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May 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.
Marketing Chair
Sets vision for and manages overall marketing strategy for organization. Works with president and executive director to define the short-term and long-term marketing needs. Implement actions concerning the CSI brand, public relations, website and social media communications.
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.
Education Chair
Coordinate and schedule educational programming between members and the public while collaborating with venues/organizations to facilitate workshops. Organizes community outreach with local an regional educational institutions.
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.
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
Image: Artwork by Anne Farley Gaines
CREATING 3-D WORKS USING WATER-BASED MEDIA
A workshop with Anne Farley Gaines
Saturday May 9, from 1-5 PM.
Location:
Forum 301 Gallery
301 W. Ohio St.,
Chicago, IL 60654
Workshop participants will be working in watercolor and also creating a sculptural form, working with different thicknesses of watercolor paper, foam board, molding paste, acrylic and watercolor paints, "Yes" paste, polymers, Asian papers, and museum board.
Chicago-based watercolorist, Anne Farley Gaines, is a mixed-media painter, and muralist who also works in sculpture media and will bring several examples of works she has created. Gaines' works are mostly nature-based, some are architectural.
She will encourage attendees in the workshop to begin their works in an abstract manner to obtain a strong sense of form before adding any detail. A list of materials will be given to all who sign up. There will be space for 20 attendees.
She has used this technique in various maquettes created for public works, which also become art pieces. Through a demonstration of this technique at the beginning, she hopes to inspire all who sign up to find their "voice" using the disparate materials she will be using.
Materials: Some materials will be provided, but some participants will be asked to bring additional materials in a provided materials list.
Click here to reserve a spot
Image credit: Artwork by Anne Farley Gaines
Call for Artists:
Abstract Expressions
Juried show for CSI artists at CSI Project Space Gallery
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.
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N. Damen in Chicago.
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
Artwork Dropoff: May 30th and May 31st, 2026
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.
Image credit: Example frames Micki LeMeaux
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.
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…
Education
Painting Clay Creations Workshop
“Googly Eyes Edition” with Miss Micki and Mr. Gene
Messy, messy fun art workshop with clay and paint.
A special two-day CSI Education workshop was held on April 27 and 28, 2026, at the Boys and Girls Club of America at Lathrop Homes, 2915 N. Leavitt Street, Chicago, for children ages 8 to 10-years-old.
This air-dry clay and acrylic painting program encouraged students to create imaginative objects of their choice and was taught using a two-person buddy system. On day one, Micki LeMieux led the workshop while Gene Skala assisted, as participants used wedges of air-dry clay to build their pieces. On day two, they switched roles, with Gene leading and Micki assisting, and students received a brief demonstration on acrylic painting and basic color mixing. Children who were not present for the first day’s clay session were given the opportunity to explore painting on paper during the second day. Googly eyes were shared at the end as a playful finishing touch.
As part of CSI’s education goals, these workshops build confidence and a sense of capability by emphasizing process over perfection while introducing foundational art skills and creative problem-solving through hands-on making. They encourage focus and persistence, foster pride and visibility in each child’s work, and remain engaging and enjoyable so that learning and self-expression naturally take hold.
Gratitude is extended to our generous grant supporters such as Chicago’s DCASE (Department of Cultural Affairs and Events), whose contributions sustain educational programming, along with appreciation to Blick Art Materials for offering purchase discounts that help make these workshops possible.
CSI Call for Artists
Voices in Form
Personal, political, or social narratives expressed through sculpture.
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2026
Notification Deadline: June 24, 2026
Delivery of work: September 14-17, 2026
Exhibition Dates: October 1 – November 12, 2026
Exhibition closes: November 12, 2026
The Indiana University Kokomo Art Gallery will host a special juried exhibition, Voices in Form, which features work by artist members of the Chicago Sculpture International group. CSI artists are invited to submit work for consideration for the upcoming exhibition, Voices in Form – Works from Chicago Sculpture International.The exhibition will be on display in the IUK Art Gallery, on the Indiana University Kokomo campus of Kokomo, Indiana. Voices in Form invites sculptors to explore how three-dimensional works can carry, amplify, and embody personal, political, and social narratives. This exhibition seeks sculpture that functions as a form of visual language—expressing lived experience, cultural memory, identity, resistance, or reflection through material, process, and form. Artists are encouraged to consider how their work “speaks” in space, whether through symbolic imagery, abstract gesture, or the physical presence of the object itself. Submissions may address contemporary issues, historical perspectives, or deeply personal stories that resonate beyond the individual. All sculptural approaches and materials are welcome, including traditional, experimental, and mixed-media works. Voices in Form aims to create a compelling dialogue between diverse sculptural voices and the communities they engage.
2-D and 3-D work will be considered. Wall hung work must be ready to hang with a strongwire or hanging cleat, or appropriate hanging device. Artworks can be displayed on the wall, floor, or pedestals.
About the Juror
Carrie Baxter, Art Gallery Director, and the IUK Art and NMAT Faculty will serve as the
Submission Deadline: Monday, June 1, 2026, 11:59pm
Required:
Submission for up to 4 artworks / total of eight JPEG images
JPEG files 1800 x 1800 pixels, 300 dpi preferred
Image file title: Smith,John_title_1a.jpg Smith,John_title_1b.jpg
Label information: Title, Artist Name, Medium, size, Price/NFS
Contact info: name, address, phone, email
Website link / Instagram handle (if applicable)Voices in Form – Personal, political, or social narratives expressed through sculpture.
Purchase price or NFS
Artists will be required to arrange for delivery and pickup or shipping with a prepaid return shipping label
Approximate weight of artwork
Location:
Indiana University at Kokomo Art Gallery
IU Kokomo Campus,
Room KA-102
2300 S. Washington St.
Kokomo, Indiana
Phone: (765)-455-9523
Gallery Hours: Monday–Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EST); Friday-Sunday: CLOSED
Member News
Image Credit: Bethany Cordero
Bethany Cordero: Plurality of Structure
Exhibition dates: May 1–25, 2025
Opening reception Friday, May 1st from 6–9 PM
The Plurality of Structure is a solo exhibition of sculptural works by Bethany Cordero. This exhibition explores the tension between order and dissolution, the moment a system holds, and the moment it yields. Working across welded steel, ceramic, woven textiles, and sewn fragments, these sculptural works propose that structure is never singular. It surfaces and retreats, asserts itself and unravels, exists simultaneously as foundation and trace.
