About
As I was growing up, my family valued the outdoors. I had many experiences that were immersive in the natural world. Those kinds of exposure to sights and sounds and the raw beauty of our planet awakened a love of knowing, feeling and observing that feed my soul.
I feel a deep appreciation for the value and beauty of all things and want to be able to express those feelings through making art. As I have pursued my career as an artist, I have had the support of my loved ones, for which I am deeply grateful.
I have a BFA from the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee where I met my husband, Frank. I later got a Master’s degree in Art Education from the University of Illinois, while Frank completed his Master’s in Architecture. It was only natural that we move to Chicago eventually settling in the Logan Square neighborhood.
I have a deep connection to this community; befriending other residents and artists in the neighborhood. I volunteered as an Advisory Council member for a local park , curated shows in the early days of the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, served as a member of the board for the Logan Square Chamber of Arts, and acted as the Program Director and Visual Arts Curator for the Hairpin Arts Center. I am currently on the board of FUSEDChicago , an organization for artists working in the encaustic medium.
Like many women artists, there have been times when Art Making had to be on the back burner. I have been a persistent advocate for my adopted son with special needs. My commitment to my art work has never waivered.
North Point
Solo Exhibitions
2023 “ Enduring Earth” Monroe Art Center, Monroe, WI
2022 “Enduring Earth” Pump House Regional Arts Center, LaCrosse, WI
2018 “Stone and Water” The Union League Club of Chicago, Chicago IL
2017 “ Water’s Edge: paintings by Jane Michalski” South Shore Arts Crown Point Indiana Branch, Crown Point, Indiana
2013 “Art on Armitage”, Mary Ellen Croteau, curator Chicago, IL
2000 School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College; Evanston, IL
1998 ARC Gallery, Invitational Space 1: Chicago, IL
1988 Chicago Workshop *Architects*; Chicago, IL
Two Person Exhibitions
2020 “Earthforms: Michalski and Sobel” the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, Atrium Gallery, Munster, IN
2013 “Michalski/Nomellini: WaxWorks” Lincolnwood Townhall, Lincolnwood, IL(September 2013)
2012 “Boundaries” Jane Michalski/ Ted StanugaPark Schreck Gallery, Chicago, IL
1998 Moraine Valley Community College; Palos Hills, IL
1987 Hild Cultural Center; Chicago, IL
“Earth Energy Pastel Drawings”, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
“Connections”, ARC Gallery, Chicago,IL juror Barbara O’Brien
2022
“Elemental: Hot and Cold” online 4-person group exhibition at James May Gallery on Artsy.net
“Abstraction”, ARC Gallery, juror David Reif
2021
“ SOS Planet Earth”, Stola Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
“Our Planet:Ourselves”, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL curated by Jane Stevens
“Bridgeport Arts Center 9th Annual Competition “Bridgeport Art Center , Chicago IL
“Leaders in Abstraction, Volume I” The Art House Gallery Online, curated by Rebecca George
“The Art of Water”, James May Gallery, Online on Artsy
“Isolation Chronicles” Online exhibition curated by Sergio Gomez
“Momentum” Springboard Arts Gallery, Chicago, IL
1Cancer Patient” Dank Haus German Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
2020 “New York Artists Equity Spring Flash 2020” ; Online show “Who’s Afraid of Red”, Gallery Studio Oh!; Chicago, IL “Variations in Wax”, Robert Morris University State Street Gallery, Chicago, IL “Build” Oliva Gallery, Chicago IL
2019 “ 8th Annual Art Competition at Bridgeport Art Center”; Chicago, IL"Flux Wax In All Forms, Arts Benecia, Benecia, CA juried by Sara Post ( online exhibition)“A Sense of Place in Contemporary Encaustic”, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
Curated by Karen Bright, Lisa Pressman, and Kathleen Curtis Cosgrove
“Contemporary Ancients”, South Haven Center for the Arts, South Haven, MI
“Fire WORKS by Fused Chicago” Sage Gallery at the Dole, Crystal Lake, IL
76th Annual Salon Show”, South Shore Center for the Arts, Munster, IN
2018 75th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Center for the Arts,Munster; IN; Sergio Gomez, juror
2017 "Encaustic 2017: Rebirth of an Ancient Medium" Bridgeport Arts Center; Chicago IL
2016 “160 degrees F”, Gallery 2506; Chicago, IL
“4th Annual Art Competition at Bridgeport Art Center”; Chicago IL
“The Abstract Show” Brickton Art Center; Park Ridge, IL
2015 “Beyond the Surface” Gallery 2506; Chicago,IL
“Drawn to Nature”, Gallery 2506; Chicago,IL
“Far Flung” Regional Exhibition, The Art House; Chicago IL
2014 SuperMarket 14, with Art on Armitage; Stockholm Sweden
“From Our Perspectives Nat’l Women’s Art Exhibition”;Bloomfield Hills, MI
“Oil and Water” Woman Made Gallery; Chicago, IL
“Horizons: Contemporary Landscape; Danville, KY
2013 “Everything Encaustic II”, Park Schreck Gallery; Chicago, IL(September 2013)
AWARDS
2021 Honorable Mention “Tectonic Shift “, Bridgeport Art Center 9th Annual Competition
2018 Merit Award, “Shoreline (Dark Water)”, South Shore Arts 75th Annual Salon show, Munster, IN
Illinois Arts Council, Professional Development Grant
2016 3rd Prize, “Observation (Water’s Edge) II”, 4th Annual Art Competition, Bridgeport Art Center , Chicago,IL
2014 2nd place “North Point Observation I “Horizon: Contemporary Landscape, Community Arts Center, Danville, KY
2011 Illinois Arts Council IAS Professional Development Grant
Award of Excellence, “Yellow Gray Passage” “Playing With Fire” Tubac Art Center, Tubac, AZ
2009 Best Non-Representational Art Award, “Veiled Construct III” Beverly Art Center 33rd Competition
2008 & 2009 Chicago Artist’s Assistance Program Grant Recipient
Curation
“Logan Square Connections” Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, 2009
“WAX” Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, 2010
“Come Together- a juried and invitational Sculpture Exhibition” Hairpin Arts Center, 2011
“Curators Showcase” Hairpin Arts Center, 2011
“AREA” Chicago Artists Month Featured Exhibition Hairpin Arts Center, 2012
“Filter Photo Walk Winners Exhibition” Hairpin Arts Center, 2012
“Ignacio Montano- Sculpture” Hairpin Arts Center, 2013
“Matt Schultz- The History of the Division” Hairpin Arts Center, 2013
“Ephemeral Artifacts” Hairpin Arts Center, October 2013
Organizations
2021-2023 President, FUSEDChicago
2010- 2014 Board Member, Logan Square Chamber of Arts
2010-2014 Visual Arts Curator/Gallery Director, Hairpin Arts Center, Chicago, IL
Education
M.A. University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, 1983
B.F.A. University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee, 1978