Jack Olson Gallery & Gallery 214

High School Invitational

2011-11-09T10:17:00.000-06:00

We hosted this fall's High School Invitational this past October-November 5th! We had high schools from all over northern Illinois participate in this exhibition. The following people won special recognition for their pieces!

We are so STOKED!

Our juror for our High School Invitational, Miss. Christina Gregor, chose the award winning pieces for the show the show! Awards are as follows:
Congratulations to the winners of our High School Invitational!

First Place: Jessica Thompson’s ‘Thrill Ride’!

Second Place: Jamie Wyatt’s ‘Something New’

Third Place: Ryan Widmer’s ‘Untitled’

Jurors Choice: Dylan Clark’s ‘Mary Poppins’

Honorable Mention: Kathy Tae’s Lost

Honorable Mention: Delanie Olson’s ‘Bubble Pop Electric’

Honorable Mention: Jamie Gray's 'Untitled'

the Catalog for Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art

2011-10-11T13:55:00.000-05:00

the Catalog for Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art
It's now available online at blurb.com!

Check it out here!

Video by the Northern Star on INKED and TATTOO: An American Evolution & Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art Special thanks to Seth Dulian!

2011-10-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

Video from the ☆ Northern Star ☆

INKED: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art Reception II

2011-09-23T12:12:00.000-05:00

INKED: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art Reception

2011-09-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

2011-09-08T12:06:00.000-05:00

Jess Piwnicki and Agnes Ma preparing for opening day!

Sarah Rivers capturing the exhibition on her camera. Next blog will showcase her talents.

Finally, a list of the artists featured in the show. Great thanks goes to them!

Below are some views of the gallery!

Annual Juried Exhibition

2011-04-19T14:18:00.000-05:00

The annual Dick Blick-sponsored juried exhibition at Jack Olson Gallery is now showing.

Out of the 130 pieces submitted to the show, 30 pieces by over 20 artists were selected for the exhibition. We would like to thank Michael Dinges for being our guest juror this year.

2011 exhibition winners:

Best in Show: Eunyoung Suh

Graduate level:
1st place- Ramon Soto
2nd place- Corey Crum

Senior level:
1st place- Nathan Spurlock
2nd place- Abel Guzman

Junior level:
1st place- David Lloyd
2nd place- Scott Steder

Kasia Stachowiak won both Juror's choice and the Freshman/Sophomore level 1st place award.

Congratulations to all those with accepted entries, and thank you to everyone who submitted this year. Dick Blick and this exhibition provides a unique opportunity that allows students in the School of Art to bring their best work for a chance to be featured in Jack Olson Gallery. We hope to see your work next year.

Printmaking Triennal is back!

2011-02-17T15:43:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, we opened our Printmaking Triennial invitational, featuring work from Chris Dacre, Tim Dooley, John Hitchcock and Aaron Wilson. The show is up until March 25, and there's a lot to see.

Welcome back for Spring 2011

2011-01-28T12:19:00.000-06:00

We hope you had a great winter break, and we're anticipating our offerings for this semester!

Currently, we are hosting New and Renew: our Faculty Sabbatical Biennial, with works from Billie Giese, Charlotte Rollman, and a portion of NIU's Burma collection provided by Catherine Raymond and the Burma Studies program. The closing reception is February 3 at 4pm.

Coming next: NIU Triennial Printmaking Invitational.

Juried Grad show & 214 BFA show

2010-12-02T11:46:00.000-06:00

The Juried Grad show is currently on exhibit in Jack Olson gallery, and a reception will be held today from 4:30-6pm. We would like to thank the participants and congratulate the following:

-Aaron Vermedal (collab. with Alex Johnson) (1st place)
-Juan Fernandez (2nd place)
-Bogumil Bronkowski (3rd place)

Honorable mentions to:

Ramón Soto
Maria Dimanshtein
Kathy Mcdonald

The BFA show will be taking place in Gallery 214 this semester, and will be on display starting Monday, December 6.

IAM recognizes Jack Olson Gallery

2010-11-11T11:01:00.000-06:00

The Illinois Association of Museums awarded Jack Olson Gallery the Superior Achievement Award for our Crafting Maya Identity exhibit that went on display in Fall of 2009. We extend our thanks to association for recognizing Jack Olson for this title, and to curators Jeff Kowalski and Mary Katherine-Scott for their work and research that helped give the show a distinguishable level of sophistication and refinement. We also thank you, our visitors, for your continued support and patronage.

