Fifty plaster skulls – painted, beaded, glittered, screen-printed and even mounted on skateboards – peer at passers-by from the windows of Gallery Mornea, 602 Davis St.
“It’s a very colorful display,” said Patti Gerasole, a restaurant owner from Pittsburgh. “I was just window shopping with my granddaughters and it caught our eye.”
The skulls, which premiered Friday, are a tribute to Northwestern art professor and Chicago artist Ed Paschke, who died last year. About 50 Chicago artists and friends of Paschke decorated the skulls in appreciation of his friendship and artistic talent. The exhibit also included a green plaster mold of Paschke’s face.
The skulls can be purchased next week for prices ranging from $500 to more than $2,000. Proceeds will go to the recently established Ed Paschke Foundation, which raises money for art appreciation.
“Paschke liked to have fun, and that permeates his art,” gallery manager Richard Davis said. “He was a world-class artist, but he was as unpretentious as could be.”
Paschke has art pieces in public collections at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian in Washington, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Musee National d’Art Moderne in Paris. He taught art theory and practice at NU for 27 years.
About a year ago, Clyde Mlodoch, who was a good friend of Paschke’s, distributed the 50 unpainted skulls to other colleagues of Paschke to decorate, Davis said. Mlodoch’s art is also displayed at the exhibit.
Michael Monar, the owner of the gallery who also decorated a skull, said he hopes the show raises awareness of the Paschke Foundation in Evanston. Although the display is opening near Halloween and the Day of the Dead, a Mexican celebration remembering the deceased, the project’s purpose is hardly morbid.
“It’s not dark or dreary – it’s a celebration of life,” Monar said.
Each of the skulls is very different, but all were inspired by Paschke’s work. Chicago artist David Gista had an office in the same building as Paschke. He said he was happy to participate in the project and support the Paschke Foundation.
“Since he was a good friend, (the skull) is an homage to him,” Gista said. “The foundation would promote Chicago artists – not enough is done.”
His skull, entitled “Stranger in Paradise,” was painted sky blue and mounted on a green board, with miniature plastic figures pasted throughout the surface of the skull. Gista said he tried to make the piece surreal by using elements of a classical still life.
Another participating artist, Richard Cronborg, said Paschke helped jump-start his artistic career. A heavy equipment operator for 33 years, Cronborg learned how to paint after taking an art class just over a decade ago.
“Paschke was an inspiration,” Cronborg said. “I started studying painters and e-mailed Paschke with my Web site. He said he liked my art, and it gave me an impetus to continue.”
Cronborg’s work bears striking similarity to Paschke’s. But more important than a mentor, Cronborg said, Paschke was a good friend.
“He never called me Rich; he called me Corndog, which was my AOL name,” Cronborg said. “He didn’t care that I was a tradesman. He cared about my fire for art.”
Reach Kristyn Schiavone at
