Owner of Dancing Krow Celebrates Award with Art and Music on June 15

In 1996 Karen Schuman and her husband Kevin opened an art gallery at 43 Harrison Street with the intention of helping to revitalize the area during an economic decline. Collaborating with a local community activist, they created some art galleries in vacant commercial spaces between Laymen and Austin Avenue. Sometime later they opened the Dancing Krow Studio in two storefronts to serve as a gallery for local artists. The studio is now well-regarded not only for its display of unique artwork, but also for hosting networking events, art exhibits, and occasional live concerts.

This year Karen’s exceptional artistic achievements and continuing commitment to Oak Park and the arts community was recognized by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) which presented her with the Empowered Woman of the Year Award for 2024. The award acknowledges her influence, capability, and proficiency as a female entrepreneur and talented professional.

Inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is a unique honor since only a few women are chosen for this distinction based on their years of experience, professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, and contributions to their communities. These women empower others with innovation and compassion to reach their goals while creating change for future generations.

On Saturday June 15, from 11 am to 4 PM Dancing Krow Studio will hold a grand opening of a new Spring Exhibit called “The Straight Path” – an inspiration to avoid crimes against equality, family, humanity, fairness, and integrity. The work of over a dozen local artists will be part of the exhibit including Karen’s own multimedia pieces. Karen’s work is known for its exciting use of color, texture and an interplay of fabric, paper, paint, beads and more.

As Karen explains, “Wisdom is offered to me through shamanic training and world traveling is my inspiration. Making art pieces on concepts such as ‘forgiveness’ or ‘balance’ is my study of relationships with life. I work with many materials; from hand-dyeing fabrics to painting, sewing, beading, collage. As I cultivate a piece, concepts develop further into the abstract, to ultimately create a story that is personal to me, but still open to free interpretation.”

To add to the creative ambiance, jazz composer and pianist Doug Lalli will be performing during the event.

In addition, the gallery will host a Live Jazz Concert by featuring singer Robin Watson and the D&D Jazz Duo (Doug Lalli and Dave Gulyas) from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Tickets will be sold at the door for $20. Seating is limited, so stop in at Dancing Crow Studio, 43 Harrison St., Oak Park on Tuesdays from 11:00 to 3:00 PM to purchase them in advance. Or call Wendy Lalli at 708-613-5662 by June 14 to get your reservation.

Robin Watson, known to her many fans as “Jazz Lady,” began her career by singing in church and performing in presentations of American musicals like "The Sound of Music" and "The King and I." Later, she discovered jazz and was thrilled to learn from her mother that Ella Fitzgerald was a cousin of hers!

Like her famous relative, Robin has performed throughout the United States and Latin America including a solo performance at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. She also performed at several events at the United Nations. Most recently, Robin has been appearing in an original musical presentation with trumpeter – vocalist Will Washington called “Ella and Louis,” a musical tribute to her cousin and Louis Armstrong.

Doug Lalli has been a professional jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer for over 30 years, performing in clubs and concert halls in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago. A graduate of the Hartt College of Music, he worked as a sideman in New York City with numerous jazz luminaries including Zoot Sims and Anita O’Day. In 2018 he founded and led the Eastgate Cafe Sunday jazz jam session in Oak Park that was reestablished after Covid as the house band of Tre Sorelle Restaurant on Lake Street.

Dave Gulyas is equally talented and experienced and has performed in Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville and Bloomington, Indiana. He has produced, arranged, and played on many recordings, and worked with two time Grammy winner, Sylvia McNair. He has also played regularly with the jazz jam since 2018.

For more information about Dancing Krow, the Spring Exhibit, and the Live Jazz Concert on Saturday, June 15, please visit Dancing Krow, 43 Harrison Street, every Tuesday from 11 am to 3:00 PM.