Christmas on Michigan Avenue, 20 x 24

Shimmery has several new paintings from Linda Stasiak posted at http://www.shimmerygallery.com/stasiak/stasiak1.htm

“My art examines my place in my world and invites visitors to come along and share the journey of discovery.”

– M. Helbing

View Shimmery Gallery’s third Exhibinar vidcast featuring well known Chicago artist, Mike Helbing. The show includes an engaging one-on-one interview with the artist plus a catalog of his amazing work ranging from wall art to table top pieces to free standing and fixed permanent installations. Mike takes us on a journey where he explains his passion for creating stainless steel works of wonder.

BART POWERS, “THE PIED PIPER OF AVENUE O”

Controversial painting on the horrors of drug abuse.

Internationally known abstract artist, Bart Powers, debuts his long awaited work, The Pied Piper of Avenue O. This powerful pen and ink piece is shocking in its illustrative detail. The painting, a result of Bart’s recent loss of a close friend due to drugs, is unique in every aspect. No space of the canvas surface is spared the expression of his despair.

This video features Bart Power’s exhibit opening and one-on-one interview.

Sixteen additional new paintings were also featured at the opening and are available for viewing and purchase at www.Shimmerygallery.com. All of the paintings bring to the viewer a glimpse of an artist who’s passion knows few boundaries.

ARTIST STATEMENT
“I had begun the Pied Piper Of Avenue O in 1991. The work was a way for me to deal with all of the friends I had lost to drug abuse. Being involved in this work began to very taxing. I suffer from depression and while I was doing this work it affected me on so many levels. In time I had to shelve it. This was the only work I did which ever required putting down. In 2007/08 I had a very dear friend who became lost in drugs. She is so very talented and special. I know that if she escapes this illness she will do great things and touch many lives. Every so often you meet someone who has this light about them and drugs seem to slowly dim the energy and soak the soul of the person. This is why I began work again on this piece. While doing it I began to realize more than ever before that drug abuse is a bubonic plague of our time. Also, that if we truly examine the etiology of drug abuse we would have to examine our value system, and so many other elements of our society that it would be the equivalent of treating ourselves as the problem. Just as much as the addict. The fact that a human being would subject themselves to hell to try and find heaven or nirvana on earth speaks volumes on the human condition. I don’t mean to over intellectualize but this work was a way in which a layman such as myself could try to portray the world I see around me.”