Joan McEachern, vice president of the Kendall Arts Guild , with some of her work at a show at the Dick-Murst Farm this past summer. (Photo courtesy Kendall Arts Guild)

Mural project at courthouse to reflect area’s heritage

Since forming in 2005, the Kendall Arts Guild (KAG) has become a fixture in the area, exhibiting its multi-faceted array of artistic creations and hosting programs at schools, 4-H events, county fairs, farms, libraries, and … well, “all over the place,” said guild president and Oswego resident Peggy Sutton.

“When we started, we just wanted to have something to encompass Kendall County and its environs,” said Sutton, a watercolor artist who enjoys creating historical and rural pieces reflecting her life on a farm. “And we have a wide variety of things — fabric arts, quilts, paintings, photography, sculpting — basically, visual arts, but also things with theater groups, too. When you have programs for one thing, it translates into other things. We also do an annual scholarship for Kendall County students going into the visual arts, and one of our members — Studio 60, in Oswego — offers classes and different projects.

“We always try to keep in the community, whether it’s booths at different outdoor events in the summer, or indoor exhibits all winter. We sell art as well. Our artists are encouraged to learn how to display work, titling — all the facets of marketing your work. So it’s very helpful for people who want to get into art but don’t know how. Our people are very supportive of each other, sharing a lot of the basic principles of design and such, which applies to carving, ceramics, water colors — a lot of the same basic ideas.

“It’s fun to see our artists doing different things. It goes back and forth, and everybody kind of inspires each other. People talk about their art, and others ask questions and make comments. It’s about sharing in the creative process and learning from each other. It’s a real treasure to have these creative people around, and to celebrate them, and it’s community-based.”

One of those people is KAG member Eulojio “Joe” Ortega, an internationally renowned muralist who resides in Sandwich. Ortega’s work has been featured on ABC-TV’s “Extreme Makeover Home Edition,” and in various galleries across the country. Locally, Ortega has constructed murals at Metea Valley High School, in Aurora, and at Hampshire High School, among many other projects in the area.

In keeping with KAG’s commitment to honor the heritage and history of Kendall County in its work, Ortega and the Guild are in the planning stages for their biggest project to date: a large mural (roughly nine feet high and 40 feet wide) on a horizontal wall at the entrance of the Kendall County Courthouse, in Yorkville. Ortega is looking to begin, and finish, the mural in 2016, and said it could take anywhere from six weeks to three months to complete.

“The members got talking, and they wanted to do something meaningful that would leave a legacy, and the courthouse is a great place to do it,” said Ortega, whose palette of work is displayed on his website: www.chicagomuralist.com. “I’m really honored. There’s something more regal, more noble about it — more than a mural for an advertisement or a restaurant. Right now, I’ve got sketches … I know the elements that are important, it’s a matter of filling in the idea. I want to make sure the things I put in are meaningful.

“Kendall County is the theme — the things that represent Kendall County. So when people look at this mural, I want them to feel it’s an accurate representation of the county, and to honor the county — historical events, things like that. It should bring pride, and I want it to tell a story. I want it to bring dignity to the county … to be a bit of a treasure for the county.”

Sutton is thrilled that Ortega is undertaking the project for the nonprofit organization, not only because of his stature in the arts world, but by the fact that he’s ingrained in the community as a resident and KAG member.

“We are certainly lucky to have one of the pre-emiment mural artists in the area,” Sutton said. “He has stuff all over the world, and (Kendall County) is his home, too. The mural will celebrate Kendall County, its history and its future. It should be pretty spectacular.”

Although Ortega is the mastermind of the courthouse mural project, he reiterated that his role is only part of a larger element.

“For me, it’s about meeting the goals — I’m just an artist,” Ortega said. “It’s (KAG’s and the county’s) vision. I need to be faithful to executing it to the best of my ability. I’m excited about it, but I try not to get too excited because I have to restrain myself and not skip on any details. I have to be thoughtful about it. It has to be done right. Paying attention to detail shows you care. This (mural) is important, because it will give people an impression of the county — its citizens and its history.”

Sutton said that the mural project includes a fundraising effort, and that anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by mailing a check made out to the Kendall Arts Guild, and send it P.O. Box 117, Yorkville, Ill. 60560.

“People can contribute to the guild in other ways, too,” said Sutton, who can be contacted by email at pmcwsutton@gmail.com, by phone at (630) 309-9372 or at www.facebook.com/KendallArtsGuildKag. “We always welcome new people (KAG meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, at 215 Hillcrest Ave., in Yorkville), and our group is one of many you can join to grow roots in the community, and learn about the area.
Much of our art celebrates Kendall County — the landscape, the architecture, farm life, the Kendall County Courthouse — and celebrates local diversity, and what a treasure it is to recognize. So it’s a great way to be a part of where you live, and it provides wonderful support for people with an artistic bent.”

Added Ortega: “The value of (KAG) is, they bring beauty to the county. You need art to make life rich, so it’s great to have the guild out there to provide knowledge and bring opportunities. For me, the creating — the whole process, the challenge — is the most important part. It’s the doing. Looking at the work, that’s for the viewer. The Kendall Arts Guild brings that awareness. It’s a great group … a great group to have here in the county.”

–Kendall Arts Guild portrays slice of county life–