Tools of The Trade

Moving Day

2012-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

I will be consolidating all show information through my main blog. Please visit Non-Linear-Arts for up dates on this and other projects I'll be working on.

Tools of the Trade: A Citizens' View of Law Enforcement: Current and Upcoming Events

2011-11-02T05:00:00.001-07:00

For the month of November," Tools of the Trade: A Citizen's View of Law Enforcement"will be shown at the Public Library in Darien.

On February 20Th I will be speaking at The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association . This talk will be about how and why I set up the residency with the Oak Park Police Department, how the residency changed my studio practice and my view of an artist's place in the community.

I will be including a peek into my "real" sketchbooks, images of all artist's whose work was shown in the departmental art gallery and a few surprises. Hope to see you there!

April 2011 Exhibit Coming Soon:

2011-02-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

The Exhibit will be showing at the Indian Trail Library in Darien Illionis in April 2011. More information to follow! In the mean time, here are a few photos taken by our daughter during the Oak Park opening.

Project Website

Guests enjoying the exhibit

Chief Rich Tanksley and Chicago Tribune's Barbara Brotman

Author Daniel Smith and guests.

It was nice to have my parents and friends and also people I did not know. Always a hopeful sign.

Growing Down

2010-11-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

After several years of intense creating and blogging, I've been enjoying a well earned respite from web life. In art, as in farming, fallow time provides and opportunity for future productivity so I've been collecting ideas, messing around in my sketchbook and in the words of my sister, "growing down". I have a few ideas for a large project that has not come into focus yet but expect some movement in the future. Blessings to you all!

Tools of the Trade: Opening Night

2010-05-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

The long awaited opening of my show Tools of the Trade: A Citizens' View of Law Enforcement is right around the corner. If you are in the area, I hope you will stop by to hear us speak and for some lovely refreshments made by friends and family.

I'll be taking an extended break from blogging this summer.(More than I HAVE been taking!) See you all in the fall.

Middle East Texile Show

2010-03-10T01:50:00.000-08:00

Salt bag

The current show is an exhibition of my friend and collegue, Virginia Heaven's collection of textiles from the middle east. She has graciously loaned us a few of her favorites. Here is her statement:

"I am a collector. It’s almost a guilty admission. But I simply cannot resist acquiring textiles. I have traveled fairly extensively and when I go somewhere new (or somewhere I have been before) I go to the local markets to search for textiles. I have purchased shawls and rugs, bags and headdresses; I search around like a magpie for the thing I cannot resist. Then I bargain for it whether I am in the Middle-East or Mexico or Michigan; it’s part of the acquisition process to get a good price, or succumb to the asking price. I will fight or yield but I will nearly always buy.
Many of my pieces are odd—like the phone mat that is literally a mat for the phone. Other pieces are more valuable, either monetarily or spiritually. The Qur’an holder is most likely embroidered with an image from a precious antique face-powder box, saved because it belonged to a favorite female relative; a relic of an earlier time. The (upside down) Christmas tree bags (possibly for a donkey or even a bicycle) may be a simple tourist piece, or perhaps an image that had no intrinsic meaning other than a shape seen in a foreign magazine.
I am also an artist; I make handmade books which I fill with drawings and collage. The pages are like textiles, textured and rich with imaginings. My home is like a Bedouin tent; my walls are decorated with textiles as décor in place of paintings or prints. I have pillows on the floor made from woven salt bags from Central Asia, and 19th century American quilts on my walls, signed with the names of women long dead, but not forgotten.
From small children we seek comfort in textiles; a blanket edged with satin ribbon or a teddy bear so well loved it has become denuded, the surface worn away by tiny fingers seeking reassurance. Anthropologists think that one of the earliest forms of technology was weaving; baskets and textiles were among our first attempts to create order in the world. The jacquard loom was the first computer and heralded a new era now known as the Industrial Revolution. Currently there are textiles being developed that can cool or warm us at will, and camouflage fabric that changes rapidly to match the environment. Textiles are the best of what is ancient and modern. I can’t resist them."

Warding off the Evil Eye

Wall shot inside the station

Artistic Influences

2010-03-01T01:11:00.000-08:00

Stefan Sagmeister's Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far (This is the cover of the "book". It's beautifully designed as a number of smaller books tucked into this box.)

I want to take a moment to honor the work of artist's who have inspired me recently. Great teachers,weather in print,on line or in person comfort me as well as inspire me my journey. This projecthas given me the freedom to explore new directions and I'm working on integrating these ideas and working methods into my Waterways Project

I first learned about the brilliant and sincere designer Stephan Sagmeister on TED and his use of text and message opened my eyes to the visual power of the written word. Lately, I've been thinking alot about his brave decision to take a year off from commercial work a few years back. He said at the time that he was worried about what taking a year off would do to his business. (He has designed some very high profile music CD covers and other prominent design work.) This particular projectThings I Have Learned grew out of his year off and also inspired me to want to give something back to the community and begin my won project. The really amazing thing is that after a year off, his commercial business was bigger than ever. He also received numerous offers from companies willing to underwrite this very non commercial project. Just goes to show you what can happen when you let go of the money piece.

Man Bites Man:Two decades of Satiric Art

This book, hidden away in the drawing section of our local library was revelation. I ADORE these guys. The book covers a particularly rich period of this now rare art form. My favorites, listed below, command a line quality of strength and vigor. There is so much intelligence behind the drawings too that stirs my imagination. To call them cartoon artists is akin to calling Michelangelo a marble cutter. Satiric art has up rooted and moved off the pages of the newspapers on to Comedy Central. (Jon Steward for example) All modern political satire stands of the shoulders of these greats.

Paul Flora
Ronald Searle (Look for "The Arrival of God"
A Ronald Searle Tribute Blog
David Levine
Edward Sorel
Ralph Steadman

I'm posting the verso of the book because power of each artist's signature says so much about their work.

Man Bites Man (Verso)

Star Drawings

2010-02-21T02:58:00.000-08:00

As a result of my recent ride along, I've been trying out a few ideas. I wanted to include a collage element in my drawings. Mulberry paper makes a light weight college element that looks more integrated into the original surface than water color paper. After cutting the mulberry paper to fit in the printer, I sent it though with these rubbings of officers stars.

Metallic paint does not scan well, but I wanted a transparent gold and sliver look to the paper. Metallic ink was too insubstantial and metallic acrylic paint was too opaque. I ended up mixing the acrylic paint 50/50 with Dorlands Wax medium and rubbed it into the surface with a cosmetic sponge. This yielded just the right balance between coverage with shine and transparency.

Ride Along II: Officer Mike Rallidis

2010-02-15T07:20:00.001-08:00

Tool chest for an Evidence Technician

Part II January 2010 officer ride along

Over a quick lunch at Georges, Officer Mike Rallidis answered a few of my questions. I was curious about what his most important law enforcement tool was and he answered “my personality”. A surprising answer and after lunch, I had an opportunity to see just what he meant.

I’d like to switch gears for a moment and return to my morning ride along with Officer Hanson. A call came over the radio alerting officers that a computer had been stolen from an apartment building. The victim’s ID of the offender offered very little detail. Officer Hanson was perhaps the sixth person to talk to the victim about the crime when we arrived on the scene.

