Eric Futran, primarily known for his opulent food photographs, will be taking a walk on the wild side with a collection of humorous shots compiled for a special Couloir Bleu exhibition during April and May.   Eric is also a musician and will play with his band, the Noshers, at a fun Opening, Friday, April 6th   All are welcome to come for music and to meet the artist.
   Perhaps there's no better way to describe the show than by the following Artist's Statement:


               Eric Futran/ 40 years Searching for the Punch Line
 
     In the 40+ years I’ve made a living as a photographer, I’ve always beenon the lookout for odd or amusing images. Some of these photos were assigned by publications (for the early Reader, or Hyde Parker, for example). But most were just magic grab shots, taken in the moment when God is gracious enough to provide you with a visual pun or wisecrack.
     Mostly, they’ve all been sitting in hard drives or print cabinets for years.I’ve gathered them together into an odd sort of juxtaposition. These pictures were captured both locally and internationally. I’ve also chosen a wide variety of pictures: black and white, color, large prints and small. Children, adults, animals (as you can see, I really dig pigs).
     I know that while most of these pix are fairly amusing, I have included several ‘quieter’ images. “Why “, you might say, “did you provide us with actual ‘serious’ pictures?” And the answer is, ”because I like them!”
     So there!
     I certainly spared no expense in mounting the show. The frames were gathered from some of Chicago’s finest (and not so fine) resale shops.  Anyway, I hope you like the result. It was fun putting it together.
 


To contact Eric and see more of his work (including more pigs!), go to www.chefshots.com.   For videos with some of Eric's music, try www.kidknish1.com.   Fun stuff.

      At 7 PM, SATURDAY MARCH 17th, Wishbone will again be hosting the acclaimed duo, JAMIE O'REILLY and MICHAEL SMITH, for a celebration of Irish traditional song--through the lens of a bygone (and more innocent) childhood in America with the Church.
      Subtitled "The Age of Reason," the evening's musical journey is aimed to "bring us to our lives; to cherish what is simple; know what is lost; heal what is hurt.   And to remember the best of times..." 
    If you've never heard them, you're in for a heartfelt, liberating personal  portrait of  Catholic America of the 40s, 50s, and 60s with traditional songs punctuated by quirky tales and school day lore that will bring out memories of a shared past.   O'Reilly and Smith are well known performers on the Chicago scene and have recorded (and interpreted) many of the great songs associated with St. Patrick.
       Tickets are $20 in advance through Jamie's weblog (using PayPal) at
http://www.jamieoreilly.com/317-smith-oreilly-wishbone/ You may also phone or text (773) 203-7661.   
       A ticket purchase will reserve seating in the main dining room where you may order separately St. Paddy specials of food and drink--prepared by Wishbone, of course!
       Why not make St. Paddy's something meaningful and a charming introduction to Irish culture . . . ?  This is for kids of all ages . . .

     The current exhibition in the Couloir Bleu features works by Beatriz Ledesma and Jon Randolph--complimentary visions of life to the South of us, both in dream and quotidian life.   The "official" OPENING
to greet the artists will be MARCH 10TH from 6 to 9 PM with some refreshment provided by Wishbone.

BEATRIZ LEDESMA
 
      Beatriz Ledesma identifies herself as an immigrant from Buenos Aires.  Her paintings are primarily oil on canvas with bold, vibrant colors as an expression of her Latin American roots and a strong, archetypal emotional content.  
     The images are figurative but set in dreamlike compositions to suggest a timeless internal world constantly responding to personal history and surroundings.  
Ledesma intends for the viewer to be transported into a space of self reflection and insight about memorable and incongruous aspects of life.
      You can see more of her work at www.beatrizledesmastudio.com
 
JON RANDOLPH
 
            For twelve years, Jon Randolph worked as staff photographer for Channel 11—PBS Chicago— shooting their shows (Soundstage, Book Beat, Sneak Previews, etc.). and sharpening his skills as documentary photographer.   Among his awards, he received a New York Art Directors award for an opening photographic essay on Cook County Jail and an Emmy nomination for slide/wild sound essays for Gene Sickle’s show Nightwatch.  In 2012, the post office issued a commemorative stamp for  Gwendolyn Brooks based on one of Randolph’s photos.
            Jon continues to free-lance editorial and location photos and his work has appeared regularly in the Chicago Reader, Chicago Enterprise magazine, Illinois Issues, Down Beat, Rolling Stone and others.
            In pairing with Ledesma’s colorful  and almost shamanist paintings, Jon decided to present works from his travels to Guatemala chronicling day-to-day life.  
You can see more of his work and contact him through: jonrandolph.com