To be able to communicate my feelings through my creations to the viewer is the main objective in my work." Ingrid Albrecht's interest in art began as a small child when her grandmother, an artist, gave Ingrid her first stick of pastel. During a 17-year teaching career, she spent four years teaching in Argentina, one year in Costa Rica, and one year in the jungles of Guatemala. When she decided to leave teaching and embark on a career in art, she received formal training at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, obtaining a degree in Fine Art.
Since 1995, Ingrid has been teaching watercolor classes at the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago. Recently Northwestern University has invited her to teach classes in beginning watercolor. She has conducted numerous workshops and demonstrations in the Chicago area, the Midwest, the Bahamas and Italy. Ingrid has curated four large group exhibitions, Watercolor Expressions, at the Palette and Chisel Academy, and also has curated the art exhibition, "Twilight of the Gorilla" at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
Her work has been featured in many publications including The Chicago Tribune, American Artist's Watercolor "90, and Southwest Art magazine. They grace corporate and private collections in the United States, England, Germany, Guatemala, China, Australia, the Netherlands and Hong Kong.

Clayton Beck graduated from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. During the mid to late 1980's, he taught and studied here at the Palette and Chisel with Richard Schmid. He is currently represented in galleries throughout the Midwest and Southwestern US. He has received awards of excellence and distinction from the Midwest Pastel Society, the Pastel Society of America, the Municipal Art League of Chicago, the Palette & Chisel and the Oil Painters of America.

David R. Becker is a respected illustrator, fine artist and art instructor. He is the author of ''Watercolor Composition Made Easy'' (1999), and ''How to Sketch with Watercolor'' (2003), both published by North Light Books. Becker has had articles published in International Artist, American Artist and Watercolor Magic magazines. Becker began teaching watercolor in 1983 while still a student at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Since then he has taught classes at the Palette and Chisel and has led many workshops around the country.

Andy Hoi-Csiu Chan was born in Canton and graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1967 and the Vancouver School of Art in 1969. He is currently the President of the Chinese Artists' Association of North America and the Society of International Lingnam School Artists. He has been featured in many newspapers and magazines, and has appeared in several local TV programs. He teaches at the Art Institute of Chicago and has given numerous demonstrations and one man shows worldwide.

Susan Clinard began her sculpture experience over a decade ago apprenticing a well-established sculptor in Michigan. Clinard's sculptures reflect her strong desire to honor nature's pure form. Whether she is sculpting from the model or carving stone, Susan strives to reveal nature's truths, distorted or with perfect symmetry, it is her source of inspiration. Clinard currently teaches stone carving at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, figurative sculpture at the Palette and Chisel Academy and privately at Clinard's Sculpture Studio. Susan also teaches Chicago youth at Gallery 37, an award winning arts education organization. She has been awarded scores of commissions included indoor and outdoor sculpture installations and portraits. Her work can be found in private collections worldwide. Mrs Clinard has conducted demonstrations and workshops at the Gianadda Museum in Switzerland, the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, Lizzadro Museum, WGN News, Museum of Science and industry, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

A native of Italy, Ralph's love for art has inspired him to depict the human figure since his teenage years. He has studied at the American Academy of Art. The School of the Art Institute, The Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts and Clinard Sculptures and drawings have been displayed in various galleries throughout Chicago.

Tom Francesconi studied watercolor with Irving Shapiro at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. After working more than 12 years as a transparency retoucher for national advertising, Tom began to devote himself to his painting. He began teaching in 1991 and now teaches watercolor workshops throughout the country.

Tom has been the recipient of many awards in major national exhibitions. He has earned Signature Membership in a number of watercolor societies, including the National Watercolor Society. Tom has lectured nationally on watercolor and has been invited to serve as a juror for numerous watercolor exhibitions including the 2007 Transparent Watercolor Society of America national exhibition. He has also served as President of TWSA.

Tom has had paintings selected to be featured in 7 books on watercolor. He has written articles for Watercolor Magic and Watercolor magazines. Tom is represented by galleries in Door County, WI, and Frankfort, IL.