The grid surfaces sporadically in these works, a system defined as much by its absences as its appearances. Where it appears, it grounds. Where it recedes, the forms sustain their own fluidity. Order is not imposed here but arrived at, briefly, before dissolving back into the whole. The Plurality of Structure is ultimately an investigation into the threshold between what is lost and what remains.
Ignition Project Space
3839 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60651
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
CSI Member Bethany Cordero Joins CAC's 2026–2028 Residency Cohort
Chicago Sculpture International member Bethany Cordero was recently accepted into the Chicago Artists Coalition's competitive two-year residency program. Founded in 1974, the Chicago Artists Coalition began as a small group of artists advocating for rights, support, and visibility, and has since grown into one of Chicago's most important career-building institutions for emerging and mid-career artists.
The residency brings together a cohort of 15 artists paired with five curators, with the program focused on building community, creating professional networks, and developing skills for a sustainable artistic career. The placement of artists and curators together to build an exhibition from start to finish with the coalition's guidance is unique to the CAC residency, making it one of the most respected opportunities available to Chicago artists.
This cohort is noted as the 26th group of residents, with their residency taking place in the CAC's location on Hubbard Street. The residents are arranged into exhibition pods to develop group exhibitions during their second year.
Congratulations, Bethany Cordero!
Citygarden in St Louis, MO
CSI interim president/grants chair Anthony Heinz May will be installing new public sculpture at Citygarden in St Louis, MO from the freestanding trunk of a dying locust tree. More information for Citygarden and this project by the Gateway Foundation can be found at: citygardenstl.org.
Madison Art Commission’s Monona Terrace’s 2026 Art on the Rooftop
Congratulations to CSI’s very own International Cultural Initiatives chair Shencheng Xu, along with Plamen Yordanov alongside Sunghee Min and Luke Achterberg for being accepted into the Madison Art Commission’s Monona Terrace’s 2026 Art on the Rooftop. The exhibition will open officially on Friday, May 8th - please see more details here: www.mononaterrace.com.
Image Credits: Left to right: Kasia Kay, Chaos, 2025, Oil on canvas 16 x 20 x 1 in; Lucy Slivinski, Red Moon, 2025, Magnetic wire on steel wire frame, 78 x 65 x 40 in.
MOONLIGHT: Out of the Chaos
By CSI member Kasia Kay along with Lucy Slivinski
Curated by Nora Schneider
April 10 - May 3, 2026 by appointment
Saturdays & Sundays 12-5pm
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 9, 5-9pm
CSI Project Space 1912 N Damen Ave, Chicago
ENGAGE Projects is excited to bring a fresh take to the gallery experience with the upcoming exhibition Moonlight: Out of the Chaos in Chicago’s historic Bucktown district. For more information, please contact us.
ENGAGE Projects is committed to supporting our local arts community and elevating artists and patrons alike. Our mission aims to bring art to the Chicago community and beyond, eliminating boundaries and making it possible for everyone to live with art. For more information about our mission, please visit here.
The following are not CSI sponsored projects
But may be of interest to our members
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
Cover image: Gravity, 2025 by Catherine Jacobi
Copyright © 2026 Chicago Sculpture International. All rights reserved.
This is the newsletter for Chicago Sculpture International.
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PO Box 408195
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April 2026 Newsletter
News | Exhibitions | Opportunities
Image credits: Above (Left to Right): Spikes by Christopher Newman at South Shore Cultural Center; Healing HeArts by Michael Alfano at Berger Park; Moon Infinity by Plamen Yordanov at Mount Greenwood Park
Call for Artists:
2026-2028 Sculpture in the Parks Exhibition Season
Submission Deadline: April 5, 2026
Exhibition Dates: October 2026 - October 2028
Chicago Sculpture International, in collaboration with the Chicago Park District and parks in the Chicagoland area, is inviting artists to submit proposals for the 2026-2028 Sculpture in the Parks (includes Chicago Park District Cultural Centers and Arts in the Parks initiatives, City of Evanston, Ronan Park, and possible other locations throughout the exhibition season).
The sculpture must be suitable for outdoor display in all weather conditions. They will be installed on hardscape or softscape (grass), so artists must be prepared for, and make provisions for, either type of installation. Only select sites have concrete pads; all other sites are softscape. Sculptures will be on view for two years, from October 2026 to October 2028 (exact dates to be determined). The sculpture must weight 3,000 lbs. or less. Works must be large-scale and suitable for outdoors and all weather conditions and weight under 3,000 lbs.. Submitted works must be transportable on a standard flatbed truck without requiring oversize or wide-load permits, escorts, or special routing. Each sculpture will receive a stipend of $4,200.
Click here for more details and to apply
Image credits: Above (Left to Right): Spikes by Christopher Newman at South Shore Cultural Center; Healing HeArts by Michael Alfano at Berger Park; Moon Infinity by Plamen Yordanov at Mount Greenwood Park
Board News
Board Member Opportunities
Chicago Sculpture International is looking to fill volunteer positions on our board. If you are a CSI member (or would like to be), please e-mail info@chicagosculpture.org to learn more.
CSI is waving annual membership fees for anyone interested, and can prove their devotion by offering time to help out in any of the committees on our board and leadership page: www.chicagosculpture.org/board-leadership.
Check it out and start learning about the progress of our nonprofit organization today!
Call for Artists
Image credit: Happy Family by John Kurman, Welded steel, dimensions variable
Not Normal
Juried show for CSI artists at Forum 301 Gallery
Submission Deadline: April 5, 2026
Exhibition Dates: May 1 - June 5, 2026
Artwork Dropoff: April 27, 2026
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.
