Blue Moon Gallery launches spring season

GRAYSLAKE – Blue Moon Gallery kicks off its 2023 spring art season with new exhibitions at its opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 22.

The new exhibitions feature abstract acrylic paintings and sculptures from William Weidner of Waukegan, hand-pulled linocuts by printmaker Samira Gdisis of Racine, Wisconsin, new scratchboard art by Les Scott of Gurnee, and jewelry designs by Leslie Armstrong of Fox Lake featuring wire-wrapped stones.

The gallery’s 2023 Collective Artists also will be showing their latest work.

“This month we are excited to celebrate the fourth anniversary of our opening day with so many talented artists showing their work with us,” Blue Moon Gallery director Kendra Kett said in a news release. “It has been a wonderful and inspiring journey to work with and support so many artists from across northern Illinois, southeastern Wisconsin and all of Chicagoland these past four years and to present their beautiful art for our patrons, collectors and community.”

Weidner attended Washington University’s School of the Arts in St Louis, where he earned his bachelor’s in fine arts in painting. He later earned a master’s in fine arts in painting and drawing at the University of Nebraska. He was a professor of art at Lakeland University in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, for 30 years and has won numerous awards for his artwork.

Gdisis is a printmaker, interdisciplinary artist, community builder and curator. Gdisis holds bachelor’s degrees in cognitive psychology, interdisciplinary art and printmaking with a minor in arts management. She earned a master’s degree in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Scott is one of only three Illinois scratch artists in the International Society of Scratch Artists.

The gallery also is presenting works by Armstrong. With an eye for detail and an innate ability to create abstract beauty, Armstrong’s jewelry pieces are designed to be conversation starters. Many pieces come with ink drawings and frames that elevate the designs to an added level of creativity.

The gallery’s five 2023 Collective Artists – Kathleen Heitmann, Juli Janovicz, Michael Litewski, John Kirkpatrick Jr. and Kett – will be exhibiting new works including paintings, drawings and assemblages. These artists show year-round at the gallery and present evolving collections of works in impressionism, abstract expressionism and modern/contemporary genres.

The gallery will be open to the public from 6 to 9 p.m. April 22 and 1 to 4 p.m. April 23. On Saturday and Sunday, the gallery is open from 1 to 4 p.m. The gallery also ships artwork to buyers nationwide.

Blue Moon Gallery is located at 18620 Belvidere Road, Grayslake.

For information, call director Kendra Kett at 224-388-7948 or visit www.thebluemoongallery.com.