Art Encounter

New project in Downtown Evanston! Participants from our evening art program with @independent_futures have recently completed their culminating project for the year: an art installation on the storefront windows of the @independent_futures headquarters! Talented muralist @mollyz.art led the group in designing and painting their own colorful, abstract patterned forms over the course of four sessions this spring. Come check it out at 1015 Davis Street in Evanston! @downtownevanston This program is sponsored in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council @illinoisartscouncil and the Evanston Arts Council @evanston_arts_council arts as well as individual donors.

Behind the scenes with @art.encounter ’s Lea Pinsky, Executive Director + Mural Program Director, as she takes us on a mural walk! From fascinating mural stories to the inspiration woven throughout our neighborhoods, this mural walk gave us a deeper look at the art, the people, and the purpose behind every wall. This summer, jookie is proud to launch the first of our seasonal promotions in support of @art.encounter called Mural Mural on the Wall, helping celebrate and sustain public art and outreach to underserved schools in our communities. We’re bringing your favorite outdoor art INDOORS! Turn the murals you love into custom artwork for your home or office — all while helping raise money for an incredible cause. ❤️🎨 Big things are coming this summer… and this is just the beginning. Which one of these murals will your family choose? Or do you have a favorite one in your own neighborhood? Schedule your Mural Mural on the Wall session today! Link for more info in our bio and/or the comments! #chicagophotographystudio #chicagofamilyphotos #muralmuralonthewall #familyphotos #chicagophotographer

Join us this summer as we raise money for @art.encounter , an INCREDIBLE arts organization that I’ve fallen in love with the past several years. Part of the reason I adore the work they do is because they help bring PUBLIC ART to otherwise drab urban community spaces like the space beneath a train underpass or along a busy commuter space that we pass by hundreds of time in our life. When a community is filled with color and design, it says those people care about where they live and about their neighbors. 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚. 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧. This is why ART MATTERS. Our environment literally helps shape our energy every day, indoors and out. Here’s YOUR chance to bring the colorful energy of your favorite mural into your home to help shape your space in a more meaningful way WHILE helping raise money for the meaningful work that Art Encounter does. It’s the perfect combination: your loved ones plus art AS art! And WHAT MATTERS MOST DESERVES THE WALL. Be the FIRST to schedule your Mural Mural on the Wall session before they get scooped up! To start, we’re capping it at TEN sessions to maintain quality over quantity. It’s easy, just use the Calendly link in our bio or the comments, DM jookie, email us @jill_ !!re_email!!_jookiekids.com, or call/text the studio at 773-463-5665. For more information about this unique offering as well as to learn more about Art Encounter, visit our Mural Mural on the Wall page in our bio / the comments where you can see a gallery of fun samples as well. Let’s create your next set of Family Portraits that Love You Back! @chicagophotographystudio @chicagofamilyphotos @artencounter @muralmuralonthewall @familyphotos

New mural alert! We had a wonderful time partnering with King Arts School and lead librarian Shalana Jacquess this school year to elevate their library with this powerful mural about Civil Rights Leaders from Around the World- by the phenomenal artist @damonlamarreed ! Thank you @evanstonroundtable for the coverage. This mural was generously made possible in part by a grant from @uprr Community Ties Giving Program. @evanstonmuralartsprogram

We brought our Chicago Public School 3rd and 4th grade students to see the stunning Alma Thomas exhibit at the the Smart Museum this month, and they’ve had an amazing time back in the classroom creating their own artworks inspired by her aesthetic! Thank you to everyone at @uchicago and @smartmuseum for being so welcoming and kind to our groups ❤️

We are so pleased to partner with @ooakchicago again this year for their spring show, providing guided tours of the art gallery area of the fair! Our teaching artist @astevensonart is leading programs on Saturday April 25 at 2 pm and Sunday April 26 at 1 pm. Join us!

Back at King Arts with @damonlamarreed and a very talented group 8th grade graders to paint the completed design for their mural on Civil Rights Leaders from Around the Globe. Excited to install the finished piece in the school library, just in time for the 8th graders graduation gift to the school. Much gratitude to @uprr foundation, @blickartmaterials and King Arts School for helping make this project happen!

The Fine Art Gallery at One of a Kind Show Chicago featured a curated selection of works from exhibiting artists. Want to deepen your experience? Don't miss the Fine Art Gallery Talks led by Art Encounter. These sessions are designed to offer insight into the perspectives, techniques, and stories behind the work - while connecting you with artists from around the world inside THE MART. The Talks take place Saturday, April 25 from 2:00–3:00 pm and Sunday, April 26 from 1:00–2:00 pm! Join us for an opportunity to both discover and better understand contemporary fine art in one place!

Join us this month for Lasting Impressions: Looking from the Outside In: An Art Encounter + Center for Independent Futures Art Show. April 1–30, 2026 at the Evanston Public Library, 3rd Floor Exhibition Space (see @evanstonpubliclibrary for library hours). Lasting Impressions features work by artists from Evanston’s @independent_futures , created in an evening art program led by Art Encounter. Over the course of six art-making sessions, the artists dove into how we view strangers, what changes when we become friends with someone, and what connects us as humans. Our conversations and thoughts became inspiration for the mixed media artwork shown. Through several kinds of art making—collage, assemblage, painting, and creating a collaborative book—the artists explored how the way we view others can change from first impressions to last, how strangers become friends, and how we fit into the world. Featuring work by Alan Cohen, Alana Keleher, Ben Gershon, Drew Cornog, Gabe Freeman, Jill Futransky, Josh Gray, Laura Stein, Robert Carfang, S, and Will Sullivan. Program led by Jamie Thome @jamielouthome (Art Encounter) and Traci Laffey @porter_laffey_art (CIF). This program has been partially sponsored by grants from the Illinois Arts Council and Evanston Arts Council. @illinoisartscouncil @evanston_arts_council

We’ve just begun our third year working with @curtscafe to provide arts programming to their students, and this year the amazing @tselone is lead teaching with his course on graffiti art. We’ve had two classes so far, diving deep into the history, the evolution of the art form, the social purpose, and styles of letter forms. Big thanks to Tsel and to the @evanston_arts_council for supporting this partnership though their Cultural Arts Grant Program and @blickartmaterials @blick_evanston for their partnership and always having the best art supplies for all our programming!

New mural!!! This winter, the prolific and talented @damonlamarreed is back to work with us on a mural at King Arts School in Evanston. Collaborating with the 8th graders, he is creating a piece for the library that honors and uplifts Civil Rights Leaders from@around the globe. We are currently in design sessions, with painting to follow later this spring! Thank you to @uprr foundation and the King Arts PTA for supporting this project. @evanstonmuralartsprogram

Art Encounter is proud to announce our latest outreach programs aimed at fostering creativity and connection among diverse age groups, from youth to seniors. Our initiatives, including ARTiculations and Art For All, empower participants through art discussions and hands-on projects. With partnerships across Chicago, we are committed to enriching lives through creative expression. Read our full Winter Outreach Newsletter at our link in bio. #OutreachPrograms #ArtEducation #CommunityEngagement #ArtForAll #ArtEncounter