Synesthesia: A sensory crossover where a person might "feel" sounds in specific parts of their body or sees colors while playing music is not normal. Schizophrenia, where a person hears voices and sees people who are not there, has been considered not normal, but as societal norms change it is now considered to be a neurobiological brain disorder that can be treatable and is seen as a neurominority rather than a "broken" state.
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.
Click HERE for more details and to apply.
Call for Artists:
Abstract Expressions
Juried show for CSI artists at CSI Project Space Gallery
Submission Deadline: May 1, 2026
Exhibition Dates: June 5- July 31, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, from 6-9 pm
Artwork Dropoff: May 30th and May 31st, 2026
“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.
Guidelines:
Applicants must be current CSI members.
If you are not a current member, click here https://www.chicagosculpture.org/join-csiContact 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 exhibiting artists to 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: StockCake
Join Us for
Project Windows!
at CSI Project Space Gallery
Submission Deadline: May 1, 2026
Exhibition Dates: June 5- July 31, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, from 6-9 pm
Artwork Dropoff: May 30th and May 31st, 2026
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.
We’re looking for imaginative 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).
CSI will provide both the frames and the mannequins.
11" x 14" frame with a 12" figure – depth of the frame is 3”
We hope you’ll consider being part of this exciting collaborative project. Please let us know if you’d like to participate! Frame and manikin can be picked up at Project Space or delivery may be arranged.
Examples of the frames and figures are below for reference. The frames are open, so will be seen from both sides. The examples are works in progress using paint, felting, and added construction using basswood.
Guidelines:
Applicants must be current CSI members.
If you are not a current member, click here https://www.chicagosculpture.org/join-csi
Please note: We are requesting exhibiting artists to cover 1 or 2 gallery sitting shifts during the duration of this show.
Artists interested in participating in Project Windows should contact Micki LeMeaux or Darlys Ewoldt by April 11. We will be arranging delivery of the manikins and frames to the artists.
CSI Project Space is located at 1912 N. Damen in Chicago.
Image credit: Example frames Micki LeMeaux
Voices in Form
Personal, political, or social narratives expressed through sculpture.
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2026
Notification Deadline: June 24, 2026
Delivery of work: September 14-17, 2026
Exhibition Dates: October 1 – November 12, 2026
Exhibition closes: November 12, 2026
The Indiana University Kokomo Art Gallery will host a special juried exhibition, Voices in Form, which features work by artist members of the Chicago Sculpture International group. CSI artists are invited to submit work for consideration for the upcoming exhibition, Voices in Form – Works from Chicago Sculpture International.The exhibition will be on display in the IUK Art Gallery, on the Indiana University Kokomo campus of Kokomo, Indiana. Voices in Form invites sculptors to explore how three-dimensional works can carry, amplify, and embody personal, political, and social narratives. This exhibition seeks sculpture that functions as a form of visual language—expressing lived experience, cultural memory, identity, resistance, or reflection through material, process, and form. Artists are encouraged to consider how their work “speaks” in space, whether through symbolic imagery, abstract gesture, or the physical presence of the object itself. Submissions may address contemporary issues, historical perspectives, or deeply personal stories that resonate beyond the individual. All sculptural approaches and materials are welcome, including traditional, experimental, and mixed-media works. Voices in Form aims to create a compelling dialogue between diverse sculptural voices and the communities they engage.
2-D and 3-D work will be considered. Wall hung work must be ready to hang with a strongwire or hanging cleat, or appropriate hanging device. Artworks can be displayed on the wall, floor, or pedestals.
About the Juror
Carrie Baxter, Art Gallery Director, and the IUK Art and NMAT Faculty will serve as the
Submission Deadline: Monday, June 1, 2026, 11:59pm
Required:
Submission for up to 4 artworks / total of eight JPEG images
JPEG files 1800 x 1800 pixels, 300 dpi preferred
Image file title: Smith,John_title_1a.jpg Smith,John_title_1b.jpg
Label information: Title, Artist Name, Medium, size, Price/NFS
Contact info: name, address, phone, email
Website link / Instagram handle (if applicable)Voices in Form – Personal, political, or social narratives expressed through sculpture.
Purchase price or NFS
Artists will be required to arrange for delivery and pickup or shipping with a prepaid return shipping label
Approximate weight of artwork
Location:
Indiana University at Kokomo Art Gallery
IU Kokomo Campus,
Room KA-102
2300 S. Washington St.
Kokomo, Indiana
Phone: (765)-455-9523
Gallery Hours: Monday–Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (EST); Friday-Sunday: CLOSED
CSI Events
Image: Artwork by Anne Farley Gaines
CREATING 3-D WORKS USING WATER-BASED MEDIA
A workshop with Anne Farley Gaines
Saturday May 9, from 1-5 PM
At Forum 301 Gallery
301 W. Ohio St.
Chicago, IL 60654
Workshop participants will be working in watercolor and also creating a sculptural form, working with different thicknesses of watercolor paper, foam board, molding paste, acrylic and watercolor paints, "Yes" paste, polymers, Asian papers, and museum board.
Chicago-based watercolorist, Anne Farley Gaines, is a mixed-media painter, and muralist who also works in sculpture media and will bring several examples of works she has created. Gaines' works are mostly nature-based, some are architectural.
She will encourage attendees in the workshop to begin their works in an abstract manner to obtain a strong sense of form before adding any detail. A list of materials will be given to all who sign up. There will be space for 20 attendees.
She has used this technique in various maquettes created for public works, which also become art pieces. Through a demonstration of this technique at the beginning, she hopes to inspire all who sign up to find their "voice" using the disparate materials she will be using.
Materials: Some materials will be provided, but some participants will be asked to bring additional materials in a provided materials list.
Click here to reserve a spot
CSI at the 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.
