Galleries

Architectural Artifacts Even if you’re not in the market for a $12,000 inlaid Moroccan hall seat or a life-size, electrified bronze maiden from France, you’ll be blown away by this 80,000-square-foot, ever-changing collection of historic, quirky, and/or monumental stuff for sale—all handsomely displayed in two linked, century-old factory buildings, with a four-story atrium (available for parties) at the center. Gleaming vintage sinks, pinball machines, movie posters, classic cars, statues of disembodied hands, colorful industrial springs ($2 per linear inch)—it’s all here. Owner Stuart Grannen says he’s turning part of the ground floor level into a museum sometime soon; that’ll be great but redundant. This is already the best kind of museum: endlessly surprising. And you can touch. a Daily 10 AM-5 PM, 4325 N. Ravenswood, 773-348-0622, architecturalartifacts.com. —Deanna Isaacs

Avram Eisen Gallery Located in a garden-level double storefront, Eisen’s friendly, one-year-old gallery combines a custom framing service with a focus on contemporary painting, photography, and prints by local artists. Look for work by Gary Borremans, R.W. Ruehlen, and Timmy Samuel, among others. a Tue-Fri 10 AM-7 PM, Sat noon-5 PM, Sun noon-4 PM, 5204 N. Damen, 773-271-3008, avrameisengallery.com. —DI

Intro: The Heart of the Hood Ravenswood, the community that unites two north-side "community areas." By Ed Zotti

History: Celery, Ceramics, and Conrad Sulzer The story—or stories—of Lincoln Square and North Center By Ann Keating

Politics: The Grand Old Party's Last Stand Before Daley's minions moved in, a Republican reformer called the shots in Lincoln Square and North Center. By Ben Joravsky

Lincoln Square & North Center Listings: Bars, education & recreation, galleries, GLBTQ, lit, movies, music, parks, performing arts, restaurants, shopping, volunteering

More Neighborhood Guides Ukrainian Village/East Village South Loop Logan Square Uptown Rogers Park & West Ridge

Chicago Mosaic School Obsessive behavior is a good thing at this four-year-old institution, which bills itself as “the first and only” academic-based, nonprofit mosaic arts school in the United States. Located on the second floor of a former factory, it has a two-room gallery—a portrait show featuring a pebbly Michelle Obama was up when I stopped in recently—and a spacious studio for classes and workshops with titles like “Smalti’s Next Level” and “Architectural Installations.” Visiting artists from around the globe augment the regular faculty, and there’s an open studio every Sunday ($15 gets you a 9 AM-3 PM slot). The separately owned Tiny Pieces store rents space in the back and has everything you’d need to make your own piece. Don’t miss the Byzantine-style john. See also Education & Recreation. a Tues-Wed noon-3 PM, Thu 11 AM-2 PM, Sat 10 AM-1 PM, Sun 10 AM-3 PM, 1800 W. Cuyler, 773-975-8966, chicagomosaicschool.com. —DI

Chicago Printmakers Collaborative Founded 20 years ago by Deborah Maris Lader, whose studio is next door, this storefront under the el is the longest-running independent artists’ print shop in Chicago. For a $200 monthly fee, professional artists get access to work space, presses, and a community of colleagues. There’s also a three-hour supervised work session option for $40, a gallery (open Fri-Sat noon-5 PM and by appointment), and classes in etching, lithography, screen printing, and more. Up to 20 artists are in residence at any one time. a 4642 N. Western, 773-293-2070, chicagoprintmakers.com. —DI

Cornelia Arts Building A privately owned converted ice house (circa 1910) with 25 rental studios housing about 50 artists. There are open houses in the spring and fall, as well as an annual holiday show and sale in December, but no official phone number or Web site for information, so you’ll just have to stay alert for your chance to get a look inside. a 1800 W. Cornelia. —DI

DANK Haus Celebrating its golden anniversary year, this nonprofit cultural center is dedicated to “promoting and preserving German culture, heritage, and language.” Housed in a six-story, 1927 Beaux Arts building with a ballroom and a sixth-floor terrace, the center offers a language school, a library, a gallery, and a free museum focused on the history of Germans in Chicago (the museum is currently open by appointment, but regular hours are slated to begin in October). Check for classes and cultural events, including German-language films. See also Education & Recreation, Movies, Music, and Volunteering. a Business hours Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 11 AM-3 PM, 4740 N. Western, 773-561-9181, dankhaus.com. —DI

(Fill in the Blank) Gallery Five artists—Kristen Althoff, Kelly Tucker, Mary Richards, Whitney Larson, and Katie Hogan—opened this one-room storefront last January as a place where art can be “discussed, exhibited, and taught.” They show emerging artists from Chicago and beyond, and offer classes in screen printing and painting—with more to come, they say. The current show, up through June 28, is new oil paintings and charcoal works by Detroit-based Shirah Anderson. See also Education & Recreation. a Mon-Fri 4-8 PM, Sat 11 AM-5 PM, or by appointment, 5038 N. Lincoln, 773-878-1750, fillintheblankgallery.com. —DI

