We, at Means of Production, had the pleasure to work with Riveli. Riveli is this AWESOME art+shelving company. We created their display for a tradeshow at McCormick Place. This project had some interesting products that we don't often get to use such as MDO. MDO is plywood with a paper side to it. The paper side helped us get a super smooth finish along with the use of a pneumatic sprayer and patience. It's always nice to stretch my finishing skills.

I've finally gotten pictures of the super fun fine art that has been gathering in my studio. I enlisted the assistance of my favorite local photographer, Sebastian. 

This was a fun experiment for Sebastian and me both since neither of us has photographed fine art in a studio setting. What i've done in the past is find a nice spot of sunlight and I try desperately to keep my hand steady. This was a vast improvement for me! 

Please if you get a chance check out my fine art tab for all of the lovely new picture of my artwork! If you are interested in purchasing and of the pieces don't hesitate to contact me, s.charaska@gmail.com. Enjoy!

Hey All! Today I went with my mom to get her Christmas present from me. I designed her a tattoo. I chatted with her about it and she wanted one that was pretty, delicate and about her kids.

The shape of it is based on the mother-child necklace us kids gave her one year as a gift. I also incorporated the first initial of all of us: Steph, Emily, and Joey. 

Our artist was an awesome guy named Joey Munster aka Spook from Tattoo Factory. He was super friendly and we chatted about the different art we both do outside of our artistic livelihoods. I'll be going back to him for a tattoo of my own. 

Mom was a champ through the whole process, she said there were a couple times that it hurt but for the most part it was only highly irritating. I think it's really cool that my mom got a piece of my artwork permanently on her wrist. She really loves her new tattoo, but not as much as she loves her kids ;)

Today I am posting a picture of a 7' x 7' drop I painted for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Sadly it was cut from their production of Julius Caesar, but not before I finished it. It was nice practice in drop preparation and cartoon style line work. I wouldn't chalk it up to a total loss, they might use it sometime in the future and I had a really fun time painting it!

If you are one of Our Fair Cities' loyal policies you should take a little time out of your day to explore the image board I've been curating about the world in and around the HartLife tower. The Our Fair City Pinterest board will take you through some icy imagery that informs the way I see the world outside of the tower. Some of the imagery comes from the exterior of formerly burning buildings in the winter to the interior of a thawing meat packing plant in Chicago, to the Antarctic where huge waves are frozen in time. 

I enjoy sculpting this visual world along with many of our other very talented visual artists.  You can check their websites out here...

Dann OFC's Visual Art Director 

Hey All! I have got my fingers in a lot of pies as of late. I am rocking out the freelancing lifestyle while our shop has hit the slowness of February. I have had the joy to work at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre with their props department. I always enjoy working as a props painter. The items I get to paint are often fun and have great back stories that I can illuminate with paint. For Julius Caesar I got to paint a burnt-out car, a hot dog cart that got blown up and rioted around, and a corpse. Fun times all around :)

Just finished the second step of five. I am really excited about this one!

Hey all! I am currently working on a series based on some popular fairytales below is the first in the series, Briar Patch.

Just to let you know, Our Fair City has a new episode up (as they do every Wednesday) and I did the episode art for it! It's about a road trip out of the tower. Check it out!

Our Fair City: Unseen/Undead

I have the distinct pleasure of working with Julie from Julie Newell Photography. She and I are collaborating on a couple of drops for her studio and a faux-finishing treatment on the walls of the entryway. I am learning a bunch on what drops for photography need and don't need. For example, anything I am painting needs to be ultra flat so Julie can control the light and the bounce better. Also, most of her clients are moms and their little ones, as a result the most bang for our buck, in regards to detail work, is in the  lower four feet of the drop. I showed her the first round of samples today and we had a great conversation about where to go next.

For the faux-finished walls we are doing a modern take on venetian plaster. It will introduce a very nice texture and warmth into the corner entry area. I get to start that project next week and I am so excited! Before and after pictures soon to come!