{"article":{"id":647,"title":"Life After Art School: Making Transitions and Transactions – Part I","excerpt":"","body":"<html><head></head><body><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418065/iodpunzeg9s6ruxnymmu.gif\"></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>Life After Art School is an interview series by a former CGN Intern. The first part was written in 2014.&nbsp;</i></p><p><i>This five-year follow-up is broken up into three parts:&nbsp;</i></p><p><i>• </i><a href=\"https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2019/2/life-after-art-school-five-years-later\"><i>Life After Art School: Five Years Later</i></a></p><p><i>• Life After Art School: Making Transitions and Transactions – Part I (below)</i></p><p><a href=\"https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2019/2/life-after-art-school-making-transitions-and-transactions-part-ii\"><i>• Life After Art School: Making Transitions and Transactions – Part II</i></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>By MEGAN BONKE</p><p><i>As was the case when I wrote the first Life After Art School article for CGN in 2014, I talked to other artists to get their perspectives.&nbsp;</i></p><p><i>I tried my best not to shy away from questions about financial challenges, and I hope my own story as well as the thoughts and answers from another artist helps others move closer to an understanding of life as a professional artist.&nbsp;</i></p><p><i>My first follow-up interview was with French artist David Twose, who is currently doing an artist residency in his native France, but he is also planning for a spring 2019 show in suburban Lake Forest, Illinois.&nbsp;</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418067/wtptjvtae6swlzpbx5fe.gif\"><figcaption>David Twose</figcaption></figure><p class=\"lead\">David Twose, 41, Painter</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Megan Bonke: When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?</strong></p><p><strong>David Twose:</strong> It’s a tricky question. As a professional, it’s when I quit my previous job. As an artist, I've always wanted to be one – I’ve been drawing since I was a kid. When I worked in a professional corporation, I was taking drawing and painting lessons after work for almost eleven hours per week, in addition to my full time job.</p><p><strong>MB: What did you do for work before you were a full time artist?</strong></p><p>DT: I had been working for 16 years at a car company called Peugeot S.A (PSA Group) of which there are several brands: Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel, and Vauxhal. I was mainly doing marketing and communication there for the international&nbsp;markets.</p><p><strong>MB: What was the catalyst for making the switch from art as a hobby to art as a career?</strong></p><p>DT: Art was always deeper than a hobby, a lot more than that. The big shift occurred when I realized I was very comfortable for 16 years in the same company. I felt that it was so easy to continue working there until retirement. I imagined myself 20 years later, at the age of 60. I projected myself at this age and saw myself looking back and trying to see what I had achieved. That freaked me out. I was not at the right place. The right place for me was making art.</p><p><strong>MB: Where have you studied, what did you study, and how far does your education extend?</strong></p><p>DT: I went to business school. I was quite good at school, so I went to what’s called “preparation for business school” in Lyon, France and was able to succeed to the renowned Graduated School of Business in Nancy, France. I finished my Business studies in&nbsp;Montreal, Canada at McGill University, as well. I was in preparation school for two years and business for three years; that’s five years.</p><p><strong>MB: Where have you studied art, and did you take any art classes at university?</strong></p><p>DT: From ages 16 to 18, I took art classes in school. After that, I took a lot of night classes and during the weekend as well.</p><p><strong>MB: Did anything in your studies (business marketing or fine art) prepare you for running your own business as an artist?</strong></p><p>DT: My communications and marketing experience has helped me a lot. Part of my job at the time was to build communication strategies and help our companies, located in other countries, apply them locally. Having said that, when I do communications for my paintings, I try to apply the basic rules that I used to apply when I was advising others. I try to be consistent in the message that I deliver for the product, which is my painting. Sometimes it’s hard. And the funny thing is that looking back at when I used to oversee and evaluate the communications, I notice that I make the same mistakes. For the same thing I would criticize, I find it difficult to be my own judge.</p><p>What helped me was to first build my website immediately after I quit my job. I also created business cards and advertisements, such as on Instagram and Facebook. From what I’ve seen, not many artists prioritize that. I also have a portfolio that I take with me on my exhibitions. Not all artists have this communication kit that I have. Artists have told me they don’t want to do it because either they feel that they are only artists and they are not yet in a position to market their art, or they don’t think they have the skill set. Many don’t even consider how to market their art, because it is totally out of their range of thoughts.</p><p>Just last December I created a company to make the process of selling easier, for which I had to hire an accountant to help me set it up. When I created the company, I opened the range of activities to be available for other artists as well. With this company I can also give advice to other artists regarding their communication strategies.