Chicago Writers Conference Needs Your Support

You don't have to be a writer to support the Chicago Writers Conference Kickstarter fundraising campaign. Anything helps and whatever you can give would greatly be appreciated. Kickstarter uses an all-or-nothing funding model; if we don't reach our goal, we receive no funding. With arts-related funding being slashed everywhere these days, it's important that we as citizens contribute to creative projects. $5, $10, $25 helps - whatever you can give, gets us closer to our goal.

There are still some cool rewards left (cupcakes baked by my wife and founder of CWC, books by Chicago authors and original art by yours truly). Thank you!


 
Chicago Skyline Sunset, Digitally Enhanced Photograph (framed)

Marina Towers, Digitally Enhanced Photograph (framed)
 

Kingsbury Water Tank, Screen Print (ready to frame)


Help Kickstart the Chicago Writers Conference!



The Chicago Writers Conference is coming this fall: September 14-16.

My wife founded the conference to help bridge the business end of writing with the creative side. To help get it off-the-ground, she is running a Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the next 30 days to help raise the start up dollars. I am donating art towards this project as rewards for people who pledge donations at various levels (see below).

She was able to get Chicago rock band, OK Go to donate a song to use in the Kickstarter video. The Chicago Tribune has generously donated the space to hold the conference. She has some prominent local authors, publishers and agents lined up. Now, she needs help to get a full website up and running with registration capabilities along with other conference-related expenses.

If you'd like to support this project and help the Chicago writing community continue to grow, please visit the Kickstarter page to watch the video, get more info and to make a donation. The temporary Chicago Writers Conference website has additional details too. Thank you!

Below is the artwork I'm donating for the Kickstarter fundraising campaign rewards:


Chicago Skyline Sunset, digitally enhanced photograph, 16x20 (framed)
Marina Towers, digitally enhanced photograph, 8x10 (framed)
Watertanks and Birds #1, screen print on paper, 11x14 (ready to frame)

Watertanks and Birds #2, screen print on paper, 11x14 (ready to frame)

Kingsbury St. Watertank #1 (orange), screen print on paper, 11x14 (ready to frame)

Kingsbury St. Watertank #2 (orange), screen print on paper, 11x14 (ready to frame)

Thank you very much for your support!

Kickstarter video:

New Show of Screen Prints - Scot's Bar

I started working with an art rep recently to have my work placed in different venues. The first show is now up at Scot's Bar in Ravenswood, just off of the Montrose Brown Line stop.

I'm showing a mix of my screen prints featuring rooftop water tanks. There are several pieces from each series included in the show:



Rooftop water tanks are a unique architectural feature in cities - especially Chicago and New York. They are a link to our industrial past and a disappearing element of the cityscape. Due to the decline of these structures, I've been making it a point to photograph them when I see them. These photos are then used for reference in my cityscape paintings or as the main focal point of my screen prints. 



My screen prints are created using multiple layers of ink and paint. I like to work quickly, so screen printing lets me create many images at once. They are created as part of a series, but each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind. I enjoy the multifaceted process of screen printing and the experimental nature of the medium that sometimes leads to happy accidents, contributing to the unique quality of the print.