It is an even greater thrill when we can present the work of artists who have been doing their work for many years, developing and building a body of pieces that are coherent, personal statements, and who have been included and honored in all kinds of venues – Regional, National, and International galleries, fairs, museums, private and corporate collections.

 That is the case with the artists included in our new exhibit, FOUR REAL.

Anthony Abboreno, Ted Fuka, Jessica Smit Mattingly, and Joan Quirke have been exhibiting their works for some time. For this show, we are presenting several representational pieces from each of them that move in the direction of extremely realistic observations or photo-realistic images.

 Their works are primarily paintings – in acrylics, oils, watercolors or pastels. Their subjects are often natural forms, landscapes, portraits, animals, still life, and studies of man-made objects that are visually exciting – cars, trains, trucks, rural and city structures.

 Their intentions are to share some views that are beautiful, wonderful, amazing or mundane, that we might have missed, or might have kept as memories from long ago, or simply have always found comfort in discovering. We see portraits of people who are like us, reminding us of our families, and people who are symbols for our mysteries, our struggles, our heroes, and our own reflections.

 Tall Grass Gallery is extremely honored to present the works of these four artists in our FOUR REAL exhibit. We hope all who visit the show will come away with great respect for the skill and imagination and dedication to their art that Anthony, Ted, Jessica, and Joan sustain through each piece they create.

Curated by Claudia Craemer and Debbie Craemer, FOUR REAL will open on Saturday, July 6, 2024 with a Reception, open to all, from 12-2pm, followed by an Artists’ Talk from 2-3pm that will provide an opportunity to hear the artists share some insight into their subjects and processes.

his year Tall Grass Gallery continues its long tradition of presenting the Annual Tall Grass Gallery Artists Exhibit in August and September, an opportunity for members of the Tall Grass family of artists to show together and share their diverse approaches to creative work.

Sixty-nine artists will participate in this year’s show with works in a wide range of subjects and styles. Included will be acrylic, oil and watercolor paintings; pastels; ink drawings; photographs and digital prints; etchings; monoprints; mixed media; collage; assemblage; soft and wire sculptures; jewelry; handblown, stained, and fused glass works; hand stitched embroidery and appliqué.

Those taking part come from a variety of backgrounds and levels of experience, and many will be familiar to our visitors. They are highly respected artists, designers, and educators, included in private collections, and gallery and museum exhibits regionally, nationally, and internationally. Others are beginning their exhibition careers, and several have been juried into the Gallery Artists group just this year.

Included in REUNION 2021:

Anthony J. Abboreno, Marcia Babler, Robert Bator, Steve Bennett, Darcy Berg, Judi Boehner, James Eli Bowden, Susan O. Brauer, Carole Joy Brejcha, Jeffrey Equality Brooks, Michael Chelich, Art Ciccotti, Sylvia Cook, Christina Cooley, Claudia Craemer, Maureen Cribbs, Linda Curl, Jacob Dalen, Rita Dianni-Kaleel, Pam Eberlin, Bronwyn Elkuss, Susan Flanagan, Andrea Fox, David George, Jan Glazar, Margi Hafer, Linda Lane Haynes, Jeanine Hill-Soldner, Fran Hollander, Nikkole Huss, Pat Coffman Huss, Jean Janssen, Robert Johnson, Susan Johnson, Jack Kapost, Kamisha Langsdale, Susan Lemerand, Julie Leutloff, Jessica Smit Mattingly, Paula Mattson, Diane McGarel, Margaret McKerral, Janice Meister, Chuck Michaels, Pat Moore, Diane Nadler, Bob Nardi, Sandy Newell, Gedion Nyanhongo, Julia Oehmke, Armida Olivares, Dennis B. O’Malley, Gloria Payne, Stuart Pearson, Joan Quirke, Ginny Raftery, John Ray, Jataun Rollins, Richard Schmidt, Sandy Squillo, Doug Stein, Melvina Stemley, Patricia A. Stewart, Patrick Thompson, Nance Tucker, Carol Weber, Elmira Smith Wilkey, Marikay Peter Witlock, John Irvin Young.

Tall Grass is honored to host such a distinguished group of artists who continue to consider this gallery as one of their most important venues to present their works.

Curated by Claudia Craemer and Debbie Craemer, REUNION 2021 opens on Saturday, August 7, and continues through the final day of the Park Forest Art Fair, Sunday, September 19. A good number of the artists in the gallery show will also be exhibiting at their booths, tents, and tables at the fair. All are welcome to visit both the exhibit and the fair free of charge, during regular hours at the gallery, and from 10am to 5pm on the days of the fair, September 18 and 19.