An exhibit of paintings by The Studio Workshop Painters of Janis Pozzi-Johnson (a group of artists who work in Pozzi-Johnson’s home studio) opened April 10 at Gallery OTR, 2040 Brown Ave. I was unable to attend the opening, and when I did go to the gallery, I entered through the wrong door. A resident of 25 years, James Engelman, graciously welcomed me. (The correct door, I learned, is to the right of the main entrance and marked by a gallery sign.)
I was surprised, and impressed, to see eight red dots among the 25 paintings there. (A red dot placed on a painting’s wall label means it’s been sold.) That is a high percentage of sales for an offbeat, out-of-the-way gallery. Gallery OTR has been open only a year and a half.
Two large paintings that caught my eye as I came in were of two mysterious figures, by Stacey Foisy, called Breakdown and Unarmed. The OTR gallery director, Jody O’Connor, told me they were both sold April 19 during a musical event held at the gallery. (Note the red dots on each wall label.) That afternoon, saxophonist Brian Gephardt and keyboardist Dave Gordon lent their considerable musical talents during regular gallery hours.
Further artwork in the exhibit consists of abstract paint and collage pieces by Marcy Lichteman; some nice little landscapes by Ellen Galland, Julie Kiefer and Linda Diane Brown (her first show, I was told, but hard to believe); some spare, small still lives by Galland and Kiefer; and paintings by Joan McLane using images created with remnants of cheese cloth.
Collage paintings by Marcy Lichteman, Spirited (left) and Circus of Life.
Pozzi-Johnson has been teaching for almost 50 years and currently teaches painting at the Evanston Art Center. But this smaller group meets in her studio, which occupies the entire second floor of her home in north Evanston. She says these women are practicing artists, not students, and some have been coming for years.
“These artists have formed a special community,” she said. “They are committed to each other and attend whenever they can, usually two or three times a month, on Fridays.”
This is the group’s second exhibit in this location, with the first before the pandemic. Two of Pozzi-Johnson’s works join those of the Workshop Painters on display.
McLane, one of the exhibiting artists, said, “Janis is an exceptional teacher/mentor — she responds to her students’ work with insight and tact, noting what works and what doesn’t; her comments are often framed as questions, enabling one to re-see and re-enter their work.”
The current exhibit runs through May. O’Connor is eager to bring in more community members and has hopes for future events of different kinds. The next musical event will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17, again featuring Gephardt and Gordon. But O’Connor welcomes book signings, poetry readings, story telling and performances of other kinds as well.
Works needn’t all be for sale, O’Connor said, just most of them. A percentage of sales goes to OTR service projects (the gallery is connected to OTR Housing for people with disabilities like Engelman). Gallery hours are 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and also by appointment. You can contact O’Connor at Jody@OTRhousing.org or 847-903-0353.
