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A team of trained Columbia College students work on an installation at MoCP



This feature appears in CGN's spring/summer 2026 issue. To purchase a copy or subscribe click here.



By Elisa Shoenberger


Every few weeks galleries open their doors to show off new art exhibitions that put artists center-stage to interested collectors and art enthusiasts. This is the familiar cycle of the contemporary art world. But before the plastic cups are set out and the wine is poured, there is a tremendous amount of planning and coordination that takes place behind the scenes, long before any artworks can be displayed. Many expert hands of gallerists and preparators use a range of tools and tricks to fit in late nights and execute quick-turnarounds to conceptualize, realize and promote the latest exhibition. Four Chicago gallerists and one museum chief curator recently shared with me just some of what it takes to put a stellar show together from start to finish.


The Spark of a Show


First and foremost, a gallerist needs to come up with an exhibition concept. For many galleries, it will be artist driven. Scott Speh, founder and director of Western Exhibitions, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, explains that his gallery represents about 20 artists, with each one exhibiting approximately every three years. He tracks this rotation via spreadsheet and reaches out to artists regularly to see when they will be ready for a future show, typically one year prior to opening. Speh says within that three-year rotation, he will opt to do a group show around a theme he curates every two years. 


Grace Ebert and Christopher Jobson, co-founders and owners of the barely one-year-old gallery Joy Machine on Chicago’s northwest side, say they find artists they want to work with and then build a show around them. Some times they offer an artist a solo show, and other times the gallerists may build a group exhibition around that artist. When the art is ready, there’s a chance Ebert and Jobson are seeing works for the first time when they open the crates to install the show.


At the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) at Columbia College Chicago, Chief Curator Karen Irvine explains that MoCP has a similar approach to galleries: Irvine will see a photographer’s work and develop a show around that artist’s aesthetic or a related theme. Sometimes MoCP will hire a guest curator to do a show based on works in the museum’s collection, or based on their own expertise in a particular area, such as a photographer’s archive. Generally, the museum plans about 18 months out, but currently, shares Irvine, MoCP 

is booked into summer of 2028.


Since Kimberly Oliva, owner and curator of Oliva Gallery, schedules her namesake gallery’s exhibitions 2–3 years in advance, often she bases her plans on what an artist has produced previously so she can see existing examples, instead of developing a show that for her is still conceptual. She shared, “It’s easier [for me] to be able to choose work based on what I have seen, as opposed to [just looking at] renderings or process shots.” 


Contracts, Loans, and Prepping the Art


After a show is scheduled verbally or informally, it’s likely a gallery sends a contract to an exhibiting artist in order to establish the working terms of the relationship between the artist and the gallery. A gallery with a stable of represented artists likely has a standard operating agreement they use, though not all galleries do. Such a contract would cover terms including what percentage the gallery and artist will make from the sale, who pays which expenses, and whether the art will be held by the gallery for a period of time after the show ends.


For museums like MoCP, there may need to be additional requests to borrow works for forthcoming shows from other museums and galleries. Irvine explains that earlier is always better when it comes to asking for loans. Ideally, the request should be made a year to a year and half before a work is needed; some museums may charge a larger, or rush, fee if a request is made close to an exhibition opening date, since getting a work ready, prepared and delivered in short order can be expensive.


Then there are photographs. Some gallerists expect an artist to provide high resolution photos of their own work in advance; while other gallerists and curators may arrange to have photos taken once the works are installed in the gallery. Likely there is a need for advance or promotional photos as well as shots of the installed exhibition. 


An installation view at Western Exhibitions


The Road to Installation


As the scheduled show nears, galleries have to receive artworks, ready them for display, install them, determine prices and finalize any additional on-site materials, such as wall text and exhibition statements. The gallery website, social media channels and mailing lists also need to be updated.


Receiving the artworks can present challenges. While local artists may sometimes be able to transport their own work, particularly if it’s smaller-scale, artists who live and work elsewhere have to ship art. Oliva says she has key reasons she uses her own shippers. “I have people that I can call. I’m not going to send it through FedEx,” she explains, “It’s going to go white-glove” from doorstep to doorstep. She notes that insurance often only covers the art when it’s physically in the gallery, not in transit. 


