I was born in Virginia and spent most of my summers in New Hampshire. In 1973 I moved to Chicago and I have been here ever since. But I still spend part of each summer in New Hampshire.
I received a BA degree from Brown University in Anthropology and Archaeology (honors, Phi Beta Kappa, 1972) and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (painting and drawing, 1997).
I write children’s books. PETER’S TRUCKS, illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith was published by Albert Whitman in 1992. TRUCK STUCK, illustrated by Andy Robert Davies, was released by Charlesbridge Publishing in Feb. of 2008. THE ROBIN MAKES A LAUGHING SOUND: A BIRD’S JOURNAL, which will be illustrated by images from my sketchebooks, with pages designed by Micah Bornstein, is scheduled for Spring, 2010, also from Charlesbridge Publishing.
I am a full-time artist and writer, and I have shown my artwork in numerous Chicago and other venues, including solo installations of the Moon Project at Harper College, the Adler Planetarium, and the art gallery of the Fermilab. My panoramic landscapes can be seen at the Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery in New Hampshire.
I have a studio in the Oak Park Arts District (Calypso Moon Studio, 331 B Harrison St., Oak Park, by luck or by appointment--708-848-1385.) Three times a year Calypso Moon Studio is open to the public for What's Blooming on Harrison Street, Art on Harrison, and Holiday Lights. Check the Oak Park Arts District on oakparkartsdistrict.com for exact dates and times.
I teach workshops and demonstrations for children and for adults through schools and art leagues.
workshop page
The Moon Project, (March) USAFA Art Gallery, US Air Force Academy, Colorado.
The Robin Makes a Laughing Sound: original art for the illustrations, (April), Oak Park Public Library Art Gallery, Oak Park, Illinois.
2009
The Moon Project—Selected Drawings, Oak Park Police Department Art Gallery, Oak Park, Illinois
2007
Oak Park Sketching Diary, Oak Park Hospital, Oak Park, Illinois.
2006
The Moon Project, The Fermilab Art Gallery, Batavia, Illinois. link
Panoramic Landscapes, Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery, Center Sandwich, New
Hampshire. link
2005
The Moon Project, The Adler Planetarium,
Chicago, Illinois. link This project is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
2003
Big Brush Watercolors, The Holderness School, Holderness, New Hampshire. link
Landscapes, Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery, Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. link
2001
The Moon Project, installation at Harper College, Palatine, Illinois.
1991
A Year of Sketching in Oak Park, Oak Park Village Hall, Oak Park, Illinois.
Small Wonders, juried, national group show, Maryland Federation of Art Circle Galleries, Annapolis, MD
Department (Store), Sullivan Galleries, Chicago, Illinois.
Science in Art, (Oct. 10-Dec. 13), juried group show at the University of Chicago Gordon Center for Integrative Science, Chicago, Illinois.
Drawing on Experience, juried group show at Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois.
Color + Pattern + Shape = Camouflage, an exhibition of Sallie Wolf’s and Art Start students’ work, Village Hall, Oak Park, Illinois.
2007
The Pomegranate Exercise, a group art installation curated by Pat Allen,
Calypso Moon Studio, Oak Park, Illinois. link
2006
PARK YOURSELF, Citywide Parking Space Project, Chicago, Illinois USA imagelink
Aha! Epiphanies & Breakthroughs, juried exhibit of national
artists, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, Illinois.
The Geometry of Landscape -- Two Views, two person show, Oak Park Public
Library Art Gallery, Oak Park, Illinois. This project was partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
Size Matters, juried group show at Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. link
2005
Secret Place, Sacred Space, juried group show at Woman Made Gallery,
Chicago, Illinois. link
2004
Sandwich Artists, Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery, Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. link
2003
Documentation, juried group show at Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. link
Animal Images, third annual juried art show of the Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago, Illinois. Ed Paschke, juror.
Wheaton North Institute Day, “Art into Writing” workshop for middle school and high school teachers.
2007
Slide presentation -- Patricia Carega Gallery, Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. Presented a slide talk relating the Moon Project to my landscape work.
