Natural Connections

 

There are moments in life when the stars do align and we find the the most perfect and natural connections.  Margot McMahon and Karen Gubitz found each other through their love of nature and art.  Having both lived in Oak Park for over 30 years, they met only recently while working on The Chicago Tree Project, a collaboration with the Chicago Park District and artists to transform dead and dying trees into works of art.  

 

It's one of those personal relationships that transforms our lives and sends us on new paths of discovery and happiness.  So it seems natural that Margot and Karen would share their personal art with each other and install works at each others homes.  With her focus on the importance of life and nature, Margot has installed her work, "Hawk and Dove" and a myriad of other birds at Karen's home and Karen has installed her woven sculpture, "Moa" at Margot's home.  Of course when you visit each home, you'll happily see some of their own work alongside their friends.  

 

Margot McMahon has exhibited her drawings and sculptures in Tokyo, Guernsey, Paris, Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., Santa Fe, Cincinnati, Texas and Connecticut.  The Smithsonian, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Chicago History Museum, the Chicago Botanic Garden and DePaul University have collected her artwork.  Margot has taught sculpture and drawing at the School of the Art Institute, DePaul University, Yale University and Yale University’s Norfolk Summer School.  Margot has been a board member of Chicago National Museum of Women in the Arts and Chicago Sculpture International, Yale Women /Chicago, Oak Park Area Arts Council.  She is a founding commissioner of the Village of Oak Park’s Public Art Advisory Commission and a founding committee member of Ragdale Foundation’s Cornerstone Fund, Lake Forest, IL.

 

Karen Gubitz is a self-taught, nature-inspired, environmental/mixed media/fiber sculptor. Realizing that her passion lay in creating art, 4 years ago, Karen retired from her full time law career to begin her life as a full time artist.  Over the last 4 years she has exhibited her work and won several awards in Washington D.C., Boston, New York, Michigan City, Milwaukee, Michigan, Missouri, and in the Chicago area. In addition she has created several site-specific environmental art installations, including 2014 Chicago Tree Project (“Second Chances”, an installation in Harold Washington Park, Chicago, Illinois), 2014 ArtPrize (“Grand Gathering” an installation at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan), under a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, “The Basketry Project”, a series of 16 site specific woven sculptures in the Oak Park Arts District, “Limbic No. 1. and “Black Blossom” for 2014 and 2015 Oak Park Sculpture Walks, and “Hanging Around”, an installation at the Oak Park Art League.