Autumn officially starts on September 22nd this year, but we still have time to celebrate the end of summer in style on Saturday afternoon, September 19, 2009, with Art Gallery Saturday, highlighted by:

• A private group tour of the Chicago Cultural Center
  
• A presentation of the Illinois Institute of Art - Gallery 180 by its Curator, Chuck Gniech
  
• Drinks / early dinner at Emerald Loop Bar & Grill to "hang out" and enjoy each other's company!
  

This is a unique opportunity to take in one of Chicago's public but underutilized treasures, the Chicago Cultural Center, and also learn about Gallery 180, its upcoming exhibit "red", and the art world in Chicago through the eyes of a veteran, professional artist and curator. Art Gallery Saturday will also give everyone a chance to make some great new friends and further develop our future Creative Social Club plans to make the wintry months of December, January, and February so enjoyable, you will be happy it's 85 degrees below zero outside. In addition, our very own Cathie has volunteered to be the editor of a "group review" of "the exhibit". (We had only one exhibit originally planned for this Meetup, but Gallery 180 is about the size of one large room, so Cathie can have multiple options on what she would like to review in writing.)

While there may be some future refinements to the agenda, here is what we have currently planned for September 19th:

1:15 PM: MEET AT THE WASHINGTON STREET LOBBY OF THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

Everyone convene at the Washington Street Lobby / Information Desk of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 East Washington, Chicago, IL 60602. For whatever reason, the city uses some crazy URLs, so I have left all of the relevant links at the bottom. DO NOT GO ON THE PUBLIC TOUR AT 1:15 PM. We have a special, private tour for The Chicago Creative Social Club scheduled at 1:30 PM. Your docents (look it up!) will be Charles Schwartz and Joyce Dunn. Please be on time - this also applies to moi, who arrived for the last Meetup on Manila time - as you will have a difficult time finding the group otherwise once the tour has started; the exhibits are spread throughout the building. The tour leaves at 1:30 PM.

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM or so: PRIVATE GROUP TOUR OF THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

The tour is supposed to last 45 minutes. I am doubtful that is enough time if the exhibits are good, so more likely, we will be done at 2:30 PM or so. Exhibits listed on the Chicago Cultural Center Web site include:

• Tom Torluemke: After-Glow
  
• Stateless: New Work by Nicole Gordon
  
• Twisted Ambience: An Installation by Nnenna Okore
  

More exhibit information is available through the second link below. The Chicago Cultural Center has exhibits on three floors, but they are spread out in a not-so-easy-to-figure-out scheme, so please be sure to get there on time for the guided tours!

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM: WALK TO ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF ART - GALLERY 180

The walk is really only five minutes, but it's a different zip code and we might get distracted by free samples of Mrs. Fields on the way. Anyway, we will reconvene at Gallery 180, 180 North Wabash, Chicago, IL 60601.

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM or so: SPECIAL TALK BY GALLERY 180 CURATOR CHUCK GNIECH

Gallery 180 is small, but elegant. It would be a great place for an intimate cocktail party, and I liked the current exhibit from Nancy Rosen. On September 19th, there will be a new exhibit, red, described as "a National Juried Exhibition of images or objects having—at least—a touch of red". Better yet, the Curator, Chuck Gniech, has graciously agreed to spend time with our group and give a talk about:

• The Illinois Institute of Art
  
• Gallery 180
  
• red
  
• Chuck's own experience as an artist and curator
  
• The Chicago art scene
  
• Art as a business
  

3:15 PM or so: SCHOOL'S OUT, NOW IT'S TIME FOR DRINKS / EARLY DINNER AT EMERALD LOOP BAR & GRILL, 216 NORTH WABASH

By 3:15 PM on September 19th, I will probably need a drink. Actually, I could use a drink right now after composing this long Meetup. Probably, you need a drink after reading it. In any case, we had multiple options for drinks and possible early dinner, but I have decided on Emerald Loop Bar & Grill, 216 North Wabash. It is a block's walk from Gallery 180, and it is very nice. We have a bigger group than originally expected when ART GALLERY SATURDAY was conceived, and you will not believe how some watering holes will not take reservations for a group of 40 or so people, especially when it's separate checks. However, we have arranged with Emerald Loop our own special drinking area right by the entrance. Note that we designed the day to be open-ended so that we can continue to hang out for an indefinite period of time, while giving those with Saturday night plans the flexibility to leave gracefully whenever they wish. Furthermore, the group's modus operandi is to settle bills separately, making the gathering highly modular. Come whenever, leave whenever, but pay your bar tab!

RELEVANT LINKS:

Chicago Cultural Center
http://199.253.140.81...

Chicago Cultural Center Exhibit Schedule
http://egov.cityofchi...

Illinois Institute of Art - Gallery 180
http://www.gallery180...

Gallery 180 Exhibition Schedule
http://www.gallery180...

Chuck Gniech's Personal Work
http://www.gniech.com...

Emerald Loop Bar & Grill
http://www.emeraldloo...