To process the crime scene, she brought her calm, rational, and confident demeanor as well as a large box of equipment and a camera. After examining the scene, she began to take photos and briefly whispered to me that she could not lift prints because there was too much dust on the surface of the table. The whole time she is processing the crime scene, she is quietly questioning the victim, trying to dislodge any bit of information that might assist the OPPD in catching the thief. She notices a bunch of canvas bags next to the front door and asks if one is missing. The bag might be something cops can ID the suspect with.

I never found out if the thief was caught, but what impressed me is how much time, effort and personnel the department invested in this one crime.

Every officer uses his or her innate gifts to augment their training. After lunch, Officer Rallidis and I arrive at an alley where a large truck is parked. Neighbors were suspicious that the truck might be shielding illegal activity. His manner was confident and he opened the conversation with the men in the truck using a bit of light banter. Somehow, tucked inside this friendly approach, it is clear that he meant business. A quick peak in the truck and at the delivery invoice confirmed that these were appliance delivery guys who got a bit lost.

Tools for evidence collection

In the car, he told me that although he always opens with this sort of friendly, firm approach, he can turn on a dime and deliver what the situation deserves if the suspect should become difficult or violent. He is not just using his personality but a rich understanding of human behavior. He told me several stories about how he approached a challenging, emotional experience and over and over, I was stuck by his use of empathy in his work. He said many times, suspects have THANKED him for arresting them because he made them see the arrest as a wake up call. Now that’s experienced police work!

Riding Along with Officers in January

2010-02-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

Work in progress
Star drawings

Part I- Officer Nicole Hanson

I recently had the pleasure to meet two more officers on our police force. Both are supremely qualified evidence technicians in addition to being patrol officers. My respect for the department and its personnel increases with every person I meet. I appreciate that Officers Mike Rallidis and Nicole Hanson took the time on their shift to share their work day with me.

The subject merits multiple posts so stay tuned. Part II will deal with the more psychological aspects of officer's approach to their work.

Driving Skills

I entered Officer Hanson’s car first at 10AM on a cold January morning and within seconds we were speeding toward the main library, responding to a fire alarm. Driving with her lights and siren on at fast speeds is a very different experience from riding with a loved one who is speeding to a late appointment. The officer is not only driving at high speeds, (including on the wrong side of the road) but listening to the radio to learn more about the call, scanning the road for drivers who are not pulling over for the emergency lights and thinking of what she has to do when arriving at the scene. Several citizens were chatting away on cell phones, oblivious to the loud sirens and lights and failed to pull to the side of the road. One driver unbelievably cut us off with a turn across the intersection. (Again, chatting on the phone while driving.) The call turned out to be nothing serious but officers never know what's on the other end of a call. They are prepare mentally for everything from the least to the worst case scenario.Officer Hanson did all this and had considerately checked to see if I had put my seat belt on before we left the parking lot at the station.It's amazing to see this display of driving skill and community consideration in her response to a call. Officers do this whole routine countless times a day during a shift.

What does Green mean to those wearing Blue?

Oak Parkers consider themselves pretty green-savvy but unknowing citizens might think it’s not very fuel efficient to keep squad cars running while officers answer calls. Here’s compelling evidence why they should.

Because Officer Hanson is an evidence technician (and a very good one) her back seat is crammed with temperature sensitive equipment. Her camera will not operate below a certain temperature. Neither will the computer.

But, just as important, imagine for a moment, what your work day would be like if every time you got back into your car after a call,your car was stone cold. Now try to fill out a report with frozen fingers or hang on to a freezing steering wheel. What about operating a fire arm when confronting a dangerous criminal in the act? It makes perfect sense for officers to keep their cars and themselves warm in the winter. There is a different sort of “green” at work here.

While we are on the subject of cars, Officer Hanson’s car has over 80,000 miles on it but this is not the same sort of mileage accumulated by the family car. Literally running for hours at a time, over bumpy roads, snow, salt, frequent stops and fast accelerations in all kinds of extreme weather, squad cars take a beating. They need to be replaced much earlier than the family car because officers depend on them so heavily.

So the resident tip of the day:

If you don’t understand why a law enforcement officer is doing something, respectfully ask! Officers usually welcome questions but since officers are taking care of everyone’s well being they might not be able to answer questions immediately. Please give them the benefit of the doubt. They are thoughtful professionals who just want to do their jobs.

Grant Writing for the Arts

2010-02-01T01:15:00.000-08:00

Guide to Getting Arts Grants

Most of January was consumed (and I do mean consumed) by writing three grants for my Tools of the Trade Projectand my left brain certainly got a major work out. Although not the most stimulating activity in the life of an artist, writing grants has helped me to really solidify what my art work means. It has made planning other parts of the project a snap because I've clarified exactly what I want to do with the project, how I want to market it and what it's success means to my career. It is VERY helpful to have a second person read through the requirements and the writing. In my case, my DH found several large discrepancies between what the grant funder was asking for and what I wrote. When a foundation or state agency is processing hundreds of applications, not following directions in a very detailed way earns you a big fat disqualification.

The creative cycle begins with the idea and the studio work, moves into the grant writing/ marketing phase and finally into the gallery part. I'm learning not to fret about the lack of studio time as I attend to all the parts of this project. However, my reward for all this good grant writing behavior is to dive into the studio and some on site winter sketching on the water.

Daniel Smith- On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department

2010-01-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

Author Daniel Smith

One chilly night this month, Craig and I drove to the beautiful Darien Library to hear author Daniel Smith talk and read from his book On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department. Danny is not only an accomplished speaker but spoke from his own very personal point of view about what police work is like. Although not an officer himself, he grew up surrounded by offices in his family. He gave us his insights about the toll the job takes on the psyche of officers as well as celebrating their accomplishments. If you live in the Chicago area, I highly recommend you catch up with him and hear his very personal point of view. I've read the book three times now and recommend it to you as well.

Danny has very generously allowed me to use text from his book in
several drawings. Danny has also agreed to speak at the opening of the Tools of the Trade Art opening.

Speaking of the opening, I've set the date now.Officially, the opening will be on :

Thursday June 10
6:30 PM Gallery Talk and speakers Chief Rick Tanksley and Daniel Smith
Oak Park Public Library
834 Lake Street
Oak Park, IL

Show Proposals

2009-12-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

I've been working hard mailing out proposal packages for the project and sending out grant requests. This blog will be dormant for a bit while I focus on getting the work out into the real world. Look for posts in the New Year.

Thanks for your support and may the New Year bring all of you great joy, peace and creativity.

Oak Park Police Department Art Gallery: Show # 8 Peter Wagner

2009-12-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

Peter Wagner, our current artist in the gallery, frequently travels to exotic locals. He shares his travels to the Islands of Hawaii here, unlabeled so that viewers who have visited can guess the local. Looking at one of the photos, I thought it looked like the fictitious Isla Nublar from Jurassic Park III and Peter said that was where they filmed the movie!

As always, you can see the complete show here,without having to be arrested to get into the station and see all the art work. Click on the 8th (!!) exhibition.

You can see more of Peter's dramatic photography herehere on his web site.

Four Officers Killed in the Line of Duty

2009-12-02T13:08:00.001-08:00

Our thoughts and prayers are with all members of the law enforcement community as they mourn the loss of four officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in Washington State.

Makes me so sad to have yet another post about the death of more officers.

