BIG WEEKEND!!!

A new art season is upon us! There's lot's going on this weekend, and it'll likely be impossible to catch everything you want to see, so here are my personal picks.

Let's Hot Box! I love this concept. I saw Veggiesomething's show a couple weeks back, and instantly fell in love with this idea. It's a box truck. It's a gallery. It's both! A traveling gallery if you will, both inside and out. This weekend, the featured artist is REVISE CMW. I have a feeling this is gonna be stupid. STUPID AWESOME! It'll be driving/parking in and around Pilsen tonight (2nd Fridays!), and then in Wicker Park Saturday to party with this weekend's Renegade Craft Fair. Do not miss this one.


And speaking of Renegade Craft Fair, soak in the works of over 300 artists in one monstrous creative event. This could easily keep you busy for an entire day, so prepare thyself.


This actually opened last night at Columbia College's C33 Gallery, but it'll remain on display til October 14th. Artist's involved include: Klepto, Blutt, Brooks Golden (who's work's featured on the flyer), Stockyard Institute, amongst many others. It's nice to see a show like this. Show your support.


David Burdeny's showing his super crispy photographic landscapes at the David Weinberg Gallery, starting this evening. I love photographs, and I love skylines. I hope to make it over there before it's too late, or else I'll be disappointed in myself. I've never seen David's work personally, so I'm really excited to see these photos firsthand.


Sonar Festival! Typically held in Barcelona, has landed in Chicago bringing a plethora of sick electronic artists for us to feed on this weekend. I saw The Slew (featuring Kid Koala) last night at the almighty Pritzker Pavilion (for FREE of course), and it was well worth the money ;) In fact, I've never seen a show at the Pavilion at night, and it really is a completely different experience. That is by far one of my favorite venues for music (weather-permitting) in Chicago as the sound and sight's are second to none. Performances all weekend will be taking place there and many others spaces, so take advantage of this opportunity if electronic music is your thing.

Have fun, be safe, and most importantly, take advantage of all the great things going on this weekend.

PEACE.

Beer & Art

Low Dive is about to jump into our 20th beer brewed. We've made some great beers and learned quite a bit in the last year and a half. We're about to take the next step in doubling our normal batch sizes from five to 10 gallons. It's been fun learning, experimenting, and of course drinking these beers, so I'm excited for our next 20. Yesterday in fact, we bottled our oak-aged barleywine ale, Malevolence, clocking in at a hefty 17.75% abv. We brewed it on Halloween, so it was nice finally getting that in bottles. I suspect we'll try a bottle in a couple months, but the rest will likely be resting in the cellar to allow the alcohol to mellow and the flavors to balance out. But it did taste quite well I must say. Here's to hoping I get to drink our beer with each and every one of you in the near future!



I'm getting back to painting which feels good. More on that later.




Shawn Smith has a show opening at Oh No! Doom this Friday titled Monster March. Shawn's been doing big things lately, so I'm curious to see what he brings. Oh No! Doom moved into a new spot this year also, and if you haven't been yet, you should go based on that alone. Good people and a dope space.



Won is a good friend, and he along with Jarrett Spiegel have been working on this show for the last several months (when he wasn't cooking, Painting signage at your local watering hole/big-ass Whole Foods or DJing). I've personally not been to the Beer Run Gallery yet. I know a couple of the artists that run it, so I'm excited to see them along with Won's work. Pay it a visit. I'll be there. What more could you want??



It's Midwest Craft Beer Month at all Binny's locations in August. Find your favorite libations or better yet, use this sale as an opportunity to try something new. ALWAYS SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BREWERIES, but more importantly, please support the entire craft/micro beer movement. It's certainly growing in popularity, but it could still use your help.



Half Acre announced the release of a highly anticipated collaboration between them, Short's Brewing and Jonathon Cutler from Piece. I cannot wait to try this. Freedom of '78 (Pure Guava IPA) will be released Friday, August 6!



Jason Brammer teamed up with sculptor Jason Hawk for a collaborative exhibition titled "Finding the Future" as part of the Pop-Up Art Loop at 240 S. State tonight from 5-8. I think it's safe to say that their work will surely entertain.

CHEERS!

TONIGHT: Pieces (Encore Showing)

If, like me, you didn't get a chance to make it to the opening Saturday night, they're presenting an encore opening tonight. So glad they're doing this, as I was not in top shape Saturday, plus the weather was just plain miserable. So head over to Oh No! Doom at 2955 W. Lyndale in Palmer Square between 7p-10p.

Things to do this Weekend, 3.26-29.09

Another Meat Number 5 show Thursday for the Tronic grand opening at Red Kiva with DJ Uncle El. Photos by Allison Glenn and live painting by REVISE CMW will provide something for the eyes while our ears are bumping as proven in Meat Number 5's new video:



As a part of the 2009 Southern Graphics Council Conference, hosted by Columbia College Chicago, came a nice collective effort from several local artists blessing skate decks as the theme. They've been displayed for about a month, and they're having a reception Friday to wrap things up as the exhibit closes this Sunday. The venue's at 1006 S. Michigan, 1st Floor.


Cody Hudson is opening a solo show Friday at the Andrew Rafacz Gallery in the West Loop. This is a guy who rocks both art and design very well. His skills and hard work have gotten him a lot of attention and credibility, and it's nice that he resides and works out of our fine city. I always enjoy the shows in this area, so I'm excited to see what he's been working on. Also at the Andrew Rafacz Gallery in Gallery B is a show featuring Corey Arnold's FISH-WORK, and was recently featured in Juxtapoz.


Okay people. Jason Brammer's Eye of the Future exhibition is wrapping up Saturday at the Eyeporium Gallery from 5p - 8p. I can't stress enough how dope this show was. The image above should be enough to convince you to stop by and see this guy's work. SERIOUSLY.


REVISE CMW opens his next solo show at Oh No! Doom in Palmer Square. This is a cool little spot sort of hidden in Logan Square. It almost doesn't need a show for you to still see good art as the walls are painted with some great eye candy, and they also have some shirts and toys on sale, but I'm excited for this show based on the concept alone. REVISE is good. Support him.


Last, but not least, something I'm looking forward to on Sunday evening at The Whistler is this bi-monthly design event named The Show 'n Tell Show that I'm just now learning about. I've mentioned this venue recently when Meat Number 5 played there, but this is entirely different. It invites local graphic designers and artists to display their work in front of an audience for critiques from local designers Mike Renaud and Zach Dodson in addition to Seth Dodson strangely dressed in drag as Spokes Mom? It promises to be funny, but also interesting to hear the artists chat on stage about the struggles and successes of a project from beginning to end. Great topics! Good drinks and laughs! Sign. me. up!