Calumet

First thanks to everyone for your kind condolences concerning the death of my dad. They have truly helped me during this difficult time. 

I do not know about you but for me either I have too much going on or nothing. This month has been too much. I am pleased to announce that my show,"Calumet," with Ken Maloney will be running for the entire month of April in the Gallery at ClaySpace Ceramic Arts Center in Lisle, IL. I loved watching the gallery transform over the three days it took us to get it all together. I had forgotten just how much work putting up a show can be. 

Ken invited me to join him so the concept of the show was his and deals with us both growing up in Northwest Indiana. Here is the show's statement to help you understand.

The northwest corner of the State of Indiana is often referred to as the Calumet Region. Most Hoosiers simply know it as “The Region.” It is a gritty area of immense environmental change and great contrasts. It is the home of working class families and oil refineries. It is a land marked by steel mills and smoke stacks and stunning biodiversity—incredible prairies, dunes, and forests —coexisting with EPA Superfund sites.

The river that divides the hometowns of Karen S. Musgrave and Ken Maloney (Highland and Hammond respectively) also bears the name Calumet.   Although they no longer refer to this area as home, both artists are unable to deny the influence the area has had on their work.  Themes of family, landscapes, texture and disparity are evident in both artists’ work. Karen and Ken met at ClaySpace in 2012 and were both a bit surprised to realize they shared so many common visual experiences.  The glow of the night sky caused by the blast furnaces of the nearby steel mills, the odd assortment of businesses on Kennedy Ave, and large Catholic families sharing two bedroom homes, et al. The Region is clearly not the sole source of their inspiration, yet their shared experiences cannot be denied. 

We will be celebrating with a closing on April 25 at 7 p.m. I hope you can join us. I think the juxtaposition of our work makes for an interesting show.