{"article":{"id":2034,"title":"Hindman Celebrates Four Decades in Chicago & Beyond","excerpt":"","body":"<html><head></head><body><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419101/zdoicaj26vins8h28mu1.jpg\"></figure><p>By Anna Dobrowolski&nbsp;</p><p>Art auctions have a reputation for high-dollar headlines and cinematic cameos. You know the trope: something old and all-but forgotten is, with a final paddle raise and the help of a fast-talking auctioneer, someone’s ticket to early retirement. While that can’t always be the case (sadly), these auction fairytales remind us to pay more attention to our possessions. At Hindman, they have spent the last four decades doing just that.&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image image-style-side\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419102/oz7fgtfguxfl4v3yaoy7.jpg\"><figcaption>Jay Krehbiel</figcaption></figure><p>In 1982, Leslie Hindman opened the doors to her eponymous auction house on Lake Street in Chicago’s West Loop. It grew to be one of the largest auction houses in the country. In 2018, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and Cowan’s Auctions merged, and Hindman formed, with Jay Krehbiel at the helm.&nbsp;</p><p>Today Hindman Auctions’ operations are spread across 13 cities, holding over 140 auctions a year and looking towards a future in an increasingly global and digital market.</p><p>Despite Hindman’s physical presence across the country, Jay Krehbiel, Co-Chairman &amp; Chief Executive Officer at Hindman, has not lost sight of the importance of digital technologies and reach in the auction world. In September, as a prologue to anniversary celebrations, one of their headlining shows will be a&nbsp; single owner, single artist auction of Chicago’s surrealist painter Gertrude Abercrombie. A strong digital presence will ensure that the sale of Laura and Gary Maurers’ Abercrombies will reach as many potential collectors as possible.</p><p>Krehbiel, who first got involved at Hindman through watching Leslie conduct her business, officially partnered up with her six years ago. He has since taken Hindman’s digital expansion to a far greater level. “Leslie was always thinking about introducing technology into auctions, a tradition bound, tradition-based industry. That’s something that she had been working on for a long time. Hindman was early to put their auction catalogs online, and what I try to do now is supercharge that. When the pandemic hit, we were in a much stronger place to continue business as usual,” he says.</p><p>According to Krehbiel, there are ways to tech-enable this business, but there’s no such thing as being fully remote in the auction room. Behind the scenes, the team handles every object in order to analyze its condition and present it to future buyers as accurately as possible.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>*</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When I called Zachary Wirsum, Director and Senior Specialist for Post War and Contemporary Art, he was at Hindman’s Lake Street headquarters, taking a break from curating the <i>Cool for the Summer </i>sale—the third in the summer series inspired by a pop song. Queueing Demi Lovato, the show channeled ‘cool’ with sizable abstracts and some household names such as Jeff Koons’ <i>Puppy Vase</i>; Salvador Dalí’s <i>Venus with the giraffe</i>; and Jane Hammond’s <i>Love Laughs (1973)</i>. At the same time, Wirsum is looking ahead to the fall. He and Joe Stanfield, Hindman’s Vice President and Senior Specialist for Fine Art are co-head of sale for <i>Casting Spells: The Gertrude Abercrombie Collection of Laura and Gary Maurer</i> on September 28. Before the auction they will show the Maurer collection in Milwaukee and New York–both to expose more people to her work, and to pay tribute to the artist’s own roaming spirit and the friends she made along the way.</p><p>When the Hindman team is not actively sourcing art for an upcoming auction, art usually arrives from the ‘triple D’s’—death, divorce, and debt—or, more recently due to the pandemic, ‘deaccession and downsizing,’ explains Wirsum. It depends on the individual or institution.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419102/xp67sctkrtncgqh6nyoz.jpg\"><figcaption>Andy Warhol, <i>Goethe</i>, 1982 screenprint, signed and numbered AP 3/22 in pencil. Property from the Carmen S. Holeman Trust, Indianapolis, Indiana. Price Realized: $81,250. Offered in Hindman Auctions’ May 12, 2022. Prints &amp; Multiples auction</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Not all art arriving at the auction house involves stories of loss. Some buyers spend their whole lives pursuing their passion for collecting. Corbin Horn, Vice President and Senior Specialist of European Furniture &amp; Decorative Arts, adds, “For people who are working to build up their collections, they consider selling a way to ‘trade up.’ When building a collection, many people don’t realize that you can’t just buy things at once. You have to spend your life buying, selling and trading up in terms of quality,” Horn says.</p><p>“One of the things we talk about at Hindman is that we believe that everyone is a collector at heart. These objects inspire people,” says Krehbiel. “If you don’t know where to start, everyone will tell you to start with what you love. The inspiration you have for the objects, and the passions you develop for the objects, will drive your curiosity forward and encourage you to learn more about the makers and their stories. So, buy what you love. It seems trite, but there’s truth to it.”