Art History and Law Enforcement

2009-11-23T01:10:00.000-08:00

Containment
22" x 30"
mixed media

October issue ofSmithsonian Magazinehad a very interesting article about an art historian
"Teaching Cops to See". This might be an insulting title to law enforcement professionals, but artist's know how skilled art historians can illuminate the human condition by the rigorous study of art. Some participants found that by closely examining art, they strengthened their observational skills.

The Charter for Compassion

2009-11-19T15:27:00.001-08:00

Tools of the Trade: Proposal Packages

2009-11-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

So many things are coming together for me as this project proceeds. I feel so fortunate to have my family's support and blessing for the work.(Thank you Craig, Kelsey, Derek and Maria!!) And I'm most grateful to Chief Tanksley for his continued support and the support of the Oak Park Police Department. It has taken me so long to figure out how to work creatively and I finally feel like I'm doing the work I was born to do. I LOVE working with this group of people and I love my independance. Command structure would feel very confining to me and yet, working in partnership with the Chief feels perfectly natural. I've yoked my art skills to a project that feels worthy and beneficial to our community, and that also feels large enough to engage me for some time. I feel like I "belong" to this work in a meaningful way. My hope for the project now, is that it will do it's intended job: help the public understand what these everyday Hero's do for our community.

Having this sort of centering feels critical for the success of this project. Over the last 15 years, I have tried many times to launch myself professionally and have flopped miserably. Either I did not have the time (working mother duties) or was sunk by my marketing ignorance. Feeling so passionate about the project has also helped me feel less fearful about applying for grant money and sending out these proposal packages to venues.

Another thing that has made the project feel "mine" is that I'm using any opportunity I can to help others with their own creative work. Creating good will generates more good will and fights that mid-20Th century view of the narcissistic artist. It's also the same kind of loyalty law enforcement shows for each other. We artist's can learn a lot from them.

For those of you who are interested in sending out proposal packages of your own work, here's a list of what I'm sending:

It's a good idea to put your name, phone number and email on individual piece in the package.

A letter of request that outlines the project, it's inspiration and project statement
A CDROM of 15 images
A guide sheet for the above with numbers, media, dimensions
A sample of the drawing narratives
A budget estimate or form required by grant organizations
Business cards tucked into the pocket of the folder
Press for the project
Letter of recommendation

Daniel Smith- On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department

2009-11-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

Night Vision
22" x 30"
Gesso, watercolor and ink on paper

Earlier this year, I happened to learn about Daniel Smith, an award winning journalist and author of On the Job:Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department He comes from a family steeped in the traditions of the Chicago Police Department."Two of my three great uncles were (members of the force).Two of my three uncles are. My estranged father was. My only brother is. A Chicago Cop". He writes compellingly about the real lives of Chicago's finest and helps us, his readers, see past the fictitious stories in popular media. I could not put the book down once I started it and felt very moved by acts of heroism, dedication and hard work. This book really helped me to understand all the forces pulling on an officer of the law; the monotony of paper work, the adrenalin rush of getting the bad guy and the satisfaction of helping a citizen in need. He also describes movingly the private daemons officers wrestle with as they rub elbows with the underbelly of society. I highly recommend this book for it's bracing look at real life police work and it's the perfect antidote to the fantasy of CSI.

Mr.Smith has graciously allowed me to use the text on page 11 for a series of drawings based on 911 calls for service in Chicago's busy 11Th district. The calls were logged on June 3, 2006 between 4PM - 11PM. What amazed me was not only the volume of calls but the mind numbing repetition. To make these drawings I tried to imagine myself responding hour after hour,day after day to these calls. They are about animal abuse, narcotic sales, prostitution, auto accidents,assaults, well being checks,shots fired and reports of burglary. As I hand printed the text on to my drawings, I began to appreciate how often an officer must shift mental and emotional gears within even a short period of time on a shift in order to take care of business.

Daniel Smith also lectures locally and I'm looking forward to hearing him speak in the new year. You can read more about his work creating empathy for officers on his blog,On The Job

Thanks very much Danny for allowing me to use your work in my own.

Crime Stats and Visual Expression

2009-10-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

18" x 24"
Mixed media on graph paper
Sketches for ideas on statistics

Since beginning the Tools Project, I've become much more sensitive to statistical information and it's transmission to the community.

Crime Stats
are useful on many levels. They help citizens stay alert to patterns of crime in their neighborhood and remind them to lock windows, doors, garages, and bikes. Law enforcement uses the information to track crime patterns, justify staffing levels and function more transparently to the citizens they serve.

As an artist, what interests me is how to make data more personal and more human. The purpose of statistical data is to create order out of chaos: understanding from confusion. It's possible in the process of organizing this information, that the human dimension is lost. My big question is how can I express the personal human side of the data from the multiple perspectives of law enforcement, citizens/victims and the people who commit crimes?

One way to begin to get at this problem is to make sure that the hand of the artist, my hand speaks in the creation of the work. I'm deliberately avoiding using computer generated images or manipulation in this body of work. I also enjoy what happens to my thinking when the hands are engaged in the act of drawing.

The other way is to simply allow myself to play with pie charts, bar graphs, maps and such. Play helps me to span the huge gap between concept and drawing. It also quells the "demon doubt" that can freeze my creativity. I have no clear idea of how to convey what I'm after. But when confronted with the UNKNOWN, I'm using studio play to shake something loose.

Chief Rick Tanksley to Speak on Crime: Fiction and Fact

2009-10-15T01:35:00.000-07:00

It's Edgar Allan Poe month at the Oak Park Public Library and as part of the celebration of this author's work, Police Chief Rick Tanksley will lead a discussion of "The Murders in the Rue Morgue". Chief Tanksley will speak from years of law enforcement expertise about the relationship between the detective work Poe describes in the story and real life detective work done today.

Event Location: Oak Park Village Hall, Madison & Lombard, Room 101, Oak Park, IL 60304
Date: Tue, Oct 27, 2009
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Book: The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe

For more information about other Big Read events, click here.

Messing Around With Media

2009-10-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

Through some really nice contacts with the Police Department art gallery, I have been offered this top notch flat file for a really great price and some sweat equity. (Thanks to DH and the other team members for shoe-horning these babies into our modestly sized car!) All my paper is now safely stored and not cluttering up the corners of my studio. It makes me feel so professional.

I've been appreciating this fallow time in the studio. I'm drifting, dreaming, collaging and of course, playing in my favorite way: mixing media. Here are a few pages from my sketch book. The safest place I know to experiment is between it's black, inexpensive covers.

Tools of the Trade Sketchbook #1

Here are a few of the ideas I've been absorbing this fall. All of these ideas are fermenting away and I'm beginning to get inklings of a new direction for my work.

This show by Robert Motherwell in the Block Museum at Northwestern University was absolutely wonderful and well worth the trip.

Tools of the Trade sketchbook page #2

I've been listening to a program calledRadio Lab and their most recent episode is about death and the after life. I know this sounds like a morbid subject but actually, the show was very interesting. Given that no one has come back to tell us what life is like on the other side, RL has found many interesting takes on the subject; eleven to be exact.

Tools of the Trade Sketchbook page #3

I love this art show and for a limited time you can see this show on line: Art 21

This is an interesting series too:Craft In America

Tools of the Trade sketchbook page 4

More later......

