A wide variety of galleries, art displays and artistic workshops popped up across Evanston on Saturday.
With the help of a self-guided map, attendees at the First Saturday Evanston Art Events immersed themselves in the city’s artistic culture. The event was organized by Evanston Made, a group of art advocates who showcase the city’s creative community.
Select art studios and community centers offer open studio time where attendees are encouraged to try out a new artistic medium or style. One of these studios is Storm Print City, a gallery on Central Street that promotes neighborhood pride and local art.
On Saturday, owner and printmaker Russell Muits offered a free print-making experience that taught customers how to create their own T-shirts.
Muits creates prints using designs from “utility covers, sewer caps, storm drains, and coal holes,” according to his website.
After his first time making a print from an object on the street, he said he “started noticing all these really cool objects that are in a way some of the original graphic designs.”
By making prints from these designs, Muits finds a way to connect with and learn about different communities on neighboring streets, he said.
Aydan Dincer, owner of gallery Prairie Joe’s West, located on the corner of Prairie Avenue and Central Street, showcases a wide range of original art — from bright landscapes to more abstract portraits — in his studio at First Saturday events.
Dincer said he has been making art in Evanston for around 18 years and is excited by the growth of the artistic community beyond downtown Evanston. He described the art scene as “very alive” and “very community-oriented,” and he said the art scene near Central Street has expanded in recent years.
Artem Pop Up Gallery, a multi-medium art store on Sherman Avenue, also showcased art on Saturday. Gallery owner and artist Sarita Kamat said she displays the work of over 55 artists, selling a wide range of “paintings, jewelry, pottery (and) fiber art.”
Kamat herself began as a painter, primarily of landscapes, and later transitioned into painting jewelry. She said these events encourage residents to admire work by local artists.
However, Muits said the event does not always bring more traffic to his store, and he hopes the events will expand further.
“I love the concept of First Saturday, and I participate every time,” Muits said. “Sometimes I’m just a little bummed that nobody shows up.”
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