To ensure that art works arrive in advance of the show, Speh says he sometimes has to give earlier deadlines. “I used to be an artist. I know how some artists think and work,” Speh explains, “Sometimes you have to use little tricks to actually get things on time.”


However, not all art is ready to be displayed when it arrives. Speh notes, “if it’s a work on paper, most of the time we need to frame the work.” That means allowing time for the framing, which takes at least a month. Irvine says that MoCP works with Columbia College students to mat and frame pieces for upcoming exhibitions. 

Before installation can begin, galleries may opt to paint and patch the walls to prepare for the new show. Occasionally, an exhibition requires something more involved, such as painting the walls a different color or adding vinyl sketches. But for the most part galleries aim to stick to the predictability of white walls. Speh notes that he discourages artists from deviating from white walls because he is the gallery’s lone staff member and he usually has only a few days between shows. One exhibition will close Saturday afternoon and the next one must open the following Friday evening.


When it comes to figuring out where exactly to install the art for a new exhibition MoCP’s Irvine says she and her team often create a mock-up of the exhibition using the software SketchUp. However, inevitably there will be changes to make once photographs are installed. Figuring out which work goes where is often a collaborative process with the artist. There is also timing to consider because of what is needed to prepare the walls, since trained student workers will help paint and spackle the galleries and then put up the wall texts and more once the work placement is set.


Oliva takes a more intuitive approach. She never really knows where the pieces will go until the works are in the gallery. She outsources the labor to someone with expertise hanging work, but she makes the choices of where to hang or install the art. Since Oliva regularly participates in art fairs around the country, she’s used to having to put pieces in place quickly with a limited amount of time, whether pieces hang on a wall or sit on a pedestal.


Thinking about, arranging for, receiving and placing art is its own process. There is also the question of pricing artwork that is for sale. The gallerists I spoke with said it’s common to let an artist take the lead on discussing pricing, especially if the artist has an established market or is represented elsewhere, since pricing must be consistent in the market. Speh explains that for a younger artist, or one who has not previously exhibited in a commercial gallery, pricing discussions can be a collaboration between the gallerist, artist and sometimes curator in order to establish the appropriate sales goals and figures and address all costs related to the exhibition. 


A mix of paintings and sculpture on view at Oliva Gallery.



The decision of whether or not to include a lot of accompanying text, on the gallery walls or elsewhere, varies by artist and by exhibition. Many commercial galleries do not have wall tags, since too much explanation could potentially detract from the art itself as well as clutter the wall space. Instead, a gallery will often make a binder or packet available at the main desk with thumbnail images and additional information. Most galleries opt to list prices on a price sheet, and works that have been sold will have a small red dot sticker next to the image on the sheet. Gallery visitors should always feel welcome to ask about prices, individual information and availability if it’s not readily available. 


MoCP includes wall tags for pieces on display that include the artist’s name, nationality, birth year, work title, date, medium, and credit line, according to Irvine. But not all pieces have an explanatory text, since there can be many pieces in an exhibition. Usually the curator writes text that will help the viewer understand the exhibition on a deeper level.


In addition to setting pricing and producing text for wall tags, curators and gallerists must write an exhibition statement, often in collaboration with the exhibiting artist. For instance, Ebert and Jobson say they will talk with an artist several times to understand their work before putting together written materials for the exhibition. 


Promotional materials should go out a few weeks or in some cases, a few months prior to the opening of the show. There is an ideal timeline, and then there is reality. Ebert and Jobson, like most gallerists, often have to wait until they can get photographs of the art work in order to put together any promotional materials. In addition to running Joy Machine, Jobson and Ebert lead the online art publication Colossal. They understand well, as they say, that “you need images if you’re going to write about art.” Once they receive images, they can start sending press releases out via email. 


Oliva says she will have postcards made that she sends to clients. She also puts together a catalogue, which is a way to make an exhibition last long after it’s opened and closed. For the majority of galleries, sending out carefully crafted emails is the most cost effective way to spread the word about a new show to collectors, curators and the press. 


