Xavier - Mural Installation Project
This project was for Xavier, a new apartment complex in what used to be Cabrini Green in Chicago. Special thanks to Ann Hudner, the art consultant who curated the project. These are images of a digital reproduction of a collaboration painting between myself and artist Scott Simons. The large abstract wall coverings are installed in all 18 floors of the building directly outside each elevator bank.
Artist Statement about the original piece the mural images are based on:
"Sunflower Slow Drag is a collaborative mixed media painting by Scott Simons and Kevin Swallow. This piece combines Simons’ abstract textures and lines with Swallow’s cityscapes and abstract graffiti style. Both artists are influenced by architecture and draw their inspiration from the urban landscape. This is their first collaboration. The painting references a jazz song, Sunflower Slow Drag by Scott Joplin. Like jazz, the painting was improvised. They passed the painting back-and-forth over the course of a week – reacting to each other’s lines, marks, and colors. The panel was flipped and turned in various directions as they worked, until the painting unfolded into a finished composition."
New commission painting: Express Train
I recently finished this custom commission painting. The collectors previously purchased one of my cityscapes of New York and wanted a Chicago scene to accompany it. It's based on various on-site photos I took of northside Chicago neighborhoods where the L train runs. I created about a dozen charcoal sketches before arriving at this composition. I was looking to capture the neighborhood feel of Chicago with its mix of two-flats and Victorian architecture.
Express Train, oil on panel, 18x24, 2016, SOLD (custom commission)
Cornelia Arts - March 2016 Open Studios
The next Open Studios event at the Cornelia Arts Building is coming up!
Friday, March 11, 6 – 10 pm 1800 W. Cornelia Chicago, IL 60657
Stop by my studio #201 on the second floor. I'll be showing new paintings that I've been working on over the past several months.
RSVP and invite your friends
Art on two floors, guest artists, and food from DönerMen food truck in the parking lot.
All open studio nights are free and fun for all to enjoy. Close to public transportation, free parking available!
Six Recent Cityscape Paintings
I realized recently that I haven't blogged since September. I've been creating new work consistently so I'm not really sure why I haven't posted - maybe I just needed a break. I've also been using Instagram more and posting my art on Facebook. But, I always find it helpful to blog about my art. These new pieces are based on photos I took while walking around The Loop at lunch or on an afternoon coffee break.
Old factory buildings from the industrial era are rapidly disappearing. But, space is at a premium so many of these structures get converted and re-used for creative businesses -- tech companies, advertising and marketing agencies, and of course, artists -- re-purpose these loft buildings. My studio is located in one of these old loft buildings, originally an ice house built in 1910. But, those art studio buildings are disappearing around the city and the artists often get displaced. These paintings both document and pay tribute to our industrial past and our creative, high-tech future.
Chicago Blues, oil on canvas, 42x42, 2015
Distortion, oil on canvas, 16x20, 2015
Wabash Corridor, oil on canvas, 16x20, 2015
In Between, oil on canvas, 16x20, 2015
Sunset In the Loop, oil on canvas, 16x20, 2015
Abstract Tracks, oil on board, 16.5x27.5, 2015
Firecat Projects - This Must Be The Place - Closes August 22, 2015
Well, these past few weeks has been really great and way beyond any of my expectations. The opening night show at Firecat Projects was well attended with family, friends, coworkers, and lots of local art fans. Having such a cool mix of people at the opening really made the night for me! Check out the photos here - all by Mariah Karson.
The platform and community that Firecat Projects has created - along with the support and sponsor of my show - Doug Sohn, has been awesome. Firecat’s business model is very unique, artist-friendly, and I’m grateful to have had this opportunity to display this body of work.
There has also been some exciting and unexpected press coverage for the show; with a profile in the Chicago Sun-Times, WGN Radio - Outside the Loop, DNAInfo, Chicago Magazine mention, and today - capped off with a review in the Art section of New City.
I could not have asked for a better first solo gallery exhibit in my hometown of Chicago. This Must Be The Place for sure.
Next up is the Closing Reception & Gallery Talk with author Bill Savage - happening this Sunday, August 16, 3-5pm. Savage, who teaches Chicago literature at Northwestern University and the Newberry Library, will discuss Accidental Beauties: the Aesthetics and Symbolism of Water Tanks (and Other Antiquated Infrastructure). Can’t wait to hear what he has to say!