Image credit: Laurie LeBreton
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…
Member News
Citygarden in St Louis, MO
CSI interim president/grants chair Anthony Heinz May will be installing new public sculpture at Citygarden in St Louis, MO from the freestanding trunk of a dying locust tree. More information for Citygarden and this project by the Gateway Foundation can be found at: citygardenstl.org.
Madison Art Commission’s Monona Terrace’s 2026 Art on the Rooftop
Congratulations to CSI’s very own International Cultural Initiatives chair Shencheng Xu, and alongside past CSI exhibiting artists Plamen Yordanov, Sunghee Min, and Luke Achterberg for being accepted into the Madison Art Commission’s Monona Terrace’s 2026 Art on the Rooftop. The exhibition will open officially on Friday, May 8th - please see more details here: www.mononaterrace.com.
Above: Artwork by Kasia Kay (left) and Lucy Slivinski (right)
MOONLIGHT: Out of the Chaos
By Kasia Kay and Lucy Slivinski
Curated by Nora Schneider
April 10 - May 3, 2026 by appointment
Saturdays & Sundays 12-5pm
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 9, 5-9pm
CSI Project Space 1912 N Damen Ave, Chicago
ENGAGE Projects is excited to bring a fresh take to the gallery experience with the upcoming exhibition Moonlight: Out of the Chaos in Chicago’s historic Bucktown district. For more information, please contact us.
ENGAGE Projects is committed to supporting our local arts community and elevating artists and patrons alike. Our mission aims to bring art to the Chicago community and beyond, eliminating boundaries and making it possible for everyone to live with art. For more information about our mission, please visit here.
Image Credits:
L: Kasia Kay, Chaos (2025), oil on canvas 16 x 20 x 1 in.
R: Lucy Slivinski, Red Moon (2025), magnetic wire on steel wire frame, 78 x 65 x 40 in.
Image: Scott Mossman, Form J, 2026, Acrylic on Wood, 21 x 25 x 10 in.
Dimensions: Jesus Monsivais & Scott Mossman
Exhibition Dates: March 7- April 15, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 7 and April 4, 5-8pm
CSI Member Scott Mossman is part of this two-person exhibit, Dimensions with Jesus Monsivais. Space and lines influenced by music and architecture, mathematical equations and natural forms give us reason to examine the works of artists Jesus Monsivais & Scott Mossman. The intricate drawings of Monsivais chronicles a journey of a lost friend through a constructed paracosm, accompanied by mythical creatures. Though quite different visually, Mossman’s decidedly post-minimalist sculpture and maximalist painting share an emphasis on relationships – formal and contextual, that strive to expand the experience of space, and at the same time pose questions about the nature of picture-making. These two artists create work that coexists in one reality, yet take us to different dimensions.
The Saw Room, 1712 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
Please contact Scott Mossman for additional information.
The following are not CSI sponsored projects
But may be of interest to our members
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!
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.
Arts Quincy Underground Railroad Sculpture -America 250
Entry deadline: April 10, 2026
Arts Quincy is currently seeking Illinois-based sculptors for a public art commission, and we would greatly appreciate your help sharing this opportunity with artists in your community!
Arts Quincy has released a Request for Proposals for a permanent outdoor sculpture to be installed along the Quincy, Illinois riverfront. This commission honors Quincy’s historic role in the Underground Railroad and the broader abolition movement. The selected artwork will recognize the courage of freedom seekers who crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois and the Black abolitionists and allies who supported them.
The project seeks a non-representational or abstract sculptural work that reflects themes of courage, transition, sanctuary, and collective responsibility. Artists are encouraged to consider symbolism, movement, light, and material in their concepts.
Project Details
Location: Quincy, Illinois riverfront
Budget: $15,000
Eligibility: Artists who live and work in Illinois
Submission Deadline: April 10, 2026Following the initial review, 2 to 4 finalist artists will be selected to develop formal proposals and will receive a $300 honorarium for their submissions.
This sculpture will serve as a lasting public tribute to the bravery of those who sought freedom and the community that supported them. As Illinois approaches the 250th anniversary of the United States, this project offers artists an opportunity to contribute to a meaningful reflection on our shared history.
If possible, we would be grateful if you could share this opportunity with your students, faculty, members, or artist community.
Full details and submission requirements can be found here: https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=17208
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: Book sculpture by Laurie Wessman LeBreton
Copyright © 2026 Chicago Sculpture International. All rights reserved.
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March 2026 Newsletter
News | Exhibitions | Opportunities
Image credits: Above (Left to Right): Spikes by Christopher Newman at South Shore Cultural Center; Healing HeArts by Michael Alfano at Berger Park; Moon Infinity by Plamen Yordanov at Mount Greenwood Park
Call for Artists:
2026-2028 Sculpture in the Parks Exhibition Season
Submission Deadline: April 5, 2026
Exhibition Dates: October 2026 - October 2028
Chicago Sculpture International, in collaboration with the Chicago Park District and parks in the Chicagoland area, is inviting artists to submit proposals for the 2026-2028 Sculpture in the Parks (includes Chicago Park District Cultural Centers and Arts in the Parks initiatives, City of Evanston, Ronan Park, and possible other locations throughout the exhibition season).
The sculpture must be suitable for outdoor display in all weather conditions. They will be installed on hardscape or softscape (grass), so artists must be prepared for, and make provisions for, either type of installation. Only select sites have concrete pads; all other sites are softscape. Sculptures will be on view for two years, from October 2026 to October 2028 (exact dates to be determined). The sculpture must weight 3,000 lbs. or less. Works must be large-scale and suitable for outdoors and all weather conditions and weight under 3,000 lbs.. Submitted works must be transportable on a standard flatbed truck without requiring oversize or wide-load permits, escorts, or special routing. Each sculpture will receive a stipend of $4,200.
Click here for more details and to apply
Image credits: Above (Left to Right): Spikes by Christopher Newman at South Shore Cultural Center; Healing HeArts by Michael Alfano at Berger Park; Moon Infinity by Plamen Yordanov at Mount Greenwood Park
Board News
Board Member Opportunities
Chicago Sculpture International is looking to fill volunteer positions on our board. If you are a CSI member (or would like to be), please e-mail info@chicagosculpture.org to learn more.