A sculpture by Sydnie Jimenez at Joy Machine


Closing the Show


At the end of the show’s run, gallerists must organize pick-ups and deliveries for local collectors as well as pack up any art to be shipped, either to buyers, back to the artist or to someone who loaned a work for the exhibition. Some galleries may decide–or be obligated–to keep any unsold pieces at the gallery for a period to see if the piece may still be sold. Any unsold works that are not on display likely have to be packaged for storage or displayed in a private area of the gallery. 


Irvine notes that the first thing they do at MoCP at the close of an exhibition is review all the works to ensure that they are in good condition before being returned. 


Once the works are taken down, a gallery may need to repaint and patch the walls to prepare for the next show. The ehibition process begins all over again.


The next time you visit a gallery to see a new exhibition, consider what happened before the work you are admiring got there. There is so much happening behind the scenes, before the doors even open to the public, that it is an art form in and of itself.

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Stargazer (I remember you)

18\" x 16\" x 1 3/4\"

colored pencil on archival paper, framed with museum glass

photo credit: Nathan Keay




By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE


Duncan Robert Anderson has long been a steady presence in the Chicago art scene, carrying an identity that is impossible to miss. He stands well over six feet and is consistently dressed in black from head to toe, complete with boots and a signature wide-brimmed cowboy hat. His silhouette has remained unchanged since he arrived from East Tennessee in 1998, save for his long hair slowly turning grey. Since we first met back in 2002, I have never once seen him out of this attire. Yet whether encountering him at gallery openings or during visits to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, where he works as building operations manager, that imposing visual style is always balanced by an easy, genuine warmth and impeccable manners rooted in his Appalachian upbringing. It’s an unpretentious demeanor that has earned him a quiet, lasting respect across the community.


Anderson is best known as a dedicated artist and a vital behind-the-scenes force at the MCA. His current solo exhibition, Messengers and Oracles, at the West Town Chamber of Commerce, offers a welcome look into his personal and creative practice. Featuring nineteen drawings, the exhibition focuses heavily on memory and how we are shaped by places and people. The majority of the works were already sold, despite being exhibited outside of a traditional commercial gallery space. Opening night also celebrated the release of his beautiful monograph of the same name, which is now officially available for purchase at the MCA Store. The artwork leans into Anderson’s Appalachian roots, bringing his childhood background into a direct conversation with his decades of lived experience in Chicago.


Stormlight

24\" x 20\" x 1 3/4\"

colored pencil on archival paper, framed with museum glass

photo credit: Nathan Keay


Anderson’s geography isn't just a straight line from the South to the Midwest, though. His marriage has introduced a deep Japanese influence to his life, adding another layer to the work. You can see this cultural mix directly in some of the drawings, portraits of anonymous Japanese figures set against a backdrop of familiar Chicago architecture and cityscapes.

While Anderson’s drawings have always stemmed from his own life and memories, this newest body of work has a profound focus on loss and grief. The exhibition serves as a tribute to his mother, as Anderson recently reached the exact age she was at her passing. This enduring grief is compounded by the consecutive losses of his dog Smokey, his artistic brother-in-arms Tony Fitzpatrick, and his art hero Don Meckley between 2025 and 2026. In light of these profound losses, his signature technique of mark-making on black paper feels especially fitting, giving these deeply personal images a darker, more forlorn feel.


Anderson's process makes perfect sense when you understand a love for German Expressionism that dates back to his childhood. In the spirit of that movement, his technique of coloring on black paper makes the bright colors jump, letting his animals emerge directly out of the deep shadows. You can see this dramatic mood across his landscapes and cityscapes—whether capturing weathered old houses, the dark silhouette of the John Hancock Center, or the towering form of the Willis Tower.


Anderson notes he is a \"huge fan of Symbolism and Romanticism,\" blending those traditions with \"a bit of dream-like revelation and vision\" to create a magical world of his own. He imagines solitary animals as protectors keeping watch over the people and places he has lost. Although only a few pieces on display feature human figures, many drawings are filled with bears, elk, wolves, birds, and dogs. By dropping these creatures directly into man-made settings, he creates a strange visual tension—granting the animals a powerful presence that disrupts an otherwise quiet human environment.


