Category > Consumed by Creativity
Local artist Jillian Nickell is phenomenal. Her illustrations are well-crafted, full of imagination, and extremely elaborate. I found out about Jillian's work through posters she had created for local music shows. But it doesn't stop there. Her artwork is available in quite a few places and in various forms. Jillian's work (a playful collection of animals in the form of sewing supplies and a trip down memory lane to the playground) can also be found on the beloved Threadless site …
| Sara Czosnyka's designs blow my mind. I've never truly been a hat person — but I want practically every hat Sara makes because of her attention to detail and her innovative use of materials. These hats are sexy and before commercial clothing stores jumped on the hat bandwagon, Sara was pumping out some amazing pieces of her own. Her company, Process and Content, constantly receives rave reviews nationwide. And as a former U of I student, Smile Politely caught up …
Not only is Bonnie Fortune (above on the right) a third year MFA student and educator in Art and Design, but she is also the curator for the newest exhibit, EveryBody!: Visual Resistance in Feminist Health Movements, 1969-2009, at I space — the University of Illinois' art gallery in Chicago. EveryBody!, according to Fortune, is an exhibition dealing with radical visual culture surrounding feminist health movements past and present. It combines video, web, mural, poster, performance, illustration, and even wallpaper …
Tyler Bergfield is a feverish painter. Not only does he sell some of his work on Etsy along with his girlfriend, Millie, but he also shows his artwork around Champaign-Urbana. I was first introduced to Tyler's art on my former roommates' wall. It was a cross-section of a slice of meat. Fleshy and raw, it was so realistic and detailed, you could almost pick it off the wall and smack it right down on the grill. For being someone who …
Tomorrow at 9 a.m., Art Mart in Lincoln Square Village will be hopping like any other Saturday morning during Market season. But this particular day marks the beginning of something we hope will become a new tradition. Art Mart will be enlisting in the help of Chef Matt Zagorski, a well-known pie chef who knows his way around the kitchen more than most people. his (fairly short) life as a chef has already led him to appearances on the Food …
Former editor of Smile Politely, Lindsey Markel, has her hands in almost everything. She's a modern-day Renaissance woman. Her newest project called, You Are Among Friends, is a magazine to empower girls and young women alike. It can also be found as a free podcast featuring local musicians and thinkers. So, here's to Lindsey and all the work she does. We miss you here at Smile Politely. Let us begin: Name: Lindsey J. Markel Sparkle Location: downtown Champaign, Ill. Consumed …
Jessica Phillppe, aka J. Phlip, grew up in Champaign, and after deciding to become a DJ, developed a fast following as one the finest around. Her "Twice as Nice" series with DJ Mertz at the former Nargile turned plenty of heads each week, and she went on to spin at basically every joint in town that featured DJs. After she won a contest called Beauty and The Beats, she did a little touring with DJ Collette, a well-known house DJ …
I stumbled upon Bethany Cooper’s artwork while I was searching Etsy’s local galleries. Bethany’s work is extremely affordable and also very darling. I received so many compliments on my bee earrings and pendant, I had to spread the word about these little gems. Two pieces I’d like to buy next: the red bird and the bunny cameo pendants. Or perhaps the peeking snail. It’s so hard to choose because I truly admire all her work. When going to purchase gifts …
Cynthia Oliver’s proverbial plate is piled high. In no particular order, she’s a mother, professor, poet (with her body and on paper), dancer, an artist, choreographer…the list seems endless and demanding — yet she always appears calm and collected. On her website, a quote she wrote reads, “In my work I want to get dirty, acknowledge demons, hail the angels, tell secrets and celebrate conflicted, complicated, glorious lives fully lived.” And oh — does she ever. On that note, Smile …
Elise McAuley can be found dancing her little heart out in the ballet (she’s been at it for 17 years), behind the camera or occasionally photo blogging on Things and Stuff. Write her an e-mail and her response will drip with color, sweetness and sincerity. These characteristics of her personality are definitely reflected in her photographs, which closely resemble the most candid elements of our society; her eye is trained to take in the emotion that most people omit in …
Most Recent Arts Comments
Karen Vaccaro is a remarkable person as well as a dedicated performer. I couldn’t imagine a better night at theater!
The director should’ve added the wrinkle that the ban on dancing’s the only thing keeping Bomont from attracting the green/tech/jobs of the future!
Now that’s Class!
I have read several of her books and liked them. I guess because I’m not an overweight, lesbian, intersexed Jewish amputee with divorced parents I can’t comment on the offensiveness of some of her jokes.
You forgot to mention fat people. She made fun of obesity. And divorce. Children of divorce were lampooned, too. Jewish people. She hit on a lot of “groups.“ I fit into a number of them. If you didn’t like her speech you won’t like her books. If…
Lesbians: Anecdote about her mom being a lesbian, and getting her mom introduced to Rosie O’Donnell, and mom and Rosie talking about oral sex, and Weiner acting disgusted. She probably meant the disgust in a “don’t wanna hear about my mom’s vag” kind of way, but all…
Oh. Wow. What exactly did she say, Emma? Do you remember?
I went to this. In the first 5 minutes of her talk, she made fun of lesbians, intersexed children, and amputees. I was honestly surprised at how offensve she was—it was like she thought the Champaign Public Library was a venue for Last Comic Standing. I…
Theresa—are you speaking generally about that monologue, or did you attend the Friday night showing at UIUC?
