Art is alchemy. It is the transmuting of everyday materials using a lifetime of accumulated experiences, skills and knowledge into a magical new substance that only exists as a result of that particular recipe. The art I make now is the result of a fleeting moment in 2023 when a large round mirror frame in my living room suddenly resembled the opening to a birdhouse. I imagined for a moment what it would be like for an enormous bird to pop through that opening into my space, and I could not shake the feeling of awe and wonder it created. I found myself compelled to make it a reality, and it has led me to a series of work I call “Portals.” These sculptures of oversized birds were born out of my love of nature and the wonder it brings into my life when a wild creature appears in my path. Made from a combination of traditional and non-traditional materials, including light fixture parts, plaster gauze and plastic spoons, they are also an expression of my love of experimenting and doing things differently. They exist in an “in-between” space, inhabiting a world between sculpture and painting, 3D work and wall art, nature and human made, and fantasy and reality. They have taken on a bit of a life of their own.

Image: Make Way for the King, by Julia Kemerer
Media: Mixed media sculpture

Sometimes sad, sometimes raunchy, ofttimes downright confusing but always colorful; ok’s work revolves around their identity and the memories that formed their sense of self. Using the language of figure painting, portraiture, and color theory, ok reflects on what it means to be a contemporary queer.

Image: angels on the beach, by alexandra ok
Media: acrylic and mixed media on fabric

Kirsten is most inspired by her ever changing garden, whimsy, and her love of nature and its amazing creatures. Each piece is one of a kind, created in her home studio in Gurnee, Illinois. Working mostly with Terra Cotta clay, pieces are wheel thrown, hand built, or a construction of both. Her mosaics are a blend of crockery, her own pottery, glass and other enticing items.

Image: Loving Hands, by Kirsten Saunders
Media: Pottery

“With all the noise around us everyday it is difficult to find a place for peace and rejuvenation. I know I live in a bubble of certain beliefs and that my truth and what I see happening in the world may be different from what others see. Art making and connecting with nature makes me slow down and see things from a new perspective.

Through my creative practice I can observe beauty in the natural world and in a few scraps of cardboard and rusty pieces of metal that are representative of our time and environment. I meld both traditional and non-traditional materials in my artwork. My mixed media works are rooted in the gestures and textures of the physical world and guided by the growing conflict between man-made industrial objects, disposable materials and our stressed natural environment. Combining recycled objects and natural forms into a new kind of beauty allows me to create a kind of time capsule that is sensitive to the environmental challenges we face in today’s world.

I am inspired by what I have seen on vacations to our National Parks and the everyday world in my own backyard in Skokie, Illinois. I went to visit Glacier Park in Montana about 40 years ago and again just two years ago. During my recent trip I saw the park in a very different light. It was still majestic and beautiful but my awareness of threats like climate change, mining, and human encroachment made me think more about our impact on the natural environment. I am amazed at the power that the earth has and its ability to heal from all the damage that is inflicted upon it. Moving water, ancient rocks, beautiful forests and native plants makes me think about the history of these places and how much they have changed and that makes me feel real and here today.”

Image: Stone Island, by Susan Teller
Media: mixed, MDF board, gesso, book pages, modeling paste, watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil, oil stick, pigments, cheese cloth, rusty pieces, ink, and seeds

“Growing up we had just one piece of adornment in our house, DaVinci’s painting of The Last Supper. I’m not certain how we even got that. With my ten siblings, material possessions of any sorts or extras were nonexistent, only to be found by making your own magic. This left mountains of room for our collective imaginations to put our heads together and make rivers flow. I believe this freedom crafted an artist life for me.

Fascination with oil slicks in summer rain puddles, clear glistening drops on blades of grass, ice crystals clinging to barren trees still inspire my art. My art is motivated by and depicts struggles and everyday observations, collective actions, and creative synthesis.

Stained Glass, Watercolor, Printmaking, oil paints and oil sticks are my mediums of choice along with collage, found objects and whatever means express the action or emotion. With a focus and reverence to the natural environment as a reference.

I also enjoy the vast resources of our museums and glean inspirations from my visits.

Art is a shared experience and the streams of color and mark making become the language for me. I work both figuratively and abstract, drawing from current events or memories. Nature is a constant influence with its brilliant hues, tones, lines, and balance. Responding and reacting I attempt to disseminate feelings and emotions into the piece. Success is when a connection is made with the viewer and maybe inspiring their creative sparks too.”

Image: When Sister Forest Sings, by Maryann Wattelle
Media: Acrylic on canvas