The Hospital Escape

24\" x 20\" x 1 3/4\"

colored pencil on archival paper, framed with museum glass

photo credit: Nathan Keay


Many of these drawings focus on a single, isolated figure. The Hospital Escape (18” x 15”) features a massive elk standing under a glowing streetlamp. This powerful image hints at a wild animal breaking free from an institutional space and stepping out into the city, tapping into timeless themes of survival and freedom.


Storm Light (18” x 15”) shifts into a quieter, more tense atmosphere, focusing on the weathered Victorian house where Anderson lived in the attic while a student at East Tennessee State University. Warm sunlight hits the front steps and grass, bathing the home in a serene beauty that contrasts with the dark, stormy sky. Perched on the peak of the roof is a massive black heron with its wings spread wide—completely dominating the structure as both a menacing hunter and a fierce, protective shield: an oracle keeping watch.


The mood shifts with The Pact (18” x 15”), created in memory of Fitzpatrick. A well-worn tombstone stands in an overgrown cemetery with a wolf sleeping peacefully in front of it. Rather than feeling ominous or macabre, the image carries a serene beauty, and the sleeping animal brings a gentle ease to Fitzpatrick's passing. Through this peaceful presence at the grave, Anderson cuts through the heavy grief of the exhibition with a rare moment of comfort.


The Silent City (18” x 15”) blends his two worlds through an intentional ambiguity. Featuring a female face rendered in deep purple and adorned with traditional hair ornaments, an anonymous Japanese figure looks directly at the viewer with a calm expression against the dark silhouette of the Willis Tower. Anderson notes she “may or may not be a ghost or emissary,” juxtaposing her against the landmark to seamlessly connect his current life with his family’s heritage.


Sunday Morning

20\" x 18\" x 1 3/4\"

colored pencil on paper, framed with museum glass

photo credit: Nathan Keay



A direct tribute to his mother is Sunday Morning (18” x 15”). Dressed in her Sunday best—a coat, scarf, gloves, and pumps—she stands against a soft blue glow as a white owl swoops toward her. The lights of the John Hancock Center glow as the iconic building rises in the background against a crimson and orange sky. This stunning juxtaposition brings her memory directly into the urban landscape he has inhabited for decades.


An atmospheric touch to the show is a collaborative sound loop by Paul Deuth. Anderson designed the audio to match the mood of what is on the walls, with Deuth shaping the sounds to be \"dark, magical, and other-worldly.\" It is a beautiful blend of sight and sound that completely pulls the room together. Ultimately, the exhibition stands as a quiet reminder of profound artwork built on real human issues, ignoring the fleeting, superficial trends that too often dictate the whims of the contemporary art world. 


#


Messengers and Oracles runs through October 23, 2026.

West Town Chamber of Commerce | 1819 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL


Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.


Meet the artist for a special book signing on Saturday, October 17, from noon to 4:00 PM.

@DuncanRobertAnderson


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Professor Tony Jones and artist Andy Scott in the Driehaus Museum's Murphy Auditorium on August 29, 2026.



By GINNY VAN ALYEA


“Now in Chicago, we have a tradition of significant public sculptures, not without controversy,” Professor Tony Jones CBE observed during an August 29 conversation with Scottish sculptor Andy Scott OBE at the Driehaus Museum.


Hosted by Chicago Scots, the evening brought together artists, preservation specialists and members of Chicago’s Scottish community for a dinner and discussion about the cultural and economic importance of public art. It also recognized the restoration underway at the Robert Burns monument in Garfield Park, a gift to Chicago from its Scottish community in 1906.


Gary Maclean, National Chef of Scotland, prepared an exceptional three-course tasting menu with whisky pairings. Following dinner in the museum’s newly-restored auditorium, Jones and Scott turned to the work behind public sculpture, from securing funding and solving engineering problems to seeing an artwork become part of a community’s identity.


Jones and Scott met during Scott's student years at the Glasgow School of Art, which Jones then led. A sculptor himself, Jones later served as president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a Chicago Scots board member.


