June 2026 Newsletter
News | Exhibitions | Opportunities
Board News
Board Member Opportunities
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES WAIVER
Chicago Sculpture International is waiving annual membership fees for members willing to devote time volunteering in any of the committees on our board and leadership page. Please check out here: www.chicagosculpture.org/board-leadership
Areas include:
Communications outreach; Assisting with panel and artist talks; Exhibitions, installations and opening receptions; Grants and development… and more. Contact info@chicagosculpture.org for additional information.
Start learning about the progress of our nonprofit organization today!
OPEN BOARD POSITIONS
Vice President
Acts as the president in his/her absence; assists the president with public relations, developing meeting agendas, committee management, and board governance. Frequently assigned to work on special areas of responsibility; membership, media, annual picnic, personnel, etc.
Treasurer
Manage and maintain financial database including banking relationships, IRS reports/filing alongside accountant, keeping track on deposits/disbursements while communicating with accountant and executive director.
Outreach Development
Maintains communication with sponsors and partnerships while sourcing new platforms for CSI engagement alongside communication with committee chairs (indoor/outdoor/grants/etc). Seeks funding sources including partnerships with agencies for arts organizational growth.
If you’re a CSI member (or would like to be), please e-mail info@chicagosculpture.org .
CSI Events
Image credit: Happy Family by John Kurman, Welded steel, dimensions variable
Not Normal; Challenging Societal Norms
Juried show for CSI artists at Forum 301 Gallery
Exhibition Dates: May 1 - June 5, 2026
Exhibition Opening May 1, 6pm-9pm
Jurors/Curators: Victoria Fuller and Spencer Gale
The theme for this exhibition is open ended in scope and allows for many possibilities. Many kinds of art may fit into this broad category. "Not normal" refers to anything that goes against established norms, represents an unexpected change, or deviates from accepted collective reality. For the purposes of the exhibition, depictions of ‘not normal’ are those that depart from standard norms. For example, Dada and Surrealism depict fantastical, odd, or distorted realities that differ from our collective everyday experience.
"Not normal" can also refer to atypical or unusual occurrences—a flamboyantly dressed person or someone dressed as a superhero on a commuter train full of people in business attire, or events that interrupt daily life, such as a train derailment or hacked cellphone service. In politics, a government perceived as failing to protect its citizens is not normal. Likewise, a government that threatens to invade an otherwise allied nation is also not normal.What is considered normal in one society may not be recognized as normal in another.
Norms include societal rules of established behavior; ways of being and expression; political, racial, social, gender, psychological, and physical norms; as well as conventions of etiquette. Beyond social norms, there are technological and global anomalies, climate anomalies (such as red rain or boiling lakes), biological abnormalities, and other bizarre natural or physical phenomena, including UAP sightings.
In physics, a particle can also exist as a wave, further challenging our sense of reality. Physical or cognitive disabilities may also be perceived as atypical, depending on societal expectations - a sensory crossover where a person might ‘feel’ sounds in specific parts of their body or see colors while playing music—is not normal. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that can involve hallucinations, such as hearing voices or seeing things that are not present.What is considered normal changes as society changes. Historical shifts over the past 80 years illustrate this: previous generations considered it normal for eight-year-olds to care for younger siblings for months without adult oversight. Smoking on airplanes was common in the late 20th century, but is now strictly prohibited. Homosexuality, once considered a disorder, and tattoos, jogging, and single parenthood—once deviant—are now common. Yet even today, some of these societal changes face sustained efforts by certain groups to challenge or reverse them—and that, too, is not normal.
Exhibiting artists:
Jonathan Antos | Ruby Barnes | Sharon Bladholm | Donna Bliss | Margie Criner | Gary Cudworth | Jason Ferguson | Gertah | Bert Gilbert | Jill King | John Kurman | Erin LaRocque | Micki LeMieux | Ellen Lustig | Russ Marr | Bobbi Meier | Jerry Monteith | Scott Mossman | Thomas Plum | Gina Lee Robbins | Howard Russo | Dominic Sansone | Marvin Shafer | Eleanor Spiess-Ferris | Samuel Schwindt | Simone Scigousky | Rich Stewart | Sishi Wang | Bruce Webber | Connor Young
Image Credit: Happy Family, artist John Kurman
Abstract Expressions
Exhibition Dates: June 5- July 31, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, from 6-9 pm
“Abstract Expressions” invites artists to explore the raw, unfiltered language of gesture, color, form, and movement—where emotion takes shape beyond representation and meaning emerges through instinct rather than depiction. Inspired by the bold innovations of artists such as Willem de Kooning, whose restless surfaces redefined the boundaries of abstraction, this exhibition seeks 2D, 3D, and 4D artworks that embrace tension, rhythm, spontaneity, and material presence.