Goerge Bruce- Our Currtent Artist

2009-10-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Oil Pastel
on paper

George Bruce's beautiful oil pastel landscapes are now installed at the Oak Park Police Station and you can see the show

HERE.

You can learn more about him and see his gallery at this link for Yellow House, a not for profit group dedicated to supporting all things oil pastel.

Here is his artist's statement:

"Paint what you love! I strongly believe in that statement and do paint what I love; landscapes, trees, and rural scenes of mostly the Midwest. Being born and raised on a farm in central Illinois, I have always loved nature and the countryside. I enjoy creating paintings that reflect the essence of nature, giving each painting an expression of mood and color that interprets my artistic feelings. I paint in watercolor and most recently in oil pastels. I especially enjoy the medium of oil pastel and respect the exciting results one can achieve with this simple stick of color."

I'm sure I've mentioned that the station is located in the basement with no windows or sky lights to enliven the space. George's beautiful landscapes are all the more welcome as they provide a virtual window in the space.

The Police Executive Research Forum recently released an article about
Body Armor use among officers nation wide. While almost 99% of reporting agencies provided armor allowances to officers, the policies regulating use and the testing of existing armor are lagging.

Tools of the Trade: Sneak Preview

2009-09-28T02:28:00.000-07:00

4PM-Midnight Shift
Crop

I've been working for the last few weeks on several new drawings inspired by.....well, I can't say whom quiet yet but I have another author willing to collaborate on this unusual project. More later!

Finding venues to show the work is my main consideration now. I'm also planning out the details of the opening at the Library this spring. In the Chicago area, I have about a dozen very nice not-for-profit venues to send in my proposal package. I had applied to the National Museum of Law Enforcement in Washington DC. They liked the proposal but the museum will not open for 5 years and the curators have booked the galleries for the first 5 years. Their mission and my work seemed to be a match made in law enforcement heaven.

It feels a bit odd to be winding down on the actual studio work but looking to find places to show the work. I draw inspiration from authors who are working to get published on the finished work while starting the next novel. I'm also starting to appreciate and accept the tidal nature of creating a large body of work...A time to work, a time to lie fallow, a time to gather and play around with ideas and a time to go public.

Stay tuned, the adventure continues....

Tools of the Trade: Night Music

2009-08-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

Night Music-4:00PM - 12Midnight
Ink and watercolor on paper
30" x 22"

I'm taking a break from blogging for a few weeks. When I return,I'll share what I've been working on for this project. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer.

I'll be up dating the Tools Web site if you'd like to visit during my absence.

Announcing the New Tools of the Trade Web Page

2009-07-22T04:22:00.000-07:00

Artistic Influences: Leon Ferrari and Mira Shendel

Apprehension
22" x 30"
Ink on paper

The drawings in this project depend heavily on the use of text to support ideas and I've been drawn to artists whose work develops it's use. It's made me much more sensitive to how print is used in the broader culture.

For example in the above drawing, I made a decision to use script instead of printing to define the shape of the hand cuffs. Script suggests the hand of the maker and I wanted this drawing to convey a sense of personal drama in both the cuffed offender and the arresting officer. The play on language reinforces this duality.

To see all the works in the project together please visit the Tools of the Trade web page

You can see a gallery of the images here

Read more about the thinking behind the drawings
here

Leon Ferrari and Mira Shendel both created works that inspire me with their aesthetic and their use of text to support their ideas. They both lived in Argentina and had never met, except posthumously in this exhibit ;Tangled Alphabet at MoMA.

Their spare drawings push the definition of drawing by using unusual materials in novel ways. The exhibition catalogue is beautiful and I highly recommend reading it.

Another inspiration for my project is the film Helvetica. The film maker does a remarkable job of highlighting the ubiquity and clarity of Helvetica type as well as its history. By the end, you are sure to feel completely saturated with cultural and commercial uses of text that surround us every day.

Thin Blue Line

2009-07-16T01:06:00.000-07:00

The Thin Blue Line
22" x 30"
Mixed media on paper

Here is the proper link for the new Tools of the Trade Web Site

The “Thin Blue Line” visually suggests the idea that a line of officers, doing their work every day, supports and upholds the laws that make up a civil society. Our police protect us from anarchy and vigilante justice. The difficulties of this unique profession are what bond members of the police force together and can sometimes also make them feel isolated from the rest of the community. The job creates a certain clannish quality based on mutual experiences of the darker side of human society that most of us never experience. This bond, born out of a very real necessity to protect one another in tough circumstances, can be much deeper and more significant than ordinary work ties. It can also create tension in marriages and family relationships as most relationships are not born out of such intense situations and must depend on a less dramatic glue.

If you'd like any more evidence about the dangerous nature of the job,, you can read this report about the spike of on-the-job fatalities for officers since the beginning of 2009. Rather chilling statistics.

Tools of the Trade Web Page

2009-07-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

04:00
22" x 30"
ink on paper

I'd like to announce the opening of the new Tools of the Trade Web Site.

On the web site, you'll find:

A link for all the drawings to date

A link explaining the narratives for the drawings (will be up dating this too)

and other goodies

Posting here may be a bit sporadic for the summer. I'm working on the never ending quest to find the proper balance between computer time and studio time. Lately, it's the computer that's winning. When the computer wins, my family finds me a bit, well, cranky.

So, it's nose the analog grind stone for now! I'll let you know here and on my other blog Non-Linear-Arts when I have new work to add.

Iteration

2009-07-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Iteration
ink on paper
22" x 30"

Please note that the title for this drawing should be : Second Chance and This drawing is Iteration. (Having a moment here. Organizing all this information has my head spinning a bit!)

This drawing does not present will on the line. The small letters that make up the shape of the handcuffs are stories from the crime blotter written by Bill Dwyer of the Wednesday Journal. (See the link at the right hand side.) I'd like to thank them for giving kind permission for me to use the narratives in my drawings.

Before PS and After PS

2009-07-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

Before

After

You may recognise the image below as one I posted when I was in a frenzy over forensics and the visual possibilities of working on this. When I arrived at the shop to have all the drawings scanned, Franklyn took one look at the mixed media on this one and said it would be damaged in the scanner. Hum. Visions of a very expensive trip to the photographer were not exactly dancing in my head.

This morning I found this post on the famous Katherine's site about how to do color corrections in Photo Shop Elements. (This is a much cheaper version of the expensive Photo Shop and seems to be all the PS I need!) What a huge difference this very easy corrections makes!

Iteration

2009-07-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

Iteration
22" x 30"
Ink on paper

Recidivism is miserable from both sides of the equation. Law enforcement officials feel a frustration at the rates of recidivism,nearly 40% in the U.S. Criminals suffer from a lack of rehabilitation in our prison system. It's this revolving door that I wanted to illustrate here.

Balanced Perspective

2009-06-28T01:52:00.000-07:00

People working in law enforcement are frequently in contact with the "maddest, the baddest and the saddest" of us all. Finding a balance with this view of human nature can be a very challenging part of the job.

This is the premise of my desire to bring an art gallery into the station. As an artist, I have used the arts to help anchor me during many of life's challenges. I'd like to post occasionally about arts events in the city that can provide just such a counter balance to this demanding work.

Recommended Musical Experience

On many Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights,Grant Park Music Festival offers some of Chicago's best classical music experience in the acoustically perfect out door lawn of Millennium Park. Best of all it's FREE.

