), Italy
Politics of Power :: Brooklyn Artists Gym :: Brooklyn, New York
Chicago Art Open :: Iron Studios :: Chicago, Illinois
College Art Association exhibition :: Hunter College :: New York, New York
McCaig-Welles Group Show :: McCaig-Welles Gallery :: Brooklyn, New York

2006:
Annex Show :: Annex Gallery :: New York, New York
MFA Group Show :: Steuben South Gallery, Pratt Institute :: Brooklyn, New York
nine :: Cellar Door Collective, Galapagos Art Space :: Brooklyn, New York
800 Winters :: Tense Forms Group Show, Subterranean :: Chicago, Illinois

Johannah Silva is a Chicago-based artist who teaches at Wright College. She received her MFA in Painting from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her BA in Art and Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Past shows:
2008:
Art Evolution (Live Art-Making Event & Auction) :: Brickton Art Center :: Park Ridge, IL
Science in Art :: University of Chicago :: Hyde Park
Cornelia Arts Open Studios/ArtWalk Ravenswood :: Chicago, IL
Looptopia & Around the Coyote :: Chicago, IL

2007:
Drawings :: ArtExhibitionlink :: Chicago, IL
New Paintings :: Caro D’Offay Gallery :: Chicago, IL
Just Good Art :: Hyde Park Art Center :: Chicago, IL
Salon Show, juried by James Yood :: South Shore Arts :: Munster, IN
Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival :: Chicago, IL

2006:
Chicago Art Open, organized by the Chicago Artists’ Coalition for Chicago Artists’ Month
Around the Coyote Arts Festival (“figurative works”) :: Chicago, IL
Cl*sterf*ck, An Art Event :: organized by Tenseforms Art Collective :: Chicago, IL
Pure Painting, juried by Gladys Nielssen :: WomanMade Gallery :: Chicago, IL
Chicago State University Faculty Show :: President’s Gallery :: Chicago State University

2005:
Soul of a Woman, juried by Tony Smith :: South Shore Cultural Center :: Chicago, IL

Mark Benson is a painter, designer and musician originally from Colorado, who has lived and worked in Chicago for the last 10 years. His artwork tends to marry two currents of twentieth century painting, photorealism and abstract expressionism, often at large scale. But for this show, he sets down his brush to create a site specific installation of curious buildings and unsettled landscapes.

Past Shows:
2008
ARTROPOLIS, The Artist Project :: Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL
These Are Paintings/These Are Photos :: Cleaver Arts, Chicago, IL
artWORK 5: The S/AIC Employee Art Exhibition :: G2 Gallery SAIC, Chicago, IL

2007
Around The Coyote Fall Art Festival :: Flat Iron Arts, Chicago, IL
Lollapalooza Music Fest, Who Art Thou? :: Grant Park, Chicago, IL