Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

She.Art Chicago: Making Women 1st
2005-06-15

This article shared 3013 times since Wed Jun 15, 2005
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


BY ANDREW DAVIS

PICTURED Candy and She.Art items. Photos by Andrew Davis

One's mood cannot help but brighten upon entering She.Art chicago ( which, despite its name, is actually in Oak Park ) . Vibrant paintings, intriguing sculptures, and shimmering accessories—all celebrating the essence of women—greet customers.

Windy City Times recently visited the store ( which opened June 1 ) and spoke with effusive owner Candy Johnson, whose personality is in step with the art that surrounds her. The confident Johnson describes herself as 'multitalented' and is a self-described 'writer, artist, metalsmith ... you name it.' She spent some time talking about everything from the support of her partner to why men are so important ( for business ) .

Windy City Times: Even though the store is called She.Art, it's not exclusively for women, right?

Candy Johnson: My God, are you kidding? Men are certainly welcome! I was thinking there would be more men buying than women; there are more male collectors than female. I don't want it to be a women's store. I want it to be for ...

WCT: Everyone.

CJ: Yes. I carry items from eras past and present. The collection is so eclectic that I'm hoping that people will come in looking for one [ type of art ] and find something that he or she likes.

WCT: How do you go about collecting pieces?

CJ: A lot of different ways—I go to flea markets, rummage sales, garage sales, auctions, estate sales. Sometimes I go find sales on back roads, even.

I still collect every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I make a list of [ destinations ] and I start at 8 o'clock; that's why I won't open until 11 a.m.

WCT: What's been the best deal you've gotten?

CJ: All my freebies. [ Smiles. ] Once, I went to see some friends in North Hollywood and saw this table with these great legs. I jumped in this blue dumpster, took off the tabletop, threw [ the legs ] in my bag and left my clothes in L.A. I loved them so much. I call them the Three Graces. I consider myself a professional treasure hunter.

WCT: What types of art do you collect?

CJ: I collect all different types of art. [ Note: The Web site states that the store sells figurines, stained glass, carvings, paintings, photographs, prints, metal, photos, folk art and sculptures. ] I want the store to represent my personality and how diverse I am. I'm not a person who is stale. I constantly move and go on new adventures. I was born like that. When I was a kid, I collected keys.

Actually, I met Mercedes [ Corona, her partner ] about 10 years ago. She was collecting nude female art, so we both started collecting those. We were going to open a store and call it Eclectic Nudes, but because we felt that Oak Park is a residential area that we thought we'd broaden it to [ something that incorporated ] eclectic women's art.

WCT: How'd you come up with the name?

CJ: Well, we were having breakfast in Andersonville one day. I wanted a name that was really simple. We came up with 'her art,' but when we saw 'She.Art,' that was it.

WCT: You can't help but notice that 'heart' is a big part of the name ...

CJ: [ Excited. ] I know—right? We put the period there because I kept seeing 'S-Heart.'

WCT: I like that it's there. Having 'heart' there reflects the passion you have for art.

CJ: Exactly. I like the way it looks because, even though the period is there, you can still see the heart in it.

WCT: Let's talk a bit about local artists.

CJ: Every month we'll showcase a different local artist. He or she will get a front window display and two walls in the back. [ The store is divided into a front area that sells various collectibles and a back room that houses paintings. ] We're strictly looking for local artists—with 'local' meaning Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. I've actually received entries from New York and Paris. We also have ongoing featured artists; they have 90-day contracts.

WCT: You also showcase male artists.

CJ: Yes. We have one coming up in September. It's not about the artist; it's about the art. The art, however, has to center around women.

WCT: What's the price range for items?

CJ: Cards are two dollars and the most expensive painting is about $850.

WCT: I see where you offer unique discounts ...

CJ: I do! It's going to change each month. For example, it may be that if you wear pink in the store or tell me a joke, you get 10 percent off. I want people to look at the Web site [ www.sheartchicago.com ] each month and find out what the next [ offer ] will be.

WCT: Can people bring in items to sell?

CJ: Absolutely. We accept consignment pieces and I have contracts ready. I'm accepting pieces of furniture and all women-related art, of course. With artists, I work at a very low commission rate. I'm not here to make money off of them but to help them [ establish ] a following.

WCT: How hard is it to part with some of these items? Don't you fall in love with some of them?

CJ: Yes, I really do. Like everything else, things have to evolve and change. I figure that, once I sell an item, I can find something to replace it. The hardest thing, though, is pricing an item.

WCT: Is there any other thing you wish to say about She.Art?

CJ: It's not like a store where you walk and browse around, you know? I want people to come in, sit down, have a bottle of water and just absorb. I want [ shopping here ] to be a fun experience. Also, it will hopefully inspire people to buy new and different things.

