Founded in 1921, the Oak Park Art League (OPAL) is one of the longest, continually running non-profit arts organizations in Illinois.
The Oak Park Art League's mission is to be a welcoming center of artistic inquiry, creative expression and art appreciation in Oak Park and the surrounding communities.
Through the offering of dynamic public arts programming and exhibitions, our goal is to engage the beginner to professional artist in creative practices allowing for the refinement of their creative voice.

Upcoming Events

Featured
EXPO Chicago Meet-up
Apr 25
EXPO Chicago Meet-up
WORKSHOP
May 3
WORKSHOP
Artwork Pick-up/Drop-off

OPAL NEWS

Featured
OPAL + EXPO Spring 2025 Member Exhibition
OPAL + EXPO Spring 2025 Member Exhibition

What if you were invited to exhibit at EXPO Chicago? What one work would you want to show?

For our 104th Anniversary Spring Member’s Exhibition, this is what we invite all active Artist Members to bring. The hanging fee is reduced to $15. for one work.

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Instructor Spotlight
Instructor Spotlight

Mike Barett Kolasinski is our ever popular Pastel Painting instructor at OPAL! Read more about his practice and his class in this months Instructor Spotlight.

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SPRING classes in the Studio!
SPRING classes in the Studio!

Our 5-week studio sessions run year-round, back-to-back. Those in the know make sure they sign up for a class to get lots of personal attention from our award-winning professional artist instructors.

SPRING 2 session is live on our site and you can sign up now to make sure you get your spot.

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Crochet Coral CLUB
Crochet Coral CLUB

JOIN US!
OPAL invites anyone interested in creating coral-shaped forms out of crocheted plastic to our monthly ‘make something’ meet-ups.

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Artist In Residence: Shanelle Harrison
Artist In Residence: Shanelle Harrison

OPAL is honored to host Shanelle Harrison as our artist-in-residence April through June 2025.
Shanelle Harrison is a contemporary narrative artist and wreathmaker renowned for her innovative Print-Craft fusion techniques and evocative wreath-making.

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Ready, Set, BAKE!
Ready, Set, BAKE!

The Oak Park Art League will be at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market, holding a Bake Sale fundraiser on JULY 19, 2025. We are seeking help from our membership to both bake items to sell and help organize and work at our tent the day of.

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Monthly Critiques
Monthly Critiques

Our next Open Critique is March 27, 6-8pm

Anyone can bring in a single piece of their own artwork and get feedback from fellow artists.
Artists participating in this critique are expected to bring a piece of artwork to discuss.

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Storytelling Event
Storytelling Event

Join OPALGA+ on Wednesday April 23, 7-9pm for a special storytelling event

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Spotlight
Spotlight

Welcome Michael Cuadrado to OPAL staff as Programming Coordinator!

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ARTIST Talks
ARTIST Talks

OPAL has hosted many artist talks over the decades, both by artists and by individuals in related fields of interest to the visual art community. Talks are a great way to share information with our interested member body with the goal of improving our individual art practices. Talks offer another learning opportunity and a chance to connect at OPAL.

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ARTISTS of OPAL Cookbook
ARTISTS of OPAL Cookbook

OPAL is publishing its first ARTISTS of OPAL Cookbook, planned to be released in November 2025, just in time for the holidays and aligned with our Food for Thought exhibition. We’re launching this call for recipes now and the deadline to submit will be in late summer 2025.

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AKG Micro Gallery
AKG Micro Gallery

SOUVENIRS

Nancy Wisti Grayson

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Take a Class In the Studio

Featured
S2 - Exploring Materiality and Form in Sculpture
Apr 21
S2 - Exploring Materiality and Form in Sculpture
S2 - BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE DRAWING
Apr 22
S2 - BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE DRAWING
S2 - Gelli Plate Printing
Apr 23
S2 - Gelli Plate Printing
S2 - BEGINNING TO ADVANCED DRAWING
Apr 23
S2 - BEGINNING TO ADVANCED DRAWING
S2 - EXPLORING OIL PAINTING
Apr 24
S2 - EXPLORING OIL PAINTING
S2 - EXPLORING OIL PAINTING
Apr 24
S2 - EXPLORING OIL PAINTING
S2 - Basic Acrylic Painting
Apr 25
S2 - Basic Acrylic Painting
S2 - Experimental Painting: Color, Form, and Meaning
Apr 25
S2 - Experimental Painting: Color, Form, and Meaning
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
Apr 27
SUNDAY Figure Drawing Non-Instructional with Model
WRITING WORKSHOP: Construction Poetry
May 3
WRITING WORKSHOP: Construction Poetry

Carriage House Gallery

 

Thank you to our generous Sponsors

Oak Park Art League is partially funded by the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Village of Oak Park, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts.