U of I & Gage Park Partnership | Alumni for Public Schools

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Gage Park High School

A Look Inside an Artist's Studio

Mooney speaks to students

Art students from Gage Park High School got to visit the studio of world-renowned artist John David Mooney as a result of Gage Park's partnership with the Illini Club of Chicago. Two U of I alumni volunteers brought a group of 23 art students and their teacher to the downtown Chicago studio of Mr. Mooney, a sculptor who graduated from the U of I and whose public sculptures have appeared around the world, including Australia, Los Angeles and the Vatican Observatory in Italy. Students got to see several of Mr. Mooney's sculptures and talk to him about his artwork. Mr, Mooney offered to help the students arrange a gallery show at the studio and also discussed an internship program that would allow them to pursue their art studies further.

The group's next stop was I Space, the Chicago gallery of the U of I College of Art and Design, which features works of art by current U of I students. I Space staff invited students to create movies and submit then to a "Mini Movie Fest" the gallery was hosting. The Illini Club also provided lunch for the students, and at the end of the day they returned to Gage Park.

View more photos from the trip (click to enlarge):

Mooney gets a thumbs-up from a student	Art teacher Alexis Levanthal with Illini Alison Westermann and Lou Margaglione	A student examines a painting of trees at the I Space Gallery
Two students enjoy tall pointy chairs designed by Mooney	Mooney sits on a desk and speaks to students	Students examine several sculptures by Mooney
Mooney explains the design of a wooden sculpture	A student ponders a spiral sculpture by Mooney	Mooney speaks to a group of students

Page updated 9 October 2008

Partnership Details

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Gage Park High School

A Look Inside an Artist's Studio