We welcome submissions that embody expressive force, dynamic composition, and a fearless engagement with the medium. Works may investigate the dialogue between control and chaos, structure and gesture, density and void—reflecting the complexity of the human condition in all its vulnerability and power.
“Abstract Expressions” is not about what is seen, but what is felt - an immersive encounter with the energy of creation itself, emotion made visible.
Exhibiting Artists: Nikki Anderson, Pinar Aral, Tomas Co, Darlys Ewoldt, Ted Sitting Crow Garner, Shelley Gilchrist, Peter Gray, Carol Hammerman, Kasia Kay, Victoria Kowalczyk, Laurie LeBreton, Patrick Miceli, Scott Mossman, Rebecca Russow, Marvin Shafer, Yvette Kaiser Smith, Pat Stephens, Rich Stewart, Michele Thrane
Image Credit: StockCake
Join Us for Project Windows!
at CSI Project Space Gallery
Exhibition Dates: June 5- July 31, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, from 6-9 pm
We’re excited to invite you to participate in Project Windows!
CSI is proud to be part of Project Windows, a citywide celebration of art presented in partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago. The project coincides with the museum’s summer exhibition, Willem de Kooning: Drawing and Abstract Art, featuring art-inspired window displays across the city.
CSI’s Project Windows installation will be featured at the CSI Project Space Gallery during our members’ summer exhibition, Abstract Expressions, June 5 through July 31.
This window exhibition features maginative three-dimensional interpretations inspired by de Kooning’s paintings of women. The concept is to create small 3D scenes featuring figures positioned within an open framework. Each participant will embellish a 12" wooden articulating art mannequin using dimensional materials and creative techniques. The artist retains ownership of the work they create or they can be offered for sale (70% to artist, 30% to CSI).
Please note: We are requesting exhibiting artists to cover 1 or 2 gallery sitting shifts during the duration of this show.
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N. Damen in Chicago.
Old Town Art Fair
CSI has been invited to participate in the Old Town Art Fair, June 13 & 14, 2026. This gives CSI the opportunity to present an overview of what we do and what our members create. We will be having an exhibition this fall at the Leslie Wolfe Gallery at the Old Town Triangle Association. If you would like to have your work featured or volunteer to assist during the art fair, please contact Darlys Ewoldt or Gene Skala for more information. Artworks presented during the fair can be for sale.
Join us for fun, creativity, and art
Altered Book Workshop
Workshop date: June 27, 1pm-3pm
Join us for fun, creativity, and art
CSI Project Space Gallery
1912 N Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL
Bring in an old book and member Laurie LeBreton will create and share how to turn a book into sculpture and art.
Please reserve a spot and sign up here…
Call for Artists
Whispers from the Unfamiliar: Call for Art
Submission Deadline: Friday, July 10, 2026
Artwork Dropoff: Sat/Sun, August 1-2
Opening Reception: Friday, August 7, from 6-9 pm
Exhibit Dates: August 7 – September 18, 2026
Whispers from the Unfamiliar invites artists to explore their relationship with the unknown . . . the quiet, unfiltered thoughts that flutter internally before taking shape in the real world. Intuition perceives our surroundings and understanding of self long before our conscious mind constructs words to rationalize them. The unfamiliar whispers in silent moments, revealing hidden emotions, forgotten histories, and subtle echoes of understanding. It weaves narratives while we sleep and wakes us with instant clarity and purpose. By embracing this unconscious conversation, we uncover insight into our identities and the world we inhabit.
We encourage artists to reflect on the whispers they encounter in these quiet moments. What messages do they convey to you? What stories are waiting to be told?
Curator, Stephanie Sailer
Guidelines:
Applicants must be current CSI members.
If you are not a current member, click hereContact Info: Name, address, phone, email, website
Include 1 to 3 jpeg images
Title, medium, size, price (with 30% donation added) or NFS
2D, 3D and 4D work accepted - Sculptural work encouraged
Open interpretations of the exhibit theme are welcomed.
