Friday, March 16, 2012
Community guide will showcase area painter Matt Goldsberry’s piece, The Biggest Wave.
This month, the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce will mail out its annual community guide to about 12,000 of the communities’ residences. Libertyville artist Matt Goldsberry’s The Biggest Wave, a colorful depiction of Lake Michigan waves crashing against a bluff, will appear on the cover. “To me, it’s indicative of one of my memories of the town,” Goldsberry said. “Big waves curving and churning, bluffs, and trees.” A Libertyville resident, Goldsberry grew up in Lake Bluff and attended Lake Forest High School. “It happens to be one of the coolest places in the world to grow up,” he said. “It was just all about exploring woods, and ravines and beaches, and having a very tactile experience with mud and clay.” Chamber Executive …
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Her body challenged by cancer, oil painter Diane Rath says, "I am finding that if I just watch the paint, and I am giving to these other people, the pain disappears or dissipates."
“I met Diane maybe nine years ago and started taking art classes from her and she’s really become a friend,” said Jill Pilarski, of Lake Forest, who takes classes from well-known, award-winning, fine-art painter and teacher Diane Rath at Stirling Hall in Lake Forest. “She’s an amazing person. She always looks at everything with appreciation and a positive attitude." It’s a common sentiment in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff, and when Rath, a nationally known oil painter in her 50’s learned on Jan. 1 of this year that she had Stage 4 colon cancer – the disease metastasizing, spreading throughout her vital organs, the community immediately showed its appreciation and support for her. In one significant gesture, Artists on the Bluff, a local …
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Artists on the Bluff hosts successful fund-raising auction of Lake Forest painter's work to help cover her medical costs.
When Artists on the Bluff heard a few weeks ago of Diane Rath’s recently discovered, fourth-stage cancer, they immediately organized a fund-raising art auction for the Lake Forest painter and teacher. More than 350 people attended last Saturday night’s event at the Lake Bluff Train Station, where all but three of her 45 auctioned oil paintings sold to raise tens of thousands of dollars toward Rath's medical expenses. No final tally was available. “The pieces went like ‘that,’” said Helga Schwarten, curator of Artists on the Bluff’s Station Gallery, snapping her fingers. The 42 paintings sold in about two hours, and ranged from $350 to $6,000. Rath found out she had colon cancer Dec. 30, and just two days later started the New Year …
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Artists on the Bluff invites 23 youth artists from Equestrian Connection to showcase their talents at the Station Art Gallery.
In keeping with its commitment to children’s programs, Artists on the Bluff will host an exhibit of 23 youth artists from the art therapy program at Equestrian Connection starting Friday (Jan. 28) through March 26. The exhibit will be on display at the Station Art Gallery, located at the north end of the historic Lake Bluff Train Station, 600 N. Sheridan Road. The public is welcome to join the artists for an opening night reception from 6-8 p.m. Friday (Jan. 28). Spanning ages 6 to 20 years old, these special artists live with the challenges of cerebral palsy, Fragile X syndrome, attention deficit issues, autism, and other physical and cognitive needs. Through their art and the development of skills needed to produce artwork, they …
Monday, December 6, 2010
Annual tree-lighting ceremony opened the holiday season.
Lake Bluff Villagers couldn't help but surrender to that old adage, reinforced by the holly-lined banners and vintage photos posted throughout downtown reminding us, "It's a Wonderful Life." In a scene straight from the movies, downtown Lake Bluff bustled with Christmas carolers serenading in a daylong celebration leading up to this past Saturday's annual tree-lighting ceremony at the gazebo. On Saturday, 60044 definitely lived up to its holiday-campaign moniker: the North Pole of the North Shore. Earlier in the day, Old Man Winter blanketed the streets with a fresh coat of fluffy white snow. The Christmas in the air mixed with the aroma of hot cocoa, sweet apple cider, and spice-scented candles. Jack Frost nipped but couldn't deter the …
Friday, November 19, 2010
Organization’s Holiday Art Sale stirs local excitement and involvement in the arts.
Spending scarcely 10 minutes driving through the Village of Lake Bluff helps one understand why it's considered one of the most popular getaways for families. People are friendly, and it is a comforting small town. Each season has its clear distinctive tone. While such a setting attracts a multitude of differing personalities, Lake Forest has been an artist destination since 1845. Artists on the Bluff, a non-profit organization founded in 2000, has sought to keep alive this enthusiasm for the area, and the artistic inspiration it arouses. "A special group of artists are behind Artists on the Bluff," says Lezlie Lenz, fellow artist and board member of Artists on the Bluff. "We are dedicated to encouraging the arts within the community …
peter lundberg
8:12 pm on Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A wonderfully written feature. Thanks Mr. Handwerker! It is great to see so many people coming together to help a truly remarkable and talented artist. Diane has spread her love and talents to so many, and it's nice to see it coming full circle. Pete in Madison, Wis. more ›