CSI is waving annual membership fees for anyone interested, and can prove their devotion by offering time to help out in any of the committees on our board and leadership page: www.chicagosculpture.org/board-leadership.
Check it out and start learning about the progress of our nonprofit organization today!
CSI Exhibitions
Breaking the Mold: CSI Inclusion Fellowship Exhibit
CSI Project Space Gallery
Opening Reception: Friday, March 6 from 6-9PM
Exhibition Dates: March 6 – 27, 2026
Chicago Sculpture International is proud to announce the 2025-2026 CSI Inclusion Fellowship Exhibit, Breaking the Mold. The exhibit promotes greater equity and representation within the sculptural arts. This initiative welcomes six ALAANA- or BIPOC-identifying artists into our organization through yearlong fellowships that support emerging talent and expand the diversity of voices shaping our community. These artists bring exceptional promise and vision to the field, and CSI looks forward to spotlighting their contributions throughout the year.
Exhibiting Artists: Exhibiting Artists: Lulu Luyao Chang, Nanxi Jin, Stella Moon, Rial Rye, Natia Ser, Jose Trejo-Maya
ALAANA – African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American
BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, People of Color
CSI Project Space Gallery is located at 1912 N Damen Ave. in Chicago
Gallery hours: Fri. 2-6 pm*; Sat. 12–4 pm; Sun. 1-5 pm or by appointment
*Open until 8PM on the first Friday of every month.
Inquiries: projectspace@chicagosculpture.org
CSI Call for Entry
Image credit: Happy Family by John Kurman, Welded steel, dimensions variable
Not Normal
Juried show for CSI artists at Forum 301 Gallery
Submission Deadline: April 5, 2026
Exhibition Dates: May 1 - June 5, 2026
Artwork Dropoff: April 27, 2026
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.
Synesthesia: A sensory crossover where a person might "feel" sounds in specific parts of their body or sees colors while playing music is not normal. Schizophrenia, where a person hears voices and sees people who are not there, has been considered not normal, but as societal norms change it is now considered to be a neurobiological brain disorder that can be treatable and is seen as a neurominority rather than a "broken" state.
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.
Click HERE for more details and to apply.
Call for Artists
Abstract Expressions
Juried show for CSI artists at CSI Project Space Gallery
Submission Deadline: May 1, 2026
Exhibition Dates: June 5- July 31, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, from 6-9 pm
Artwork Dropoff: May 30th and May 31st, 2026
“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.
Guidelines:
Applicants must be current CSI members.
If you are not a current member, click here https://www.chicagosculpture.org/join-csiContact 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 exhibiting artists to 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.
CSI Events
15th Element salon
Gathering date: March 15, 2026
Join us for 15th element hosted at CSI project space. Bring and share what you're currently working on or passionate about and get feedback about your work. Light refreshments will be served. If your work is difficult to transport an you’d still like to show it bring documentation and a discussion can be had.
15th element is a monthly art salon style event with the goal to encourage meaningful conversation, collaborations, feedback on work-in-progress, rehearsal, and experiment. 15 artists and art supporters gather for solidarity, friendship, and to support the interests of persons and their work.
Please contact Spencer Gale for additional information.
Member News
Image: Sculpture by Scott Mossman
Dimensions: Jesus Monsivais & Scott Mossman
Exhibition Dates: March 7- April 15, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 7 and April 4, 5-8pm
CSI Member Scott Mossman is part of this two-person exhibit, Dimensions with Jesus Monsivais. Space and lines influenced by music and architecture, mathematical equations and natural forms give us reason to examine the works of artists Jesus Monsivais & Scott Mossman. The intricate drawings of Monsivais chronicles a journey of a lost friend through a constructed paracosm, accompanied by mythical creatures. Though quite different visually, Mossman’s decidedly post-minimalist sculpture and maximalist painting share an emphasis on relationships – formal and contextual, that strive to expand the experience of space, and at the same time pose questions about the nature of picture-making. These two artists create work that coexists in one reality, yet take us to different dimensions.
The Saw Room, 1712 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
Please contact Scott Mossman for additional information.
Image: Bethany Cordero, Given the circumstance, I suggest we pack light
Mutuality: The Center Program Biennial Exhibition
at the Hyde Park Art Center
Exhibition Dates: through March 8th, 2026
CSI Members Bethany Cordero and Dawn Liddicoatt are included in the Hyde Park Art Center’s Center Program Biennial Exhibition: Mutuality, on view now until March 8th.
A long-standing professional development initiative for Chicago artists ready to elevate their practice, the Center Program offers participants the opportunity to develop new work, receive critical feedback from art professionals, and work toward a culminating exhibition at the Art Center. Over the course of a year, a supportive peer network, alongside guest artists, gallerists, critics, and other arts professionals, encourages artists to engage with rigorous questions and evolve their practice.
Bethany’s sculpture is titled, “Given the circumstance, I suggest we pack light”. Her work’s morphic arc evokes both origin and return, tracing the shifting trajectory of a single life. Though rooted in a simple form, its intricately woven sisal and undulating steel complicate the arc, reflecting time not as a clean path but as a fluid accumulation of variation and change. Formed from remnants, the work transforms what is left behind into something renewed, mirroring how a life gathers experiences, reshapes them, and continually evolves.
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago, IL 60615
Please contact Bethany Cordero for additional information.
Image: Our Founding Father by Shencheng Xu and Windy City Snowmen
40th Annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition
CSI International Cultural Initiatives Chair Shencheng Xu teamed up with the Windy City Snowmen to participate in the 40th Annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition . Their snow sculpture, Our Founding Father, won First Place this year.
