The next pairing...

"Enliven It.”, James Flames, graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic on rives bfk paper, 9" x 12"

My pairing/description:

In following the path newly chosen, the boy found himself further seduced by the orb's ability to help him create tastes, senses and smells from it's surrounding environment and beyond.

**smoked sweet potato cake w/ wild mushrooms & caramelized figs (vegetarian)**

Evolution Art and Pairings....

For pics, please hit the link here...

www.facebook.com/merelgallery

James Flames:

“Discover It.” graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic on rives bfk paper, 9" x 12" $900

“Follow It.” graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic on rives bfk paper, 9" x 12" $900

“Enliven It.” graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic on rives bfk paper, 9" x 12" $900

In following the path newly chosen, the boy found himself further seduced by the orb's ability to help him create tastes, senses and smells from it's surrounding environment and beyond.

**smoked sweet potato cake w/ wild mushrooms & caramelized figs (vegetarian)**


“Become It.” graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic on rives bfk paper, 9" x 12" $900

Four Steps to Evolution” Sketch
By James Flames
11” x 8.5”
Pencil on Paper
$75

“Discover It.” Sketch
By James Flames
8.5” x 11”
Pencil on Paper
$75

“Follow It.” Sketch
By James Flames
11” x 14”
Pencil on Paper
$150

“Enliven It.” Sketch
By James Flames
11” x 14”
Pencil on Paper
$150

“Become It.” Sketch
By James Flames
11” x 14”
Pencil on Paper
$150


Brin Levinson:

"The Carrier" oil on canvas, 35" x 57" $3,500.

The city that never slept. Constantly on the move for new land, their mammoth tortoise used it's man made shell lights to seek it's source of strength and power.

***salt water braised lobster wrapped in fresh seaweed w/ blackberry drizzle ***


"The Sentinel" oil on canvas, 30" x 46" $2,500.

"The Aviary Revisited" oil on canvas, 25" x 42" $2,500.

"Summer of the Locusts" oil on canvas, 30" x 50" $3,000.


Tim Doyle:

"The Canals of Midtown" watercolor, pen and ink, 20" x 30" $1,500

"The Wolves of Mekhead Island" pen and ink on bristol, 16" x 24" $1,000

Stranded at sea for months, with wolves guarding against intruders and a robots head providing shelter, She sat in the sunlight reading her mothers tattered recipe book and dreamed she was once again by her side.

***tom yum gung bisque w/ marinated & chilled soba noodles (vegetarian)***


"Northbound Whale" watercolor painting, 18" x 14" $1,500



Tapecat McCudden:

"Running with the Parliment" Scratchboard, 18 x 24" $2500.00

At the top of the southern wilderness's predatory food chain around the middle of the 23rd Century, the Dire Wowls used their infamously brutal tactics to savage their favorite prey, the elusive and lethal Corn Horning Shrig.

***bacon laced shrimp w/ roasted corn jalapeño puree and chive oil***


"Hawktopus" , Scratchboard 14 x 18" $1500.00

"Wapitoose", Scratchboard 16 x 12" $ 1500.00

"Grey Jay" Scratchboard 8.5 x 10.5" $600.00

"Violet Crowned Humming birds", Scratchboard 7 x 12" $500.00

"Kingfisher" Colored Pen & Ink 6 .75 x 7" $200.00

"Pileated Woodchipper" Colored Pen & Ink 7 x 9 $200.00

"Hummingphant" Pen & Ink 9.25 x 12" $200.00

"Nautunalis vs. Squidmersable" Pen & Ink 10 x 18.75" $500.00

"Hawktopus" , Pen & Ink 11.5 x 16.5" $400.00

"Wapitoose", Pen & Ink 17 x 12.5" $400.00

"Peregreeta Falcon", Pen & Ink 19 x 12" $400.00

"Running with the Parliment", Pen & Ink 18 x 24" $500.00



David Welker:

"Origins of The Universe" Scratchboard, 9" x 12". $600

"Deer Girl" Scratchboard, 8" x 11", $500

"Tomorrow Girl" original ink, $400

Often with complete abandon and refusal to conform in her blood, she shrugged off her faceless critics by not allowing them to rule her world..always standing proudly, more beautiful and vibrant from one day to the next.

**brown sugar banana bread pudding w/ dark chocolate cinnamon cream***



PRINTS:

Tim Doyle:

"The Canals of Midtown"
20"x 30"
5 color print
Edition of 125
$60

"Northbound Whale"
24x36
6 color print
Edition of 200
$60

"The Wolves of Mekhead Island"
24" x 36"
5 color print
Edition of 125
$60


James Flames:

“Enliven It.”
18” x 24”
5-Color Screen Print, Hand Printed
Edition of 55, Signed & Numbered
$40

David Welker:

"Tomorrow Grrl "
12"x18"
Screenprint, Signed and Numbered
Edition of 40 + Variants, Signed and Numbered
Regular $30
Variants $40


