Alicia Forestall-Boehm

Digital artist Thomas Broadfoot creates remarkable three-dimensional art. Recently, Thomas told me that he had created a new work inspired by my encaustic and fiber Vessel Series. As you can imagine, I was very flattered and excited to see the result. The Basket is the first in a series using his interpretation of an object that is weaved. http://artbysilentgallery.broadfoot.biz/blog/2012/05/the-basket/ Using a computer program called Hexagon, he begins a piece by doodling until a concept is formed. From here, he creates the depth, dimensions, shape, color and size of the object. While creating The Basket, Thomas determined that through the use of thickness he was able to emulate a weave like pattern. Another program, VUE, is then used to create the background, texture, dimensions and materials, generating the final look and feel of the piece Each piece can take anywhere from 20 hours to one week to finish. On any given day he can have between 10-35 pieces in various st

They’re taking Marilyn down today! And while some will miss her, I must say that I am happy to see her go. I am talking about J. Seward Johnson’s 26 foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe that was installed on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile last summer. Art or kitsch was the popular debate. She was wildly popular as a photo op with tourists due to her size and location. I went beyond the love/hate issue with this piece of public, art and posed the question “is bigger always better when it comes to art?” in a blog post that I wrote for FUSEDChicago.org in September of 2011. Below is that post. Is Bigger Always Better… When it Comes to Art? This summer’s installation of “Forever Marilyn”, Seward Johnson’s large scale public sculpture of Marilyn Monroe on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, has served to renew the debate about whether large scale public art always qualifies as “art”. So, when considering art, does size matter? This discussion has led me to ask the same question of all a

Today is the first day of the Crafts National exhibition at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka, Kansas. I am pleased to be one of the 87 geographically diverse artists included in this excellent show juried by independent curator Gail M. Brown. The exhibition ultimately chosen by every juror is as unique as their vision. It is always of great interest to have the opportunity to get a peek into their thoughts on juroring a particular show. Below are some thoughts from Ms. Brown from the exhibition catalog. "“What Is Memorable?” A national juried exhibition holds the promise of an abundance of meaningful choices. Within the context of the unknown and the tantalizing anticipation of the new, “possibilities” can be dizzying, including those of familiar vocabulary exploring fresh directions. This new exhibition opportunity as well as exuberant expectations from a constant viewer, was fed sumptuously by a diverse applicant pool. My desire to be introduced to works by artists I ha

The Infinite Benefits of Taking an Art Workshop My top three reasons for taking an art workshop #1 - The Instructor Each instructor brings their unique vision and expertise to the experience. They can help you look at things in a whole new way, help you to see things that would have previously gone unnoticed and learn new techniques that you can bring into your own studio and adapt to your own work. #2 – Your Fellow Attendees Working in close proximity of other artists can really be a beneficial component to the way you learn. Seeing what everyone else is doing and allowing them to see what you are creating can be wonderfully inspiring. The resulting interaction can really be valuable to your art-making process. #3 – The Workshop Topic I am a firm believer that learning something new, no matter how inconsequential it may be, is always a good thing! When considering an art workshop, you never know what you will end up taking back to your studio. A new technique

I am so happy to announce that my work will be heading to New York! The Mane was chosen for inclusion in the show WAX at the Brooklyn Artists Gym. The show runs from May 19-June 4. The opening reception is Saturday May 19 from 6:00-9:00.

                                         On March 23 rd and 24 th , the Chicago Cultural Center hosted the 9 th annual Creative Chicago Expo.   This event featured workshops, vendor information and resources for creatives in all disciplines.   I attended the workshops “Build a Strong Online Presence” given by Jennifer Rapp Peterson of Indiemade and “Maximizing the Potential of Your Website in Cyberspace” given by Brad Lichtenstein of Creative Capital. Ms. Peterson’s advice begins with the need to define your goals. Why do you want to be online and what do you want to communicate?   She urged everyone to not only discover yourself, the who, what, where, how and why of your personality and the personality of your art, but to also identify your audience and speak to them directly by searching for what they want.   Both workshops stressed the importance of participation in social media.   It is important to listen to the social conversation as well as sharing and engaging on s

Featuring the art of Alicia Forestall-Boehm, Emily Rutledge, Tulika Ladsariya and Jeff Payne. May 11-June 10, 2012 Opening Friday May 11  6-8pm Best Chicago Properties 847 West Monroe, 1A  Chicago 312-563-5300