The artist is responsible for all shipping costs related to the delivery and return of the sculpture.
A pre-paid return shipping label must be included inside the package in a clearly visible location for the installers.
Please note: We are requesting that exhibiting artists cover 1 or 2 gallery-sitting shifts during the duration of this show.
The submission form can be completed here
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N. Damen in Chicago.
Image credit: Moment of Transition (detail) by Stephanie Sailer
Call for Artists: Momentum
Juried sculpture exhibition – October 10 – November 5, 2026
Submission Deadline: August 9, 2026
The title, “Momentum” refers to a call for works whose power for expression implies movement, direction, speed, or growth, transformation, or significantly, the “potential” for any of these ideas. The idea of momentum seems especially appropriate for sculpture because the viewer rarely experiences sculpture from a fixed viewpoint. All works of art or design convey visual elements that exist along a spectrum between static balance and dynamism, depending on the intent of the creator. For this exhibition, works are sought that lean strongly toward the dynamic end of that spectrum. Sculptures fully in the round and works in relief will be considered. Artists may submit three works for consideration.
About the Juror:
Beth Shadur is an artist who has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions in the United States and abroad. She has created over 150 large public murals as public, private, and community art projects in the United States and Great Britain. She has taught and served as a visiting artist at many colleges and universities. From 2012- 2024, Shadur served as Gallery Director at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL. She has been awarded numerous residencies and fellowships. Her work is owned in many private and public collections.
Guidelines for Application
All artists are welcome to apply. If accepted, membership to CSI is required
If you are not a current member, click here to join.
Submission for up to three artworks / total of six JPEG images
JPEG files: 1800 x 1800 pixels, 300 dpi preferred
Image file title: Smith,John_title_1.jpg
Label information: Title, Artist Name, Medium, Size, Price/NFS
Contact info: Name, address, phone, email, website
Purchase price or NFS (Leslie Wolfe Gallery retains 25% of purchase price)
Artists will be required to arrange for delivery and pickup with a prepaid return shipping label
Important Dates:
Exhibition: October 10 – November 4, 2026
Submission Deadline: August 9, 2026
Notification: August 24, 2026
Delivery of work: October 8, 10AM – 5PM or October 9, 10AM – 1PM
Reception to coincide with Lincoln Park Art Night, October 15, 5:30 – 8:30PM
Pick up of work: November 4, 3PM – 9 PM or November 5, 10AM – 5PM
Location:
Leslie Wolfe Gallery
Old Town Art Center
1763 N. North Park Ave. Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 337-1938
Member News
Image: Re: Searching Reality by Anthony Heinz May
Anthony Heinz May at Citygarden in St Louis, MO
Citygarden in St Louis issued an open call for the art commission of a dying locust tree within the sculpture park using CSI's Chicago Tree Project template. Interim president and grants chair Anthony Heinz May was selected for this competitive opportunity and installed his work Re: Searching Reality depicted here with a dedication date of May 26, 2026. For more on Citygarden and the Gateway Foundation, visit: https://citygardenstl.orgI
Above: Gravity, 2025 by Catherine Jacobi
Good Trouble: Catherine Jacobi and Ben Blount
Featuring CSI member Catherine Jacobi’s found object constructions, sculptures, and prints along with Blount’s letterpress prints and books addressing immigration, human rights, race, and civil liberties;. Both artists channel difficult and disturbing issues into their art, allowing us to process the information to shape our own thoughts. As they create good trouble, they prompt us to continue our necessary conversations and actions.
Exhibition Dates: April 19 - June 6, 2026
Artist Talk: Saturday, May 9, 2026, 2:00 pm
Gallery Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Image Credit: Samuel Schwindt
Samuel Schwindt: Pleasure Puncture
Opening reception: June 5, 6pm-9pm
Exhibition dates: June 5th - June 27th
Phantom muscle and bone pains can rattle, but here they comfort. This solo exhibition by Samuel Schwindt is a broken leg that didn’t heal properly; it’s a glimmer from a childhood crash that—instead of a wince—is a Cheshire smile. Whether it’s the dirt coating his nostrils after a music fest, sweat stained from the gym, pained motocross competitions, strained hands from stitching leather and plastic, or euphoria from queer spaces of the night, Pleasure Puncture grimaces with a wink.
