Giant doesn’t begin to describe it. 5 separate shows on 3 full floors of the Mart. 4 contemporary art shows and one antiques fair. The centerpiece is Art Chicago, featuring 180 galleries from around the world showing over 2000 artists. NEXT is almost as large and is focused on cutting edge and emerging artists. The Artist Project showcases individual artists not represented by galleries, at least at this venue. Intuit is all about outsider and folk art and the International Antiques Fair is all about, well, antiques.

The combined shows are so immense that you can’t possibly see and absorb everything. We were there for a full day and never made it to the NEXT floor. Literally and figuratively. We spent most of out time at Art Chicago. Not to gush too much about it, but it was an exhilarating eye opening look into the world of contemporary art. Most of the work is wall hung, with a handful of floor and table sculpture. The spaces given each gallery, in general, were large enough to display the work without cramping it. Some of the pieces were huge and needed the extra space to breathe. There was a large proportion of photo based work and a smattering of video installations.

I won’t try to attest to the quality or even say which artists I liked or hated. It’s all opinion anyway and there is plenty of critical discourse readily available. I will say that I was greatly impressed with the creativity and diverse visions of the artists. Several times I was so mesmerized that I had to force myself to move along. There were pieces with great depth and emotion, some very disturbing, and some flat out hilarious .

Contemporary art has a very polarizing nature and brings out the art snob in a lot of people. “My 4 year old could do that” stands along side “Oh, this is the most profound life changing vision I’ve every seen” and “Ugh, that is so last year”. It also has a propelling quality, moving culture forward, sometimes at breakneck speed. Most importantly, it reflects society at all levels. This show pulls together all these things and represents some of the best creative minds at work today.

As was to be expected, the Artist Project show was not of the same caliber. There was some very good interesting work and a few artists we liked a lot, but much of it had a derivative, more commercial feel to it. Sort of like a touring company compared to the Broadway original. I think many of the artists there have bright futures, but some honing still needs to be done.

The smallest show was the Intuit show, which featured outsider and folk art. I found some of the work there to be very interesting and intriguing, much of it having a primal appeal lacking in some of the more conventional art in the Artist Project. As often happens, some of the older work has a very contemporary feel.

The International Antiques Fair portion at first glance seems out of place in a contemporary art setting, but it actually fit in quite well. Everything is contemporary at some point in its existence and some of the offerings at this show still had that feel. The close proximity of the old and the new provided for new insights into both- a dynamic symbiotic relationship.

All in all it was a very stimulating and exciting look at what’s being created today. When the show comes around again next year, I would highly recommend going and spending as much time as you can. You’ll come away with your brain overflowing with indelible images and memories.

As an artist who is always chasing after my own muse, the often lofty ideals presented at these shows were like a shot of creative adrenaline. It’s easy to fall into a routine, doing the same kinds of things over and over. It’s also easy to dismiss work because we simply don’t like it. As I reach a certain, ahem, maturity, however, I find that even artists I normally can’t stand offer something positive, if only to reinforce my notions of what’s good and what isn’t.

I’ve noticed that whenever I attend a show like this, I come away overflowing with ideas and renewed vitality for my own artistic endeavours. Old or new, art can stimulate your thinking in ways you never thought possible. Embrace it with an open mind and see what happens.

See my work at alancarterstudio.com.

re’-bar- a steel bar or rod used to reinforce concrete
ker-fuff’-le- an annoyingly trendy synonym for a dustup

Not so long ago my wife, the sweet and lovely Penny, and I went shopping for a new bedMore… and ventured into one of the ubiquitous bedding stores that populate the strip malls around town. This particular store must have had special sensors embedded in the door frames that signal the arrival of fresh meat because instantly a salesman appeared out of thin air and blocked our paths.

“Howyadoin? great day to buy a bed iddnit?” burst forth before we could even get the guy in focus. The huge frozen smile on his face must have had a mesmerizing effect because we sort of nodded our heads and followed him into the bowels of the showroom.

“Now, what can we do for you today aren’t you just the neatest looking couple we have the best brands and the best prices anywhere so you don’t have to look elsewhere let me show you some of our best sellers I’m Brad what’s your names?” We were so worn out at this point that lying down on one of the model beds “to test drive it, heh, heh” actually seemed like a good idea. (Brad, of course, is a totally fictitious name, as we’ve blocked out many of the unnecessary details of the whole ordeal.)

We lay down on the bed, and as anyone who’s ever done this in a store knows, you lie there like you’ve just thrown out your back, all stiff and self conscious, and the guy says, “Now Penny, you may not know what this means, but Alan, you probably know what rebar is.” Penny went even more rigid, stiff as a magician’s assistant in the big levitation trick and muttered, teeth clenched, “I know what rebar is.” She’s nobody’s dummy. Obliviously he went on, describing in detail, to just me of course, the bed’s wonderful construction using the same technology interstate highways are built from.