Also, Mercedes is the best. I couldn't have done this without her. She's been so supportive of my venture. She stands by everything I do. No matter what I do, she always right there saying, 'Go for it.'

She.Art chicago is located at 223 S. Blvd., Oak Park; the phone is ( 708 ) 763-0155. The store is open from 11-8, Tuesdays through Saturdays.


This article shared 3013 times since Wed Jun 15, 2005
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor talks theater, comics, queerness 2024-03-26
- City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2024-25 season—which will be the company's 44th. It will also be the first season to be programmed under the leadership of Brian Pastor (they/them), who will assume ...


Gay News

Jamie Barton brings nuances of identity to her Lyric Opera 'Aida' performance 2024-03-18
- Chicago's Lyric Opera is currently featuring a production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida starring Michelle Bradley as Aida, Jamie Barton as Amneris and Russell Thomas as Radamès. The opera runs through April 7, 2024, with Francesca Zambello ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'P-Valley,' Wendy Williams, Luke Evans, 'Queer Eye,' 'Transition' 2024-03-15
- Lady Gaga came to the defense of Dylan Mulvaney after a post with the trans influencer/activist for International Women's Day received hateful responses, People Magazine noted. On Instagram, Gaga stated, "It's appalling to me that a ...


Gay News

Chicago History Museum announces "Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s - 70s exhibition 2024-03-14
--From a press release - CHICAGO (March 14, 2024) — The Chicago History Museum is thrilled to announce its upcoming exhibition, "Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s—70s." Set to open on Saturday, May 18, 2024, this exhibition is ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted celebrates Dreams of Drag 2024-03-11
- On March 9, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., in partnership with the Ralla Klepak Foundation, presented the Dreams of Drag Spring Cohort Class of 2024. The event featured performances from a class of new ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted hosts 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show 2024-03-03
- On the evening of Feb. 29, Center on Halsted held its 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show in front of a packed audience at the Hoover-Leppen Theater. The event brought together participants of the Center's youth and senior ...


Gay News

TAWANI Foundation commits $25K to StartOut, supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship 2024-02-08
--From a press release - CHICAGO — February 8, 2024 — The TAWANI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted opens two new art exhibitions 2024-02-07
- On Feb. 2, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., hosted its latest gallery opening, presenting two solo exhibitions exploring the role of the artist and their relationships with their environments, albeit using vastly different styles. ...


Gay News

ART Champaign display looks at the Midwest Black lesbian experience 2024-02-03
- In Illinois, archival photos are the centerpiece of a new display at the Krannert Art Museum focusing on the Black lesbian experience in the Midwest, IPM reported. The new solo exhibition by St. Louis-based artist Jen ...


Gay News

ART Queer photographer James Hosking focuses the lens on his own work 2023-12-18
- James Hosking—a Chicago-based LGBTQ+ artist who specializes in photography and collage—is one of 17 people selected to be part of "Once: 2023 Emerging Artists Exhibit" at the Cleve Carney Museum on the College of DuPage campus ...


Gay News

GLAAD marks World AIDS Day with launch of global resource hub, new HIV report 2023-12-01
--From a press release - New York, New York — Friday, Dec. 1 — GLAAD marked World AIDS Day this year by sharing the results of its fourth annual State of HIV Stigma Report, a national survey among U.S. adults measuring ...


Gay News

Wrightwood 659 to present 'Daniel Goldstein: The Marks We Leave Behind' on World AIDS Day 2023-11-29
- (CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2023) —Alphawood Exhibitions will present Daniel Goldstein: The Marks We Leave Behind, an exhibition of works from the San Francisco-based artist & HIV/AIDS activist's iconic "Icarian Series," ...


Gay News

'Jersey Boys' stars reunite as Midtown Men on Dec. 2 in Glen Ellyn 2023-11-14
- The original stars of the Broadway hit Jersey Boys—Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer—will reunite as Midtown Men on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at McAninch Arts Center's Belushi Performance Hall ...


Gay News

Black Excellence Awards winners named, inaugural Chicago Black Arts Hall of Fame inductees honored 2023-11-08
--From a press release - CHICAGO (Nov. 7, 2023)—The nonprofit Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago is proud to announce the winners of its 23rd Annual Black Excellence Awards, honored last night in a festive celebration at Black Ensemble Theater. ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Avid ceramicist Don Heggemann remembered for 'dedicated,' lively presence 2023-11-03
- Ceramics instructor Dubhe Carreño first met Don Heggemann when he took her Saturday general ceramics class at Northeastern Illinois University in 2010. He took every one of her classes after that. Heggemann eventually joined the staff ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.