Tattoo: An American Evolution

2010-11-09T12:14:00.000-06:00

Tattoo: An American Evolution
November 8-19
Gallery 214

by the Museum Studies Program's Curatorial Practice Class

Opening Reception: November 11, 4:30-6:00 pm
followed by screening of "Tattoo" (1981) in VAB100

Symposium: November 13, 10 am - 5 pm VAB110

Talks by:
Lee Sido (NIU Studio Division Head) - "Art in the American Tattoo"
Chris May (Tattoo Artist from Proton Tattoo Studio) - "Stabbing Art"
Ellen Greene (Chicago-based painter) - "Tattoo as a Narrative in the Artwork of Ellen Greene"
Rachel Walters (Art Historian) - "The Tattoo in Burmese Culture"

Panel Discussion with:
Michael Barnes (NIU Gradate Programs Coordinator)
Ellen Greene (Chicago-based Painter)
Kyle Turner (Printmaker)
Eric Fuertes (Sculptor)
John Medina (Sculptor)

Contemporary Polish Poster in Context is up

2010-10-07T12:17:00.000-05:00

Our newest exhibit opened today. Featuring artists Jakub "Hakobo" Stepien and Bogna Otto-Wegrzyn, the show exemplifies the unique characteristics of Polish poster design.

Opening reception is today, at 4:30 with gallery talk featuring guest curator Ola Giza at around 5.

Gallery updates

2010-09-30T12:17:00.001-05:00

Thank you to our patrons who visited and partook in the Writ Deep exhibition. We are currently setting up for the next show, Contemporary Polish Poster in Context.

We are also in the middle of installing a video surveillance system in the gallery. This will fully ensure the safety and security of exhibits hosted at Jack Olson Gallery.

Michael Genovese/Writ Deep closing reception, and ArtSlant

2010-09-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

Miami-based artist Michael Genovese, part of Writ Deep, has been in and out of the gallery all this week, working on his baked enamel etchings in partnership with NIU school of art students and faculty. Please join us for the Writ Deep closing reception today at 4:30. Michael Genovese will be here for discussion as well as two other showing artists (Michael Dinges & Carol Jackson).

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Seperately, the Jack Olson Gallery is now featured on ArtSlant! We are currently configuring our page at ArtSlant, and it will be updated consistently with both our Facebook and Blog.

New School Year, New Show

2010-08-30T10:51:00.000-05:00

Now in the Jack Olson Gallery:
Writ Deep
Works by Michael Dinges, Michael Genovese, Carol Jackson and Rebecca Ringquist
August 30 - September 23
Closing Reception and Gallery Talk - Thursday, September 23

Last of the semester: BFA show

2010-05-04T13:11:00.000-05:00

Jack Olson Gallery has had another fantastic year of exhibitions; eight individual shows representing a multitude of artists, each bringing their own methods and perspectives to the gallery for our appreciation and enjoyment.

Before we close for the summer, we invite you to attend the reception to our last show of the 2009-2010 school year. Running May 3-6, our BFA show represents the work created by graduating students from every program found in the School of Art at Northern Illinois University.

The closing reception for the BFA show is May 6, from 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

If we don't see you then, have a great summer and we look forward to what is coming to the gallery next semester.

click here to see photos from the 2010 BFA show at our Facebook page. "Like" Jack Olson Gallery on facebook to receive more prompt and detailed updates of gallery events!

Nine Bits Turn Neon: One-night event at J.O.G.

2010-04-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

Tonight at 7:30 p.m., Jack Olson Gallery welcomes 9 graduating Time Arts students as they showcase their respective works. Make sure to stop by the event website at:

Nine Bits Turn Neon.com

A list of participating artists can be found here:

Artist profiles

We also invite you to attend a video presentation beginning at 8:30, on the First Floor of Jack Arends hall in the VAB auditorium.

Congratulations to the participants in putting together what looks to be a great show!

Next: BFA show

2010-04-22T11:34:00.000-05:00

We're winding down the 2010 Dick Blick Art Materials/Ars Nova juried exhibition in preparation for this year's BFA show. If you are a participating student, familiarize yourself with the following information:

Student work delivery times:
Wednesday, April 28 9:00a-3:00p

Spotting will take place on Wednesday, April 28.

Work not accepted:
Participants will not be notified individually of accepted/rejected work. Check back to the gallery on Thursday, April 29 9:00a-3:00p to pick up works not accepted to the show.

The BFA show opens Monday, May 3 at 10:00a. Closing reception will be held from 4:30-6:30p on Thursday, may 6.

Student work pickup times:
Exhibited work will be available for pickup on Friday, May 7 9:00a-1:00p.

We look forward to seeing what constitutes another great year of student work being represented in the gallery!

2010 annual juried art show is up!

2010-04-13T13:29:00.000-05:00

We posted photos of the 2010 Ars Nova juried show on our Facebook page, feel free to browse.

For more frequent gallery updates, become a fan of JOG at Facebook!

We'd like to thank all the students who particpated this year, as well as extending thanks to Dick Blick for sponsoring the event.

