Art in the Boonies to Bloom in the Burbs

This may look like the burbs to you, but local artists are treating us to “Art in the Boonies," kicking off in downtown Plainfield May 6.

The weekly Friday night art walk is a series of “pop-up” galleries in vacant commercial buildings around town. Building owners - Carl Bryant, Bill Habiger and Debbie Olsen – are donating vacant space and the "galleries" come and go as buildings are leased or sold.

It’s a win-win for artists and building owners alike, says Amanda Chakravarty, creative director at .

“The art walk brings opportunities to local artists, provides a free event for the public weekly, and ties the community together by bringing foot traffic to the local businesses downtown,” she said. 

Art Cube Studios is a Plainfield-based art organization that holds art classes and offers studio space for local artists. It is teaming up with Crows Feet Studios, a Plainfield Web firm that creates custom portraits and murals, to host the event, which opens with a public reception from 6 to 9 p.m. May 6.

The "First Friday," the main event of each month's art walk, will introduce new exhibitions in each gallery. Live music and free refreshments will be offered at the first one.

Signs around town will direct art patrons to each gallery, all within a five-minute walk of each other. Sites include the Art Cube Studios, 24044 W. Main St.; Heritage Professional Center Gallery, 24023 W. Lockport St.; Village Center Gallery, 24047 Lockport St.; and Chicago Street Gallery, 24118 W. Chicago St.

May's art walk will showcase about 10 exhibits, including “FW: Mailin’ It In,” an display of postcard-sized art from more than 80 artists from around the nation and a neon installation by local glass artist Jason Chakravarty.

Local artist solo shows feature watercolor paintings by Mike Carlson, pencil drawings by Amanda Chakravarty, acrylics and drawings by Kyle Dressle and Andrew Jensen, oil paintings by Chuck Dune, mixed media by Erick Garcia, ceramics by James Jeppense, and oils and pastels by Gloria Moses.

For more information, visit www.artintheboonies.blogspot.com or call Art Cube Studios at 815-254-9975.

ARGOUDELIS WATCH: 178 days since Election Day 2010 and still no statement from John Argoudelis on whether he intends to be both township supervisor and a Will County Board member.