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Our Mission
Arts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership.
Our Mission
Arts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership.
Our Artists
We were founded with the idea that the studio belongs to its artists. The guiding principle behind the studio is to give people an opportunity to shape and be a member of an artistic community; a community that changes with the growing needs of the artists and one that is a contributing member of the larger society.


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📢 Join us at Circle Contemporary Chicago on Friday, March 24th, from 5 – 8pm for the opening reception of Letting the Clock Play the Piano, guest curated by Special Feature. This is part of back to back shows next week, starting with a opening at Intuit on Thursday. We hope you can come out to one or both opening shows!!!
About the show:
Spontaneous synchronization is a phenomena where a movement or activity of a group of organic or mechanical entities unintentionally become in synch or in step with one another. Any pattern or repetition can inadvertently become rhythmic. We are distracted as spectators, and often don’t have the time to recognize a large or unfamiliar pattern to their completion. There are a multitude of hidden melodies waiting to be realized everywhere.
This exhibition relates the pull of visual rhythm and form.
It wanders through the impact of the meta-iterative and the harmonies of different graphic textures.
About the Curator:
Special Feature is an artist-run exhibition space in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood. It is a project designed to help pair local and out of town artists work together and connect communities.
Featured Artists:
Rykeyn Bailey, Joey Center, Maggie Crowley, Ben Foch, Phil Gazzolo, Billy James Joyce, Mike Kloss, Leonardo Kaplan, Gabrielle Ledet, Bill Lilly, Lawrence M, Alex Scott, Lucy Walsh, Noah Wieder, Maria Vanik
When: 🗓
Opening Reception - Friday, March 24th, from 5 – 8pm
March 25th- May 22nd 2023
Open by appointment only
Where:
Circle Contemporary Chicago
2010 W Carroll Ave
Chicago, IL 60612 United States
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Image Description:
ID1 - A Flyer with multiple colors stacked with hearts overlaying. On top is text written in 3 concentric circles. The outer circle has numbers 2 through 12. The next has “Letting the Clock Play the Piano”. The inner most circle says “Special feature , Arts of Life”
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#ArtExhibit #ChicagoArtExhibition #ArtsOfLife #CircleContemporary #Art #OutsiderArt #IntuitveArt #ArtistsWithDisabilities #DisabledArtists #IDD #ChicagoArtGallery #Chicago #ChicagoArt #JoeyCenter #PhilGazzalo #BillyLilly #LawrenceM #AlexScott #LucyWalsh #NoahWieder #MariaVanik
We are thrilled to announce that In 1 week we will be having back to back opening receptions starting with the opening for Hand Drawn Circle: Arts of Life Studio Past and Present, on Thursday, March 23rd at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art from 5-8pm. We hope to see you there!
About the Show:
Hand Drawn Circle: Arts of Life Studio Past and Present, brings together work by current and former artists that utilize the Arts of Life studio. The title for the exhibition is a nod to one of the key formal components of founding artist Veronica Cuculichs’ oeuvre of what she referred to as ‘Babydolls’. A simplified figure with an enlarged circular head that Cuculich returned to throughout her practice. These babydolls were often drawn emanating mandala-like linear elements and stripes of color visually paralleling many types of devotional iconography. The works on view in Hand Drawn Circle comprise a range of approaches to the sacred act of representing thoughts in form.
When:
March 23rd - May 21st 2023
Where:
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
756 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60642 United States
Featured Artists:
Chris Austin, Veronica Cuculich, Nikki Huesman, Marcus Kennedy, David Krueger, Michael Marino, Susan Pasowicz with Allison Wade, Hubert Posey, Alex Scott, Jean Wilson
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Image Description: A flyer with an impressionistic figurative colored pencil drawing with text in the upper left corner that says, “Hand Drawn Circle: Arts of Life studio past and present”. and “Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art March 23 - May 21” on the bottom center.
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#Intuit #HandDrawnCircle #ArtExhibit #ChicagoArtExhibition #ArtsOfLife #CircleContemporary #Art #OutsiderArt #IntuitveArt #ArtistsWithDisabilities #ChicagoArtGallery #Chicago #ChicagoArt #ChrisAustin #VeronicaCuculich #NikkiHuesman #MarcusKennedy #DavidKrueger #MichaelMarino #SusanPasowicz #AllisonWade #HubertPosey #AlexScott #JeanWilson #SupportLocalArtists
Get your paddles and glow sticks ready, our annual benefit is on the horizon!
Join us Friday Evening, May 5th at Bridge 410 for a neon-themed 🎨 art auction, and 💃 🕺dance party that you don’t want to miss!
Reserve your tickets today, because like last year, they will sell out fast!
More details below. Ticket link in our Bio
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Event highlights include:
- A tribute to community leader and artist Jason Pickleman
- A curated art auction featuring work by renowned artists from Arts of Life and around the world
-An electric dance party with 🎶 music by Blesstonio
- A energetic dance party performance
-💡 Light Design by Craig Gronowski
- Event 📸 Photography by Colectivo Multipolar
- Complementary 🍽 food, 🍷 drinks, and 🍰 desserts throughout.
- Flowers 💐 by Field & Florist
Neon Dreams is your chance to expand your art collection while investing in OVER 70 talented artists.
