Elmhurst Art Museum

Last Friday, my husband and I took advantage of the Elmhurst Art Museum's Free First Fridays to explore the suburban museum's current exhibitions. On our visit, we were fortunate to enjoy the Hebru Brantley exhibit "Forced Field" towards the end of its run. "Forced Field" centered around Brantley's character Flyboy so it really spoke to children as well as adults.

The exhibit encompassed several rooms within the museum and incorporating quite a variety of art media.

Brantley's exhibit was particularly approachable for children. Children visiting were quite eager to see his creations.

Hebru Brantley is a Chicago based artist creating pieces centralized on iconic characters using multiple mediums. Brantley's work is exceptionally accessible and appealing to all ages.

Part of the museum consists of The McCormick House -- Elmhurst's original glass house designed by architect Ludwig Mies van de Rohe. The house was originally built for Robert Hall McCormick III and his wife artist Isabella Stewart Gardner. Completed in 1952, the home served as both a home for the McCormicks and a model for affordable middle class homes. During our visit, it housed an exhibit by Chicago-based artist Alex Chitty called "They will bloom without you." You can see a portion through the glass walls of the house below:

Looking at art through glass panes 

Chitty's piece reflects how the space may have been used as well as the concept of being part of both the exterior and interior just like the glass windows.

Outside is Skycube by Chicago artist David Wallace Haskins. When not snow covered, Skycube presents a vertical dimension of the sky down to the pictorial plane. I did get a bit of a snow covered selfie of myself in the mirror, though.

The museum also is home to a gallery for local artists. I have to say that this is my favorite portion of the museum! The art was quite a mix and a joy to peruse. The local talent is amazing and you may just find something for your wall!

Elmhurst Art Museum does rotate exhibitions pretty regularly, so you never know what you are going to see! The museum also welcomes the community for artist talks, musical performances, family days and more art experiences. The museum also has a gift shop and a light snack area. Remember to take advantage of the free first Fridays!

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.