Story Corps 
Fifty years ago today, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” made its debut on televisions nationwide. François Clemmons, who played Officer Clemmons — making him the first African American actor to have a recurring role on a children's TV show — remembered his extraordinary friendship with Fred Rogers.

Watch the video on FB.

The stars! The clothes! The music! With its February 16 release date approaching, everyone is experiencing Black Panther fever. While we still have to wait for the early reviews (Issa Rae’s one-minute take: “Wooooooooo!”), the hair critics have already ruled that everyone looks fantastic.

​Ahead of the movie’s premiere, the Cut talked to the head of Black Panther’s hair department, Camille Friend. The movie’s hair wizard explained the month-long process of creating Angela Bassett’s wig, why Michael B. Jordan needed to wear extensions, and what it was like working on a film that celebrated natural black hair.
​
Read more on The Cut...

February 14 - March 20, 2018

Laurie Shaman: "Drawn to Clay"

Gallery Talk by the artist and reception: Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 3:30 p.m.
Please Note: The SXU Gallery will be closed for Spring Break: March 5-11.

Laurie Shaman is a Chicago-based artist, whose ceramic work is shown regularly in galleries and exhibitions across the country. It can also be seen in two Lark publications: The Best of 500 Ceramics and 500 Vases: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Form. When she was Director of Lill Street's gallery, she curated dozens of group and solo exhibitions involving ceramic artists of local and national prominence. In 2009, she created a six-panel ceramic mural "In the Swim," commissioned by the Public Art Program, City of Chicago, now installed and on view at the Hayes Park Natatorium in the Ashburn-Wrightwood community. Ms. Shaman states "I make tabletop and wall pieces in porcelain or stoneware using primarily slab-built techniques, with an eye on developing shapes and contours that best provide the surface for my hand drawn imagery. These forms thus become a canvas for depicting scenes that combine my interests in travel, art history and the natural world. The vases, vessels and wall pieces I make today evolved naturally over time from a strong foundation producing utilitarian pottery, as well as having an ongoing practice of creating works on paper with a variety of drawing techniques. These once separate pursuits have been the basis of my ceramic work, and combined, produce for me the greatest satisfaction: merging the painted surface to three-dimensional form."

SXU Art Gallery
L-114 of the Warde Academic Center
3700 W. 103rd Street 
Chicago, IL 60655

Feb. 12-March 9
Reception: Feb. 13, 10:30 a.m.-Noon
Artist Talk: 11:30 a.m.

​Ellen Holtzblatt’s exhibition is inspired by her travels including Japan, Iceland, and the prairies of the Midwest. Her paintings explore the idea between physical being and spirituality with her attention to light and ability to convey motion within her landscapes and scenes. The exhibition will continue into the atrium.


​Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery
​Fine and Performing Arts Center
Moraine Valley Community College
9000 W. College Pkwy.
Palos Hills, IL 60465-2478

Exhibit: Monday, February 5 – Monday, February 26
Reception: Sunday, February 11, 1pm – 3pm

McCord is proud to provide gallery space for up and coming artists in our community. Displaying their art in an actual gallery space allows students to see how much their work is appreciated and respected by others and encourages them to continue to pursue their interest in art. This February we welcome art students first through fifth grade from Palos East and West. Please join us at the receptions to show your support for these budding artists.

McCord Gallery
9602 W. Creek Road
Palos Park, IL, 60464