New Image from The Westide - Ogden Courts

This sign was fairly new about the time I moved to Lawndale in 2007 - an advertisment for a soon-to-be-built condo development.  The Lawndale neighborhood seemed ripe and ready for new construction back then before the housing market crashed and recession hit.  Lawndale is directly west of downtown, and close to shopping areas in the near suburbs of Cicero, Berwyn, and North Riverside.  Suggested sales prices were posted ranging from $230,000 - 300,000. 

Now this billboard serves as a space for other local advertisers: cab drivers and plumbers, and as a reminder of Lawndale's once shining promise of growth and development.

Two New Images 

from The Westside Series

I'm working on a new sequence for The Westside photographs.  I hope to get some more work done on it and post it on my website soon!   The green, brown, and neutral color combinations in the images above are really pleasing to me.  Both images were taken in the Lawndale neighborhood.

I really enjoyed hearing stories from Lawndale residents who came to our Foto-op @ Op shop event.  I heard stories ranging from personal anecdotes to historical information about areas I photographed.  I found out that the Lawndale used to be a Jewish neighborhood about 50 years ago. And apparently there's a photographer who documented the community during that time.  I find the massive transition of culture in a specific location quite intriguing.  Lots of research and shooting to do!

Photos from Foto-op @ Op Shop 

August 11 2010

We had a great turnout last night at our most recent Foto-op event.  We were excited to feature work by new Foto-op participants Kelly Jones and Sarah Baranski. And what a beautiful space provided by the Op Shop of Hyde Park! Thanks to Laura Schaeffer and the Op Shop crew!  If you haven't been to Op Shop, get down there and check out the daily featured artists through August 16th.  Tonight, Op Shop features Rachel Herman's Imp of Love series!  http://www.rachelherman.net/

Hair Stories - Kelly Jones

The Westside - Lily Mayfield

Was Once Home - Sarah Baranski

Symbiosis - Nicole Wingate

Foto-op @ Op Shop - 
ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Foto-op artist collective is at it again!  We're having a one night only special event featuring photographs by Nicole Wingate, Lily Mayfield, Sarah Baranski, and Kelly Jones at the Op Shop. 

We'd love to have you come out and support local Chicago artists and the Op Shop of Hyde Park. The Op Shop is an organization that utilizes empty urban spaces as temporary sites for art and performance.

The Op Shop in Hyde Park
5226 S Harper Avenue
Chicago, IL

Wed. August 11th, 6-9 pm

Hope to see you there! There are some great little restaurants in this area - make a night of it!

For more info about the Op Shop:

http://www.theopshop.org/index.html

New Images from the Westside

Cubs and Sox Garage

I've been photographing in my neighborhood again this summer. Here's a few new images. I'm shooting these images with film, which really slows down my process in all phases of production. My least favorite part of working with film is spending so many hours removing dust from the scans! That's certainly a HUGE advantage of shooting digitally. But I like what is happening in my process as far as slowing me down while I'm shooting.

Fence with Roses

Hair Studio

I love this scene for many reasons - first as a gardener I admire the lovely aloe plants that are obviously thriving. And as a photographer, I find the window display mostly full of plants quite curious. Its appearance is reminiscent of someone's home and it feels very much like a typical Westside neighborhood shop.

Under the Pink Line Tracks

The Village Well

I finally got around to photographing this building a couple weeks ago. I'm glad I did. This morning I noticed that it was in the process of being demolished.