Born in the Philippines in a community of artists, Romel de la Torre's artistic interest started at a very young age. In the late 70's Romel and his family immigrated to the United States where he began going to museums studying and learning on his own; works of famous masters like Sargent, Sorolla, Fechin, Mucha, and the American Impressionists. He then attended the American Academy of Art and soon after graduating with a fine arts concentration; Romel joined the Palette and chisel academy, where he began painting with nationally renowned artist Richard Schmid and a community of other painters. A consummate artist in all media, Rome de la Torre is one of today's most highly regarded artists. His figures, landscapes, portraits, and still life paintings display unparalleled technical skill, fluid style, and thorough understanding of light, color, form and design. He has won numerous prestigious and national honors/awards and is a signature member of the Oil Painters of America. He is represented by several galleries throughout the United States and his work has been featured in the Artists Magazine, Southwest Art, and the U.S. Art Magazine. Please visit his website at www.romeldelatorre.com.

Most of his life Phil has been an illustrator/graphic designer with his own studio in Chicago's loop. He developed a large creative range for the demands of his clientele, the list of which reads like a " Who's Who" of top corporations: Amoco Oil, Encyclopedia Britannica, Hammond Organ, Rand McNally, Sears, and Walgreens to name a few.

Promoting goods and services creatively was interesting, but Phil soon realized his need to start making art more for himself. He has exhibited throughout the country and has won numerous awards. A cover story about him appeared in the June 1988 issue of American Artist. He also participated on a television panel show on portraiture,
"American Art Forum with Richard Love," in November 1989. His works continue to be part of numerous collections to this day. Phil has taught this information-packed class here at the Palette & Chisel for several years now.

Phil celebrated 25 years as an active member of the Palette and Chisel. Other memberships include: the Municipal art league of Chicago, The Chicago Artists' Coalition and The Skokie Art Guild.

Bob Krajecki started his art studied with the Famous Artists Correspondence course from Westport, Conn. Drafted into the United States Army Aircorps during the Vietnam conflict, he became the staff artist for the "Army Flyer" newspaper. He continued his studies at the American Academy of Art and the Chicago Academy of Fine Art in Chicago, receiving his degree in watercolor painting.

Upon graduation, Bob pursued a fine art career and exhibited his paintings throughout the Chicagoland area. He started teaching classes in Downers Grove and in Lyons. Bob started teaching full time at the American Academy of Art in 1972, teaching classes in the fundamentals of art, watercolor painting, architectural illustration, cartooning and Adobe Photoshop. He was chosen as the first chairman of the Fundamentals program when the Academy introduced the Bachelor of Arts program.

Kathleen Newman is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, an International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle Award recipient, a member of Chicago Pastel Painters, the Plein Air Painters of Chicago and has participated in the Door County Plein AIr Festival for the past two years. She has won awards in many national juried shows, including American Impressionist Society Best of Show 2005 and competitions through Pastel Journal and International Artist magazine. She is currently represented by Fountainside Gallery, Wilmington NC, Studio B, Three Oaks, MI and through her studio at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago.

Helen Oh is a painter and conservator of old master paintings. Her oil paintings have been exhibited at the Terra Museum of American Art, National Academy of Design Museum, NY; Elmhurst Art Museum, IL; Muscarelle Museum of Art, VA; St. Anselm College, NH; University of Illinois at Chicago; Harper College, IL; Chicago Athenaeum; Arts Club of Chicago; ACA Gallery, NY; Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, NY. Her work is in the collection of Columbia University and the Americas Society in New York City. She has received two Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grants. Oh teaches Painting—Materials and Method class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago 

Marci Oleszkiewicz is a painter whose work has been said to exude a sense of peace and calm. Her paintings have recently received several awards including Best of Show at the 2007 American Impressionist Society National Show. She is currently represented by Gallery Russia in Scottsdale AZ and Barnsite Gallery in Kewaunee, WI. Marci has received the vast amount of her training at the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts. She is a member of the Oil Painters of America, The Society of Master Impressionists, the Plein Air Painters of Chicago and the American Impressionists Society. To view her work, visit www.marcioleszkiewicz.com or her artist blog at www.marcipaints.blogspot.com.

