West Chicago, Illinois: May 14, 2015 – Vibrant original artwork transferred to 60″ x 30″ pole banners, inspired by the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission theme, A Picture of Health, will be installed in time for the launch of Healthy West Chicago at Blooming Fest on Saturday, May 16, 2015.
Sixteen local artists with a connection to West Chicago, whether through residence, school, work or otherwise, have contributed to this year’s Community Banner Project. Images range from literal to whimsical, and all are tied to the theme of health and wellness.The public is invited to stop in and meet the artists at a special reception which will be held at the City Museum during Blooming Fest from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Mayor Ruben Pineda is pleased with the connection the Commission has made to Healthy West Chicago, especially this year with its community launch at Blooming Fest. “It’s so great when things come together this way. Our creative community has embraced the theme of health and put together a display that reinforces the message of vitality of body, mind and spirit through their art and what it depicts.”
The following artist statements reflect the inspiration which resulted in the individual works of art for A Picture of Health. Click here to view the artwork.
- Carefree play in the beautiful outdoors. ~ Jennifer Ralph
- I wanted to do something more of an abstract so I started to create forms on paper which look like a maze. The apples add the bright red to make it visually appealing. ~ Lisa Carroccio
- I was at a high school cross country meet and thought it would be a cool shot to photograph the start line as the runners take the first few steps after the gun went off. ~ David Toney
- While playing around with a new-to-me medium (water soluble wax pastels), this crazy pineapple appeared. It seemed just wild enough to make an interesting banner. It is also the start of what promises to be my Psycho Fruit Phase. Check out my show at Gallery 200, June 2015, to see what it triggered. ~ Kathy Steere
- Healthy growth to the sun. ~ Mitch Ralph
- Health to me is holistic. It includes mind, body and spirit. When you have health, the byproduct is bliss. The definition of Blossoming in bliss: to flourish in great joy or perfect happiness. ~Elizabeth Salgado
- Fresh air, sunshine and practicing Yoga for mental and physical health; rain or shine, hot or cold, indoors or outdoors keep the body moving to be healthy. ~ Judith Horsley
- A few years back I was hit with type 1.5 diabetes. My blood glucose was way off the charts and the disease robbed me of 30 lbs. I was always a runner but since that time I’ve had to double my efforts to get back my lost muscle and fitness level. Running in obstacle races like “Tough Mudder” and “Warrior Dash” gives me fitness goals to work toward throughout the year. My numbers represent my blood glucose levels coming back to almost normal along with the number tags worn in the races I’ve joined. ~ Arnolfo Santoro
- So often, our idea of ‘health’ focuses on the single aspect of physical health. While physical health is undeniably important, it is equally important to give our attention to the other facets of our health. The well-being of our mind, heart, spirit, community, and environment – in addition to our physical well-being – allows us to become well-rounded, healthy individuals. ~ Maggie Capettini
- This little heart-shaped strawberry was hiding behind a leaf in the planter on our deck. I discovered it when I was relaxing outside and went for my camera instantly. Luckily I took a picture of it right away. The next day, to our disappointment, a squirrel visited our deck and got ahold of our beautiful strawberry before we chased it away. ~ Britta Renwick
- A healthy heart is essential. And so is a love for the arts. The spirit soars when the body and mind are treated with care. This artwork, created as ‘sophisticated child art’, is both graffiti spontaneous and street chalk vibrant. A crest for good vibes. ~ Lewis Achenbach, founder Jazz Occurrence.
- Picking apples is one of our annual family outings. Fresh air, exercise, camaraderie and later eating apple pies is a healthy serving of family fun. ~ Anne Frantzen
- The pastel painting was created for my husband since he was walking on the family property with his sister and her dog Nike, a typical stroll. It was a time for reflection on how to move forward shortly after the death of their father. My in-laws had bought the land to move closer to their younger years in Wisconsin and walked daily for fresh air and to enjoy the space. We love going there each year and I wanted to save this image in my mind. ~ Heide Morris
- Fresh air, what could be more healthy! My children and my dogs, enjoying a walk together through the forest at the outskirts of the West DuPage Woods Forest Preserve in West Chicago. ~ Nancy Reppe
- I enjoy photographing the amazing produce at the farmer’s markets almost as much as eating it! The vibrant colors, interesting shapes, and wonderful aromas are a joy to the senses. ~ Sarah Schafer
- Food and green environment came to my mind when I saw this years theme of the street banner. How can I combine this? First I experiment with a blender, it was to complicated. I got the idea when I looked in the drawer and saw our metal straws. The message has to be simple “Shake It Up”. My daughter Nina was the model, a glass, metal straw and a blueberry shake = a picture of health. ~ Uwe Gsedl
Banners will hang on Main Street in downtown West Chicago east to west from West Washington Street to Sesquicentennial Park in time for Blooming Fest and the launch of Healthy West Chicago on Saturday, May 16, 2015 and remain up until September 2015.
A Walking Tour Brochure and an Interactive Mobile Map will soon be available to provide information and specific location for each banner. Visitors may pick up ballots to vote for their favorite banner at the City Museum, 132 Main Street, and Gallery 200, 200 Main Street. A People’s Choice Award will be presented to the winning artist at the conclusion of the outdoor art exhibit in September.
The theme for next year’s banner project, Patterns, has been announced, and applications will soon be available at www.westchicago.org.