So we tried a few more beds- no more mention of concrete reinforcement- and, against my better judgment, I blurted out something about frames. He gave me this conspiratorial look and motioned for us to follow him to the rear of the store, out of earshot of a poor unsuspecting couple that had just wandered in. He pointed to a bed frame hanging on a wall and whispered, “That frame is normally $99.99, but I’m going to throw it in for free.” His eyes bugged out on the word “free”.

Now things were getting serious. Fifteen hundred bucks for a bed, but the frame’s free. Meanwhile, Penny’s giving me that look, like “let’s get out of here now if you know what’s good for you”. If it’s possible for eyes to have clenched teeth, this was it.

So, being the head of our marriage since I know all about rebar and all, I said that we had just started our search and we “would think about it”. Brad immediately whipped out his cell phone and said, “Let me call my manager and see what I can do.” Who knew car salesman DNA was so pervasive?

Penny immediately slammed her hand down on a nearby counter and said, no clenched teeth now, “I’ve had enough of this crap!”, and stormed out of the store. I turned to Brad, both our jaws dropped, and I meekly trailed after her, first holding the door for the other couple.

We eventually got our new bed, frame and all, but every time we go by a construction site we giggle and eyebrows are raised.

There are no “Brad”s at Alan Carter Studio, just me. I won’t try to sell you something you don’t want. I’ll listen to you and do my best to provide you with the best handcrafted custom furniture I can make.

See my work at alancarterstudio.com.

There seems to be as many of these small independent brands as there are wineries. And like wine, each one is a little different and some surprising flavors emerge. These brewers are as passionate about their craft as any wine maker, and it shows in their product. Sampling locally produced beer can be as rewarding as trying an indigenous menu item you can’t find anywhere else.

What’s the connection to handcrafted custom furniture? Both are created by craftsmen/women who work to bring you the best product they can, with no shortcuts or compromise in materials or workmanship. You can grab a can of a nationally known brew made in a facility the size of Rhode Island and it might quench your thirst for a little while, or you can linger over the subtle rich flavor of a well designed, well executed lager or ale, knowing, at least subconsciously, that you’re getting the best of the maker’s art. It’s the same with handcrafted custom furniture.

Oh, and don’t drink and drive a tablesaw.

Both places were in the same price range. The first was an upscale national chain- very corporate, impersonal and LOUD. Even though we let them know about Penny’s situation in advance and also told the server, he still gave her a dipping sauce made with butter. His reaction? “Oh, yeah, right. Sorry about that.” In addition, her food was tough and mine was bland, and we felt rushed to make way for the next customer. Needless to say, the tip was low and we probably won’t go to one of their other locations. It could be an isolated case, but who needs the aggravation or the lingering bad taste in your mouth?

The second night was, well, night and day. This time it was a stand alone restaurant, one that has been a neighborhood fixture for years. When we were seated, the chef came to our table with a menu he had marked with the things Penny couldn’t eat as well as suggestions for substitutions and adjustments to others. He spent a fair amount of time with her going over the options. Wow. We’ve never had that happen before. Good service doesn’t always equate with good food, but in this case, the meals were outstanding, as was our server’s wine recommendation. It was a memorable evening, and we know we’ll go back.

Now for the really obvious connection with custom furniture. You can go to even a high end furniture store and get poor service, mediocre quality, and the feeling you’re just another dollar to them. Or you can work with a dedicated skilled craftsman who will listen to you and create just what you want. Plus you won’t have indigestion when it’s all done. No tipping either.

It can get pretty involved and the pairings of glass to varietal can be extensive. It’s not a question of being a wine snob; it’s about getting the most out of your purchase. The bottom line is that the proper stemware can truly enhance the enjoyment of even an average vintage. It can make your 2 buck Chuck taste like 4 buck Charles. A good wine becomes better, and a great wine, well….

It has occurred to me that there is a parallel between fine stemware and fine furniture. You can drink wine from a paper cup, or you can invest in better glasses and increase your enjoyment many fold. The investment in the glasses will pay off handsomely.

Likewise, you can put your stuff in a cheap particleboard cabinet with fake wood veneers, and it’ll work, at least for a while. You probably won’t spend much time looking at it or running your hand over the finish, though. Or you can choose an artistically designed handcrafted heirloom quality chest of drawers created by a dedicated craftsman that will give you service and pleasure for a lifetime.

I know I’m a little prejudiced, but I know which way I’d go.