Deer Grrl
12x16"
Metallic screenprint, Signed and numbered
edition of 20
$20


"Silver Angel"
12" X 16"
Screenprint, signed and numbered
Edition of 15
$30

Downtown-Grrl"
12"x 18", screenprint
edition of 30
$40


Brin Levinson:

"The Carrier"
13"x22", giclee
Edition of 50
$50


www.merelgallery.com

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All original pieces listed on the big cartel site for online sale tomorrow around 2pm, CST. Cheers and thanks again!

merelgallery.bigcartel.com

All original works and prints are available now!!!! Stunning pieces sure to make your wall proud of you!!

merelgallery.bigcartel.com

I made a post about this 2 years ago, but here's an updated version of it:

There Chicago Cultural Center usually has some cool shows (across the street almost from the art institute). There's also the MCA, but in my opinion has like 1-2 cool shows a year, but tends to be a few years behind or a rehash of other 'traveling' exhibits. The Cultural Center has 5 floors and usually something you've never seen before (search when you're coming).

Across the street from the institute as well is the Chicago Architectural Society. It's got a full scale model of downtown Chicago and tons of amazing an interesting photos of the history of Chicago buildings. If you're looking for an awesome tour, do the riverboat architectural tour (not the busses). I do it every few years, and it's an amazing view with lots of cool tid-bits about Chicago in there.

Regarding street art..... It's illegal to buy spray paint in Chicago, and our former mayor started a program that buffs any kind of graffiti or street art in hours sometimes. Every time I'm in another large city, I'm always amazed by how 'clean' downtown Chicago is. If you find a tag of some kind, it usually won't be there tomorrow. In general in downtown, things get buffed pretty quick. I find that the neighborhood I live (Wicker Park) has some small pieces here and there (stickers, paste-ups, and lots of gang-sign tags) but things getted buffed pretty quickly here.

Regarding street art, without a car, you'll be pretty hard-pressed to get to some of these spots in a day:

Banksy's 'baby carriage rolling down the stairs' piece is at corner of Peoria/Randolph There is also an amazing wall on 18th street that has pieces by tons of street artists. Roa has an awesome one, but it spans the length of the wall. If you look it up, you can find it. I remember it starts at 17th or 18th/Ashland and moves east along the tracks. Google maps will be able to help you find it.

I'd highly highly recommend a trip to Vertical Gallery. Patrick (the owner) is one of the nicest guys I know in the business, and has some awesome shows (and even cooler stuff in back). You can make a midday-trip out there and hit up some of the local restaurants right around the corner (Lockdown being a favorite of mine). They are open most every day (and have a great show by Xenz up right now). We are kinda lacking in the urban art gallery dept. but Maxwell Collette is another gallery that has some great stock as well. They are both located around Wicker Park, which is the more 'artsy' and 'cool' neighborhood in the city (although it's not as cool as when I moved here 8 years ago... but that happens when corporate stores move in).

Hope that helps.

David's post above is great. The 18th street wall of murals in Pilsen is a must see, google it it's easy to find.
I'd highly reccomended going to see Hebru Brantleys exhibit too www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/brantley.html

Not art but whatever you do do not leave Chicago without going to the Kingston mines. Mega blues bar/club very relaxed rough and ready with great blues. Always great bands etc

Been a few years since I have been to Chicago but was always a great night there

You can check out the permission walls on Fullerton and California for some Urban Art. Usually have some good things there.

Pilsen has a lot of street art. It's a little "out of the way" for where tourists usually go.
The Banksy (i haven't seen it in a few months, so hopefully its still intact) is in an area filled with awesome restaurants and bars. Eat at Little Goat for lunch or Tanoshii for sushi/dinner.

If you will be in Chicago the first weekend of August this will be well worth checking out,
www.artalliance.com

Calder has a massive sculpture downtown at Adams and Dearborn. It's very impressive in person.

Kavi Gupta Gallery usually has something worth seeing too. Along with the galleries mentioned above, check out Rotofugi for designer toys and lowbrow art.

If you like whiskey (especially) or other booze, find a Binny's Beverage Depot. Killer selection. I like the one in Lincoln Park. If beer is your thing, Chicago has good breweries. Check out Revolution, Half Acre, Goose Island or Begyle.

If you like food (meat in particular) go to Publican. Easily one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Be prepared to drop some coin though. Cheap eats can be found at Xoco (Mexican), Nhu Lan (Vietnamese) and Sultan's (Middle Eastern). Slurping Turtle has good ramen. Irazu is a great Costa Rican restaurant. There's really too many great restaurants to mention...Chicago is a great food town.

Guess the Obey show is now over. Is his stuff still on any walls?

Anyone got any more Chicago tips? Bars? Record stores? Neighbourhoods?

stillborncrisps - Next weekend My Dog Sighs at Vertical Gallery. I've posted some of Shepards mural, it'll be up for a while (ditto for Retnas recent mural). Both locations easy to find via Google.

Too many bars to name although I consider The Green Mill tops. For record stores it depends on your tastes but Jazz Record Mart is amazing and wide selection at both locations of Reckless Records.