</p><p><strong>MB: Can you elaborate on these rules for marketing?</strong></p><p>DT: I should be able to do it; it’s nice to talk with you about it because it reminds me to focus more. The communication strategies I apply are about the process of how I create and why I want to create, and it’s all based on one important word I call <i>abstractivation</i>. When I paint landscapes, I try to see the abstract things that exist in reality—the shapes of a tree, a building, a shadow, etc. I want to expose and amplify these abstracted things that I see in reality. For instance sometimes when I paint, I turn the canvas 180 degrees to forget that it’s a landscape, and instead, I try to see it as an abstract painting. In terms of communication, I’m trying to focus on that word, <i>abstractivation,</i> as my credo—what I believe. I believe there are abstract things in reality, and these are very strong and can bring us to another dimension—something spiritual. My communication is based on this pillar of my work. It’s the way I work, and the way I see art.</p><p><strong>MB: How long have you been a full time artist?</strong></p><p>DT: I quit my job in June 2017 and have been pursuing art professionally ever since.</p><p><strong>MB: Can you describe the first year of working as an artist full time?</strong></p><p>DT: The first month was a bit weird, because I went on holiday to Canada just after I quit. While I still felt like I was on holiday, at the same time I knew that I left my secure zone. That was very frightening. I was scared. Before, when I was part of a company, it was like I was on a big boat, and when I quit, I was in deep water. Then I had moments where I would remember myself painting outside, and I would have otherwise been in the office; that was a real pleasure.</p><p>I have never worked so hard since I stopped working. As a professional artist, you have to do everything. Of course you have to paint. You also have to do the communication. You have to make all the decisions. When you work for a company, you have to make some, but others take many responsibilities. My day is usually made of painting and entrepreneurial decisions: a budget to work within, timing management, and meeting with people. At the same, you have to not try to manage everything, and go with the flow. Because that’s when things happen, when you don’t schedule everything and you follow the good vibrations around you. The best things happened to me when I wasn’t searching for them. Helping others is one of these things. When I help others, I feel pure pleasure and good things happen for me also. I did not experience this when I was working in a private company.</p><p><strong>MB: How has your artwork changed since making art your career?</strong></p><p>DT: Because I have more time to paint,&nbsp;I can do more research and exploration in order to produce more intimate works. I want to be more in the concept and because I have more time, I can dig in. I also have the motivation to produce because of things like my upcoming show for example show in Lake Forest that is coming in May. I actually I have to produce for this show. Before I painted what I wanted and when I wanted. Now, I have the parameter of an upcoming show date dictating my production. I also have some commissions to complete. I have to manage myself in order to complete the work.</p><p><strong>MB: What kind of subsidies/benefits have you been getting from the [French] government since becoming an artist and how long do those last?</strong></p><p>DT: Depending on how you quit your company in France, you can acquire some pensions from the state. And that was my case. I had this chance to receive money from the government, which is not at the level of my previous salary. Nevertheless, it helped me to live in a proper way and give a lot to my business as an artist. I will have this help until mid 2020. I have this time to become autonomous financially.</p><p><strong>MB: What does applying for these subsidies/benefits involve?</strong></p><p>DT: It’s not like these benefits don’t come from somewhere - they are essentially the unemployment tax withheld from my paycheck over the last sixteen years. Usually receiving these benefits means you have to look for a job, but because I created a company they should not ask me to look for a job.</p><p><strong>MB: What kind of financial burdens have you been experiencing since becoming an artist full time?</strong></p><p>DT: Not much because my level of finances are okay. I’m still live in the same apartment. I try to spend less. The funny thing is that when I was working and I’d leave the office, I wanted to buy things. I wanted to go to the shops with high tech things. So I spent the money that I earned on the things that I bought. And now I don’t need any of these things anymore. And I think it’s because I like what I do. I don’t need anything other than what I’m doing. At the end of the day, I have less money and spend less money without much effort.</p><p><strong>MB: Have you noticed any major differences in the way you approach art versus your artist peers in the states?