Think spring at McCord Gallery events
Originally published February 23, 2017
Where may one locally find, art, history, music, culture, and afternoon tea? Visit McCord Gallery and Cultural Center, 9602 West Creek Road in Palos Park, and you will find all of this, and more.
Giovanna O’Malley of the McCord Gallery and Cultural Center provided information on some very diverse upcoming events — which are leading up to their Grand Opening Celebration on April 30.
Open Mic Night
At 7 p.m. Feb. 24, McCord is hosting an Open Mic Night. This event invites the community to showcase their poetry, music, and other creative endeavors with neighbors and friends. Open Mic Night will be held in the new annex. Admission is free. Call 708-671-0648 to reserve your performance time.
“McCord is proud to present our new annex for up and coming artists in our community. Displaying their talents on stage and in front of an audience allows them to see how much their work is appreciated and respected by others and encourages them to continue to pursue their interest in the arts,” O’Malley said.
World War II – Lest we Forget
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 9 to 12, McCord Gallery will be hosting World War II – Lest we Forget, an exhibit that is open to the public and will display privately owned museum quality artifacts consisting of uniforms, flags, etc. including items from Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and Auschwitz. General admission is $12, seniors and students $10. Veterans, military, and children under 12 are free.
Palos East and West elementary schools exhibit
From 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 26, an opening reception will be held for the Palos East and West elementary schools exhibit, which is a compilation of art produced by students attending those schools. The display will run through March 11.
Along with exhibits, shows, and events, McCord also offers a variety of workshops this spring.
Abstract Art Workshop — an exciting class that teaches abstract art in a classroom setting. Explore ways to think outside the box using color, found objects, and informal techniques to create art.
Perennial Gardening — get ready for spring by planning your garden for this year and years to come. Learn how to create a garden within a maintenance schedule you can accommodate. Tailor your garden to your space, and design a floral display that will last throughout the growing season.
Silk Creations — two classes in silk are offered. One focuses on creating Mother’s Day presents in silk, which teaches children and adults how to make a silk scarf using beautiful colors and hues to design a truly unique item (no two will ever be the same). The other is a Silk Painting Basic Workshop — which teaches painting designs on a luxurious Habotai silk scarf. Using dyes (instead of paint) the scarf remains soft — and again, no two items will be the same!
Gelatin Mono Printing Workshop — this class teaches how to use a gelli printing plate that uses a mono print technique without the use of a press. Students will learn the procedure to apply the paint, create designs by pressing objects to the wet paint; and then paper is laid directly onto the painted surface. The result is a unique print, which can be used in collage or as a stand-alone print.
Which leads us to the Grand Opening Celebration for the new annex! From 2 to 5 p.m. April 30, McCord staff will personally introduce you to the new Anderson Annex for the Arts. The event will have an afternoon of tours, demonstrations, and a few surprises!
Culture, art, music, poetry, museum quality exhibits, tea, flowers, workshops, classes and more! Check out the McCord Gallery and Cultural Center at www.mccordgallery.org and McCord on Facebook.
New Sportsplex classes
In the mood for something a little more physical? Check out the new adult classes at the Sportsplex, 11351 159th Street, Orland Park. Village Fitness Manager Deborah Geghen provided information on the new classes. Drums Alive tones arms, abs, and more, while drumming to the beat; and UGI Ball classes utilize a “squishy ball” to incorporate 30 exercises in 30 minutes for a full body workout. Get ready for summer with a Beach Bod or Cross Challenge class – these classes begin early in March, so register today! Visit http://www.orland-park.il.us/ to view the program guide or call 708-645-7529.