CHICAGO––Woman Made Gallery (WMG) is proud to present its 6th Midwest Open, juried by Kimberly Oliva. Forty-three artists from Illinois and six other Midwestern states are exhibiting works in a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, mixed-media installation, and video. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. Regular gallery hours are Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
In her statement, Kimberly Oliva remarks: “I am the curator of Oliva Gallery and a Co-Founder of Alma Art and Interiors, so the representation of material-forward work is important to me. The conversation between the breadth and range of the submitted artworks and the voices of the talented artists who submitted work weighed heavily in my selection process. Narrowing down the submissions for this engaging show was an intense challenge, and I’m so excited to show the best of the Midwest right here at Woman Made Gallery.
“There are many new faces, emerging voices, and sculptural dynamics that will delight audiences, and we have special programming planned during the exhibition. Mark your calendar for the opening reception, an Instagram artist talk, and an artist walkthrough in September. I’m thankful to participate as juror, and thanks to all of the amazing artists who applied.”
Exhibiting Artists: Libby Anson, Amal Azzam, Marcia Babler, Sophie Brennan Carlisle, Elizabeth Buchanan, Marianna Buchwald, Sara Peak Convery, Bethany Cordero, Jennifer Cronin, Eleana Grace Daniel, Lisa DeLuca, Sherri Denault, Victoria Engonopoulos, Amy Feigley-Lee, Karen Jean Fike, Anne Farley Gaines, Amanda Gentry, Anna Heinen, Ali Hval, Nanxi Jin, Pauline Kochanski, Jamie Kost, Kathleen Maltese, Jane Michalski, Wendi Napoli, Colleen O’Rourke, Lorraine Peltz, Emily Pfaff, Elizabeth Rhoads Read, Kathryn Rodrigues, Kathy Blankley Roman, Marci Rubin, Nadine Saylor, Brittany Sievers, Amanda Smith, Madison Sternig, Michelle Thomas, Nancy VanKanegan, Vivian Visser, Kathleen Waterloo, Emily Schroeder Willis, Charlotte Woolf, Qianwen Yu
Awards: First Prize – Eleana Daniel; Second Prize – Brittany Sievers; Third Prize: Amanda Gentry; Fourth Prize – Bethany Cordero. Congratulations to All.
About the Juror: Kimberly Oliva received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University in 2001. She is the owner of Oliva Gallery and a co-founder of ALMA Art and Interiors in Chicago. Prior to the opening of ALMA in 2021, Oliva Gallery exhibited at SOFA. Kimberly is a member of the Arts Club of Chicago, the founder of the Mozart Park Mural program, and the President of the Mozart Park Advisory Council. With a diverse professional background ranging from interior design to jewelry to contemporary art, Kimberly has been immersed in the Chicago art scene for more than two decades.
In early 2002, Kimberly started selling art at the Chicago Randolph Street Market. She has since expanded to exhibiting local and world-renowned artworks in Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, Oregon, and Washington. She is currently in the process of organizing museum exhibits for 2024.
In her free time, Kimberly enjoys attending art exhibits, strolling the historic tree-lined boulevards of Logan Square and Humboldt Park, and road-tripping across the United States in search of fresh inventory for Oliva and ALMA. Her passion for art, design, and community has made both Oliva Gallery and ALMA Art and Interiors unique and inspiring destinations for art enthusiasts and collectors alike. For more information, visit For more information visit https://www.olivagallery.com/
6th Midwest Open Press Release
(Image: Artwork by Sara Peak Convery)
Gallery Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 12–5 PM CST | WMG is closed between exhibitions.
Woman Made Gallery is supported in part by grants from The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The Illinois Arts Council Agency; and the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, the Puffin Foundation, a major anonymous donor, and the generosity of its members and contributors.