Ignition Project Space
3839 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60651
The following are not CSI sponsored projects
But may be of interest to our members
Dominic Sansone: Gun Violence Panel at Association for Academic Museums and Galleries Conference
During the upcoming AAMG (Association for Academic Museums and Galleries) conference, a panel discussion will be held related to the 2025 exhibition entitled, American Roulette: Navigating Gun Culture in our Violent Society. This exhibition was held at The Art Galleries (TAG) at Austin Community College and was a partnership with a non-partisan artist collective, American Roulette, whose founding member is Chicago-based artist and CSI member, Dominic Sansone.
The panel discussion at AAMG in June will be to a national audience of academic museum professionals, art educators, and college faculty about the approaches that were taken to make this exhibition a success. The goal is to help and encourage others in our field to undertake projects that include sensitive topics that are important to students and how exhibitions like this one can provide a venue to discuss gun violence.
Dominic and American Roulette could use help with expenses related to the conference so that all exhibition partners can participate in the panel. A Go Fund Me page has been created for this endeavor.
Image Credit: Norma Bickmore
Image: Spoonbridge and Cherry, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, 1988. Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Image courtesy of Meet Minneapolis.
International Sculpture Conference
The International Sculpture Conference is coming to Twin Cities, MN and the clock is ticking for enrollment in their upcoming round of panel discussions and all things sculpture. The dates are October 22-25, 2026. Please see: sculpture.org/mpage/TwinCities2026 for more specifics on what ISC is up to. Chicago Sculpture International is looking to be present in some shape or form, so if anyone is planning to go please e-mail info@chicagoscultpure.org to let us know!
Call for Artists
Material Bodies: Identities in Clay
Submissions are now open for Material Bodies: Identities in Clay. Hosted by Oliva Gallery, this 2nd Annual Ceramic exhibit explores the human form as both presence and a container of experience to examine identity, memory, and transformation. Through surface, gesture, and form, the works reveal how material carries personal and collective stories - holding traces of strength, vulnerability, and resilience.
We invite ceramic artists based in the Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin to submit work responding to the theme Material Bodies for an upcoming second annual, juried exhibition at Oliva Gallery in Chicago, IL.
Jurors: Nancy Pirri & Lauralynn White
Deadline for Entry Fee: June 30, 2026 - midnight
Application fee: $30
Acceptance emails will go out Monday July 6, 2026
Open call live on Oliva Gallery's website
All submissions must go through Jotform.
Exhibition Dates: Nov. 13-Dec. 19, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, Nov. 13, 2026
Oliva Gallery
3816 W. Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
Image Credit: Oliva Gallery
Two Commission Opportunities:
Illinois Art-in-Architecture Program at Farmer City, IL
The Illinois Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for two Illinois Department of Transportation Rest Areas located in Central and Southern Illinois.
Location: Farmland Northbound and Southbound Rest Areas,
Interstate 74 at Mile Marker 156,
Farmer City, Illinois
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Project Objective: The artwork site at each rest area is highly visible located at the center of the lobby atop a custom, three-sided bench. Artists are not limited to a specific medium or style for these sculptural artworks, but should continue the Illinois farm theme. Each artwork can be identical, varied, or a combination. Power will be run up through the benches to illuminate the artwork from within. In order for visitors to have a clear line of site within the rest areas, the artwork must be 18” in height or less. Reference pages 7-9 for building plans and renderings. Lastly, the artwork must be durable and safe with limited annual maintenance as well as meet regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Illinois Accessibility Code.
Semi-Finalist stipend: $1,000
Project budget: $40,000
Arts Midwest Free Webinar Series: “Building Your Creative Career”
Arts Midwest is offering a hands-on webinar series for artists looking to build visibility, funding, and momentum. The webinar series is designed to help artists build a creative career and connect their work with new audiences and navigate planning and the ongoing effort involved. While there is no single standard approach, shared experiences from other artists can provide useful context.
This free webinar series includes artists and creatives from across the Midwest discussing practical skills that support creative work outside the studio. Topics include presenting work, seeking funding, and managing visibility across different platforms.