Robert Pernau received his first formal art training from a local illustrator and painter, De Witt Whistler Jayne. After this training, he graduated from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Bob worked as a commercial artist for 40 years, before semi-retiring. He currently teaches and is an active oil painter at the Palette and Chisel.

Dale Popovich
(219) 838-8645

Of the many ways one might describe Dale Popovich, visionary may be most apt, for talent and ability aside, it is the quality of Popovich's vision that defines his work. Temporarily blinded at 20, Popovich had only his visual memories to keep him company. And he learned to pare down the images until what remained - and stayed with him- were the essences of what he remembered. This purity of vision is realized through a rare selectivity of detail that gives each painting uncommon strength. Popovich paints the midewest in keenly perceived landscapes that celebrate Nature and Man's humble attempts to tame it. Every painting is vivid in his mind's eye; he paints from this vision rather then from life. By mentally wandering the scene, he breathed dimension in to the paper with strong, moody interplay of light and dark - a true colorist's eye into the scene-bridges by which virtually everyone can follow. WE are pleased to offer to you this experience. An we hope you will be stirred by it as we are. Popovich has a degree in Fine Art from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, He had devoted 25 years of teaching numerous fine art and graphic design courses in the Heartland. He presently illustrated for two national magazines, Water Gardening and Midwest Gardening.

Max Ranft has designed and executed large secular and church murals as well as altar pieces and Stations of the Cross throughout the US. He executes portraits and illustrates magazines and books. Max is a three time Gold Medal winner at the Palette & Chisel. He has taught drawing at the American Academy of Art and is currently Art Director and Illustrator for J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency.

Educated at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and graduated from the Art Center College of Design in California with B.P.A. (Honors), Mr. Renaud has worked as an ad agency art director, a studio illustrator, and as an Instructor of Illustration and Drawing at CAFA. He has been a free-lance illustrator for many years, and has exhibited at the New York Illustrators' Show, Chicago Cultural Center, John Hancock Center, Museum of Science and Industry, Milwaukee Art Museum, Playboy Museum Exhibit in Europe and the US and other exhibits. He was listed in "Who s Who in the Midwest" and has won 26 awards.

Scott is a BFA graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He spent many years as an illustrator in a Chicago ad agency before pursuing his dream of being a professional portrait painter. Scott has been a familiar face at the Palette and Chisel's workshops and competitions for many years. He is currently working as a full-time professional portrait and gallery artist. Scott is represented by Bella Vista Fine Art Gallery, Chicago, IL.

Michael is a graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago. While running his own graphic design studio, Michael took evening and weekend classes here at the Palette and Chisel and in New York at the Art Students League to advance his training as an artist. Michael is now a full-time professional portrait and gallery artist and has been exhibiting work in various shows and galleries across Illinois & the nation. He has received multiple commissions, honors, and recognition from: Portrait Society of America, Portrait Society of Atlanta and American Artist Magazine.

Influenced by great realistic masters' works of Repin, Levitan, Fechin, Sargent... Henry Yan started his formal academic studies of drawing and painting at the age of 15. He received his strict fine art training under some leading artists and art professors of China. Henry Yan has been a full-time member of the faculty at the Academy of Art University since 1996. Yan is the author of the acclaimed book Henry Yan's Figure Drawing - Techniques and Tips. His work is held in private collections and galleries worldwide.

Artist and freelance illustrator, Don Yang has been teaching drawing, artistic anatomy and painting in and around Chicago and in Tennessee, where he has operated a drawing workshop studio. He was trained in fine art and illustration at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, where he received BFA and MFA with honors. Currently, Don is a full-time faculty member of the American Academy of Art, where he teaches figure drawing and oil painting. His paintings and drawings are collected by art enthusiasts throughout the U.S and Europe.