100 Years of Art: North Shore Art League Gala Celebrates First Century

WINNETKA — The North Shore Art League marked its 100th anniversary with a celebration last week at the Winnetka Community House, highlighting a century of artistic contributions to the North Shore.

Drawing together artists, students, faculty and community members, the event showcased the League’s impact through several exhibitions and live artistic performances.

The Sept. 27 gala featured 150 pieces in the League's 100th annual members' show on display across the first and second floor galleries. Attendees also admired artwork from faculty, alumni, and board members in the main studio.

The "100 paintings for 100 years" mosaic wall, created by North Shore Art League and New Trier High School students using 6”x6” canvases, was a focal point of the night. Proceeds from the mosaic wall were donated to the League’s educational outreach programs.

Local artists Sarah Kaiser-Amaral and Emma Costello captured the evening's moments through live sketches in pen and ink and watercolor, while New Trier High School jazz musicians William Jesse and Vincent Anderson provided a musical backdrop, performing on piano and bass guitar.

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Executive Director Linda Nelson said in a statement that many past students and faculty members attended the gala, and the League's staff, volunteers and board members all worked hard to make sure it succeeded.

“What an incredible evening," Nelson said. "We were delighted to celebrate 100 years of art in the community in our original studio."

The North Shore Art League, one of the oldest art leagues in the U.S., was founded in 1924 with the goal of promoting arts education for all ages.

Its studio on the second floor of the Community House was built specifically for the League and has been home to countless art classes, workshops, and summer camps for decades.

Now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the League offers training in traditional art forms like oil painting and watercolor, as well as more contemporary media such as encaustic painting.

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