About
Elaine Luther
Elaine Luther is an artist whose work explores death, motherhood and doing the dishes. She finds that the more honest she is in her art, the more others can connect with it. Her art has been exhibited nationally and internationally, notably in Chicago at Woman Made Gallery and in London. Solo shows include Harold Washington Library, West Englewood Public Library and multiple micro-galleries, including two in the U.K.
She lives in Chicagoland with her family, where she’s also the gallerist for a series of 12” x 12” box galleries where she puts on shows of miniature art.
She has presented papers at SECAC and given speeches at Self-Employment in the Arts, FX Chicago and for many more organizations.
Residencies
Independent Residency, Grand Marias Art Colony, Grand Marais, MN, October 2021
Artist/Mother Art Residency,Virtual/home studio, February 2022
The Artists in the Archive, Virtual Residency with Kolaj Institute, May 2022
with related exhibition at the Henry Sheldon Museum & Library in Middlebury, VT, and book.
Folklore & Collage Residency with Kolaj Institute, Knoxville, TN, March 2022
with forthcoming exhibition and book.
Lakeside Inn Arts Residency, Lakeside, MI, April 2022
Exhibitions
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, Second Floor Gallery, JULY 2023, Orland Park, IL
Solo Show, “Ghost Prints & Shadow Work”
POSITIVE SPACE STUDIOS, MAY 2023, Chicago, IL
“This is Your Allowance”
IGNITION PROJECT STUDIOS, Window Gallery, APR 2023, Chicago, IL
Solo Show
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, Second Floor Gallery Space, MAR 2023, Orland Park, IL
“Monsters Show” group show
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, Front Lobby Display Case, JAN 2023, Orland Park, IL
“Clocking in for Unpaid Labor,” group show featuring 50+ works by participants in the project
WOMAN MADE GALLERY, JAN-MAR 2023, Chicago, IL
Group Show, “Roe 2.0”
BACKSPACE GALLERY, Northern Illinois University, OCT-NOV 2022, DeKalb, IL
Solo Show, “Not a Quilts”
BETHANY ARTS CENTER, MAY-JUN 2022, Ossining, NY
“IMPACT! Art that Bears Witness”
LILLSTREET ART CENTER, annex, MAY 2022, Chicago, IL
Group Show, “Creating Space”
COMPASSION FACTORY GALLERY, MAY 2022, Brookfield, IL
Solo Show, “Ghost Prints and Shadow Work”
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, DEC 2021, Orland Park, IL
2nd Floor Display Case, “Medals That You Wouldn’t Want to Earn”
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, NOV-DEC 2021, Orland Park, IL
Front Lobby Display Case, Show of Multiple Micro Galleries
TERRAIN BIENNIAL, OCT-NOV 2021, Oak Park, IL
Outdoor Micro Gallery
MULTIITUDES, AUG 2021, Ontario, Canada
180 Projects
PUBLIC SPACE ONE, JUL 2021, Iowa City, IA
TOO CUTE!
SMALL HOUSE GALLERY, JUL-AUG 2021, London, U.K.
Small House Summer Open
CARDBOARD MONKEY GALLERY, JUN 2021, Greater Manchester, U.K.
Solo Show
Tiny Cat Gallery, JUN 2021, Bristol, U.K.
Solo Show
PANDEMIC SHOW, JUN 2021,Whiting, IN
Studio 659
MATERNOCHRONICS, JUN 2021
Online Show
COVID-19 GLOBAL QUILT, DEC 2020
Included in the virtual global quilt that is a project of Tal Fitzpatrick and Kate Just.
QUARANZINE, SEPT 2020
Featured in an online magazine by Third Estate Art; Blood & Fire Quilts, Chicago, IL
WOMAN MADE GALLERY, JUN 2020, Chicago, IL
TOUCH
WOMAN MADE GALLERY, JUL 2020, Chicago, IL
HOME
OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY (Maze Branch), JUL 2018, Oak Park, IL
Solo Show, Collage Paintings
HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY/POPULAR LIBRARY, JAN-MAR 2018, Chicago, IL
Solo Show, Balance & Tension
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAY 2017, Orland Park, IL
Solo Show, Our Ladies of Perpetual Housework
ORLAND PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, SEPT-OCT 2017, Orland Park, IL
Solo Show, Balance & Tension
ROGERS PARK/WEST RIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY (in partnership with Roman Susan Gallery), APR-MAY 2017, Chicago, IL
Property
FOREST PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, JULY-SEPT 2017, Forest Park, IL
Solo show, Balance & Tension (all mobiles)
BOTTLE ROCKET GALLERY (with Forest Park Public Library), AUG 2016, Forest Park, IL
ARTISTS 100
SILICON GALLERY, DEC 2015-JAN 2016 Philadelphia, PA
Instashow
NAVE GALLERY, OCT 2015, Boston, MA
Visaural
FOREST PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY, JUL – AUG 2015, Forest Park, IL
EXPLORE installation
SELF-EMPLOYMENT IN THE ARTS CONFERENCE, FEB 2015, Naperville, IL
Wall Installation, BEFORE I DIE…
ZENITH ART STUDIOS, FEB 2015, River Forest, IL
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Green Home Experts, FEB 2015, Oak Park, Illinois
Solo show, Our Ladies of Perpetual Housework
Partial List of Publications:
Articles written:
Sixty Inches from the Center, “Elbow Grease: Clocking in for Unpaid Labor (photo essay),” July 2023.
Craft Industry Alliance, “For Artist Liberty Worth, Studio Space and Interns Increase Creative Output,” March 2023.
Craft Industry Alliance, “Business Profile: the Unlikely Road of the Thread Cutterz,” October 2017.
Craft Industry Alliance, “The Ins and Outs of Selling Your Handmade Products with Uncommon Goods,” December 2020.
Moore Women Artists “The Essence of Joy, Combating the Blues with Art,” 2016.*
Moore Women Artists “Tiffany Gholar: Author, Doll Photographer, Painter, Interior Designer,” June 2016*
Moore Women Artists “Mary Ellen Croteau: Artist, Agitator and Environmentalist,” June 2016.*
Moore Women Artists “Residency vs. Motherhood,” June 2016.*
Art Jewelry Magazine November 2008, Project Article Photo Pendant
Art Jewelry Magazine January 2009, Project Article Splat! Pendant
Art Jewelry Magazine, subscriber bonus download Metal Clay Envelope.
* website is no longer online
Artwork included in and/or interviewed in:
UPPERCASE Magazine Issue 58, July 2023.
Cultivate Arts & Education, Cultivate Featured Artist, 2023
Craft Industry Alliance, 9 Tips for Growing Your Instagram Audience from Craft Industry Alliance Members, April 2023.
Professional Artist Magazine, June/July 2018.
Forest Park Review, September 18, 2012.
Studio PMC, Volume 10, Number 3, Fall 2007 Society of Mothers…
Books:
Picture Yourself Creating Metal Clay Jewelry, by Tammy Powley, Gallery section
Artists in the Archives, by Kolaj and Kasini House
Forthcoming books to be published in 2024 and 2025.