Photo Archives 2026
Kristin Murphy:
Discovering the Way
March 5 - 29, 2026
“Discovering the Way is not about arriving – it’s about honoring the path that shaped me.
This collection brought together years of exploration — watercolor, soft pastel, acrylic, and mixed media — each piece marking a season of growth. As I gathered the work, I realized this show isn’t about a destination. It’s about the journey. The shifts. The mentors. The quiet persistence. The becoming. I’m deeply grateful to the teachers and mentors who guided me along the way — their influence lives inside this work."
LTHS Art Exhibition
April 2-26, 2026
"With every show, I hope that visitors are able to see and appreciate all of the hard work and dedication of our students. This show is a culmination of months of practice, revision, and creative experimentation in order to see the works that are on display in the gallery! I hope that the student's efforts throughout the school year are evident and that viewers can see the many hours of work put into the pieces and the dedication to their craft! This show is an amazing opportunity to highlight the talents of our students to the community and I hope everyone leaves with a better appreciation for what we do here at LTHS!" - LTHS Visual Arts Teacher and Art Club Sponsor Holly Cook.
If you didn't see this exhibition or you'd like to see it again, we hope you enjoy the pictures.
Chicago Society of Artists
Spring Member Exhibition
April 30 - May 31, 2026
Experience the creative energy of Chicago’s vibrant art community at the Chicago Society of Artists Members Spring Exhibition. Each year this dynamic showcase brings together a diverse collective of painters, graphic artists, printmakers, photographers, and sculptors, each offering a unique perspective and voice. From bold contemporary works to thoughtfully crafted traditional pieces, the exhibition celebrates the depth and variety of artistic expression across the region. Join us in welcoming spring with fresh ideas, new works, and the enduring spirit of Chicago art.
Rick Decorie:
Quiet Witness: Architecture, Machinery, and Nature Remembered
April 30 - May 31, 2026
This exhibition presented a series of black-and-white photographs that serve as quiet witnesses to the Midwest’s architectural, industrial, and natural heritage. Each image documents structures, machinery, and landscapes shaped by time and use—objects and places often overlooked, yet rich with historical and aesthetic significance.
Through a technical and contemplative lens, Rick Decorie preserves the dignity of the region’s built and natural environments, offering viewers a visual record of stories embedded in decay, endurance, and transformation. The collection invites reflection on the value of preservation and the silent testimony of the Midwest’s enduring forms.
Known for his observational documentary style, Decorie focuses on everyday structures and industrial subjects that might otherwise fade into the background. His work emphasizes detail and form, encouraging viewers to pause and reconsider the familiar landscape around them.
Karyn McAdams:
Wild Threads
June 4 - June 28, 2026
Karyn McAdams unveiled Wild Threads, a captivating solo exhibition that celebrated the beauty and spirit of the natural world through the art of threadpainting. Using her sewing machine as a painter’s brush, McAdams layers hand-dyed canvases and fabrics, weaving thousands of stitches to create wildlife portraits that radiate depth, texture, and emotion.
Each work is an intricate composition that blurs the line between painting and textile art. McAdams’ meticulous attention to detail and painterly use of thread give rise to an extraordinary realism — each feather, fur strand, and gaze imbued with life and soul.
"When I threadpaint, I’m not just depicting an animal — I’m capturing its energy, its quiet power,"
McAdams explains. "The process feels almost meditative, as though the wild is speaking back through the thread."
The Wild Threads collection included large-scale animal portraits such as the alpaca, bison, and fox, alongside smaller works that explore the intimate beauty of creatures like the owl, zebra, koala and buck. Together, the collection invited viewers to reflect on our shared connection with the natural world.
Open Lens XVI
June 4 - July 12, 2026
Open Lens XVI was juried and judged by the artist partners of Gallery Seven. The reception was held Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 6 - 8 p.m. Guests were invited to come and enjoy light refreshments, meet the artists and see all the wonderful submissions. Best in Show, 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and three Honorable Mentions were awarded a cash prize during the reception.
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