Recommended Art Outing

Craig and I recently visited the new Modern Wing at the Art Institute. The building itself is beautiful and airy. Every aspect of the design is up-lifting and tries to bring both the lake and city views into the museum galleries. I'd recommend experiencing the building first by entering using the new pedestrian bridge with the entrance north of the building in Millennium Park. The bridge offers a vivid view of the Laurie Garden, Lake Michigan and of course our world class architecture.

The building itself is beautiful and restful but the art inside the Modern Wing is, well, challenging. Most modern art seeks to confront difficult issues so for a more restorative experience, I'd recommend looking at the art in the newly restored Impressionist Collection. The curators have rehung the whole impressionist collection in a way that flows smoothly. Pieces are now grouped by artists and by small collections of similar work. All of Monet's water lilies, and his series of bridges over the Thames in London are beautifully rehung. The whole impressionist gallery presents the viewer with a small visual vacation.

The museum is free from 5PM- 9PM every Thursday and Friday night and this is a great deal as the admission price is now a whopping $18.00. The CTA green line Adams stop brings you right to the front door of the museum.

Strata Drawings

2009-06-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

Strata II
22" x 30"
Ink, watercolor and graphite on paper

Strata I
22" x 30"
Ink, watercolor and graphite on paper

We as a society demand from our law enforcement officials a sensitivity to diversity that our culture itself has not yet mastered. In hundreds of ways large and small, police are required to deal with not only the visible examples of diversity such as race, gender, national origin but also the invisible examples too. Police need to navigate different personality styles, ways of speaking, life style situations, levels of education. Most of us tend to navigate within a fairly narrow comfort zone socially. Police, however must be prepared to enter challenging situations with both good manners and knowledge of inherent differences between various social groups.

These drawings grew out of my appreciation for the Oak Park Police Departments insistence of polite, respectful interaction with all members of our community. The towers in the drawings are "held" up by a system of word wires. The words describe human beings in all their wonderful, glorious, dark and deep and even violent aspects and these word wires appear to hold up the buildings. The drawings work to show how our police work very hard to support our community effort at accepting life in a diverse community.

You can read a more indepth article here.

My Own Tools Meet Police Tools

2009-06-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

Since I began making drawings in this series, I've had a steady drip of completed work making its' way, one by one into the portfolio. Today, I unwrapped all the completed pieces and cleaned them up. I was amazed to count over 25 drawings and at least 21 of them are usable. This leaves plenty of time for me to make a few more drawings based on my forensics class next fall and perhaps a chance to re do a few duds.

In looking at all the work today, I was struck by how related they are to forensics. The drawings themselves require time and deep looking to decipher. They have hidden ideas and concepts. The way I've used ink in some of them makes the meaning a little harder to "get". Viewers (citizens) will have to see some of them slowly to understand them. All the work is ready to be scanned and I'll be posting work all summer.

It's been a very challenging few weeks for the department due to personal circumstances and this has made me want to count my blessings:

A deep breath
A tidy studio - a messy studio- depending...
Meaningful work and lovely friends
Both kids home for the summer and making music together
Canoing with Craig
An amazingly turkey feather I found in the road from the trip East
The color of everything
Rain on my face in Thatcher
Our wonderful police department and it's members

Keep them in your prayers this week. They need it.

Law Enforcement and Buddhism

2009-06-08T04:17:00.000-07:00

Sleeping Buddha

Alejandro "Alex" Valadez lost his life in the line of duty this week. Please keep his family and the larger law enforcement family in your prayers.

I frequently listen to National Public Radio while I work in the studio. This weeks program on Speaking of Faith had an interview with the famous Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Han while he was running a retreat in rural Wisconsin to which Police Officers had been invited. ( You can down load the pod cast from the web site if you want to hear the interview.)Police Captain Cheri Maples first hatched the idea to have Brother Thea speak to police officers after attending a retreat herself on Mindfulness training.

When she first went to study with Thich Nhat Hanh in France, she felt that Five Mindfulness training was not accessible her.As a law enforcement officer, her job involved being trained to use deadly force if necessary in the line of duty.Training in non-violence seemed like something she could not practice. Her spiritual advisor disagreed and said something like, wouldn't you want someone whose job it is to carry and possible use a gun to have mindfulness training?

Captain Maples found using both fierceness and compassion in her Buddhist practice allowed her to experience some really unlikely benefits as a police officer.

Trace Analysis

2009-06-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Homage to Holmes
22" x 30"
Ink,collage,clear adhesive film,wool yarn,hair,fingernail clippings, found debris
on paper

Forensic Science interests me because it's about subtle things: trace fibers, latent finger prints, microscopic bits of evidence. There are some really disturbing aspects of forensics too; like the rates of decay in decomposing bodies and the blow flies found in different region and other clues related to a murder investigation. Not every one's cup of tea...

In the study of forensics, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional character Sherlock Holmes is much closer to reality than today's hyper "real" police shows. Holme's study of tobacco ash, fibers, foot prints and other detris of life is exactly what forensic scientists look for at a crime scene.

This drawing contains hair,(mine of course), fiber (100% wool from England)and other bits of debris from the studio floor. My studio and any other room has it's own unique signature trace elements: metal bits, tiny pigment splatters, eraser noodles,pencil shavings, fibers from the garments I've sewn, tiny pieces of river mud from my walks by the Des Plaines. It's nearly invisible clues like this, gathered with painstaking patience, that link victim and suspect.

The circles in the drawing are meant to be an homage to Mr. Holmes' signature tool, the magnifying glass.The thread represents the unbroken chain of evidence, a goal in any investigation.

The Oak Park Police Department Gallery: Sallie Wolf

2009-05-19T18:35:00.001-07:00

Group of "Dead Ends"

Sallie Wolf (see link on the right side) agreed to show an installation of her 15 year old Moon Project at the Police Department Gallery. This instillation reads much better in person. It covers most of a 30' x 8' wall and is filled withe her "Dead Ends" and some of her Moon charts. She has been observing the moon for over 15 years and recording her observations in journals, huge wall charts and other means. This is a really rich project and I'll let her words describe the project:

Since Nov. 30, 1994, I have been watching for the moon. On that morning I was surprised to spot a crescent moon low in the eastern sky at 6:30 AM. From nursery rhymes I had always assumed that the moon was a nighttime visitor, and I was puzzled to see it rising at the same time I was. It hit me that I knew almost nothing about the moon, and I decided that, like a preliterate watcher of the skies, I would track the moon and see what I could teach myself just by looking.

Using my body, a compass, and a watch for measuring tools, I began to devise signs and symbols to help me keep track of my sightings, and I marked them in my journals whenever I found the moon. Eventually I compiled my sightings into calendar-like drawings to help me understand the information I was gathering.

This exhibition of the Moon Project includes but a few of the many drawings I have created as I sorted through and organized the information I had accumulated through my observations.

From the beginning of the Moon Project I have intentionally refrained from research. I want to discover what can be learned by first-hand observation alone. My powers of observation have grown over the course of this project, and I have come to trust my ability to learn through asking questions and then looking for answers in the world around me. I have learned the value of dwelling in the not-knowing. This is one of the lessons viewers of the project also take away.