A view of Scott's The Kelpies in Falkirk, Scotland



Scott is best known for The Kelpies, two 100-foot steel horse heads in Falkirk, Scotland, inspired by the Clydesdales that worked along the canals and on the land. Chicago audiences encountered their maquettes on the lakefront during the 2012–13 Chicago Sculpture International exhibition.


Chicago, of course, offered an example of what ambitious public art could accomplish. Scott recalled using the city’s large-scale artworks as inspiration and to give his client team confidence in the project that became The Kelpies. That confidence was tested, he says. Scott described an eight-and-a-half-year process, prolonged by political impasses and funding difficulties. Some coverage became hostile. As the sculptures began to rise, however, opinions shifted in their favor.



Scott during fabrication of the Kelpies



“You need to tough it out,” he shared.


At one point, financial pressures prompted suggestions to reduce the sculptures to roughly a third of their intended size, or build only one horse head. Scott and his wife, Hanneke, resisted.


“We drew a line in the sand and said absolutely not,” he recalled.


The finished sculptures became a tourism landmark and appeared in campaigns promoting Britain, including advertisements in China and at a London airport. In April 2025, Falkirk Council reported that The Helix, the park home to The Kelpies, had welcomed one million visitors in the preceding year, helping attract business to the area. Over a decade since their construction there are measurable benefits directly attributed to the Kelpies, including a tourism boost to Falkirk of 73% and 1,380 local annual jobs. Falkirk's population is just 40,000 residents.


For Scott, the response extended beyond visitor numbers. He pointed to “that passion and ownership and pride” among people who had embraced the sculptures.



Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the Kelpies when the Queen officially opened the Queen Elizabeth II Canal in 2017.



Jones described a similar sense of attachment in Chicago. Recalling the opening of Jaume Plensa's Crown Fountain, he noted how quickly children adopted its shallow pool, learning to anticipate the water pouring from the faces on its towers.


“It was an amazing moment that we could never have predicted,” he said.


Jones went on to highlight the numbers that back up the impact of Millennium Park and its public art on the City of Chicago. From 2003-2026 the estimated impact is $2.5 billion. The Kelpies have not been in existence quite as long but their impact will last for decades to come.



Jones shared a photo of the parking lot that Millennium Park and its public art replaced.


*


Public art was the theme of the evening, and not just because an internationally known artist from Scotland was in Chicago to discuss the Kelpies. The Chicago Scots have their own long history of supporting art that is part of the community. Chicago Scots, founded in 1845 as the Illinois Saint Andrew Society, joined other Scottish organizations in supporting William Grant Stevenson’s Robert Burns monument more than a century ago. Today, the organization is raising funds to supplement the Chicago Park District’s restoration budget and support ongoing maintenance of the ode to Scotland's national poet here in has a long history in Garfield Park.


Conservator and sculptor Andrzej Dajnowski, who attended the dinner, is in the process of recreating four stolen bronze relief panels that once belonged on the sculpture, as Burns’s missing quill. Dajnowski will quite literally help put a pen back into the poet's hand soon.


Andrew Schneider, the Park District’s director of historic assets, described its long-term stewardship partnership with Chicago Scots as the first of its kind in the district’s history and one that connects the creation of new landmarks with the responsibility of caring for those Chicago already has so that the public may enjoy art and its impact for the ages.


#


Publisher's note: Ginny Van Alyea has served on the Chicago Scots Board of Governors since 2009 and also attended the Glasgow School of Art in 2001.


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Collectors and artists attend the Not Just Another Pretty Face unveiling at the Hyde Park Art Center.




By JACQUELINE LEWIS


This year, Hyde Park Art Center is hosting the latest installment of Not Just Another Pretty Face (NJAPF). This special experience and exhibition began in the mid-1990s and occurs only every three years.


Not Just Another Pretty Face uses a matchmaking program to connect local patrons with artists. During this experience, patrons and artists choose each other, and the artist creates artwork specifically for that patron. Works range from traditional to experimental, depending on the artist chosen and the desires of the patron. At the end of the experience, the pieces are unveiled in an exhibition later this year before being purchased and taken home by the patron.


This matchmaking process differs from traditional art purchasing. Instead of collectors looking for works that already exist, purchasing them, and moving on, they become part of the artistic process and the work’s origin. Once matched, patrons meet with artists to discuss what they like and what they hope for from the final work, and the artist melds those desires with their own style.