Winners in the respective categories are:

1st place in Graduate category: Cassie Christenson-Edwards

2nd place in Graduate category: Bogumil Bronkowski

1st place in Senior-year category: Jorie Welker

2nd place in Senior-year category: Cherrie Fanning

1st place in Junior-year category: Abel Guzman

2nd place in Junior-year category: Jacob Van Loon

Juror's Choice certificates were awarded to: Amanda Voltz, and Tyler York.

Best in show was awarded to Natalie Shugailo.

Congratulations to everyone who was selected this year!

We look foward to seeing what kind of show students bring to next year's competition; more immediately we anticipate this year's BFA show. More information on that coming soon.

Moving on,

2010-03-23T12:03:00.000-05:00

We would like to thank ARTlab and Guerra de la Paz for HOME, and what proved to be a provocative, engaging experience for us and all our visitors. After today, there is one day left to come see the exhibit; the materials of which will never again exist in their current order.

Beginning this weekend, we will be preparing for this year's Ars Nova juried exhibition. Details on student submission will be released shortly.

Reading and Napping, delightful

2010-03-16T13:46:00.000-05:00

THE READING ROOM IS OPEN

atHOMEin the Olson Gallery

M-Th 10 - 4 Friday 10 - noon

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

pssst! NASAD got you all worn out?

drop in for a snooze

in the Designated Nap Area

at HOME in the Olson Gallery

naptime: M-Th: 10 – 4 F: 10 – noon

byo pillow and blankie

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Events Galore in the Olson Gallery

2010-03-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

EVENT NUMBER 1:

aValentine forAlison Knowles

Wednesday 17 March 2010

You are invited to Make a Salad:

__________________________________________________________

INSTRUCTIONS:

Arrive at the Olson Gallery promptly at 10:45AM

(having washed your hands well before entering the gallery)

Bring with you: one fresh head of lettuce, washed; and one fresh raw red, orange, yellow, green or purple vegetable

Each participant will chop one head of lettuce and one vegetable wipe the chopping area clean, and yield to the next participant.

Chopping & Whisking will commence at 11:00 AM

The chopping will take place on the worktable at HOME in the Olson Gallery.

Mozart for cello and violin will be played through an iPod and speakers.

__________________________________________________________

RSVPto Karen Brown at kbrown@niu.edu, if you would like to participate in this iconic Fluxus performance score, or please sign up in the Olson Gallery.

EVENT NUMBER 2:

HOME

2010-03-04T12:25:00.001-06:00

After a couple weeks of messy in the gallery, the impressive (I must say) collaboration between ART Lab and Guerra de la Paz is finally presentable and has been for a week. Please come down to the gallery and gander about in the space. The repurposing of what was essentially garbage is really quite clever. You might find that you want to take some of this refuse back home with you...but too bad you can't.

Opening reception, a lot of people!

from within the house.

from the "bed".

buffalo.

currently we have ...

2010-01-26T14:00:00.000-06:00

come one, come all... to see Kay Knights' Dream Homes: Picture of Disbelief. this exhibition consists of paintings and drawings based on 1950's schematic drawings of house-like structures. knight not only appropriates illustrations of middle class homes but also incorporates vintage wallpaper to reflect on the contradictory and vulnerable times we live in. now here are some tantalizing photographs, please continue reading:

if you would like to know the titles and see some of the pieces in closer detail... why don't you stop on by? the show runs until february 11th!

juried grad show winners

2010-01-26T13:39:00.000-06:00

i said i would post when i found out, and i've found out. these are the winners from the 2009 juried grad show.

1st place - bogumil bronkowski

i learns too talk gud lyke real american

2008

mixed media

image N/A

2nd place - carrie ann shumacher

you cant even see what's going on in here

2008

digital video

3rd place - adam bock

self portrait with a broken heart

2008

oil on panel

honorable mention - eric fuertes

spin that shit

aluminum pesto

honorable mention - jody oesterreicher

where's the love?

2009

found textiles and dresser drawer

Belated Post: Juried Grad Show 2009

2010-01-21T12:46:00.000-06:00

it's been some time since the last posting but for those of you who might want to see some images from the JURIED GRAD SHOW...here they are!

*don't ask me who won, i don't know. don't ask me for the artists and titles, i don't know. i will tell you one thing, when i find out i'll let you know.

High School Invitational

2009-11-10T12:32:00.000-06:00

The work from the High School Invitational is up in the gallery. It is exciting to see the work being produced from high schools across Northern Illinois! We thank the following schools for their submissions & participation:

Rockford Jefferson

H.D. Jacobs

Nequa Valley

Dundee Crown

Belvidere

Hampshire

Vernon Hills

Bartlett

Libertyville

DeKalb

Lakes Community

East Aurora

Metea Valley

Antioch Community

Oswego

Paintings, drawings, sculptures and jewelry done in a wide variety of medium, conveyed in a diverse body of subject matter is represented by all the participating schools.