</strong></p><p>DT: Not really. I meet a lot of French artists because I am in an art residency here in France. There are&nbsp;many types of artists, even in the small place that I work. Many of them&nbsp;are French, but they&nbsp;all do different things. I do see a difference between French and American buyers. Most of the buyers that I’ve had so far that come to my residency have been American. Actually, I think it’s a difference between French people and American; American people are more straightforward. If they like it, they take it. French they go and see once and go back and go again and ask for more info. The big difference is this buying factor for Americans is that they liked what they saw. French people are trying to see what artistic approach you are in comparison to big famous artists. They want you to be part of one of the artistic currents—more conceptual. Americans are more pragmatic and straightforward. French are pickier.</p><p><strong>MB: How long are you in this residency for?</strong></p><p>DT: I arrived in September of 2018. Their standard residency is six months. I should leave in March. But because I helped them build their&nbsp;accounting management, they allowed me to&nbsp;stay one month more. There are 30 artists in the residency and 15 are like me; they have to leave after six months. But sometimes one of the permanent residents wants to go on holiday or they have an exhibition far away, and their studio is empty. It’s possible to be occupying an open studio when they are not there for a certain time.</p><p><strong>MB: Does it cost anything to be a part of this residency?</strong></p><p>DT: You have to pay, but not much. It is in the center of Paris on a main street that goes by the Louvre. There are several very famous, high-end shops, and there are a lot of people. We are open to public on afternoons, which brings a lot of people. I’ve got quite a lot a space and pay €150 a month – a really good price for the space and location. We do have communal obligations to keep up the space. We each help with cleaning, and I have to work the door once a week. Because it’s a collective, we live in an autonomous way with lots of privileges.</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418068/qm9ja60hpyky5abkizpn.gif\"><figcaption>David Twose, Lake Bluff Gazebo</figcaption></figure><p><strong>MB: What are you currently working on?</strong></p><p>DT: My focus is the show [in Lake Forest] in May, but I also have three exhibitions right now: a solo show in a city&nbsp;called Bois-Colombes in a nice suburb of Paris. I am honored to be part of this show because the&nbsp;exhibition was juried by the city. The other is a group show that opened February&nbsp;6th. I will also have a show in Deauville in an art&nbsp;fair in April. Then I have solo show, <i>From Paris to Chicago</i>, at The Gallery of Lake Forest (202 E Wisconsin Ave,&nbsp;Lake Forest, IL 60045).&nbsp;The opening is May 9th, and I will be exhibiting paintings of Paris and Chicago as well as Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>MB: Have you achieved the goals that you've set for yourself when making this career shift?</strong></p><p>DT: I think so, yes. Now there is bigger stuff to achieve. I want to be financially autonomous with my art. My first goal was simply to sell work. I did this during my first show. My friend and fellow artist, René Romero Schuler, actually bought my first piece. I sold to my close circle of friends and family first, then friends of family and friends of friends, and in June last year, I sold a painting to an American guy I’d never met before. My work was still at a hotel from a previous show, and he bought one of my paintings when I wasn’t even around. I was big step for me because he wanted to buy it for the work and not only to support me. Perhaps my friends loved my work, but perhaps they would have not bought if it were not mine. Since then I have sold more paintings to people that did not know, and that is really exciting!</p><p><strong>MB: What are your plans for your future in the arts?</strong></p><p>DT: I would love to be in a gallery. I want to find a way to live off my paintings, so I’m trying to find the way that I can do this. One of the options is to be represented in a gallery,&nbsp;perhaps in the USA since I feel connected to the energy and people there. Perhaps there are other options that I have to work on. So that will be the next step, and I think I will do it shortly. First I have visit and engage with different kinds of galleries to see if they are right for me. It’s all about meeting people.</p><p><a href=\"www.davidtwose.com\">www.davidtwose.com</a></p></body></html>","published_at":"2019-02-25 12:00:00","state":"published","slug":"life-after-art-school-making-transitions-and-transactions","type":"NewsPost","meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2019-02-19 21:02:56.920164","updated_at":"2019-04-29 19:11:17.985296","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'15':2053B '150':2181B '16':285B,364B,537B '18':539B '180':1005B '20':386B '2014':29B,91B '2017':1105B '2018':2016B '2019':174B '202':2336B '2020':1605B '30':2047B '41':185B '60':393B '60045':2343B '6th':2306B '9th':2348B 'abl':476B,905B 'abstract':965B,988B,1023B,1048B 'abstractiv':955B,1037B 'account':851B,2035B 'achiev':412B,2370B,2395B 'acquir':1547B 'activ':868B 'actual':1463B,1904B,2428B 'addit':259B 'advertis':728B 'advic':884B 'advis':641B 'afternoon':2164B 'age':391B,399B,536B 'allow':2038B 'almost':253B 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src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908054/pegcztkiciiefinhhjcm.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Stargazer (I remember you)</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">18\" x 16\" 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><br></p><p><br></p><p>By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE</p><p><br></p><p>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.</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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