The process cultivates a sense of generosity between artist and patron as they mutually share themselves and allow each other into their individual worlds. It facilitates lasting relationships that do not often develop naturally in gallery spaces and plays an important role in establishing broader financial support for the artistic community.


Director of Development Eric Thompson has been with Hyde Park Art Center since 2023, making this his second iteration of NJAPF. As this year’s program nears completion, Thompson offered insight into how the experience comes together.




A commission being unveiled at Hyde Park Art Center



Jackie Lewis: What is the process for artists and patrons to sign up for this experience?


Eric Thompson: For the artists, our team begins reaching out to invite them to participate about 18 months before the unveiling. For this iteration, conversations began in late spring 2025. They provide information on their artistic process, image examples of their work, and their commission rate. Our team then publicizes this information on our website and presents the artists at various salons throughout the city.


Several supporters of the Art Center host NJAPF salons and invite their own guests. Potential patrons learn about the artists and the project at large and express interest with our team. From there, we work to get the commission started!


JL: Once artists and patrons are chosen, what does the matchmaking process look like? Is there any process beyond the salons?


Eric Thompson: Much of the process happens after the salons. Patrons and the Hyde Park Art Center staff discuss artists who have piqued their interest. The HPAC staff sets up studio visits with the artists, giving the patron and artist a chance to meet, learn about each other, and discuss a possible commission. Sometimes artists may meet with multiple patrons through the project, and patrons will visit multiple studios before making a decision. Once a patron and artist agree to work together, the artist begins the work.


JL: What is your role in the process? How does HPAC support both the artists and the patrons?


Eric Thompson: NJAPF is a win-win-win situation for all parties. The patron has the opportunity to meet amazing Chicago artists, receives a unique commissioned work, and has that piece included in a public exhibition at the Art Center. The artist receives payment for the work, has the opportunity to expand their network of collectors, and often pushes their own practice through this process. The Art Center also benefits, as half of the commission serves as a tax-deductible donation that supports our mission to sustain Chicago art and artists.


JL: What aspect of NJAPF do you think has the greatest impact on the Chicago art community?


Eric Thompson: The project itself embodies the mission of the Art Center: it is designed for artists in Chicago to flourish. I think the greatest impact from the program’s ten iterations is the access it has created between artists and patrons. Relationships have been built. It is all about connection—a personal connection to the art and the connection between the artist and the patron. As a staff member, it is a wonderful thing to observe.



*

Sarah Nishiura, Inching



D. Lammie-Hanson, Agility to Surrender, 14k gold on Acrylic (wood panel)



A Word From the Artists


For a deeper understanding of the experience, artists D. Lammie-Hanson and Sarah Nishiura shared their own perspectives. Both have completed commissions for NJAPF in the past and are currently creating work for this year’s iteration.


JL: How did you first learn about NJAPF, and how did you become involved?


Sarah Nishiura: I have been teaching and exhibiting with the Hyde Park Art Center for over 15 years now, and I think it was through this affiliation that I was first invited to participate in NJAPF. I was lucky enough to receive two commissions the first year that I participated, and I think this success led to repeat invitations through the years.


D. Lammie-Hanson: I learned about NJAPF through an email invitation from Hyde Park Art Center. After I responded that I was interested, they placed me in their rotation to be presented to their patrons.


JL: How has working with NJAPF affected your artistic career? Did it fit within your practice?


Sarah Nishiura: My favorite thing about NJAPF is the opportunity to step outside my usual practice to try something different. Many of the commissions I have done in the past have involved working with materials given to me by the patron. This presents technical challenges that I wouldn’t normally take on, but I learn so much from stepping outside my comfort zone every few years. I have had continued relationships with patrons, and I have appreciated seeing the commissioned pieces in their homes. There is nothing better than seeing your work be part of someone’s life.


D. Lammie-Hanson: The patron trusted me to interpret their direction through my own lens. They gave me the subject and overall intent, and I stayed grounded by making creative choices around composition and focus that matched their goals while keeping my personal approach. Because metalpoint/silverpoint isn’t a widely known medium, working with NJAPF and Hyde Park Art Center helped me present my process to a wider audience. It also strengthened my broader portfolio by giving my work a strong platform and context.