Image credit: The Carpenter's Family, Jean Bourdichon, 15th century
Big Sale of Items in Woodworker’s Shop
For art/craft making and house projects:
1”-thick (some 2”) short-length wood planks
Machines—scroll saw, table saw, assorted stationary grinders
Power hand tools—sanders, drills, jigsaws, routers, grinders, small rotary tools
Hand tools—saws, knives, chisels, mallets, hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, measurement and layout tools
Many clamps
Huge assortment of fastening hardware
Paint brushes
Finishes
String, rope
Tarps
Bubble wrap
Other:
Household items
Tree trimmers, gardening tools, pots, and other supplies
Curios and objets d’art
Books
Picture frames
Cash only. Everything must go. Bring bags for your treasures.
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 9am to 4pm
Location: 2463 N. Halsted, Chicago
The following are not CSI sponsored projects
But may be of interest to our members
Bucktown Spring
Wine Wobble
CSI Project Space Gallery is one of the stops on the WIne Wobble Route on March 26, 6 -9 pm.
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: Happy Family by John Kurman, Welded steel, dimensions variable
Copyright © 2026 Chicago Sculpture International. All rights reserved.
This is the newsletter for Chicago Sculpture International.
Our mailing address is:
Chicago Sculpture International
PO Box 408195
Chicago, IL 60640
If you’d like to receive this monthly newsletter via email click here to update your preferences or unsubscribe
February 2026 Newsletter
News | Exhibitions | Opportunities
Board News
It is with sadness we announce some of our long-standing CSI Board Members have decided to resign including Stephanie Sailer, Patrick Wilson and Gina Lee Robbins. Helen Dannelly and Stella Moon have also decided to step down in the span of this past year.
Stephanie Sailer has been part of the board as secretary for many years, and gave CSI so much support with her forward thinking and positive attitude, even when times were not going so smoothly. Steph worked for countless hours on the CSI monthly newsletters and formulating minutes for our annual meetings just to mention a few of her many contributions over time.
Patrick Wilson held committee chair positions in Outreach and Development and also served to help out various other committees at points during his many years on CSI’s board. In the past year Patrick remained devoted by acting as board member at large where he offered insightful feedback with thoughtful engagement, to help foster success of this nonprofit.
Gina Lee Robbins most recently volunteered at CSI as a board member at large, although has provided valuable opinions from her long tenure at the organization. She made many efforts within the indoor exhibits committee, and will continue to do so as she can. Gina has spent many years helping out CSI’s function and always provided valuable and instructive ideas.
Helen Dannelly came in this past year to help boost a progressive platform, but life obligations forced Helen’s focus outside of CSI.
Stella Moon began as CSI’s education chair but other commitments prevented her from continuing in this role as well.
Chicago Sculpture International wants to send our deepest thanks to these individuals for the time they spent volunteering for our organization. If any of you choose to return to serve time on the board again, we would be happy and excited to have you back. Thank you all again!
Chicago Sculpture International is looking to fill volunteer positions on our board. If you are a CSI member (or would like to be), please e-mail info@chicagosculpture.org to learn more.
Welcome our New Board Member!
It is our pleasure that Rich Stewart has joined the CSI volunteer board team to act as Board Member at Large –Interim Secretary. Rich hails from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin and has served as advisory member for four different boards, offering many years of experience in various areas including fundraising and related marketing. He is a sculptor who works in metal casting, glass blowing and integrates performative elements in his artistic oeuvre. He has developed relations with Milwaukee Makerspace and comes to CSI as having already spent time volunteering at Gallery Space, and looks forward to helping with indoor exhibitions. On behalf of CSI, we welcome Rich to the team!
CSI is waving annual membership fees for anyone interested, and can prove their devotion by offering time to help out in any of the committees on our board an leadership page: www.chicagosculpture.org/board-leadership.
Check it out and start learning about the progress of our nonprofit organization today!
CSI Exhibitions
Breaking the Mold: CSI Inclusion Fellowship Exhibit
CSI Project Space Gallery
Opening Reception: Friday, March 6 from 6-9PM
Exhibition Dates: March 6 – 27, 2026
Chicago Sculpture International is proud to announce the 2025-2026 CSI Inclusion Fellowship Exhibit, Breaking the Mold. The exhibit promotes greater equity and representation within the sculptural arts. This initiative welcomes six ALAANA- or BIPOC-identifying artists into our organization through yearlong fellowships that support emerging talent and expand the diversity of voices shaping our community. These artists bring exceptional promise and vision to the field, and CSI looks forward to spotlighting their contributions throughout the year.
Exhibiting Artists: Exhibiting Artists: Lulu Luyao Chang, Nanxi Jin, Stella Moon, Rial Rye, Natia Ser, Jose Trejo-Maya
ALAANA – African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American
BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, People of Color
CSI Project Space Gallery is located at 1912 N Damen Ave. in Chicago
Gallery hours: Fri. 2-6 pm*; Sat. 12–4 pm; Sun. 1-5 pm or by appointment
*Open until 8PM on the first Friday of every month.
Inquiries: projectspace@chicagosculpture.org
CSI Call for Entry
Image credit: Happy Family by John Kurman, Welded steel, dimensions variable
Not Normal
Juried show for CSI artists at Forum 301 Gallery
Submission Deadline: April 5, 2026
Exhibition Dates: May 1 - June 5, 2026
Artwork Dropoff: April 27, 2026
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.
Click HERE to apply.
Image Credit: Happy Family, artist John Kurman
Member News
Image: Michelle Corazzo, Wrapped Up, clay and underglaze, 2024.
Pictures of You
January 16th through March 6, 2026
Opening Reception: January 16th, 7-10PM
Pictures of You is a juried exhibit about portraiture, including CSI members Michele Corazzo, Set Gozo, and Dawn Liddicoat and curated by CSI member Marci Rubin.
About the Exhibit:
Portraits encompass many forms, including traditionally posed portraits, candid portraits, environmental portraits, conceptual or symbolic portraits, and self-portraits. Representations of real or imagined individuals, couples, families, groups, etc.., in which their images are the primary focus are portraits.
Artistically inspired portraits strive to capture the subject’s personality, mood, essence, and character to communicate their uniqueness, story, voice or importance.
