Talks are a great opportunity to learn something new and share information with our interested member body, with the goal of improving our individual art practices.
Check out our upcoming talks.

SOUVENIRS

Nancy Wisti Grayson

Saturday, March 8th, 2025, 1:30pm
The Cabinet of Secret Art will be closing and the contents will be exhibited by artist Betsy Zacsek one last time at the closing of the show at 1:30 pm. Seating is limited, ticketing/RSVP this performance through Eventbrite with a suggested donation of $10./person.

The next round of #The100DayProject starts February 23, 2025.
OPAL will support those participating with our #100dayprojectOPAL on social media and a meet up midway through and wrap up and review meeting. Check out what we did last year and join in!

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.

In 2025 we are launching our sessions with more time to sign up, but don’t delay, spots are still limited by our space. Winter 2 session is live on our site and you can sign up now to make sure you get your spot.

In the digital age the QR code has become a staple of everyday life; in restaurants, bars, museums, classrooms, your doctor’s office, and on the street. We have certainly put them to use at OPAL to link you to our website. There is an element of mystery about the QR code, on its face, each looks nearly identical to the last, while its content on the inside changes dramatically with each one. It is a portal from in-person to digital realms.

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.

Julie Sulzen has been teaching at OPAL as our resident oil painting instructor for the past 3 years.
We are very fortunate to have Julie teaching with us and creating a community of oil painters along the way.

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

Here is the latest lineup of workshops scheduled at OPAL. Check out the details and sign up early as these are one-time offerings.

OPAL is starting off 2025 with a new community connection and a wonderful partnership with Kribi CoffeeAir Rostery. When you stop by OPAL during our weekend hours (1-4pm) to check out the gallery and see what art awaits, you can grab a free cup of Kribi’s amazing air-roasted coffee.

Painting by Ana Vitek

Come shop in person in a new gift shop tucked in the corner of the Carriage House Gallery and filled with original handmade art and objects created locally. Discover new OPAL designs on swag you can wear and use to spread the word about the Oak Park Art League and help raise funds for our beloved organization.

Jess Howard has been teaching drawing at OPAL for 15 years this January! And we’re all the better for it!

Our next Open Critique is February 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.

Sundays 10am - 1pm & Thursdays 9am - noon

There are now two figure sessions per week for drawing from a live model. These are 3-hour, non-instructional figure drawing sessions. Work on your figure-drawing skills at your own self-directed pace!

Sketches by Christopher Heron

If you’ve been curious about OPAL’s founder Carl R. Krafft and details of his life as an artist, I encourage you to check out the webspace and buy a copy of the book.

Happy New Year! OPAL’s first exhibition of 2025 is Under Construction.
This is an open call for recent artwork inspired by new beginnings with a special emphasis on works in progress. Show your process and share something that may feel risky and unfinished.

Please note ~ Opening reception:
Saturday, January 11, 1pm - 4pm

Ring! Ring!

Check our messages here and see where you can engage at OPAL and make it an even more vibrant art community! As a not-for-profit, OPAL relies on volunteers to help with programming.

Perhaps you’ve been waiting to see what is planned for the Carriage House Gallery in the coming year? Wait no longer. OPAL has a newly formed Exhibition Committee that has labored over the coming line-up and we hope this selection of calls will give plenty of prompts for art-making and opportunities to share your artwork with the community.

Please consider donating to the Oak Park Art League this giving season. Our Annual Appeal runs through the end of 2024

You can feel good supporting local art and creatives with a tax-deductible gift to OPAL.
We made it easy to donate online, or you can mail a check, or visit our historic gallery and say hello while you drop off your year-end donation to OPAL. Thank you!