There is a term called “Outsider Art,” meaning that the artist has no formal training or education in art. Often Outsider Art displays unusual expressions and amazing obsessions. Ben Dallas, a Chicago artist, described my Moon Project as “Outsider Science.” I have no formal training in science, but I am driven to collect, gather, and explore the natural world around me. These collections find their expression in my art. The process of the Moon Project has opened up the world of science for me, and by extension, the Moon Project installations open up both art and science for the viewer.

The Moon Project is a record of personal observations converted into public art installations. It is an ongoing exploration. As new questions arise I search for new ways to visualize and organize the information. It is a visual journal, a record of opportunities taken and opportunities lost--time made visible.

Close up of instillation

ink on paper
22" x 30"
One Month's Lunar Observation Chart

Installation view

This Ain't CSI

2009-05-16T16:57:00.001-07:00

After reading Every Contact Leaves A Trace by Connie Fletcher, I watched a few minutes of CSI. I can't remember which particular version I saw but I immediately understood why real life forensic specialists and law enforcement officials find this show amusing.

For starters, the brooding, dark, overly serious tone is in complete contrast with what I've observed in the Oak Park Station. It's very well lit both with strong lighting and strong humor.

According to Connie Fletcher, what rubs most forensic scientists and law enforcement is the amounts of unlimited time and money these characters seem to have. A whole team, whose sole duty for the day is to solve one particular crime, smacks of a trip to fantasy land. Most real life crimes take time and a very broad coalition of people to solve. And no department has as much money and personnel as they would like to combat crime.

Also, crime fighting is a team effort. Forensics no matter how wonderful, is only one part of the puzzle. Solid, dogged, thoughtful police work coupled with a well documented crime scene and timely forensics snare the bad guys. Reality is much less glamorous but filled with quiet moments of human drama and caring.

As I get to know law enforcement people in my community, what strikes me most profoundly is how much people care about their work; how much skill goes into looking out for our safety. It's not all the Hollywood excitement but a genuine desire to find justice for victims.

Urban Artist's and Law Enforcement Issues

2009-05-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Bridge Opening Day
Chicago River
Spring

Paris, London, Chicago, Sydney, San Paolo, Madrid,Tokyo,Moscow, Athens, San Francisco, Mexico City, Tunisia.....

As the weather warms up, many of us will be headed to our favorite urban destinations to sketch and make art. This article in the New York Times last week had me a bit concerned. An artist was cuffed and detained because she was gathering visual information for a painting project around power lines. There is usually a story behind such events that does not make it into the paper so I wanted to find out the other side.

I went to the font of practical law enforcement wisdom,Second City Cop, for advice and their take on this situation. My question to them was how can we as artists show respect for law enforcement and still do our jobs on the street. This blog, run anonymously by several off duty Chicago Cops takes pride in presenting the often ignored advice of the rank and file much to the annoyance of management and government alike.

Reader advisory: This site is not for the easily offended. Expect "colorful" language, blunt talk and crisp, pithy writing. I'm instructed to also remind you that SCC does not offer this advice as the official " management" opinion. However, these officer are giving advice from their years of combined experience on the street.

A little preparation in both attitude and choice of location will help create an atmosphere of cooperation between our two professions.Artist's and terrorists use similar equipment: sketchbooks, camers and such.

Here's what SCC suggests:

"If observing some structure or facility that has obvious security concerns or "value" as a target, we'd clear actions with building managers, on-site security and local District or Precinct police. Is it a hassle? Yup. But in a post 9/11 world, every one's adapting to the new reality.

Above all, realize where the police and security people are coming from. They are answering for the safety of hundreds, maybe thousands of people. While we appreciate drawing and photography for the art it is, it has to be balanced against legitimate concerns that don't always mesh with the intentions of the artist and the concerns of those tasked with public safety. Confrontation for confrontation's sake isn't going to help anyone. Well thought out discussions preceded by some decent preparation with local authorities or security would alleviate misunderstanding ten-folds."

I'd also add that if your city is hosting a sketching event, or when you know of an upcoming date for the World Wide Sketchcrawls, notifying police in your city would be a really nice way to do your part to support them in their work of protecting all of us.

If you do get questioned about your activity by law enforcement, this is your chance to represent out profession. Police deserve all the support and respect we can give them for putting their lives on the line every day for us. Brighten their day by showing them your sketches too. Who knows, you might meet a fellow artist.

Players: Drawings In Progress

2009-04-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

Not titled yet
22" x 30"
watercolor, ink and house paint on paper

Outside the birds are singing, the lilacs are ready to burst out and the April showers are insuring the flowers have plenty of moisture for May blooming.However, here at the studio, it's the dead of winter and in my imagination, I'm in the MacDonald's parking lot on Madison Street: site of our villages most persistent drug dealing. I'm working on illustrating the articles Bill Dwyer of the Wednesday Journal wrote last January about this issue.

(detail)

My usual procedure is to start 4- 6 drawings at a time and work on each one in a round robin fashion. When I feel stuck on one, I move to the next and so on until they are all complete.

When I looked on the map at all the municipalities where hard core drug users drive in from to purchase drugs in Oak Park, the map suddenly looked like a game board. The tollways are marked in this acid green on the maps. Oak Park is usually show as a light pink.Is there a a cartographer out there who can tell me if there is some kind of meaning in the colors chosen to represent areas on a map?

No title yet
22" x 30"
ink, watercolor and house paint on paper
(I'm a bit stuck on this one. Have to wait and see what happens.)

These are 2 drawings out of 6 that I'm working on to illustrate this issue. My hand started cramping up writing all that text on the first drawing.And all that writing reminds me of the mountains of paper work officers have to do so it's yet another way for the work to echo what law enforcement personnel have to deal with on a daily basis. What we all do for love of a job!

Good scans of all the completed work will be going up in June.

Officer Anthony Coleman: Zone One Resident Beat Officer

2009-04-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

Meet Zone #1’s Very Own Resident Beat Officer: Officer Anthony Coleman

To learn more about law enforcement, I thought I should stick close to home with Zone One’s own resident beat officer, Officer Coleman. I wanted to learn about how he approaches his work and in what way citizens might assist him in looking out for our neighborhood.

Next Zone 1 meeting is on Tuesday May 19th at Hatch School 7PM

For 17 years, Officer Coleman has lived and worked in our zone and pays close attention to the pulse of our streets. He can be found looking out for our kids at Whittier School during dismissal, working to resolve neighbor’s disputes, patrolling our streets and listening to community members needs. Here’s what I learned during our chat after the zone meeting on last Tuesday night.

Resident Beat Officers, because they are assigned a particular area, give special attention to ongoing issues in their zones. Often, Officer Coleman works with people to resolve issues over a long period of time. He formulates a plan to assist neighbors with their issues and he directs them to other village and county departments that help them with a problem that falls outside the area of law enforcement. Establishing relationships with all of us is one of his top priorities.

I asked Officer Coleman what some of the challenges of his job are. He said that sometimes citizens approach him with a pre-conceived notion of what “the police” are. Some people have had a bad experience with one law enforcement official and automatically assume that all police are the same. Breaking through this discrimination is often one of the most rewarding parts of his job. “It means a lot when someone I’ve worked with says that they used to hate the police but now feel differently because I’ve been helpful and respectful,” Coleman said.

