Independence Park Fine Craft Fair Sunday, May 4 from Noon to 4pm

Some of the miniature rustic twig furniture that will be on sale Sunday at the Abbey Pub in Chicago

Come to the Pre-Mother's Day Fine Craft Fair Sunday, May 4, 2014 at the Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace Street (at Elston Avenue) in Chicago from noon to 4pm.  This event sponsored by the Greater Independence Park Neighborhood Association will feature fine handcrafted items in many mediums including jewelry, glass, ceramics, textiles and my favorite: Lake Michigan driftwood twigs.  For the first time this annual event will feature the availability of specially-priced drinks and bar snacks.  What could be better than culture and cold ones on a Sunday afternoon?

2-Day Exhibition at ARTS ON ELSTON in Chicago April 25 & 26

Miniature rustic driftwood Throne of the Bat King by George C. Clark

Throne of the Bat King is just one of many miniature rustic twig furniture pieces I will be showing this weekend in a 2-day exhibition at Arts On Elston Gallery, 3446 N. Albany at the corner of Elston Avenue in Chicago.  Gallery hours are Friday, April 25 from 6 to 10pm and Saturday, April26 from 4 to 8pm.  I will be present both days, and I will also be showing some of my landscape and figure paintings and graphics.

UPDATE MAY 4, 2014:
Throne of the Bat King is one of my favorite creations, as readers of this blog may surmise from the number of times I have posted pictures of it.  Well, this will be the last time, because while it didn't sell at Arts On Elston last week, it did sell today at the Independence Park Fine Craft Fair to collectors I didn't know I had because they have been buying my work at the Evanston Art Center's Winter Crafts Expo where I am rarely in attendance.  A hearty thanks to them and the other purchasers of my rustic crafts today!

Rustic Birchbark Cup For Sale at Chicago Cultural Center Artists' Reception May 8, 2014

Rustic Birchbark Cup by George C. Clark
(cup rim height 4 inches)

CAFFEINE VIII, the latest exhibition by the Artists Breakfast Group, will be on exhibit April 21 through June 22, 2014, in the Chicago Cultural Center Renaissance Court Gallery at 78 E. Washington Street in Chicago.  The Chicago Cultural Center has entrances on both Washington Street and Randolph Street-- the Renaissance Court Gallery is located on the main floor just inside the Randolph entrance.  It has become a tradition for each exhibiting artist in Artists Breakfast Group shows to contribute a unique artist-made or -decorated cup to be sold at the show's Artists' Reception as a fundraiser.  My cup pictured above and many other interesting artists' cups will be for sale at the CAFFEINE VIII reception on Thursday, May 8 from 3:30 to 6:00pm.  See you there.

UPDATE MAY 9:
Thanks to James Mesple for purchasing my cup at the reception yesterday.   

Thanks!

Driftwood twig Mutant Bunny by George C. Clark

Thanks to all the folks who came out in a snowstorm last night to the ARTS GALA (see previous post), including the collector who bought my Mutant Bunny for her daughter.

One Night Exhibition at Arts Gala in Chicago March 1st

Miniature rustic twig chairs by George C. Clark displayed on a bookshelf

Miniature Rustic Twig Furniture by George C. Clark will be on exhibit and for sale at the ARTS GALA to be held Saturday evening March 1, 2014 from 6 to 10pm at the Irving Park United Methodist Church at the intersection of Grace Street and Keeler Avenue on the Northwest Side of Chicago.  Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children (with a $30 maximum for family groups).  In addition to an arts and crafts fair, there will be snacks and refreshments and continuous musical and theatrical entertainment in several different parts of the 3-story venue, which is located just a few blocks south and west of the Pulaski and Irving Park Road Metra and Blue Line El stops.  

This Arts Gala is hosted by the Irving Park United Methodist Church in conjunction with the Northwest Arts Connection.  

  

The Chaos That Is My Miniature Furniture Worktable

George C. Clark's miniature furniture worktable this afternoon

Back in November I put almost all of my miniature rustic twig furniture into the Winter Arts and Crafts Expo at Evanston Art Center where it will be on display and for sale through December 23rd.  Then I was invited to take part in a 2-day exhibition and sale at Arts On Elston Gallery the weekend before last, so I spent a couple of weeks building a new stock for that show.  And after that show was over I decided to build a few more pieces while I had the "furniture factory" set up.  This is what it looks like.  There are a nearly completed new chair and Rocking Rudolph in the foreground.  There are three completed pieces from the Arts On Elston show in the background (behind the blue hot glue gun).  They are there to make sure I keep the scale of the new chairs or tables compatible with the older ones.  Soon I will put away all the tools and twigs for a while.  Underneath that tattered purple plastic tablecloth is the drawing board where I usually draw figures and landscapes, among other subjects.

Another Thank You...

Miniature rustic chairs and table by George C. Clark (table height 5 inches)

...to the collectors of my work who came to the multi-artist show and sale at ARTS ON ELSTON Gallery yesterday and today.