JL: What was your experience working with a patron? How did it differ from your usual process?


Sarah Nishiura: The two patrons came by my studio, and we immediately found we had a lot in common and a lot to talk about. We shared some of our favorite artists, our experiences with travel, our love of craft and nature, and from these conversations they came up with great ideas for jumping-off points for the commission. At the same time, they let me know they really wanted me to have the freedom to go in any direction I wanted with the final piece. This experience only differed from my usual process because it began with conversations with other people rather than the conversation that usually happens in my own head!


D. Lammie-Hanson: The patron visited my studio while I was an artist in residence at Little Black Pearl, and we discussed his vision. He chose my silverpoint-on-black/metalpoint technique, and we developed the direction together. This differed from my usual process because I don’t usually enjoy doing commissions, but I enjoyed working with Hyde Park Art Center through this program. After we aligned on the creative direction for the artwork, the patron gave me the freedom to carry out the piece according to my own vision.


JL: Since you have participated in NJAPF before, what made you decide to do it again?


Sarah Nishiura: I love HPAC, and I feel like this is a great program that allows me to support their mission while also giving me a wonderful opportunity to work with collectors I might never meet otherwise. It is a win-win!


D. Lammie-Hanson: I enjoyed the opportunity to work with Hyde Park Art Center again. I submitted my interests without knowing which new collectors would be interested, but I was willing to take the chance, and I’m glad I did.


*


Unveiling party attendees at Hyde Park Art Center



From the Collectors


To understand more about another side of the program, Ginny Van Alyea, CGN’s publisher and a past participant of NJAPF, shared her perspective as a patron who commissioned a work by artist Mel Watkin several years ago.


JL: Before NJAPF, did you consider yourself an art collector? Had you ever commissioned a work before?


GV: NJAPF appealed to my husband and me because we had bought art separately and together, but we hadn’t commissioned anything. My parents gave us the commission as a wedding gift, so it was especially meaningful.


JL: Before meeting with the artist, did you have a specific idea for the artwork you wanted?


GV: We looked through a lot of artwork before deciding whose work would be the best fit. There were so many choices, but we liked Mel Watkin’s particular focus. It felt like a good fit for creating something that spoke to both of us and our families when we got married.


JL: What was your experience working with the artist like? Did it feel collaborative?


GV: Working with Mel on a piece that was just for us was so cool. We sent images, ideas, and references back and forth. We met for coffee. We gave a little feedback but also listened to what she suggested. It was definitely a collaborative experience, but ultimately it was still the artist who made the art.


JL: Have you continued your relationship with your paired artist?


GV: Yes! A few years later, for a milestone birthday, I commissioned Mel again to make two more works: one about our daughter and one about our son. Now all three works hang together at home.


JL: Is there anything else you’d like to add about the experience?


GV: I know many collectors who have participated in the program more than once, and I can see us doing it again someday. It’s a wonderful chance to work with a local artist while also setting the parameters—like price and size—up front, which is another unique benefit of the program. It’s also terrific to support HPAC and local artists at the same time. While there are some big artist names in the program, NJAPF is also a wonderful way to discover emerging artists.


*


This year’s unveiling reception will take place on December 11, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Hyde Park Art Center. Following the reception, the artwork will remain on display and will be accompanied by a catalogue documenting the entire process for patrons, artists, and visitors alike.


The success of NJAPF has extended beyond Chicago, with similar exhibitions adapted in Boise, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Salt Lake City. To date, the program has generated more than $2 million in sales. Half of the proceeds go directly to participating artists, while the other half supports Hyde Park Art Center’s programs and mission. With more than 400 works commissioned by over 300 new and established collectors, NJAPF has cultivated an ecosystem of patronage that enables artists to thrive.


By embracing and encouraging the idea of patronage in contemporary art, NJAPF has built a community of people who value not only finished works of art, but also the creative process behind them. If you missed your opportunity to participate this year, consider becoming a patron for the next iteration.


More details at hydeparkart.org/njapf-2026/

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