ART ON FOOT

This weekend at Navy Pier here in Chicago (or there in Chicago because we do not live IN Chicago.) is a huge art exhibit called SOFA. This stands for Sculptured Objects and Functional Art.
It is one of those things that some people attend every year and others hope to but rarely get to go. I am one of the latter.
The SOFA show is a collections of Galleries and their art.  Some individuals have their own studios and so represent themselves but usually a Gallery will send 5 or 6 pieces by several top-notch artists and their Gallery reps go along to explain the art, discuss it, and of course, sell it.

This is a brooch. It is by an artist named Biba Schultz and is made of sterling silver, antler, green garnet  and coral. This almost the size of it. I think it is wonderful. It has the components in it that I most love-- natural things. I wish I had thought of it first.
(Don't worry, I won't bore you with a lot of detailed stuff.) I am going to put in a few things and that's all. You wanna see more go to SOFA next year.

This is one of my favorites because I am a freak for Tourmaline, which is what these stones are. It is by Isaac and Orney Levy. They had another there with Watermelon Tourmaline, which is where you see the color change on one stone: it will be rose in the center and gradually paling out into greens  and golds--they are quite stunning.

This is ceramic and by Lars Calmar. You can see why I liked it. (No, not the guy.)
One more because it is glass. I went to this with my son the glass-blower and his lovely girlfriend, Stacey. I have not seen so much glasswork under one roof since I visited his studio, Marble City Glassworks, in Knoxville, Tn. The true delight of this show for me was being with my son and listening to him explain how some things were done.
We did not take cameras, because normally you are not allowed to photograph artwork. Artists do not believe that copying their work or methods is the sincerest form of flattery. They consider it thievery.
So these photos are from the SOFA catalog. However, EVERYONE had cameras, and everyone was photographing the art. I am sorry now, that we did not, altho we felt very virtuous.
There were some glass pieces there you have to see to believe, seriously. Huge pieces of tiny, thin, very sharp looking pieces of glass made into large whorls and with the lighting, a billion different angles and lights. But this one was in the catalog and so I include it:

Oh and here is one more-- about 5 feet high:

Oh just this last one..or two or three....................................................