Chicago Visual Artist Karen I. Hirsch Receives Illinois Arts Council Grant

CHICAGO - Aug. 25, 2014 - PRLog -- The Illinois Arts Council awarded Chicago-based photographer/visual artist Karen I. Hirsch a grant to support her art.

Hirsch will be displaying her photographs at the Hyde Park Art Center - 5020 S. Cornell, Chicago this Fall. Her images will be included in the group exhibit, "Front & Center" showcasing the artwork of 23 artists enrolled in the 2014 Center program, a professional development initiative for artists. The exhibit will run from September 13, 2014 through January 4, 2015. This show helps celebrate the Center's 75th anniversary.

The umbrella title for Hirsch's artwork at the Hyde Park Art Center is "Works in Progress." Hirsch will be presenting her abstract photos of the arrangements of the white geo-form blocks scattered at the construction site of the new Maggie Daley Park in downtown Chicago. She will also be displaying abstract photographic compositions of paint-splattered surfaces in the room where she took a painting class at the Hyde Park Art Center.

Funding from the Illinois Arts Council will also support Hirsch's month-long solo-exhibit in October at the Bridgeport Coffeehouse located within the Hyde Park Arts Center building. The exhibition titled "River Ice" consists of prints on metal of abstract compositions of ice formations in the Chicago River during the frigid winter of 2014. Hirsch used digital technology to blend her original photos of organic ice formations with colors, textures and other images to create these new works.

In November, three of Hirsch's editorial photographs will be shown at the Martha Schneider Gallery in River North, Chicago - 230 W. Superior. The photos are included in a group exhibit, "Existence" consisting of winning images by members of the American Society of Media Photographers-Chicago/Midwest. Her photo, "Joyful Skier" won third place in this juried competition judged by Martha Schneider - gallery owner, Dennis Manarchy - photographer and Mrs. Yao Wang, president of the China Photographers Association in Beijing, China. An opening reception is scheduled for Friday, November 7, 2014 from 5-8 PM. The photographers will discuss their work at an Artists' Talk on Saturday, November 8th from 10 AM - Noon. The show runs through November 21, 2014.

Karen I. Hirsch is an international award-winning visual artist based in Chicago. Her commercial, editorial  and fine art work have been published internationally in magazines, newspapers and books including Communication Arts and Graphis photo annuals. Her fine art work is found in corporate and private collections.

karenihirsch.com/Visual_Art