</p><p>While the business is art and object driven, it’s people driven as well. Alyssa Quinlan, Chief Business Development Officer, tells me that her favorite part of the job is making connections with people and hearing stories, from a WWII fighter pilot to someone who has lost their spouse and sharing their stories through their art. “When people bring us the things they collected, it’s another chance to take a moment to reflect on how wonderful they were. There’s a lot more to it than looking at objects on their own. The emotional aspect and curating those collections means hearing their stories.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419103/jr7pfln5rtqsyi59y1ra.jpg\"><figcaption>Ed Clark, <i>Creation</i>, 2006, acrylic on canvas, signed Ed Clark, titled and dated (verso) 72 x 84 inches. Property from the Collection of Dominic Pangborn, Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Price Realized: $740,000. Offered in Hindman Auctions’ May 11, 2022. Post War &amp; Contemporary Art auction</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Stories about what can show up at auction can also become fairytales. Here are a few recent ones the Hindman team members shared with CGN:</p><p><strong>Jay Krehbiel: </strong>In 2019, we were honored to bring works to market for the Cranser family from St. Louis. They had, among other great things in their collection, two Calder Stabiles. We sold one for $1.9 million and a smaller one for $432,500. It’s exciting for everyone to sell big dollar items.</p><p>Famously, there was a 17th c. Chinese bowl from a North Shore Collection. The final price tag was $1.5 million, which was surprising, considering it was used as a bowl for car keys.</p><p><strong>Joe Stanfield: </strong>There is one particular work of art I tend to go back to from maybe 12 years ago. A colleague and I drove to western Illinois and discovered what was, at the time, an unknown trove of watercolors by Wassily Kandinsky, just buried in a closet at this home. We took 60–70 unframed works on paper. We contacted one of the scholars in New York to authenticate the art, which were then flown to Paris and reviewed by a committee. It ended up being sold for $450,000.</p><p><strong>Corbin Horn: </strong>The most unusual work of art that comes to my mind is an Andrew Clemens (American, 1857-1894) sand bottle that sold for $956,000. Clemens was a little-known Iowa artist who was deaf, and he made pictures formed by compressing colored grains of sand inside chemists’ jars. Remarkably, he made these works of art without glue and using only homemade tools. There are a few collectors in the U.S. who pursue these very aggressively. We have handled several Clemens bottles over recent years, and we have one (maybe two!) more coming for sale this fall.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>*</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Fairy tale or not, there’s no crystal ball to predict the outcome of an auction. So, what happens when a work of art simply doesn’t sell? It doesn’t mean that the previous owner had poor taste; sometimes it boils down to pure luck and timing.&nbsp;</p><p>“If on the day of the auction there just isn’t a buyer for an object, we either reoffer it for sale or return it. The auction industry is fascinating because the market is the global economy; different buyers are just there on different days,” says Krehbiel.</p><p>Delivering unfortunate news is a large part of the business, Stanfield tells me. “Most of us, including myself, think the work that we own is great. We are sentimental, especially with inherited things. I understand why people are disappointed. One of the handy things about auctions is that it is a fair market and the sales are transparent. We are able to pull up global data showing where the art is selling, and for how much.” The added transparency helps stymie disappointments and manage expectations before bringing a work into the auction room.</p><p>Technologies and tastes are bound to change over time. What ensures that an auction house like Hindman lasts is looking towards and embracing the future.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419104/ugvpq8ojnnxgybbwee7c.jpg\"><figcaption>Gertrude Abercrombie, <i>Solitude</i>, 1942. oil on masonite, signed Abercrombie and dated (lower left), 20 1/2 x 40 1/4 inches. Estimate: $120,000 -$180,000</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Under Gertrude Abercrombie’s Spell</strong></p><p>A surrealist by any other name — known as ‘Mid-century jazz witch’ and Chicago’s Queen of Bohemia, painter Gertrude Abercrombie has long enchanted artists, writers, and musicians. To collectors Laura and Gary Maurer, who are offering up their entire collection of 21 paintings in September, she is simply known as “Gertrude.”</p><p>Abercrombie’s biography reads better than fiction. She was born in Austin, Texas, in 1909 but often traveled due to her parents’ careers at a traveling opera company (her mother, Lula Janes, was a prima donna). When Gertrude was four, the Abercrombies lived in Berlin until the outbreak of WWI. Forced to return to Illinois, they eventually settled in Chicago, where Gertrude would go on to study Romance languages and later work as a commercial illustrator designing gloves for Mesirow department store. It wasn’t until taking on commissioned work by the WPA in the 30s, however, that she decided to pursue art full time.</p><p>By then, she was a Hyde Park local, forging her own style in a studio on Dorchester Avenue near the University of Chicago campus. Walking past the heather-bricked row house today, you would not know this was where the magic happened–I didn’t. Those walls have heard the piano-tuning, rants, and laughter of musical giants: Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Rollins, Pearl Bailey, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Max Roach. Where’s the commemorative blue plaque, “Gertrude Abercrombie (1909-1977) Artist, Friend, ‘Good Witch’ lived here”? Wrong Hyde Park, I regret to say.