SORA Alum Gail Potocki’s show “Opened Apples” begins on November 15 at the Billy Shire Fine Arts gallery in Culver City, CA, outside of Los Angeles. The show runs until December 5th.

An online gallery of the work is here.

There is an interview with Gail in Hi-Fructose Magazine here.

SORA Alum Steve Cox will present new work in the Phase 7 show at the 4Art Inc gallery in Pilsen.

There is a opening reception Friday, November 14 6pm-10pm.

4Art Inc Gallery
1932 S Halsted
Chicago Ill
312 850-1816
www.4artinc.com

Click here for more information on the show.

SORA graduate Jennifer Baffi will be featured in a show titled “Original Visions” with Angela Ventrella at the Vogt Visual Arts Center in Tinley Park. The show is on display from October 1 to 31. There will be a reception on Friday, October 17 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

The Vogt Visual Arts Center is located at 17420 S. 67th Court in Tinley Park.

There is a news article about the show here.

The new schedule of weekend classes at SORA for the fall and winter is posted here. There are life drawing classes, a portrait drawing workshop, Alla Prima painting workshop and composition lectures. These classes are in addition to SORA’s regular full and part time program.

SORA graduate Steve Cox has a new website up:

Combustible Studios

SORA instructor Steve Ohlrich will be teaching an 8-week Still Life Painting course in Cedarburg, WI:

Still life composition and art fundamentals will be the focus of this 8-week class with nationally published artist and atelier instructor Steve Ohlrich. Students will draw the still life in charcoal while exploring the fundamentals of drawing including seeing proportions, shapes, and values. After working out the drawing, students will proceed painting the still life in oil. Students will learn paint mixing, paint application, and a working procedure to paint in a representational manner. The instructor will instruct students individually and will give demonstrations as necessary.
Open to all levels of ability.

“I believe sound draftsmanship is the foundation of great painting and this class is for the student seeking solutions to the challenges of drawing from life.”

Steve Ohlrich
Www.steveohlrich.com

The Fundamentals of Still Life Art

Mondays, October 20 to December 8. 8 weeks, 7-9 pm.

Cedarburg Cultural Center, Cedarburg, WI
Www.cedarburgculturalcenter.org
(262) 375-3676

SORA instructor Steve Ohlrich will be conducting several drawing classes and painting workshops in July and August. More details are here. Details on Steve’s current exhibitions can be found here.

Below is an interview with SORA instructor and professional artist, Mike Chelich. Mike has taught at SORA since its founding in 1992. Mike and SORA director, Bruno Surdo, both studied at Atelier Lack in Minneapolis in the early 80s. In addition to teaching at SORA, Mike has an active commissioned art and portrait painting practice. Mike discusses his art educational background at Chicago’s American Academy of Art and Atelier Lack in Minneapolis, his teaching experience at SORA and his reflections about his own work. –Ben Rathbone

Click here for Mike’s bio
Click here for Mike’s personal website

BR: Can you tell me about your background. How and when did you decide you wanted to be an artist?

Mike: Since I was very young, probably four or five years old, I had been doing art. I had an interest in all sorts of things as most boys do, dinosaurs, superheros and comic books. I had an interest in anatomy even as a little kid and was putting blood vessels on dinosaurs. I knew that I wanted to be an artist early, especially a comic book artist. In adition, I also loved wildlife and the natural world. When I got into high school, I saw the work of a wildlife artist named Charles Frace. After I saw his work, I knew I wanted to be serious about becoming a wildlife artist. That was in early high school. So that was the formation of my interests in art.

BR: When did you graduate high school and what did you do after that?

Mike: I graduated from high school in 1982. Leading up to that time, I was a little aimless. I put off even applying to college so lets just say I was very fortunate in the way things happened. I tried for a scholarship contest to the American Academy of Art in Chicago where you had to draw for 6 hours, and then submit your work. I did that and won a tuition scholarship. That pretty much decided it. I was interested in the American Academy, anyway, so that sealed the deal.

BR: What was the scholarship contest like?
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Painting the Figure with Bruno Surdo

Don’t miss this rare opportunity!

3 day course, June 24, 26, 28, Tues/Thurs/Fri

8 am to 1 pm

$450

Bruno Surdo will demonstrate and assist students in his process of painting the human figure. His many years of experience has brought him to work in a method that combines technique from the Venetian and Flemish styles of painting.

This course will focus on the technical aspects of painting the human figure working through the following steps: monochromatic underpainting, painting flesh tones and impasto/thick layers of paint

Materials list will be given at time of registration

Click here for more information

SORA Director Bruno Surdo will give a guided tour and talk about the work in his current show, ‘Obscurities’ at the Ann Nathan Gallery on Friday, May 9 2008, at 12:30 p.m. This event is open to the public.

The Ann Nathan Gallery is located at 218 W. Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60610.