No one goes into police work unless they want to help people. As a resident beat officer, Officer Coleman uses his years of experience to determine what approach will work for a given situation. One of his more memorable moments was when he was able to successfully assist a young high school woman who was being harassed by telephone calls and text messages from an ex-boyfriend. The young man in question did not know that this was against the law and that he could be arrested for this behavior. Using one of law enforcements best tools, mediation, he was able to de-escalate the whole situation, while achieving the desired outcome.

Coleman explained that there are situations where citizens can be of great assistance to the police. Recently, a series of citizen 911 calls about suspicious behavior led to the arrest of 7 burglars working in our area.

One woman attending our zone meeting reported that she’d found a discarded purse, probably stolen, in her alley but did not report it. Officer Coleman explained that reporting the stolen purse would have allowed the police to collect finger prints that might have pointed toward a conviction of the thief. Another neighbor reported that he saw a man getting ready to inject himself with drugs and wanted to know what kind of information was useful when reporting crime. Officer Coleman explained that making note of a person’s description, height, weight, race, and clothing are all useful. If a car is involved, note the direction of travel, license plate, make and model. Reporting drug activity lets users and sellers know that we are all watching and it’s not a good idea to engage in criminal behavior in our village.

Officer Coleman depends on his long familiarity with his beat as yet another useful police tool. Knowing what goes on in his beat allows him to reassure a nervous neighbor about unusual behavior. One citizen wanted to ask him to investigate a man who routinely parked his car in a certain part of the block every day and smoked his cigar. Coleman was able to explain to her that this man worked near by and just enjoyed a smoke before going on duty; nothing to worry about.

Officer Coleman, a contended family man, enjoys unwinding by spending time with his wife and children. He also runs and lifts weights. He and his family attend the same village events that the rest of us enjoy. So if you see him around the village take a moment to introduce yourself, tell him a good joke but most of all, express your appreciation for the challenging work he does for all of us. Thanks Officer Coleman!

He can be reached:
Cell: 708-606-1938
Email: coleman@oak-park.us

Space and Hanging Considerations

2009-04-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

1/2 of the Gallery space (The other half is identical)

I'm working on the details of planning this exhibit and today I visited the library gallery space. Here is a planning drawing I'm making. You may wonder just why I'm working on this when the exhibit is not until June 2010.

So here's the list of "things to do":

Get framing estimate

Figure out how many drawings I'll need to fill the space

Plan the hanging order so I know how many horizontal and vertical format pieces I can have (and more importantly, how many pieces to frame for show)

Ask permission to paint the exhibition title on the wall outside the gallery (Ask Himself to help with this very technical project.)

Write the grant to the Illinois Art's Council to pay for some of these costs in June

This week I did meet with our local framer, Paul Hamer of Frame Warehouse. He is the founder of a famous brand of hand made guitars made for the likes of Eric Clapton (and other luminaries). You can tell he knows his way around a tool box by shaking his hand. Long story short, he sold the business and now runs the frame shop in our town.

Paul's professional assistance was really helpful. He has a lot of experience in deciding how best to show off art work and frames work for many high profile artists. His prices are also reasonable. Non the less, the total estimate for 20 drawings was, well, a sobering dose of reality.

Looks like a plan to generate income would be useful. I'm looking into selling prints of the drawings. Any suggestions?

Material Matters: New Pen Points

2009-04-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Pens, at the heart of police work, are becoming a bit of an obsession for me too now that I'm working in ink. The old nib at the bottom of the page is one I've used and loved for years. But finally, in a fit of frustration, I replaced this nib that, over time had become so clogged and worn that it no longer allowed the ink to flow smoothly. These Speedball nibs are designed specifically for drawing and map making and are wonderfully thirsty. They hold tons of ink especially the 513ef nib which has a longer length. The smooth round ball at the end glides smoothly across the paper.

After years of using mainly graphite, the ink line has such a definitive quality to it. Mark making with this tool has an edgy, beauty that I'm really enjoying.

Check out Katherine Tyrell's discussion on pen and ink for more information about using pen and ink.

Officers Down

2009-04-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

Three more police officers, shot in a Pittsburgh neighborhood, loose their lives in the line of duty. I'd like to express my sincere condolences to not only the families of the slain officers but the members of the law enforcement community. Your service honors us all.

Material Matters: House Paint

2009-04-05T06:08:00.001-07:00

I'm working on a series of drawings illustrating the article Bill Dwyer published in January 2009. He investigated the impact of drug supply and demand on village life in the Wednesday Journal. The dirty little secret is that drug crime, battled for decades by Oak Park's finest, is fueled by white, suburban demand. Oak Park's proximity to mass transit and the Eisenhower Expressway is not only convenient for commuters, it's convenient for drug users as well.

Here you can see the latest drawing as a work in progress tapped off after I dripped latex enamel house paint off a stick. (Thank you Jackson Pollock.) The article mentions by name all the suburbs from which users travel to Oak Park and I'm using area maps as well as jurisdictional maps for reference material. Visually, the challenge here is to express both "creepy" and "peaceful village".

Tools of The Trade Portfolio

2009-04-05T03:33:00.000-07:00

Project Statement

In August of 2008 I received permission to set up and manage an art gallery inside the Oak Park Police Station.. The more I worked in the department, the more I began to shape an idea for a body of work based on law enforcement. In November, Chief Rick Tanksley gave his permission for me to begin an Artist Residency.

Just as community policing reaches out to citizens, I wanted to use my art to understand police issues from a citizen’s perspective and visually express their challenges and accomplishments. I began my explorations of law enforcement by learning what tools are most useful to officers. What I found surprising was the power of language connected to any street action from a high profile arrest to a traffic stop.Using forms, pens and the written word, I began my project searching for the visual language to express law enforcement issues.

Running on Empty
22" x 30"
Ink on Paper

December Statistics
22" x 20"
Ink on Paper

In Box
22" x 30"
Ink on Paper

Oak Park Police Department Artist in Residence: How To Craft Your Own Resicency

2009-04-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

December Statistics
22" x 30"
Ink on Paper

Last November, I approached Chief Tanksley for permission to begin an artist residency at the police station. He not only agreed, but personally arranged for me to have access to the tools I needed to begin the project. Since I'm inventing this as I go along, I thought I'd tell you what's been on my mind from it's beginning.

I want to use this work for 2 purposes: 1) To raise awareness of police work in our community. Community Policing works to build connections with law enforcement and the citizens they serve. Chief Tanksley is very much committed to this model of police work. I want to use what I'm learning about law enforcement to raise awareness of police work. 2) I'd like to take the show on the road to other law enforcement jurisdictions and the citizens they serve.

"Partners"
22"x30"
pen, ink, Wednesday Journal Police Blotter by Bill Dwyer, December Crime Statistics

Where to start?

I needed an entry point for the work. Law enforcement is so totally out of my personal experience that I wondered how could I find a way to connect their work and the citizens they serve? Tools are something everyone uses on a daily basis so I began to pay attention on my visits to the station. What I noticed was that every time I visited,someone would bring up the issue of pens and it carried a certain weight. When asked about this, Chief Tanksley explained that the pen is the most powerful tool in law enforcement. Nothing assists in a conviction like a well written report.So my work begins with pen,ink, forms, written word and statistics. A graduate of Columbia College was hired several years back to compile and present the department's crime stats. They are both beautiful and clearly understood (even if what the represent is grim). Using the same media as the officers adds another layer of meaning to the work.