Actual physical likenesses to interpretative resemblances expressed via an artistic vision reveal the narrative and character of the subject. Historically to current artistic practices, the portrait is represented in every visual artistic style, movement, genre and media.
Bridgeport Art Center
4th Floor
1200 W, 35th St.
Chicago, IL
The following are not CSI sponsored projects
But may be of interest to our members
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.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Writing for Impact: Artist Grants that Speak to Reviewers
February 11 at 5:30pm CT
This webinar offers artists practical tools to craft grant applications and proposals that resonate with decision makers. Anitra Budd will blend the essentials of strong writing with insights into how reviewers evaluate applications, helping you write with confidence and clarity. Facilitator: Anitra Budd, Copywriter and editor
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Artist Documentation: 2D, 3D, Video
February 18 at 7:00pm CT
Documentation is often the first way audiences and funders encounter your work. In this panel session, artists and documentation specialists Mariah Moneda, Christopher Selleck, and Seth Dahlseid discuss approaches for capturing 2D, 3D, and video artwork for portfolios, applications, and digital platforms, from DIY setups to professional techniques. Facilitators: Mariah Moneda, Christopher Selleck, and Seth Dahlseid
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Stop the Scroll: Video Tactics for Artists on Social Media
February 25 at 3:00pm CT
Social media doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or inauthentic. Artists Jennifer Meeker, Ramona Muse Lambert, and Akwi Nji discuss different ways to use video to share your work and process to connect with online audiences. Drawing from both artistic practice and communications strategy, this conversation offers adaptable ideas you can use across platforms. Facilitators: Jennifer Meeker, Ramona Muse Lambert, and Akwi Ji
Click Here to Register
Click here for more information about Arts Midwest
North Charleston Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition
Entry deadline: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Exhibition: April 29, 2026 - March 14, 2027
Public Reception and Awards: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the 20th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, opening in conjunction with the 2026 North Charleston Arts Fest. Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $25,500, an increase over previous years. All selected artists will receive a $1,500 honorarium to assist with transportation, installation, and related expenses. Awards include Best in Show ($2,000), Outstanding Merit ($1,000), and up to three Honorable Mentions ($500 each). Applications are accepted online only at www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. A $35 application fee allows submission of up to four entries.
For additional information, contact the Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854, culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.
Image: (left) Bridge Beyond Time II by Corinna Sephora (2025/26 Best in Show), (right) Celestial Motion by Hanna Jubran (2025/26 Honorable Mention)
St. Charles’ Sculpture in the Park 2026-2027 Call for Entries
Entry deadline: March 6, 2026
Deliver works: May 4 - 8, 2026, installed by May 15, 2026
Removal of work: First week of May 2027
Artists’ Reception: July 17, 2026 at Mt. St. Mary Park
The 20th Anniversary Sculpture in the Park Exhibit (2026–2027) invites sculptors to submit work for a year-round outdoor exhibition presented by the Sculpture Committee in partnership with the St. Charles Park District and St. Charles Park Foundation. Sculptures will be installed in Mt. St. Mary Park along the Fox River in downtown St. Charles, Illinois, with one additional work selected for the veranda garden at the Baker Community Center. Substantial, durable sculptures suitable for continuous public display are required. All works must be installation-ready, available for sale, and appropriate for a public setting. Accepted media include metal, stone, and other materials capable of withstanding weather and public interaction. Recognition plaques and online listings will include artist information, materials, and sale price.
All sculptures will be mounted to concrete pads using approved bolting systems, with specific size, weight, and safety requirements strictly enforced. Final approval at installation rests with the Construction Supervisor, and the Committee retains the right to require removal of any work deemed unsafe.
A $25 non-refundable entry fee is required per submission. Each accepted sculpture will receive a $1,500 honorarium, and one artist will be awarded a $500 Committee Award for originality, durability, and execution. The Committee will collect a 30% commission on works sold or commissioned during the exhibit period. Insurance coverage of up to $10,000 per sculpture will be provided during the exhibition period, with coverage outside that window remaining the responsibility of the sculptor. The exhibit is hosted by the St. Charles Park District in partnership with the St. Charles Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.
Please apply online: https://www.stcsculpture.org/application
This is not a CSI-sponsored call but may be of interest to our members.
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
Cover image:
Z of3 (Zoscape), by Ellen Lustig, Mixed media, LED, Dimensions variable
Copyright © 2026 Chicago Sculpture International. All rights reserved.
This is the newsletter for Chicago Sculpture International.
Our mailing address is:
Chicago Sculpture International
PO Box 408195
Chicago, IL 60640
If you’d like to receive this monthly newsletter via email click here to update your preferences or unsubscribe
January 2026 News
News | Exhibitions | Opportunities
Current Exhibitions
Little, but BOLD! 2025
CSI Project Space Gallery
Exhibit Dates: December 13, 2025 - January 30, 2026
Works from the exhibit remain available for purchase through the final day of the exhibition. The exhibition features affordable, small-scale sculptures that make thoughtful and distinctive holiday gifts, while offering collectors an accessible way to support contemporary sculptors. Click here to view works from the exhibit. To purchase work, please contact: projectspace@chicagosculpture.org
Little, but BOLD! is in celebration of all things unmonumental. Often flying under the radar, small things have the special ability to bridge private and public spaces. Within the sculpture field, there has been a projected narrative that bigger is better. We are here to assert that small things can hold the same importance as the largest monument.
