Check out the 2020 GAL Holiday Gift Guide!

Looking for personal, heartfelt gifts this holiday season? Consider purchasing work from one of our local artists! Click this link to see the gift guide, and look below for more information about participating artists. Even more GAL member artists’ work and contact information can be found in our artist profile pages at this link.

Marilyn Jamora

Janet Pawlowski

Leslie Johns

Leslie Claire Johns – Illustrator and Surface Pattern Designer

Currently there are 2 sides to my art practice – illustration and surface pattern design.

The illustration side started several years ago when I was experiencing a transformative change in my life. I started sketching in the early mornings and to my surprise, silly joyful characters would appear on the page. I fell in love with them and knew they would have the same effect on others. These vignettes are short story illustrations meant to capture relatable, usually lighthearted, winks of time in the character’s life. Their purpose – to brighten a day. Other illustrations are quick studies to inspire, encourage, and lift up. 

My surface pattern design practice is relatively new to me and I am hooked by the process. Watching my small motifs come together to produce amazing repeating patterns and putting those patterns to work on so many types of products thrills me, as does the idea of growing this rewarding art form.

ClaireJohnsArt.com features fun whimsical watercolor and digital illustrations and beautiful surface pattern designs for framed wall art, tabletops, apparel for the family, accessories, tech, bed and bathrooms and more.

Website: https://www.ClaireJohnsArt.com

Cindy Gitter

Follow Cindy on Instagram and FB. All Cindy’s pieces will be 50% off for holidays. Website: Cindy-gitter.com, email: Cindygitter@gmail.com.

Renata Maliszewski

I am from Krakow, Poland a place filled with rich culture and hard-working, creative people. My sewing skills began there as well. I came to Chicago, and never left. A home away from home, I found love, higher education, and finally the time to go back to what I enjoy! With beads and my sewing skills, I am able to capture beautiful moments and scenery from the city I now call home.

My passion for beading all began after my son’s wedding. It started with a sample wedding dress bought off the rack by my daughter in law. The beadwork was destroyed after many different women trying it on. This was the first time I had beaded clothing, and we were both pleasantly surprised with how beautiful it turned out. My daughter in law was so happy to have an original design and to have as much beadwork as a couture gown! Since fixing the wedding dress, I have been beading and creating different pieces of unique artwork which you can see in my website.

Deb Anderson

Etsy: etsy.com/shop/debrha

Website: debandersonfineart.com and debandersondesign.com

Instagram: @debrhapainting