Client: City of Chicago

Overview

A series of three landscapes were designed and painted to scale with oil on canvas, then printed and installed on a billboard for three consecutive months. There were no words or graphics and the imagery was intended as a respite from and a critique of the advertising bombardment of a typical city. They were also a gentle prod to drivers of the solace and beauty of the forest preserve they had just passed by.

Goals

As nature and its demise is integral to my work, this project is mean to "advertise" the remnants of the forest, its importance in an urban environment, and bring those concerns into the public everyday realm.

Process

The billboards were timed to coincide with the Beverly Art Walk and be on the trolley map. I applied for a grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Chicago, and then also received funding from the local business association, Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association. I collaborated with the Beverly Art Alliance who printed and designed postcards for all three months, to be distributed to the businesses who support the Art Walk and along Western Ave. where the billboard was located, to further interest in the project.

Additional Information

I exhibited the original three images at a printing business on the day of the Art Walk, and this business also published all three images as posters to give away to the public during the art walk.