</p><p>Surrounded by music and a lively cast of writers for most of her life, Abercrombie channeled her idiosyncratic artistic rhythm in easel paintings. Though Abercrombie never affiliated herself with any formal movement in modern art, she was labeled a ‘magical realist’ for her references to the otherworldly. Her subjects ranged from evocative, stark landscapes to still lifes with cats, owls, crystal balls, and shells. It’s unsurprising that surrealism’s vocabulary seeped into interpretations of her work–indeed, when she first saw the work of René Magritte, she called him her ‘spiritual daddy’ for sharing that same tendency for the absurd, illogical and dream-like–but her style remains a personal, psychological enigma. In essence, she painted from the reality she was most familiar with.&nbsp;</p><p>She painted self-portraits most frequently throughout her oeuvre and at various stages of her life. Her choice of subject matter, and the puzzling approach to them, earned her the title of ‘witch.’ (Who amongst women deviating from the norm - much less putting paint to it - hasn’t been suspected of sorcery?) In a 1977 interview with Studs Terkel, she mentioned that she was used to the moniker, once confessing to a group of children calling her a witch that she was ‘one of the good ones.’ Looking at her work, it’s impossible not to believe her. That was certainly the case for Laura Maurer.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>*&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419105/adlvafkiwsfiqocmwd2p.jpg\"><figcaption>Gertrude Abercrombie, <i>Self and Cat (Possims),</i> 1953, oil on canvas, signed Abercrombie and dated (lower left) 34 x 24 inches. Estimate: $300,000-$500,000</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Laura Maurer describes herself as “the kid who dreamed about being locked in a museum after closing time and living among all of that great art.” She knew art would always be a part of her life—a fact that her husband, Gary, understood was non-negotiable.</p><p>She first encountered Abercrombie’s work in the ‘90s on a trip to negotiate contracts in Springfield, IL. With time to spare, she walked over to the Illinois State Museum, which had Abercrombie’s paintings on display. There, Maurer had the museum to herself. &nbsp;</p><p>“Mesmerized doesn’t even come close,” she tells me over the phone, “It was love at first sight.” Through library searches, she found out that Robert Henry Adams Gallery had more Abercrombie paintings available. “I went up to Robert Adams, and said, ‘I’ll take it.’” The painting in question: Abercrombie’s <i>Solitude</i>. In this moonlit landscape, a woman is mid-gait, walking along a gray footpath amongst sparsely spaced trees. Behind her, a white cat glances back towards the distant forest. “While Laura fell in love at first sight, my appreciation [for Abercrombie] developed more gradually,” Gary Maurer adds. “After I spent some time with the painting, I found myself wondering, what was she thinking or going through at the time.” Both agreed that <i>Solitude</i> would be the start of their collection.</p><p>For the Maurers, searching for Abercrombie in local art fairs, estate sales, auctions, and galleries decades-long search was just as exciting as the acquisition. One of their most memorable discoveries was finding her self-portrait–which, at 34 x 24 inches, remains one of her larger works. “When we found her self-portrait with Possim, it was better than a million photographs. Much of her work was her searching for herself. Occasionally she would appear and become recognized as an element in some of her work. When this self-portrait became available, it spoke to her inner life and what she thought of herself.”</p><p>The thrill of discovery propelled the Maurers’ decades-long quest for Abercrombie’s work. So, how does one part with a collection after so many years?&nbsp; “It was time for these works that have lived with us over the years to be with other families or institutions so that they can live with Gertrude, like we have, for the last 30 years,” says Laura. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>*</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Preparing for a sale such as this takes a village of experts and specialists who are able to first authenticate the art, write detailed condition reports, set the starting price points and of course bring it to a wide market of interested buyers.&nbsp;</p><p>Chicago-based <a href=\"https://hindmanauctions.com\">Hindman</a> will be handling the sale of the Maurers’ beloved pieces this fall, while at the same time celebrating the auction house’s 40th anniversary.&nbsp;</p><p>#</p></body></html>","published_at":"2022-08-28 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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.</p><p><br></p><p>Anderson is best known as a dedicated artist and a vital behind-the-scenes force at the MCA. His current solo exhibition, <em>Messengers and Oracles</em>, 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.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908055/rayhnjclo0ruoorpzkxk.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Stormlight</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">24\" x 20\" x 1 3/4\"</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">colored pencil on archival paper, framed with museum glass</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">photo credit: Nathan Keay</span></p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908056/qdwc0lceoxzowrdenxfv.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">The Hospital Escape</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">24\" x 20\" x 1 3/4\"</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">colored&nbsp;pencil&nbsp;on archival paper, framed with museum glass</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">photo credit: Nathan Keay</span></p><p><br></p><p>Many of these drawings focus on a single, isolated figure. <em>The Hospital Escape</em> (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.