“[A] work of art exists as a whole. No explanation can convey to the heart the full meaning and wonder of art. That meaning is a live thing and withers at the [word’s] touch! —Evelyn Statsinger

Unlike many 20th-century cities where artists were expected to work within the parameters of a predefined canon, Chicago’s artistic influences circulated freely. In a do-it-yourself and communal spirit, local artists made their own way, creating a shared set of decidedly Chicago artistic values consistent across generations and statuses. Thus, despite the 20-year separation between Theodore “Ted” Halkin and Evelyn Statsinger and the generation of Barbara Rossi and Christina Ramberg, each of these four artists shared a commitment to personal authenticity and a talent for inventing original, imaginative compositions inspired by the world around them.