2006
Slide presentation -- Littleton Public High School, Littleton, New Hampshire. Presented a slide talk on the Moon Project to high school math and science students.
Slide presentation and gallery talk -- Fermi Lab Art Gallery, Batavia, IL. Presented two slide talks/gallery walks to adult audiences on the Moon Project.
2005
Chicago Humanities Festival, Home and Away -- Presented two “tours” of The Moon Project installation at the Adler Planetarium.
INSAP V Conference (Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena) -- Presented a slide talk on my art installation, The Moon Project. Hosted by the Adler Planetarium, Chicago, Illinois.
2001
Visiting Artist -- Harper College, Palatine, Illinois - Presented two slide talks/gallery walks in conjunction with the Moon Project exhibition.
Camouflage -- 6 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Dinosaurs and their Kin -- 10 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Personalized Sketchbooks -- 1-day workshop in bookbinding for fifth graders, Oak Park, Illinois.
2008
Art Camp, Harrison Street Business Alliance 2-week summer day camp
Metamorphosis—1 week artist in residence at Holmes School, Clarendon Hills,
teaching art workshops to 2d grade about the life cycle of the frog. Included
presentations to all 1st and 2d grade students plus a teacher workshop on bookbinding.
Collage Book Covers -- book binding project for Young Authors Conference, Joliet Public Schools District 86
Personalized Sketchbooks -- 1-day workshop in bookbinding for fifth graders, Oak Park, Illinois.
Water -- 4 workshops for kindergartners, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
2007
Camouflage -- 4 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Dinosaurs in Art and Poetry -- 4 workshops for second graders complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Adult Watercolor Workshop -- Little Church Theater, Holderness, New
Hampshire.
Birds in Art and Poetry -- 4 workshops for second graders complementing the
curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Artward Bound -- 10 day intensive artist-in-residency program at Holderness School, Holderness, NH working with freshman in a boarding high school.
link
2005
Adult Watercolor Workshop -- Little Church Theater, Holderness, New
Hampshire.
Artward Bound -- 10 day intensive artist-in-residency program at Holderness
School, Holderness, NH working with freshman in a boarding high school.
link
Water -- 4 workshops for kindergartners, complementing the curriculum, Oak
Park, Illinois.
2003
Abstracted Landscapes -- a demonstration in mixed media techniques, Berwyn Art League, Berwyn, Illinois.
An Artist’s Vision: A Vision for Art -- 4 workshops for second graders, using the classroom as subject matter for drawing explorations, River Forest, Illinois
Camouflage -- 4 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Personalized Sketchbooks -- 1-day workshop in bookbinding for fifth graders, Oak Park, Illinois.
2002
Keeping an Artist’s Sketchbook -- 4-week class for adults at the Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois.
Collage -- 4-week class for adults at the Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois.
Butterflies -- 4 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, River Forest, Illinois.
Birds -- 4 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Personalized Sketchbooks -- 1-day workshop in bookbinding for fifth graders, Oak Park, Illinois.
2001
Visiting Artist, Harper College, giving slide presentations and gallery talks in conjunction with the Moon Project exhibition.
Collage -- 4-week class for adults at the Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois.
Earth, Sun, Moon -- 4 workshops for first graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
2000
Birds -- 4 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Collage Animals -- 1-day workshop for second graders, Oak Park, Illinois.
1999
Earth, Sun, Moon -- 4 workshops for kindergartners, complementing the
curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
City Scenes -- 1-day workshop in collage for seventh and eighth graders, Oak Park, Illinois.
1998
Birds -- 4 workshops for second graders, complementing the curriculum, Oak Park, Illinois.
Peter's Trucks, (Albert Whitman & Co., 1992, illustrated by Pat Bowman
Smith.)
Truck Stuck, (Charlesbridge Publishers, 2008, illustrated by Andrew Robert Davies.)
The Robin Makes a Laughing Sound: A Birder’s Journal, (Charlesbridge Publishers, Spring of 2010, written and illustrated by Sallie Wolf, design by Micah Bornstein.)
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