Homey Gallery This spacious three-year-old shop offers contemporary art and furnishings for home and garden. The selection varies with the season, but recently included a neon-green, faux-ceramic iron bunny ($85) and piles of big terra-cotta hearts (about $100 each) to liven up the backyard. In general, prices range from $200 to $5,000. See also Shopping & Services. a Tue-Sat 11 AM-6 PM, Sun noon-5 PM, 3656 N. Lincoln, 773-248-0050, ilovehomey.com —DI

Inside Out Art Studio Master mask-makers Jeff Semmerling and Sonia Schaefer—whose fabulous, mostly leather creations have been commissioned for use in theater and ritual by everyone from Disney to indigenous Canadians—have their workshop in this storefront. Hundreds of masks are on display, and Inside Out offers all-ages classes in mask making and other arts, as well as summer art camps for kids, run by certified teacher Donna Lurie Semmerling. See also Education & Recreation. a Wed-Sat 10 AM to 5 PM, and by appointment, 2005 W. Montrose, 773-697-5012, insideoutarts.us. —DI

Lillstreet Art Center A self-described “community” of artists and students, 34-year-old Lillstreet left its original home in a converted stable on Lill Street six years ago for a three-story former gear factory where it has lots more space and state-of-the-art equipment. The large, sunny first floor features a gallery showing luscious ceramics and other art, a gift shop offering more of the same (and handmade jewelry), plus the nonprofit First Slice Cafe. The second and third floors house artists’ studios and classrooms for Lillstreet’s broad array of workshops and classes for adults and kids, covering ceramics, metalsmithing, jewelry, painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, and glasswork. See also Education & Recreation. a Mon-Thu 10 AM-7:30 PM, Fri-Sat 10 AM-6 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM, 4401 N. Ravenswood, 773-769-4226, lillstreet.com. —DI

Moka The vibe is sleek, modern, and corporate at this “full-service” studio selling architectural and interior-design services as well as art. Moka carries work by more than 50 contemporary artists—“upcoming” to “masters”—at prices ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, and calls itself Chicago’s most international gallery. a Tue-Sat noon-6 PM, 2112 W. Belmont, 773-975-2280, mokagallery.com. —DI

Morpho Gallery Like its neighbor, the Avram Eisen Gallery (Eisen and Morpho owner David Leigh are former partners), this is a cozy Bowmanville venue for contemporary Chicago artists. Morpho offers a rent-to-own plan on work by a roster that includes Bert Menco, Elizabeth Ockwell, and David Sisk, and hosts pay-to-hang, commission-free shows of emerging artists (two are coming up July 10-30 and August 7-28). Leigh also deals in 19th- and early-20th-century French prints. a Thu-Fri 1-6 PM, Sat noon-6 PM, and by appointment, 5216 N. Damen, 773-878-4255, morphogallery.com. —DI

OAK Gallery The Web site for this gallery whose name is an acronym for “one of a kind” touts fine art, fine glass, jewelry, and “ancient Vietnamese pottery recently recovered from a shipwreck.” There’s a show of contemporary prints scheduled to open June 27, featuring work by Sir Frank Brangwyn, Harold Altman, Robert Kipniss, and Helen Hyde. a Sat 10 AM-3 PM, Sun 1-4 PM, or by appointment, 4415 N. Ravenswood, 312-658-8554, oakgallery.net. —Tony Adler

Sacred Art After three years in Roscoe Village, owner Sarah Chazin relocated her jam-packed shop to a Lincoln Square storefront. She sells paintings, prints, jewelry, ceramics, and more by about 50 Chicago artists—and does custom framing, too. Scads of Windy City-themed works—including neighborhood posters, cityscapes, and variations on CTA signs—make great gifts and souvenirs. a Mon-Sat 11 AM-7:30 PM, Sun 11 AM-5 PM, 4619 N. Lincoln, 773-728-2803, sacredartstore.com. —DI

Volcan Gallery Emily Appenzeller and Jim Licka offer their own paintings and those of others, along with live music and chandeliers—dreamy, hand-blown, neo-Deco, botanic-themed imports from Belgium—at the “experimental” storefront gallery they opened six months ago. The current performance schedule features an open mike every Friday and local bands (including Licka’s Umbra and the Volcan Siege) every other Saturday; suggested donation usually $5-$7. The gallery is also available for private events. a Fri-Sun 1-8 PM, 1917 W. Irving Park, 773-880-8075, volcangallery.com. —DI

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