</p><p><br></p><p><em>Storm Light</em> (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.</p><p><br></p><p>The mood shifts with<em> The Pact </em>(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.</p><p><br></p><p><em>The Silent City</em> (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.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908057/gyuv6oytspfzwatqxxgv.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Sunday Morning</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">20\" x 18\" x 1 3/4\"</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">colored pencil on paper, framed with museum glass</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">photo credit: Nathan Keay</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>A direct tribute to his mother is <em>Sunday Morning</em> (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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>#</p><p><br></p><p><em>Messengers and Oracles</em> runs through October 23, 2026.</p><p><a href=\"https://www.westtownchamber.org\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">West Town Chamber of Commerce</a> | 1819 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL</p><p><br></p><p>Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.</p><p><br></p><p>Meet the artist for a special book signing on Saturday, October 17, from noon to 4:00 PM.</p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/DuncanRobertAnderson/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">@DuncanRobertAnderson</a></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-10-13 11:01:52.088","state":"published","slug":"duncan-robert-anderson-messengers-and-oracles","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-13 16:14:17.525","updated_at":"2026-10-13 16:14:17.525","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'00':1200B,1204B,1222B '1':15B,313B,680B,999B '15':710B,752B,845B,921B,1024B '16':13B '17':1217B '18':11B,708B,750B,843B,919B,997B,1022B '1819':1189B '1998':94B '20':311B,678B,995B '2002':109B '2025':463B '2026':465B,1183B '23':1182B '24':309B,676B '3/4':16B,314B,681B,1000B '4':1221B '5':1203B '9':1199B 'across':177B,549B 'ad':355B 'adorn':939B 'age':429B 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29, 2026. </span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>By GINNY VAN ALYEA</p><p><br></p><p>“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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349528/rvcpupuficqwkyfty9to.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">A view of Scott's The Kelpies in Falkirk, Scotland</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Scott is best known for&nbsp;<em>The Kelpies</em>, 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.</p><p><br></p><p>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&nbsp;<em>The Kelpies</em>. 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.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349529/lxnkb4dn3emvbqf3gx9k.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Scott during fabrication of the Kelpies</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>“You need to tough it out,” he shared.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>“We drew a line in the sand and said absolutely not,” he recalled.</p><p><br></p><p>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&nbsp;<em>The Kelpies</em>, 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. </p><p><br></p><p>For Scott, the response extended beyond visitor numbers. He pointed to “that passion and ownership and pride” among people who had embraced the sculptures.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349529/nswajfhnhzutlhgwqope.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the Kelpies when the Queen officially opened the&nbsp;Queen&nbsp;Elizabeth&nbsp;II Canal in 2017.</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>“It was an amazing moment that we could never have predicted,” he said.</p><p><br></p><p>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. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349530/qsgbquwhl41cwjzefzxn.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Jones shared a photo of the parking lot that Millennium Park and its public art replaced. </span></p><p><br></p><p>*</p><p><br></p><p>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 <span style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">has a long history in Garfield Park.</span></p><p><br></p><p>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. <span style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">Dajnowski will quite literally help put a pen back into the poet's hand soon. </span></p><p><br></p><p>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. </p><p><br></p><p>#</p><p><br></p><p><em>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.</em></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-10-07 00:00:00","state":"published","slug":"from-chicago-to-scotland-the-reach-of-public-art","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-07 05:05:31.263","updated_at":"2026-10-07 05:05:31.263","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'-2026':622B '000':498B '1':487B '100':238B '13':270B '1845':710B '1906':121B '2.5':627B '2001':906B '2003':621B '2009':896B '2012':269B '2017':543B '2025':435B '2026':27B '29':26B,54B '380':488B '40':497B '73':485B 'absolut':407B 'accomplish':287B 'adopt':567B 'advertis':425B 'age':879B 'ago':734B 'airport':432B 'along':252B 'alreadi':865B 'also':99B,898B 'alyea':31B,885B 'amaz':586B 'ambiti':283B 'among':517B 'andi':15B,59B 'andrew':715B,817B 'andrzej':774B 'annual':490B 'anticip':573B 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rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Not Just Another Pretty Face</a> (NJAPF). This special experience and exhibition began in the mid-1990s and occurs only every three years.