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Highlighting Chicago’s women-owned galleries

Thursday Oct 28, 2004.     By Chris Benevich

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Artistic women of the European Baroque period, restricted from anatomy and figure drawing, found a role model in Artemisia Gentileschi. An Italian woman born into an artistic family, Gentileschi gained renown in the seventeenth century with her depictions of biblical leaders. Fast-forward to twentieth-century America, and we see Judy Chicago making waves with her works, turning women's private realms public, such as with "The Dinner Party."

Over time, women progressed from exclusion to domination in the art world, at least on the gallery side. According to Julie Walsh, Director of Walsh Gallery, women own the majority of today’s art galleries. Form your opinions at these woman-owned art galleries of all persuasions. Get a free, guided tour led by an expert; details are at Chicagoartdealers.org.

Maya Polsky Gallery
From its start in 1989, Maya Polsky dedicated her gallery to artists "whose works combine high professionalism of a painting technique with deep meaning." The gallery often explores the ability of artists of differing cultures to somehow still share the same sensibilities. On the ground floor, the space itself encourages free-flowing thought for its visitors and artists alike with stark white movable walls, 14-feet-high ceilings and enormous windows facing the street.

Until recently, the gallery had trouble importing works from Russia (in part due to the Cold War), with Polsky personally having to intercept the artwork in Russia and navigate through customs back to the States. Says Gallery Director Eva Belavsky, "It is now almost as easy for the gallery to bring in works from Moscow" as it is to bring in works from Paris or Madrid.

Maya Polsky Gallery shows works of American, European and Russian artists, typically through one solo exhibition in the front and a selection of works by several artists throughout the gallery. For 10 years, Maya Polsky Gallery has represented Ed Paschke, "Chicago's most important living artist."

Gescheidle
Susan Gescheidle, principal of gescheidle, spent a good amount of time in the retail industry doing sales, merchandising, management and buying before starting her gallery in 2002. She shows drawings and paintings, particularly figurative work and pieces with substance. Her gallery agenda is to "work with artists who I think have interesting ideas, are technically good at their craft, and, bottom line, who I like and respect."

Walsh Gallery
When Julie Walsh moved from the Fine Arts Building to the West Loop, there was only one other gallery in the area (the Peter Miller Gallery), but she was impressed with the draw of international clients, sophistication of people nearby and potential for growth. She reconfigures the space with each exhibit to reflect the art shown, causing some visitors to wonder if they are in the same gallery. The recent cover of “Gallery News” shows Walsh and her baby in a blur, a "good picture of me and my life, because having three kids and a gallery" makes for a life in constant motion.

Julie Walsh traveled with her husband to Shanghai in 1986 to teach English, fell in love with the country and began studying traditional Chinese painting. Though she had never taken her painting seriously, she was so happy doing it that when she returned to the U.S., she left her profession as a psychologist and eventually started her gallery to challenge people's ideas of Asian and Chinese art. She admires the beauty in Chinese painting, appearing spontaneous but reflecting the trials and thought processes of getting the piece right. There's a "contrast between control, rules, the ways of doing things and complete freedom."

Wendy Cooper Gallery
Wendy Cooper of Wendy Cooper Gallery prefers to show conceptual painting, drawing and photography that synthesizes current events. Be it figurative or abstract, she wants artists to pare down work to the essence of a message or idea. Younger art dealers can't quite put their finger on Cooper, since she's twice their age. She meshes well with artists and collectors, but collaborations or competition with other dealers change based on their perception of who she is. "We do our best work and then it goes out into the world. People will think what they want."

Flatfile Galleries
Betsey Lipp, gallery manager of Flatfile, takes pride in Flatfile Galleries' sense of style. Lipp says part of this comes from gallery director Susan Aurinko's background in fashion, interior design and dance. In addition, Lipp states that women-run galleries are more in tune with the general art world instead of being focused solely on those with a fine arts background.

Flatfile Galleries shows both emerging and established artists in 10 shows per year. They also store more than 1,000 photographs and works on paper in 80 flatfile drawers. The range of prices allows for anyone from a first-time buyer to a seasoned collector to make a special find.

Linda Warren Gallery
Linda Warren aims for variety in her gallery. She shows all categories of art from primitive to schooled to street and believes in the healing energy of the creative process and result. She admires "the merging of talent and purpose in the pursuit of high achievement in one's creation. It was, and still is, the common goal shared among the artists I represent."

MG Gallery
Adriana Weber, director and owner of MG Gallery, wanted to open a business since the success of her grandmother and great aunt's bridal shop. Owning a gallery allows Weber to submerse herself in the art that inspires her. "The work in most galleries is confrontational, exorbitantly priced and unlivable." Weber chooses her exhibits by instinct yet strives for both affordable and approachable art.