CHICAGO – More than 90 artists specializing in different media are taking over the area near Chicago’s historic Dearborn Station for the Printer’s Row Art Fest.
On a small section of Dearborn between Harrison and Polk, you’ll find art of many different shades. That’s where WGN’s Sean Lewis met up with Jon Jahraus, whose custom creative cartoons draw a lot of fans.
While Jahraus spent the early part of his adult life as a professional soccer player, it was a pen and paper where he drew his vocation.
“I got to be about 29-30 years old and I thought, ‘Let’s see if I can make this happen,'” Jahraus said. “So now, I’ve been making my living for 32 years as an illustrator and it is the only thing I’m qualified to do anymore, but it works out pretty well.”
Just down the way, Lewis later caught up with JD Dennison, whose background as a photographer comes to life in 3D art, with maps making a big impression.
“That’s why I like working wit real things because people can point to the buildings where they live or work or meet each other,” Dennison said. “It’s a cool connection to make art that people live in and deal with every day.”
From the concrete to the more abstract, there is inspiration for most every taste.
“Being very realistic, but putting something surreal into that, so make it a blend of things,” artist Karina Llergo said.
Many of the artists travel to festivals around the country, creating a blend of cultures and media.
For the cartoonist, Kansas City serves as his home base as he meets new faces and makes them part of his art.
“That’s one of the reasons I like doing the shows, because it gives me a little bit of the juice, a little bit of that gold star,” Jahraus said. “The kind of validation of, ‘Hey, you’re doing a good job,’ I kind of keep you rolling. I do appreciate it and I appreciate the people, enjoy the work.”
The festival continues through Sunday.