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744923/iltm7ht7zujlikhhpjid.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">A commission being unveiled at Hyde Park Art Center</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Jackie Lewis: What is the process for artists and patrons to sign up for this experience?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson:</strong> 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.</p><p><br></p><p>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!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Once artists and patrons are chosen, what does the matchmaking process look like? Is there any process beyond the salons?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What is your role in the process? How does HPAC support both the artists and the patrons?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson:</strong> 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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What aspect of NJAPF do you think has the greatest impact on the Chicago art community?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p class=\"ql-align-center\">*</p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744924/hrzsontqcaqfvocwlay0.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Sarah Nishiura, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Inching</em></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744925/h0b8mudpvkr54bss2yvp.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">D. Lammie-Hanson, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Agility to Surrender,</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\"> 14k gold on Acrylic&nbsp;(wood panel)</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong><em>A Word From the Artists</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><em>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.</em></p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: How did you first learn about NJAPF, and how did you become involved?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura:</strong> 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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson:</strong> 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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: How has working with NJAPF affected your artistic career? Did it fit within your practice?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What was your experience working with a patron? How did it differ from your usual process?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura: </strong>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!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Since you have participated in NJAPF before, what made you decide to do it again?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura:</strong> 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!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p class=\"ql-align-center\">*</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744926/umy0i4utfyykeobpumou.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Unveiling party attendees at Hyde Park Art Center</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong><em>From the Collectors</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><em>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.</em></p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Before NJAPF, did you consider yourself an art collector? Had you ever commissioned a work before?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Before meeting with the artist, did you have a specific idea for the artwork you wanted?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV:</strong> 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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What was your experience working with the artist like? Did it feel collaborative?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV</strong>: 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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Have you continued your relationship with your paired artist?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV</strong>: 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.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Is there anything else you’d like to add about the experience?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV: </strong>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.</p><p><br></p><p class=\"ql-align-center\">*</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>More details at <a href=\"https://www.hydeparkart.org/njapf-2026/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">hydeparkart.org/njapf-2026/</a></p>","published_at":"2026-09-18 08:02:07.343","state":"published","slug":"art-matchmaking-hyde-park-art-centers-not-just-another-pretty-face-returns-this-fall","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-09-18 15:22:07.165","updated_at":"2026-09-18 15:22:07.165","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'/metalpoint':1274B '/njapf-2026/':2007B '00':1838B,1840B '11':1834B '14k':751B '15':830B '18':339B '1990s':64B '2':1901B '2023':274B '2025':352B '2026':1835B '300':1935B '400':1930B '6':1837B '8':1839B 'access':698B 'accompani':1859B 'accord':1329B 'acryl':754B 'adapt':1884B 'add':1733B 'affect':918B 'affili':840B 'agil':748B 'ago':1483B 'agre':527B 'align':1310B 'alik':1872B 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