53a
Artist: Raymond A. Thomas
Hyde Park Jazz Jam
My methods of making art are very improvisational in nature, yet I am extremely purposeful and deliberate in my applications. By applying these jazz-influenced principles to my process, I endeavor to reflect both spontaneity and structure simultaneously within my creations. It’s an honor to have my artwork HYDE PARK JAZZ JAM displayed at the 53rd and 55th street viaducts believing ultimately that by adding this small artistic chip to these spaces and to this great mosaic we called life, that my honest, heartfelt expression will help make the vast image become a little clearer for everyone who passes by.
53b
Artist: Kushala Vora
Held – Upon
This work is part of a series titled Held. It explores themes of permeation, boundaries, authorship, collective making, autonomy, and power. The work reflects on the moment when one entity touches another, emphasizing the porosity of this exchange. It captures the point of contact—when the moisture of clay meets the warmth of a hand, or when surfaces and landscapes converge. Hands mimic each other, amplifying synchronicity and underscoring the action. Who truly creates? Is it the one who gazes, composes, choreographs, or instigates the work? Which moment should we honor?
53c
Artist: Teri Carson
Tototl
Tototl, the Nahua word for “bird,” brings Mesoamerican imagery to Hyde Park. Tototl is a collage of images of scanned archeological objects, appropriation of Mesoamerican motif stamps of flora and fauna, and original abstract, hand drawn environments (analog and digital). Tototl is a mural and a portal that can exist in both physical and digital spaces. I abstracted the motifs to strip them of their historical place, and to evoke a time-bending vibe, while highlighting the importance of collaboration with non-human life.
53d
Artist: Ann Toebbe
Bonjour Bakery
The painting Bonjour Bakery was included in Toebbe’s 2021 solo exhibition, Cooler by the Lake. The title refers to how local news stations report the weather. Toebbe has lived in Hyde Park for twenty years with her husband, working and raising her two daughters and stepson. In this series Toebbe’s paintings explored the people and the places, the culture and the climate that are woven into her daily routine as a working artist and mother — home, garden, and studio; grocery store, bakery, park, and local school. Her compositionally dense vignettes capture the sensory impressions and memory layers accumulated in hours and days spent in Hyde Park, especially when her children were younger. Bonjour Bakery closed in 2023.
53e
Artist: Fred Moss
All of Us
“I wanted to create art that was uplifting for the community and represented everyone.”
53f
Artist: Mia Rimmer
Sweet Summer Breeze
I look to Lake Michigan whenever I think of home. I hold a lifetime of intimacy with this water: my confidant and my teacher, she is the shape of my softness. Nothing makes my heart sing like the fervor of her summer glory. Lake Michigan in the heat is akin to Eden. She becomes a site of respite across species, a pulsing microcosm of something entirely juicy. I created Sweet Summer Breeze across a spring’s desire to swim, piecing together bits of vibrancy as an attentive ode to that summertime bliss.
53g
Artist: Indigo Quashie
GOD’S EYEBROW
GOD’S EYEBROW is a direct homage and love letter to the LGBTQ+ community of Ghana. The woven kente pattern used for the background is the nyankonton design, which translates to the piece’s name and represents the beauty of the rainbow. About a country which sadly criminalizes queerness in this post-colonial world, GOD’S EYEBROW is a reminder that, while not historically labeled “queer”, the fluidity of human expression and connection is woven in our DNA. A reminder that being one’s full self is a form of ancestral veneration, and a way to pave the path for when we are ancestors ourselves.
53h
Artist: Jihye Shin
Dreams Set Sail
Melding the seemingly disparate into brilliant narratives that portray nocturnal fantasy and ethereal realms, Jihye Shin’s “Dreams Set Sail” illustrate where reality and dreams intertwine. In her works, iconography morphs from recognizable to surreal: carousel animals gallop from their perpetual stations, and the Chicago skyline flattens itself into an unfamiliar dreamscape. Her new series also serves as an archive of the cultural complexities of belonging, the ever-shifting nature of memory, and the diasporic journey of learning to call home by a new name. Using traditional Korean color on Hanji paper, Jihye Shin is a Chicago and Florida-based artist who strives to create a harmonious fusion of the traditional style from her Korean heritage and her newfound Western environment.
53i
Artist: Tanner Woodford
Time Takes So Take Time
“Time Takes So Take Time” explores the intertwining forces of legacy, connection, and reflection. The flowing ribbons represent the passage of time and the complex, overlapping stories that shape a collective cultural identity. Vibrant colors evoke energy and life, while the interplay of “Time Takes” and “Take Time” invites viewers to consider both the inevitability of change and the importance of stopping to breathe. This piece serves as a visual meditation on how individual contributions ripple through time, building a shared narrative. It’s a call to honor the past, embrace the present, and take time to leave your own mark.
Tanner Woodford is the founder and executive director of the Design Museum of Chicago. As an artist, he paints optimistic, typographic, and larger-than-life murals. His work has appeared at the WNDR Museum, Soho House Chicago, and is permanently installed at Weber Shandwick in the John Hancock Building.
53j
Artist: Kayla Mahaffey
Head in the Clouds
“Head in the Clouds” is a visual depiction of childhood innocence, the days of being oblivious to one’s environment and potential dangers, and learning how to walk through life without letting the world get to you and dim your light.
A young girl smiles as she walks through a colorful, flowery meadow without a care in the world. She places her findings in her basket but overlooks the murder of crows that have started to gather around her. She’s free, unburdened, and a little naive, but this serves as a form of protection for her.
When we don’t let negativity tarnish our mood and keep a positive outlook, we can approach situations with a fresh perspective, unburdened by cynicism or preconceived notions. This can potentially shield us from the world’s harsh realities and keep up our spirits.”
53k
Artist: Marcellous Lovelace
Freshly Kept Fade We Design
Creating from the Black Part of life, escaping the worst possible conditions known to man is the definition of Marcellous Lovelace scholarship in Black Art Creation. Thoughts that embody Liberation, self-awareness, self-love, freedom and the ability create using original thoughts never cloning or existing in the Interest of Assimilation. My works of Art represent Beautiful Black Love being captured unhinged freedom of African Black Color teaching an aware people.
53l
Artist: Andy Bellomo
Pride Flag
The Digital Stained Glass Print series by acclaimed artist Andy Bellomo reimagines the timeless beauty of stained glass through a modern lens. Using photographs of stained glass from her previous artworks, Bellomo crafted intricate digital collages, blending tradition with innovation. The piece Pride Flag transforms these photographs into a vibrant, contemporary pride flag design. Drawing from her expertise in large-scale stained-glass installations, Bellomo fuses hand-drawn illustrations with digital techniques. Exploring themes like love, grief, and spirituality, the series evokes deep emotional resonance. Each work invites introspection, connection, and a renewed appreciation for the luminous charm of stained glass.
53m
Artist: Kalief Dinkins
Dreams Come True in Chicago
They say if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. And while that might be true, you don’t have to leave Chicago to bloom. Too often, we think once we’ve grown enough, we need to move on, but we don’t. Dreams grow here too. The kids can thrive right here in Chicago, and most importantly, this is home. Chicago is our garden, and it needs us to flourish. If we all leave, who will be here to show the world just how beautiful we can grow?
