Art live, in color at the Oak Park Library

Local artist Jenny Tiner works inside the Idea Box at the Oak Park Public Library. | Photo by Meredith Morris

Updated: June 5, 2012 8:50PM

Ever wondered how artists work? Come see for yourself! The artistic process will be on display at the Oak Park Public Library through June 15. Entitled Real Art Work (RAW): A Live Exhibition of the Daily Artist, the exhibit features local artists appearing live inside a glass-walled room known as the library’s “Idea Box.”

Working solo or with one or two others in the space, participating artists will set about their work to illustrate the creative journey, demonstrate artistic techniques and perhaps inspire others to try their hand at art, said Faith Humphrey-Hill, an Oak Park artist who is co-curating the RAW exhibit with her husband and fellow artist, Stephen Hill.

See it happen

“I am so excited because rarely does the public get to see the artistic process,” Humphrey-Hill said. “People will be able to actually watch us put paint down on a canvas and then take it off again, not in a ‘woe is me’ kind of way, but in a way that’s part of what we go through. People will see how long it takes artists to create their work, and how fun it is for them to work with others and really get in ‘the zone.’ ”

Humphrey-Hill likens the exhibit’s concept to that of open restaurant kitchens that invite the public to see chefs in action. Artists inside the Idea Box specialize in media that range from painting to sculpture, collage and mosaics. They can work in peace, unfettered by conversation. Some will opt to interact with the public through the glass, however, and draw what they see, or create artworks based on library collections.

The idea for RAW emerged from an artists’ “Daily Artist — Canvas and More” Facebook page Humphrey-Hill created that’s about 240 friends strong and growing. When the library called for people to make interesting use of its Idea Box space, Humphrey-Hill queried through Facebook and netted about 20 local artists who were willing and able to participate.

Benefit sale

Artwork created in the Idea Box will be displayed there throughout the exhibit and available for purchase at a closing reception for RAW on Saturday, June 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. Twenty percent of proceeds from artwork sold will benefit the Oak Park Public Library’s art fund that supports expansion of its permanent art collection.

Another benefit of the exhibit, Humphrey-Hill hopes, will be its enticement of new or reluctant artists.

“Some people are inspired by seeing artists,” she said. “For me, it’s become a healthy ritual to wake up each day and find something beautiful, and at the end of the day put it on paper.”

RAW artists include: Jennifer Downing, Stephen Hill, Jesse Howard, Faith Humphrey-Hill, Mark Moroney, Bryan Northup, Mary Jo Parker-O’Hearn, Deborah Peacock-Stoklosa, Ginny Pitre-Hay, Rick Portillo, Luis Real, Ken Reif, Jackie Ruekert-Lakely, Marion Sirefman, Steve Smith, Keith Taylor, Jenny Tiner, Olivia Tiner and Nancy Trock.

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