He has spent the past few weeks transforming the center’s echocardiogram room into an under-the-sea adventure, featuring the Disney character Nemo and a few of the fish’s friends. Beaulieu, who owns CMB Interiors, decided to donate his time and talent toward the effort after his daughter, Mya, was born with a heart block.Carpentersville painter and muralist Chris Beaulieu is using his creativity to diffuse the stress of pediatric patients in the Heart & Vascular Center at Sherman Hospital in Elgin.
She underwent several ablations (catheters inserted into the heart), insertion of a pacemaker and other tests. Mya, the granddaughter of a cardiovascular technologist at Sherman, now is 7 years old and thriving.
Twenty-five percent of Sherman’s echocardiogram patients are pediatric, younger than age 17.
Beaulieu’s wife, Terry, began a local chapter of Mended Little Hearts, a nationwide support program for parents of children with heart defects and heart disease. Chris, a high-end Venetian plasterer and painter, took a more artistic approach.
“It’s kind of my way of giving back,” he said.
A graphic artist who became smitten with decorative painting 10 years ago through Cape Designs Ltd. in Cary, Beaulieu believes he has found his niche.
“I originally studied graphic design, but it was very impersonal and stifled my creativity. I have a tremendous amount of control this way. If someone is hiring me they are hiring me for my talents and creative ability,” he said. “And I feel I’m very good at it. ... I also found there is more money in high-end interior design and decorative finishes such as mystical forest scenes in kids’ rooms.”
Kara Aalfs, manager of the Heart & Vascular Center, decided to make the room more kid-friendly due to her own personal experiences. Aalf’s son was born with a congenital heart defect and required open-heart surgery when he was only 7 days old.
“As a result of my own experiences, and our echocardiogram team’s passion for children who have different needs than our adult patients, we decided to add some art on the walls in the pediatric echo room,” Aalfs said. “We were then approached by Chris, who is making this room more amazing than we had ever imagined. We are extremely grateful for his work.”
BARRINGTON ART FESTIVAL
Amdur Productions presents the Barrington Art Festival 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the intersection of Cook and Station streets in Barrington.
The fair will feature the work of 140 juried artists in a variety of mediums – including ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, photography, watercolors and wood. Musicians will perform throughout the weekend. Tasty summer fare from local vendors will be available at the festival. There will also be plenty of activities for children.
For information, email Anne Garrette at agarrette@barrington-il.gov.
ST. CHARLES FINE ART SHOW
The St. Charles Fine Art Show celebrates its 13th year Saturday and Sunday at Riverside Avenue, between Route 64 and Illinois Avenue in St. Charles. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The award-winning show has expanded this year to include the juried work of more than 100 artists in various mediums including watercolor, oil, sculpture, photography, jewelry, ceramics, fiber, wood and glass, which are exhibited and available for sale during the event. Other activities include artist demonstrations and music by Dennis O’Brien, the Andy Schlinder Trio, Train Company, Mark Prieve, Sheryl & Tom, and Last Night’s Fun.
For information, call 630-513-5386, e-mail info@dtown.org or visithttp://downtownstcharles.org/fine_art_show.html.
‘CAPTURING THE LIGHT’
The Geneva Lake Art Association 2011 Summer Exhibition, “Capturing the Light,” opens June 3 and will run through Aug. 28. A reception is planned from 6 to 8 p.m. June 3.
Original art will showcase works in several media including drawings, paintings, lithographs, photographs and multi-media by GLAA members showing how each artist uses their own medium to demonstrate how light can infuse art.
Also, GLAA member Doris Ann Hayes will display her work during June at M & I Bank, 410 Broad St. in Lake Geneva.
Hayes said she has been a photographer since receiving her first Brownie camera at about age 9. After teaching in Chicago’s inner-city for almost 30 years, she took early retirement and moved to Burlington, Wis., where she started teaching again at Salem Grade School until her second retirement in June 2009. The photography student at Triton College in River Grove now is devoting more time to work with her photography and writing.
The Geneva Lake Art Association will participate in three more art walks this summer, 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and July 1 and Sept. 2. Local galleries are providing food, entertainment and an evening out. The GLAA gallery, 647 W. Main St. in Lake Geneva is open 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays.