FEATURING ARTWORK BY:
Omar Abulsheikh — Ariee Carter — Taylor Augustine — Renata Berdes — Guy Conners — Amanda Gantner — Ted Gram-Boarini — Steve Harhaj — Nikole Heusman — Paula Kamps — Alysha Kostelny — Lawrence M. — Noel Mercado — Yae Jee Min — Noël Morical — Jason Pickleman — Saemee — Marcelo Eli Sarmiento — Mariam Pare — Sue Pasowicz — Carol Pyes — Brian Reed — Kate Sable – Peter Shear — Andrew Sloan — Edra Soto — Tim Stone — Jennifer Sullivan — Kevin Umana — Lucy Walsh — Sara Wenokur — Jean Wilson — Sandro Miller — Kate Kimmel — Ben Sanders
WHEN:
May 5th, 2023
Vip Entry - 6:30 PM
General Admission Entry - 8:00 PM
Dance Party Entry - 10:00 PM
WHERE:
Bridge 410
410 N Paulina Street
Chicago , IL 60622
Thank you to our Sponsors:
@perrier
@landandseadept
@span_studio
@bridge410chicago
#CapGrow Partners
@kavigupta_
@chicagoprintworks
@tandemthinking
@richardgraygallery
@fieldandflorist
#Braff
#CrescoLabs
#TerryDowdInc.
Rachel and Aaron Martell
Rogers Family Foundation
Abby Puckerr
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#PartyTime #ArtAuction #Neon #LightShow #ArtsOfLife #ArtistBenefit #ChicagoArtist #ArtGallery #ChicagoArtGallery #IDD #DisabledArtist #Artist #ArtistsWithDisabilities #FeaturedArtist #DanceParty
#ChicagoEvents #ChicagoParty #JasonPickleman #Bridge410
CONGRATULATIONS 🎊 🎉 to Aria and Raina Carter, who are showing artwork this weekend at the largest art fair in Japan and the oldest in Asia - Art Fair Tokyo!!! If you’re In Japan this weekend, GO CHECK IT OUT!
ART FAIR TOKYO brings together leading art galleries from across Japan and the rest of the world since its founding in 2005. The fair is a leading force in the Japanese art market, which targets established and new generations of global and local dealers and collectors to take note of the wide range of art.
ART FAIR TOKYO
March 10th-12th
Tokyo International Forum
Hall E and Lobby Gallery
3 Chome-5-1 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo-to 100-0005 Japan
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Image Descriptions:
ID1- Aria and Raina Carter standing with a large yellow decorated duck between them.
ID2- An Anime Illustration showing a collage of Anime characters by Raina Carter.
ID3-Raina Carter in her studio standing next to a large painting on an easel.
ID4-A Fashion Illustration made by Aria Carter showing a Woman with a hat and an elegant dress.
ID5-Aria Holding up an art piece in her studio.
ID6-Aria And Raina surrounded by art in a Miami Art Gallery.
ID7-An anime drawing titled “Utada Hikaru Traveling” , colored pencil and marker on paper. 30" x 20" in size.
ID8- A flyer with an anime girl holding Hello Kitty in the center of the image, that says “Art Fair Tokyo” in the top left and “With Sho+1 Gallery Tokyo March 10-12” at the bottom center.
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#ArtFairTokyo #AriaCarter #RainaCarter #ArtsOfLife #ChicagoArtist #ArtGallery #ChicagoArtGallery #IDD #DisabledArtist #Artist #ArtistsWithDisabilities #Illustration #Illustrator #FashionIllustrator #Anime #AsianArtFair #JapaneseArt #AsianArt #ArtAsia #ContemporaryArt #CircleContemporary
@princessraina2 @ariagabrielle34
Hey🗽New York City, We are out here, all set up and ready to show at the @outsiderartfair ! Come by today from 6-9pm for an intimate viewing and check out some amazing art work by Arts of Life Artists Andrew Sloan, Christianne Msall and Renata Berdes. We will be here till Sunday, and are super stoked to show you this work!
For more details go to our events page at artsoflife(dot)org/events
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Image Description:
ID1-Circle Contemporary Gallery Manager, Nick Schutzenhofer and Director of Exhibitions and Outreach, Vincent Uribe standing in the Arts of life booth at The Outsider Art Fair.
ID2- Renata Berdes’ art work titled, “Wheelchair, 2018” made with Marker on paper, mounted to cardstock. It is
13.75"x10.75" in size.
ID3- Booth wall full of framed art pieces by Andrew Sloan, Christianne Msall and Renata Berdes.
ID4- Christianne Msall’s colorful Abstract Art Work Titled, “Peace Sign is the Flower of the Our Faithful Together Forever, 2019” made with Colored pencil on paper. It is 24"x19" in size.
ID5- Corner view of the right side of the Booth wall full of framed art pieces by Andrew Sloan, Christianne Msall and Renata Berdes.
ID6-Andrew Sloan’s Figurative Art work of a fire truck in the city titled, “Windsor Fire Rescue, 2020” made with pen, graphite and colored pencil on paper. It is 24"x24" in size.
ID7-Corner view of the left side of the Booth wall full of framed art pieces by Andrew Sloan, Christianne Msall and Renata Berdes.
ID8-Renata Berdes’ Sculptural art work titled “Towel Warmer, 2022” made with Foil tape. It is 7"x4”in size.
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#ArtsOfLife #OutsiderArtFair #OutsiderArtFair2023 #CircleContemporary #AndrewSloan #ChristianneMsall
#RenataBerdes #VincentUribe #NicholasSchutzenhofer #NYC #NewYorkCity #NewYorkCityArt #IDD #DisabledArtist #Artist #ArtistsWithDisabilities #DisabilityAwarenessMonth #ArtExhibition #ArtShow #NewYorkGallery #OutsiderArt
@sick_nchutzenhofer @vcentu @theartistchristianne