I'm using the Wednesday Journal's police blotter written by Bill Dwyer as the text for these pieces. You can read similar stories here at the

As soon as I decided to commit to creating a body of work, I booked space at our local library gallery for May 2010. (No pressure here) Good thing I did this because all of the months in 2009 were taken. I decided that one year was plenty of time to create a body of work and then I had 3 months to polish up the pieces and frame them.

Inbox
22"x30"
pen, ink, Wednesday Journal Police Blotter by Bill Dwyer
Paper

Working with law enforcement personnel requires a certain empathy and sensitivity to their work load. Meetings can be cancelled and my work, (rightly so!) must be fit in where time permits.

I'm looking forward to listening to the language the officers use in their work. I'd like to use something more than the weekly crime blotter words, though Bill Dwyer's writing is rich. There is much more to police work than fighting crime. Officers work with the community on a number of other issues. I'm trying to figure out how to express visually, the connection citizens have with the department. This is an interesting intellectual problem to be noodling around and I like how this project is demanding both my left and right brain.

But here is a little tip I picked up from the Chicago Police Department web page. When pulled over for a traffic stop, leave your hands on the wheel and ask for permission to go fishing for your documents. Traffic stops can be very dangerous for officers and contrary to some people's opinions, officers don't enjoy doing them.

Gallery Show Number Two: Chicago Cityscapes

2009-04-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

10" x 10"
canvas and mixed media

I'm incredibly lucky that Janice Elkins agreed to loan seven of her beautiful Chicago Landscape series. Her work is rich, layered, mysterious and gloriously confident. This show will be up through January and while I was hanging the show, several people were excited to see her work there. Meeting artist and getting to see people's studio is one of the most fun parts of my job. Thanks you, Janice!

Wednesday Journal Coverage of the Gallery Opening

2009-04-04T11:13:00.001-07:00

Josh Hawkins/staff photographer for Wednesday Journal

Our local papers both had very nice write ups about my project. You can read the piece in the Wednesday Journal's here.

The Oak Leaves ran a nice article too. I'm going to use the publicity to help further the project. I'm asking a hot shot photographer next week so wish me luck.

Today when I got off the train on my way home from the city, I met an Oak Park Cop. I smiled at him and he smiled me. It was one of those funny, small moments where I got to feel a bit of satisfaction directly related to the project. The Chief has been very busy so no word about the surveys yet.I hope to get them when he has a chance to see them. He's already hinted that some members of the department are "......neutral" about the project. But I'm planning on some really interesting shows and hope to snag people of different tastes.

This is lots of fun but surprisingly stressful. I'm happy, now to return to just the rich work of getting artists, researching lighting options and writing letters.
Thanks for all the support, Dear Readers. I hope to be getting into the blog-reading-swing again soon.

Press for the Gallery Inside the Station

2009-04-04T11:11:00.001-07:00

Press Release: (Yipee!)

Victoria Pierce's article made it into the Chicago Tribune . This is a very nice launch for the project and I'm very appreciative of the exposure.I'm going to use this article to help gain grant money and enlist other artist's to participate. I'm hoping some grant wielding organization will take pity on me and share money to install proper lighting.That fluorescent in the picture makes the work look green!

Chief Tanksley could not be more supportive and I'm very impressed with his open mindedness and his willingness to take a risk with this project. I'm writing a PDF file on the development of this project. It's my hope that one day the Chief's phone will ring and it will be another area Chief of Police wanting to know how we did this.

Victoria's mention of the prisoners traveling down the hall is an accurate one. I'm probably one of the few Oak Park citizens able to see the lock up without actually breaking the law. I really like that Chief Tanksley looks so official here next to the paintings. It makes for an interesting contrast.

The next show will be hung in mid November so stay tuned for more OPPD Gallery news.

(Thanks very much Victoria.)

Gallery Show Number Three: Claudia Hallasey

2009-04-04T11:06:00.001-07:00

My talented friend Claudia has gracously offered to share her paintings at the Police Gallery. You can commission a portrait from Claudia at her web site here

Thanks to the Chief Information Officer for our village, David Powers, you can see her show and all previous shows on the web site for the police department.

Oak Park Police Station Art Gallery

Comments on this show have ranged from " Best show yet" to "Creepy". I welcome this sort of controversy. I've also been hearing some comments that I need to look into seriously. All the artists who have agreed to show have been fully informed about the possible danger to their art work. But what I'm now concerned about is the safety of people: would some unruly suspect use the art work against an officer? This is something I need to ask about on my next visit to the station and gather more information before the next show goes up. I don't want to be blinded by my own enthusiasm for the project.

Channel 6 Video

2009-03-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

This is a post dated from December 2008 from my other blog, Non-Linear-Arts highlighting the gallery

Recently I learned from our Village's Chief Information Officer David Powers that we have an award winning team of vidoeographers on staff. Dave Powers comments:

"Joe Kreml, VOP-TV manager, is the director, producer, video editor and all-around technician. The talent is Cedric Melton, the Village’s director of Community Relations. My assistant, Leslie Boehms, edits the scripts and makes the static slides from the stories I prepare for the print version of the OP/FYI newsletter. "
Some of these talented people are graduates of Columbia College (YEA!!).

Every month, the crew focused on some aspect of village life. This month's segment deals with, among other things the salt issue discussed in my previous post. The Police Department Gallery Project has a nice mention also. The December version again stars Cedric as an adorable and very funny (if slim) Santa.

Over 50 percent of Oak Parkers do not have cable and won't see this worthy project unless some of you local readers help it go viral. Consider supporting these talented people by sending this link to your neighbors and asking them to pass it along.

http://www.youtube.com/vopnews

In doing research for my Police Department residency, I came across an interesting blog. The anonymously written Second City Cop covers issue near and dear to the hearts of officers in the Chicago Police Department. This blog illuminates the thick political stew that CPD officers must swim in to survive. It is written with a bracing dose of reality and humor. WARNING: Discussion on the topics presented is blunt and "colorful" and might offend more sensitive viewers.

Gallery Show Number Four: Darfar Hu

2009-03-28T06:00:00.001-07:00

Please keep the Four slain officers, their families and the community of Oakland, California in your prayers this week. This event happened during a routine traffic stop and shows the dangers of even the most common tasks of police work.

Darfar Hu,our current artist, lives and shows his work in Taiwan. His family friends and his daughter are helping him show his work here in the US and I am very grateful for the assistance of the Li family in the loan of his landscapes.

Mr. Hu is self taught and uses tin cans and brads hammered into a wooden panel to re- create scenes from his childhood village in Taiwan. This metal mosaics glow with color. Up close the mosaic pieces are smaller than a safety pin. Step back and all the tiny pieces fold into a beautiful landscape.

To see more of his work, visit the Oak Park Police Department's Art Gallery web page or Hr. Hu's own web site. He is adding an English language translation button to his site soon.

The truly amazing thing is that I had another show all lined up but due to my over reaching ambition, we had to cancel that show. Why did I think I wanted to transport and hang art work worth $5.000.00 a piece? To be fair, I did not know the real value of the pieces unitl Craig and I showed up to move them....in our tiny car.....Each show is a huge lesson in gallery management.