At the recent City Council meeting, Mayor Ruben Pineda announced Sue Krzyzanowski as the winner of the City of West Chicago’s 2022 Art Banner Exhibit’s “People’s Choice Award.”
Krzyzanowski’s winning artwork entitled, “Duck Weather,” was created using soft pastels and was a depiction of a toddler and baby ducks strolling after a spring rain. The theme for artwork submittals in 2022 was Renewal, and in Krzyzanowski’s description, she stated the artwork represented the theme as it presented “the renewal a spring rain brings to the earth reviving after a harsh winter.”
In response to receiving the award, Krzyzanowski provided the following statement, “Although there is only one child in this piece, I have three. (The artwork) represents the purest form of childlike play, splashing in puddles. The theme was Renewal and I thought this piece was a perfect representation. Winter is turning to spring, the world is mud-luscious and the toddler child and baby ducks are enjoying splashing in the puddles. All symbols of new beginnings.”
In 2022, the Annual Art Banner Exhibit’s call for artists resulted in 90 different pieces of art submitted by 43 different artists from 19 different communities. Of those, 25 artists had artwork that was chosen be part of the exhibit by this year’s judge, Jan Kay of SCARCE. Artwork was on display from May through September, and during this time, visitors and residents were able to vote on their favorite artwork display. Of the 291 collected ballots, Krzyzanowski’s was the overwhelming favorite artwork with 103 participants selecting her artwork.
The City’s Art Banner Exhibit has been an annual tradition for 14 years that is organized by the City of West Chicago in coordination with the City’s Cultural Arts Commission. To learn more about the exhibit, or to view this year’s artwork including the People’s Award Winner artwork, please visit westchicago.org/artbannerexhibit. Details for the 2023 exhibit will be announced soon.
The City would like to thank all of the artists who submitted work to be part of this year’s exhibit, including:
- Barbara Badolato *
- Thelma Carolina Acevedo *
- Elizabeth Carroll
- Gideon Carroll *
- Christine Cintula *
- Dianna Demovic-Novello
- Barbar Dunn *
- Joyce Foster
- Anne Frantzen *
- Uwe Gsedl
- Judith Horsley *
- Michael Horsley *
- Linda Johnson
- Pam Keller
- Herb Kelly
- Sue Krzyzanowski **
- Kathi Kuchler *
- Abigail Laughlin
- James Lauro *
- Rosemary Mackey *
- Carson March *
- Jose Trejo Maya
- Jeffrey Mendenhall *
- Michaela Miller
- Lucy Nelson
- Sheila Newenham *
- Elizabeth Novello
- Jodi Otzwirk
- Kim Peck
- Laurie Perkins
- Barb Plichta
- Jim Rakow *
- Cheryl Rausch *
- Joseph Renda Jr.
- Barb Risner *
- Ellen Shwatal
- Kathy Steere
- Jay Summer *
- Cassandra Swierenga *
- Natalia Toreeva *
- Bruce Treudt
- Joe Weibler *
- Philip Weibler *
- Bella Wiehle *
(*) Selected as part of 2022 Art Banner Exhibit, (**) 2022 Art Banner Exhibit People’s Choice Award Winner