For information, visit www.genevalakeart.org.
INVITATIONAL FINE ART FAIR
McHenry watercolorist Lori Indovina-Valus will be among about 50 artists participating in the Des Plaines Art Guild 58th annual Invitational Fine Art Fair June 4 and 5 inside the Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St. in Des Plaines. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For information visit www.dpag.org/.
SNEAK PEAK
The second and third floors of the Dole Mansion, unique architectural wonders that still await restoration, will be open to the public as part of a First Friday collaborative exhibit by artists Erin Coleman-Cruz of DeKalb and Christina Gregor of Palatine. Both are art instructors at McHenry County College.
Dubbed, “I’m thinking of changing my smile,” the installation features knitted pieces, cut paper, plastic drop clothes, melted plastic bottles, string, tape and found clothing; an unconventional use of the conventional.
“We wanted something that was a different experience, something outside the every day,” Gregor said. “It’s not unlike what you might do as a child when you built a fort with blankets, recreating the living room into a space that is your own. That naive, childlike wonderment is sort of what we wanted to recapture.”
And working in historic setting only added to hands-on impact they hope vistors embrace.
“What we try to do is creatively use the space while we’re waiting to restore it,” said Erin McElroy, advancement coordinator fo the Lakeside Legacy Foundation. “This will be an opportunity for the people to see the space in a totally artistic realm. These artists have taken a totally modern look.”
The public is invited to attend an open house event 5 to 9 p.m. June 3 at the mansion, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. View work by oil painter Lori Kiergaard. Kiergaard will be filing the lobby with examples of her work, including a new work in the “Blinding Light” series of oil paintings, as well as charcoal portraits. The Sage Gallery features artists from the Johanna Gullick studio, another Lakeside Legacy Foundation resident partner. More than 20 students will be exhibiting watercolor, oil, and acrylic paintings. The Dole Gallery features the works of the Northwest Area Arts Council members.
First Friday also features a cash bar, refreshments and music by guitarist and Lakeside Arts Center guitarist Jake Lizzo. He will be joined by jazz pianist Ben Heroux.
Lakeside Legacy Arts Park is home to the Dole Mansion, 24 resident partner artists/musicians and a aculinary studio. For information, visit www.lakesidelegacy.org or call 815-455-8000.
PAPERBACK WRITER
McHenry County residents 19 and older are invited to participate in the first McHenry County Fair Writing Contest. Original short stories, essays, poetry and personal vignettes are eligible. The deadline is June 10.
First, second and third place ribbons for the competition will be awarded by a panel of judges. As they evaluate the submissions, judges will be considering the writer’s skill and the entry’s ability to express a thoughtful understanding of life in McHenry County.
Entries must be typed, double-spaced, on one side of white 8-by-11-inch paper with title at the top and pagination on each sheet. No author name on the writing. Each entry must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet containing the author’s name, address, phone numbers, title, number of pages and a signed statement that the work is original to him/her and unpublished. No previously published work will be considered. A maximum of two entries will be accepted per person. Enclose $1 per entry.
Entries must be typed, double-spaced, on one side of white 8-by-11-inch paper with title at the top and pagination on each sheet. No author name on the writing. Each entry must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet containing the author’s name, address, phone numbers, title, number of pages and a signed statement that the work is original to him/her and unpublished. No previously published work will be considered. A maximum of two entries will be accepted per person. Enclose $1 per entry.
Two non-returnable copies of each entry, complete with cover sheet, should be sent in care of Lynn Carlson, P.O. Box 61, Crystal Lake IL 60039-0061. One copy should be sent as an e-mail attachment to rtxprt@comcast.net.
CHURCH GETS ARTSY
The First Congregational Church, 11628 Main St. in Huntley, will host its inaugural Artfest Aug. 20 and 21 on the “field of dreams,” to the east of the church. It is being marketed as a “celebration of inspiration, creativity and the human soul through music, song, drama, dance and artistic displays.”
Organizers anticipate at least 3,500 people will attend to view the work of about 100 artists. Media include ceramics, drawings, fiber (non-functional and wearable) non-functional paper, glass, jewelry, paintings, sculpture, mixed media, creative writing, photography, and printmaking, original-design candles, and furniture designed and crafted by the artist. .
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