Rock Falls Tourism: 9th Annual Art in the Park Sculpture Walk
Entry deadline: June 1, 2026
Selection notification: July 1, 2026
Deliver artwork: August 28, 2026
Show runs: August 2026 - August 2027
With the continued success of our previous eight years of Art in the Park Sculpture Walk, Rock Falls Tourism is making preparations for our 9th year of bringing amazing sculptures to our RB&W District. We are now accepting submissions for sculpture art to be on display at the RB&W District Park along the Rock River. This open space park is used by many organizations putting on events and draws people from surrounding communities and states, which will ensure a high amount of visibility for your art throughout the year. The RB&W District is also security monitored, 24 hours a day. The Art in the Park Sculpture Walk is also featured on the Otocast application for smartphones which provides an additional layer of exposure. Artists will be asked to record an audio component for this application, should their sculpture be chosen.
The Rock Falls Tourism Department has opened the selection process to all sculpture artists. The sculptures will be installed at the RB&W District, on August 28, 2026. Artists will be given a $1,250 stipend and will be able to make their sculpture available for purchase. Artists are encouraged to promote their sculpture throughout the year.
What we expect:
• No offensive or inappropriate content
• Sturdy sculptures that can withstand all types of weather
• Base dimensions to stay within 4ft x 4ft
• No electrical components to the sculptures
• Able to deliver and install the work on August 28, 2026
• Artist must submit pictures of the work they want to display
• Artist must make transportation arrangements for the sculpture to the park
• Artist will contact the Department of Tourism in August 2027 to arrange for un-installing their sculpture
• Artist will be the one to install the sculpture and must provide all bolts and any other necessary equipment to do so. The City of Rock Falls may, upon request, be on hand to help assist in placing sculptures on concrete pads
• Artist to record audio component for Otocast application.
What you get:
• $1,250 stipend for sculpture to remain for 1 year
• One night stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites for the night of August 28, 2026, only
• Artist bio and sculpture/artwork information on the Otocast App
• Ability to sell and promote your artwork
• Constant exposure for you and your sculpture/artwork
• Digital exposure on the Visit Rock Falls website
• Upon request, we can provide manpower to assist getting your sculpture placed onto the pedestals (must notify RF Tourism by August 1, 2026). NO boom, lift or crane will be available unless you request by August 1, 2026.
Please review the included documents and submit everything (including photos) on or before June 1, 2026, either by mail or as an email attachment to director@visitrockfalls.com.
On the artist agreement, you only need to fill out page 3 (top with your name, address, etc.) and then page 4 of the sculpture name and specifications. The rest of the agreement can/will be filled out at a later time if your piece is selected.
Click the links below to download a submission form and artist agreement:
Rock Falls sculpture submission info letter
Rock Falls artist agreement
Contact info:
Rock Falls Tourism
603 W 10th Street
(815) 622-1106
Submit Your News
Have any news to share?
Shows, awards, residencies etc? Submit here and we'll include them in an upcoming newsletter.
While you're at it, your profile and images on CSI’s website are important. When CSI applies for grants and upcoming shows, images are solely chosen from those you have uploaded to our website. Please take a minute to look over what you have posted and make sure you are presenting the best work. Please contact info@chicagosculpture.org with any questions or assistance you would like or need.
CSI projects are partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.
CSI is a proud recipient of the Driehaus Foundation Arts and Culture Grant to help support funding and programming.
Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the National Endowment for the Arts
Above: (right) Ron Gard’s sculpture The Struggle Against Death; (right) Ron in 2014 working in Lincoln Park on one of three tree sculptures, Dying to Survive Nos. #3, #6 & #9.
In Memory of Ron Gard
Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges Ivy Gard, who in 2020 graciously donated ongoing exhibition space (CSI Project Space) to CSI and its members in memory of Ron Gard and his achievements in sculpture and dedicated service for several years as treasurer of the organization.
Ron’s exquisite and exacting craftsmanship, along with his vast knowledge of materials and methods, is widely regarded and revered by CSI and his circle of peers.
Land Acknowledgement
The City of Chicago, and its surrounding areas, have always been and always will be, home to numerous Native American communities. As a team dedicated to the uplifting of Indigenous People's sovereignty everywhere, we recognize that each program and exhibition associated with this project is taking place on the traditional homelands of the Council of Three Fires - the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa - as well as the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk Nations. Further, we acknowledge that Chicago is home to one of the largest urban Native American communities in the US. We therefore invite each of our non-Indigenous colleagues to learn more about the forced removal of many of the communities listed above from the state of Illinois and to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into their line of work. To provide immediate assistance to Native American Communities in Chicago, you can send donations to the city's American Indian Center here
Image credit: Moment of Transition (detail) by Stephanie Sailer, mixed media
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