Marcela Buhrke studied engraving in her native Argentina as a young person, but after emigrating to the United States, she married and got busy raising a family, never having time to pursue her passion.
But three years ago the Clarendon Hills resident began taking classes at the La Grange Art League, and now she’s showing oil paintings in the League’s Annual Student Show.
“It’s a blessing being here in the United States and having so many opportunities,” she said, while noting the sacrifices she made in terms of her art. “When my children were born, I left it all aside, my art, and I dedicated my life to my husband, my house, and my kids … I always told myself that God gave me this gift, and I am putting it aside, and it’s not right.”
Buhrke renewed her commitment to art and has made it a point to paint every day, even if she only has a few minutes to spare.
“The more I paint, the better I get,” she said.
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Coming off the celebration of its 90th year, the La Grange Art League is dedicating the month of May to the Student Show.
The Art League was founded in 1933 by local artists in La Grange and Western Springs, but with no building of its own, it had to hold meetings at the YMCA and Lyons Township High School.
After establishing a building fund, an Art Center had various homes, including at 808 Arlington Avenue, and 88 S. La Grange Road.
It wasn’t until 1984, and after vigorous fundraising, that the Art League purchased the property where it currently sits, 122 W. Calendar Court, a building it has renovated several times in the last four decades.
Jan Reagan, president of the Art League, spoke about how special it was to hold a month-long students’ exhibit after celebrating 90 years of continuous operation.
“It feels great,” she said. “We’ve been doing this a long time, and if you look around at the paintings and pictures, the work is incredible that our students do. It’s really top-notch.”
Like Marcela Buhrke, Joe Derezinski put aside his love of art to meet everyday necessities. He looked around for organizations that had art classes, and like her, he found the La Grange Art League.
“I just do watercolors,” he said. “I don’t do oil paintings and I don’t do pastels. Before I started taking classes, I started doing watercolor pencils, which is a whole different thing, but similar. I said, ‘Well, I got the hang of this, I’m going to stick with it.’”
Although many of the La Grange Art League’s students are adults following a passion that they left behind to earn a living or raise a family, younger students are also essential to its mission.
Nicole Pedone has a background in graphic design and works as a freelancer while also running the Summer Friday Art Club for younger students (eighth grade and older).
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the kids to come in and do whatever they want without judgment,” she said. “They can experiment, and get to use whatever the art league has to offer in supplies, and they also get to meet their peers. They get peer criticisms and advice, and it encourages them to come out of their shell and just not be afraid.”
Donna Skonning, Executive Director/Gallery Manager of the La Grange Art League — and Marcela Buhrke’s teacher — is a 30-year La Grange resident who went back to art school at Columbia College after her children started school, earning a fine arts degree.
Her first degree was in nutrition, and she already had a career as a registered dietician, but she never could quite shake the notion that she had a an artistic calling.
“As a kid, I always wanted to do art, but was always told not to, because you can’t make a living,” she said, noting that with the family responsibilities and commuting downtown, it took her six years to earn her degree. “Then as soon as I graduated, the position of manager of this gallery opened up.”
The 2024 Student Show at the La Grange Art League runs the entire month of May at its gallery at 122 West Calendar Ct.
For further information on the art League, visit its website lagrangeartleague.org.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.