I hope you can make it out to the gallery for the closing reception. If not, you’ll still have some time - the show closes August 22. Or, you can view a slideshow of the paintings in the show on the Firecat Projects website.
Best, Kevin
New Cityscape Painting: On the Banks of Bubbly Creek
I finished this painting over the weekend and it will be on display at This Must Be The Place at Firecat Projects, opening this Friday night July 24. It's based on photos I took along the South Branch of the Chicago River. This is also not far from the part of the river known as Bubbly Creek because of all the industrial sludge, stockyard waste, and raw sewage dumped into the water from the surrounding factories.
On the Banks of Bubbly Creek, oil canvas, 36x60, 2015
From Wikipedia: The creek derives its name from the gases bubbling out of the riverbed from the decomposition of blood and entrails dumped into the river in the early 20th century by the local meatpacking businesses surrounding the Union Stock Yards directly south of the creek's endpoint at Pershing Road. It was brought to notoriety by Upton Sinclair in his exposé on the American meat packing industry entitled The Jungle.[1]
This Must Be The Place – Cityscapes by Kevin Swallow Firecat Projects 2124 N. Damen Ave., Chicago IL 60647
Opening Reception: Friday, July 24, 2015 – 7 to 10 p.m. Exhibition runs: July 24 – August 22, 2015 Closing Reception & Gallery Talk with author Bill Savage: August 16, 2015 – 3 to 5 p.m. Savage, who teaches Chicago literature at Northwestern University and the Newberry Library, will discuss Accidental Beauties: the Aesthetics and Symbolism of Water Tanks (and Other Antiquated Infrastructure)
The exhibition is generously sponsored by Doug Sohn of HOT DOUG’S.
New Cityscape Painting: This Must Be The Place
This Must Be The Place, oil on reclaimed wood door, 28.5x40.5, 2015
I finished this new painting last night after about 9 months of work. It has had multiple incarnations - including its beginning as a collaboration painting with artist, Scott Simons. We abandoned it and he let me have the board. There was a good base to work with - graffiti, collage, acrylic, oil bar, and screen print. Then I added probably another 10 layers of oil paint to finish it off. The title of the painting takes on the namesake of the upcoming show at Firecat Projects: This Must Be The Place. It's a reference to a song by The Talking Heads, one of my favorite bands. Check out the video below from Stop Making Sense - damn, that had to have been a great song to see live:
https://youtu.be/HldHtBxNK6k
Two new paintings - views near home and work
I finished two new paintings within the past two weeks. Interestingly, they are related to both where I live and where I work. The first one I finished is based one of the views from the office building where I work at my day job in the Inland Steel Building. The views are great and have inspired many photographs, drawings, and paintings over the past year.
Dearborn Reflections, oil on panel, 24x24, 2015
The second one I finished recently is closer to home and which I connect with more. It's a view of the water tank in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood where I have mostly lived for the past 15 years. I could see it from my living room window and it was an iconic structure in the neighborhood for about 90 years. It was taken down from the top of the Swedish American Museum about a year ago due to damage from the bad winter of 2013/2014. There has been an ongoing effort to raise money for a replica to replace the tank.
Andersonville Water Tank, oil on panel, 48x48, 2015
Countdown: Two months to Firecat Projects solo show
It's been about two years since I was accepted to show my work at Firecat Projects. Back then, I was creating and selling art full-time in addition to doing some freelance web design. A year ago, I went back to working a day job doing content strategy at a tech/digital advertising agency. This has decreased my art making time dramatically but now forces me to be much more focused when in the studio. At the same time, it has expanded my photography output and experimentation. During lunch breaks or a walk for afternoon coffee, I take shots of the architecture and street scenes in The Loop and post on Instagram. This creative break each day informs my subject matter and has given me unlimited ideas for paintings or other projects. I'm still creating new work for my solo show -- This Must Be The Place -- and many of these recent cityscape paintings will be on display at the opening July 24 at Firecat Projects.
New art for the Spring Open Studios
Below are some studio shots of my set-up for the Open Studios tomorrow night -- featuring many new cityscapes:
OPEN STUDIOS Cornelia Arts Building 1800 W. Cornelia, Studio #201 Chicago, IL 60657 http://www.corneliaartsbuilding.com