As part of the juried selection, three winners were chosen for their exemplary work:

"Unlock"
colored pencil

By Evan Jarzynski.

From the class of Mrs. Lynn Stockton, at Rockford Jefferson.

Awarded best in show.

"My Soul"
pen & ink on block print.

By Ian Harris.

From the class of Mr. Ray Gossell, at Libertyville.

Awarded second place.

"Ignorance III"
oil on canvas

By Cindy Fonseca.

From the class of Ms. Susan MCcarron, at East Aurora.

Awarded third place.

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Honorable mentions awarded to:

Monique Marchwiany
Hallie Morrison
Stephanie Sanders

A New Beginning

2009-10-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

After the close of "Crafting Maya Identity", the gallery closed for 10 days. Jody prepped the gallery walls, removing the Maya freeze accent, spackling and painting. The work for "A New Beginning" arrived last Monday, and the crew (Courtny, Ashley, Natalie, Carrie, Jacob, Jody, and I) finished installation in time for the reception yesterday evening. A special thanks to Manny for spending two days assembling his presses and water filtration system in the gallery.

"A New Beginning" celebrates the careers of retiring NIU School of Art faculty members Yale Factor, Ronald Mazanowski, and Manuel Hernandez.

Crafting Maya Identity

2009-09-21T15:25:00.000-05:00

An exhibition of carvings by the Maya artisans Miguel Uc Delgado, Jesus Marcos Delgado Ku, Angel Ruiz Novelo, and Wilbert Vasquez, guest curated by Mary-Katherine Scott and Jeff Kowalski.

Although the technically refined and visually complex carvings of the Puuk region of Yucatan are often described as handicraft or "tourist art", it no longer seems appropriate to tag them pejorative connotations associated with such terms. Rather, they provide important information regarding how a relatively recent artistic "tradition" emerged in and responded to a particular context, and communicates significant messages about the changing nature of Maya cultural identity, and how such identity is constructed, represented, and understood by both the artisans themselves and tourist visitors in the context of cross-cultural contact and global interconnections.

Crafting Maya Identity Sept. 19 reception

2009-09-21T15:19:00.000-05:00

After a day-long symposium on Globalization, Tourism, Cultural Identity, Authenticity, and Art, attendees enjoy a private reception in the "Crafting Maya Identity" exhibition at the Olson Gallery.

Crafting Maya Identity DeKalb High School Tour

2009-09-21T15:10:00.000-05:00

DeKalb High School students tour Crafting Maya Identity and meet the exhibition curators and Maya artisans

Crafting Maya Identity exhibition tour with School of Art Director Doug Boughton

2009-09-21T14:54:00.000-05:00

The NIU School of Art Director Doug Boughton enjoys a tour of the exhibition with guest curators Mary-Katherine Scott and Jeff Kowalski, and Maya artisans Miguel Uc Delgado, Jesus Marcos Delgado Ku, Angel Ruiz Novelo, and Wilbert Vasquez

Hooray! Our new office enclosure for receptions is finished

2009-09-21T11:18:00.000-05:00

We were finally able to finish the enclosure for the office to be used during receptions. This comes in rather handy to hide office clutter from sight. The enclosure was inaugurated during the reception for "Crafting Maya Identity" on Thursday September 17. Thanks to Kim and Jacob for their help on the project, and to Dean Holly for providing the $$$.

art camp

2009-07-24T17:10:00.000-05:00

As you can see from the crowded gallery, today was a full day. The final day of NIU's Art Camp for high school students is topped off with an exhibition here at the Olson Gallery of the work the students made through out the week. With 86 students submitting 2 pieces each, I had a very busy afternoon. Everything was on the walls (and fairly level) as the parents began to arrive at 4:30. After a reception and award ceremony, the walls will be bare again before 7:00!

Congratulations to the campers and teachers- it looks like it was a great week.

4 days only...BFA Show 09

2009-05-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

May 4-7

Closing Reception: May 7, 4:30-6:00 pm

Exhibition of work by NIU School of Art students receiving BFA degrees with emphasis in ceramics, drawing, fiber, Illustration, metalwork and jewelry, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and time arts.

Be sure to stop in to see what this years grads are doing!

jog blog

2009-04-14T22:38:00.000-05:00

The Jack Olson Gallery now has a blog! (You are here)

Our current exhibition is the Annual Juried Blick Art Materials As Nova Exhibition. This show runs through April 23, and then our last show for the semester: the BFA Show, featuring more than 30 BFA graduates this year.