Most Popular Arts Articles (60 days)
- Celebration Company prevails over predictable cliches in Ug!
- Be Okay: Author Jennifer Weiner in town on Sunday
- Book review: Keyhole Factory by William Gillespie
- Sirens in the Night brings local talent together
- The physical self in Hammie’s Recent Works
- The Little Dog Laughed a strange summer delight
- In dreams: Inception
- The man who taught us to hear
- The Little Dog Laughed, but not for long...
- A better Footloose
Most Recent Comments
Illinois has simply had no luck at all in these Mizzou games. None. I think maybe we’re do for a couple of bounces to go our way. If we get one or two (or sever or eight) breaks, I think it’s a win.
Jason, Savoy could easily join the CPL tax district, which is probably closer to most Savoy residents than the Tolono library is. But my impression is that Savoy residents as a whole don’t want to pay the cost of the CPL (Tolono’s library taxes are cheaper), even…
Sorry, but I am lagging behind on updates to the map. Also, some construction projects were delayed from their original start date. On a more positive note, I am putting together a map of haunted houses in Central Illinois. I have a few plotted already, and I…
I’ve never gotten the privilege of all the services CPL cardholders get. I just want to be able to go out of my way to drive to the CPL to check out books, pay fines, maybe buy some coffee, and enjoy the library. None of those activities…
These days, there is more to using a library than checking out books. At one time, paying into the Lincoln Trails system probably would cover the expenses incurred by other libraries in the system. Now, with Internet, videos, coffee shops, wireless Internet hubs, etc., I suspect the…
(speaking as a Savoy resident) By paying taxes to support a member of the LTLS, we are paying our “fair share” to use any LTLS library—Tolono, Champaign, Urbana, etc. This is how library systems work. The 6% of CPL’s circulation represented by Tolono users is NOT significant…
I read Timbo’s argument. I think the key word is “speculating.“
I would be interested to hear more about the “word on the street”—how are individual hauling companies fulfilling their promise to recycle?
Timbo makes a smart, sound argument. Reread it.
I joined on 09-09-09 after living here over a year, and having to listen to my dad tell me how his best friend is, like, #27 or something crazy like that, and how said friend never lived further than 50 feet from the Illini Inn while going…
And, I might add, no one is being prevented from using the Champaign library. They are just being asked to pay their fair share if they are going to use it as their primary library.
The equation is pretty simple here. If you want social services, then pay the taxes required to run those social services. These things only work if everyone puts in their fair share. As a heavy user of the Champaign Library, I say bravo to this new policy.
Curtis Orchard is always good for an hour or three, especially if you have rugrats.
What is the increased marginal cost of serving a resident of Savoy or Mahomet? I suspect negligible. What is the increased revenue to be realized by this new policy? I suspect very little. Aside from these financial aspects, what are the most probable results from this new…
Looks like you are also all members of the killer sideburns club.
Thanks for the article, Ben. I was not familiar with this band until now and even though I won’t be able to attend the show on Friday they are now on my radar. A *good* jam band is hard to find, and these folks appear to fill…
Nice article, love the Dead quote in the beginning. If they can get down here to Central FL I’ll definitely be heading out to the show. Some of my friends have finally stopped wincing when I say “jam band.“ I’ve now tried my best at more descriptive…
@Annie: Yeah, my bad. That was the best part! Drinking + memory exercises = fun @Rob: According to Ask the English Teacher, “My dictionary says ‘drunk’ is an archaic past tense of ‘drink.‘“ We’re all about the new grammar around here.
Katie, have the residents of Savoy and Tolono thought about having their taxes raised a little to help their public library expand? That’s a possibility for them. And then everybody wins.
good call on that Herring recording, Josh. Love that version of Exit Music….here’s a clip of the Cinco de Mayo show (from about six months prior). As I recall, this Shakedown went on for roughly a half hour, while getting into the Trampled Underfoot jam in the…
Most Popular Articles (14 days)
- Camp Rantoul Report: August 20, 2010
- Withershins: the hardest working band in Champaign
- Champaign to close recycling drop-off center
- Pygmalion schedule changes, Emeralds and new Erin Fein project added
- The Burlington Coat Factory Mosque
- Meet the new blog on the block
- CU Pride Fest review
- Flatlander fundraising off to a tasty start
- The right thing changes from state to state
- Garbage doesn’t just “go away”
Recent Searches
- 1592 (7 Results)
- Susan Toalson (3 Results)
- Gabe (4 Results)
- Bond (97 Results)
- Bond (97 Results)
- Gabe (4 Results)
- bond (97 Results)
- bond (97 Results)
- dan schreiber (34 Results)
- gillespie (129 Results)
- Men Against Sexual Violence MASV (1 Results)
- 8684 (1 Results)
- Men Against Sexual Violence MASV (1 Results)
- great cover up doug hoepker (13 Results)
- great cover up (589 Results)
- C-U Circle (32 Results)
- 4130 (1 Results)
- elsinore (123 Results)
- elsinore (123 Results)
- ryan groff elsinore (35 Results)
Facebook
Twitter
Full Site
Events Calendar
The main character’s name is actually Lisbeth, in case you want to correct.