Exhibiting Artists: Nikki Anderson, Nicole Beck, Sharon Bladholm, Donna Bliss, Wallace Bowling, Luyao Chang, Yidan Chen, Robert Craig, John D'Asto, Rea-Silvia Emmanouil, Darlys Ewoldt, Ladipo Famodu, Victoria Fuller, Spencer Gale, Gertah, Set Gozo, Carol Hammerman, Kyle Houseman, John Kurman, Kim Laurel, Beatriz Ledesma, Micki LeMieux, Marilyn Lucas, Angela McElwain, Michelle Meyer, Bill Mitchell, Brian E Monaghan, Frederick B. Napoli, Kathryn Parenti, Thomas Plum, Vaso Powers, Beverly Rautenberg, Gina Lee Robbins, Jacqueline Ropski, Nancy Lu Rosenheim, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Douglas Schuberth, Marvin Shafer, David Skora, Rich Stewart, Gunnar Theel, Nancy VanKanegan, Ryan Zoghlin
Location: CSI Project Space, 1912 N. Damen Ave., Chicago, IL (at the corner of Damen and Cortland)
Gallery hours: Fri. 2-6 pm*; Sat. 12–4 pm; Sun. 1-5 pm or by appointment
*Open until 8PM on the first Friday of every month.
Inquiries: projectspace@chicagosculpture.org
Member News
Ellen Lustig: Transformations
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 22, from 12-4pm
Transformations showcases CSI membr Ellen Lustig's multifaceted creative force spanning from childhood to the present day. The showcase includes drawing, painting, sculpture, and more. Highlights include her Surreal Tree Paintings, oil works revealing anthropomorphic qualities in nature; Abstract Illusion Paintings, spontaneous landscapes evoking music and motion; and Zofscape, a multimedia installation combining LED light sculptures, animated video, and original music composition.
A graduate of California College of the Arts in Oakland, Lustig has built a remarkable career as a caricature artist, ceramic sculptor, mural painter, and puppet maker. Her work reflects the influence of Bay Area underground comics culture and the Chicago Imagist movement, blending whimsy with deeper commentary on contemporary life. Her signature Pop Surrealism style transforms ordinary subjects into dreamlike scenarios that are simultaneously playful and profound.
On exhibit November 22 - February 1, 2026
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Kara Cobb Johnson, Lunchtime, 2026, 36 × 36 in., acrylic on canvas
The 92nd Exhibition of Visual Artist Members
CSI member Kara Cobb Johnson will be exhibiting her painting Lunchtime at The 92nd Exhibition of Visual
Artist Members
Opening Reception is January 23rd, 2026 at 6PM
Exhibition runs from January 23rd through March 7th, 2026
The Arts Club of Chicago
201 E. Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 787-3997
The following are not CSI-sponsored projects but may be of interest to our members:
St. Charles’ Sculpture in the Park 2026-2027
Call for Entries
The 20th Anniversary Sculpture in the Park Exhibit (2026–2027) invites sculptors to submit work for a year-round outdoor exhibition presented by the Sculpture Committee in partnership with the St. Charles Park District and St. Charles Park Foundation. Sculptures will be installed in Mt. St. Mary Park along the Fox River in downtown St. Charles, Illinois, with one additional work selected for the veranda garden at the Baker Community Center. Substantial, durable sculptures suitable for continuous public display are required. All works must be installation-ready, available for sale, and appropriate for a public setting. Accepted media include metal, stone, and other materials capable of withstanding weather and public interaction. Recognition plaques and online listings will include artist information, materials, and sale price.
All sculptures will be mounted to concrete pads using approved bolting systems, with specific size, weight, and safety requirements strictly enforced. Final approval at installation rests with the Construction Supervisor, and the Committee retains the right to require removal of any work deemed unsafe. Accepted works must be delivered between May 4–8, 2026, installed by May 15, 2026, and removed during the first week of May 2027. An Artists’ Reception will take place July 17, 2026, at Mt. St. Mary Park.
A $25 non-refundable entry fee is required per submission. Each accepted sculpture will receive a $1,500 honorarium, and one artist will be awarded a $500 Committee Award for originality, durability, and execution. The Committee will collect a 30% commission on works sold or commissioned during the exhibit period. Insurance coverage of up to $10,000 per sculpture will be provided during the exhibition period, with coverage outside that window remaining the responsibility of the sculptor. The exhibit is hosted by the St. Charles Park District in partnership with the St. Charles Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization.
Please apply online: https://www.stcsculpture.org/application
Submissions are due by March 6, 2026.
North Charleston Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition
Sculpture artists from across the nation are invited to participate in the 20th Annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition, opening in conjunction with the 2026 North Charleston Arts Fest. Up to 14 sculptures will be juried into the exhibition and compete for cash prizes totaling up to $25,500, an increase over previous years. All selected artists will receive a $1,500 honorarium to assist with transportation, installation, and related expenses. Awards include Best in Show ($2,000), Outstanding Merit ($1,000), and up to three Honorable Mentions ($500 each). Applications are accepted online only at www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com/apply. A $35 application fee allows submission of up to four entries. The deadline is Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Application assistance is available through the Cultural Arts Department by appointment.
Presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this 11-month outdoor exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display work throughout North Charleston Riverfront Park, a ten-acre site along the Cooper River featuring walking paths, a boardwalk, performance pavilion, fountain, play areas, and picnic spaces. Located in the heart of the city’s arts district, the park welcomes an estimated 50,000 visitors annually, providing broad public visibility for exhibited works.
The 2026–2027 juror is Mark E. Brown, artist and Chair of Studio Art and Graphic Design at High Point University. Brown holds an MFA from East Carolina University and has participated in more than 350 exhibitions nationally and internationally, with work shown at venues including the National Arts Club, SECCA, and Grounds for Sculpture, as well as exhibitions abroad in Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Brown has served as juror for numerous arts organizations and fellowships and has curated multiple traveling exhibitions. The exhibition will be on view April 29, 2026, through March 14, 2027, at North Charleston Riverfront Park. A free public reception and awards announcement will take place Wednesday, April 29, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 pm at the Charleston Area Convention Center. For additional information, contact the Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854, culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or www.NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com.
Image: (left) Bridge Beyond Time II by Corinna Sephora (2025/26 Best in Show), (right) Celestial Motion by Hanna Jubran (2025/26 Honorable Mention)
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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
Cover image:
Z of3 (Zoscape), by Ellen Lustig, Mixed media, LED, Dimensions variable
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