The Uptown Art Fair is part of Uptown Art Week. This is the third year of Uptown Art Week, which…read morewas established during the pandemic as a way for the neighborhood to come together in a safe way and celebrate the public art in Uptown. This year it expanded a bit to include an art fair. I really enjoyed this. I think it has a lot of potential! The art fair itself was held in the Chicago Market space underneath the Wilson El stop. Throughout the week there were various events that took place, and along Broadway from Leland to Sunnyside there were artists painting throughout the week. Some of the artists were creating on sandwich-type boards, and some were creating murals that were hung on walls. All of the artists were working on wood surfaces so that when they're complete they can be moved to their permanent homes. Several of the murals will be displayed at Graceland Cemetery. What I thought is especially cool is that this year they paired a number of Black artists with Black-owned businesses, and several women with women-owned business, to create a mural evocative of the business or a agreed upon theme. That is such an awesome idea. I wish I had known that the art fair was taking place; it was just happenstance that I found out, because I was taking some things to the Salvation Army yesterday and passed by. It was pretty cool to watch the artists at work. I love that Uptown is a getting even more covered in murals and making this an annual tradition to bring so much local art to the neighborhood. I hope they continue to expand it even further into the neighborhood, beyond Broadway, Sunnyside, and Argyle.

What a cool place!!! So many rooms and floors of cool art and specialty items. It's bigger than it…read morelooks. Rooms lead to more rooms. Really unique gifts, clothes, honey, jewelry, candies, soaps, bags, housewares, artwork from local artists, and more. I definitely recommend checking this place out!

It's been a long time since I've been to Andersonville Galleria. It's a great concept, having…read morespaces for lots of different artists, stores, creators, and so on to sell there wares here on Clark Street. You'll find all kinds of stuff here: clothing, jewelry, artwork, food, and so on. There are two floors, a mezzanine level between the first and second floor, and then a little "loft" area above the second floor. One thing I really like about AG is that you aren't making individual purchases with each merchant; there's a single checkout at the very front of the store and then they sort it all out on the back end. The merchant stalls don't usually have the creator there unless they're restocking or maybe they're doing some sort of special event. There's a small changing room since there are several booths that have clothing. It can be a little cramped in here, so I'm not sure how easily someone with mobility issues/wheelchair users might be able to navigate it, but there is a lift (though I think it requires help from the staff to use). There's no parking dedicated to this business, so it's all street parking or you can use the bus, of course. And it's Andersonville, so parking goes really quickly unless you are here in the morning.

I've walked past this gallery a million times, yet never stopped in. Until Roger (KELLIE K.!!) and…read moreDon headed up to Clark Street one night, for some carousing. Hey! There's a lot of people in there, and they look fun, and have drinks in hand! Minutes later, we were clutching cold cans of Pabst (though we're not hipsters) and checking out the art. A wide array, some good some . . . well, nice try. They had some old boom boxes that were decorated all crazy, and those were pretty cool. Some of the stuff was not mounted all that well - no frames whatsoever. There was a wide variety of art, and for that reason alone, it's worth checking out this little gallery. They really did have lot to look at in there. One of the many storefront gems that make Andersonville such a great place.

I can't add anything more about the art or artists except that this is a decent gallery that…read moreeveryone seems to like. I've bought at least one thing there, and the gallery owner was pleasant. Having wrote that, I really wish they'd bump up their professionalism a notch or two. For a gallery that's only open two days a week, I think it's strange that the gallery doesn't have bio information on all seven of their represented artists. They need to have a better answer than, "Sorry, I don't think we have anything about him."

Love this free gallery. Every time we visit Evanston we pop in to see the latest exhibits on the…read morefirst and second floor. The art markets they host are nice- a wide variety of art/handicrafts for sale by local artists.

Such a great venue for art and events. Attend the multisensory In the Realm of Senses here,…read morerecently, and enjoyed the art hanging on the walls, the space, and the performance. In the Realm of Senses showcases live and digital music pieces, while featuring visuals, live painting, and even filling the room with signature scents, all around a theme for each event. Evanston Art Center had a great space for this event, with great art on the walls, a boon to the community.

Checked out the new and much larger location of Paper and Pencil, not far from the original…read moreteeny-tiny one. So much bigger, but still busy, which is great for them! Shop for unique pens, stationery and cards, stamps, and other unique desktop items. I love this store! Independent, queer-owned, and thriving in Andersonville. Can't wait to come back to get more paper goods.

Fabulous store! Stationary, cards, stickers, blank journals, travel journals, pins, pens, and so…read moremuch more! The layout is easy to navigate and the store fits a lot of people. I love how popular it is! I bought a book to help me with my new vision board and I'm really excited! Friendly service and great vibes.

Located in downtown Skokie, around the corner from the well known Village Inn Pizzeria, See Jake…read moreSparkle is a true hidden gem and boutique offering all sorts of fun and unique items. Highlighting their passion for fair trade offering goodies from around the world, and sharing their mission there really is something for everyone. Each time you look around the store you find something more fun to look at. Most of the items you find are handmade and showcase the craft of the different countries. The owner Sara Jane is so friendly and is there to share the story behind each piece. She also offers her own line of jewelry and clothing! I can't wait to come back and shop for more gifts soon!

I loved Sara Jane's boutique in Evanston and was happy to know that she has a presence in Skokie…read morenow. The shop displays unique fair trade items from around the world and each piece has a story. It's a great place to find special gifts while supporting good causes. Today I bought a hand painted Christmas ornament and two glass coasters.

The Wasteshed in Evanston is a bustling nonprofit of used art supplies, knick-knacks, and craft…read morematerials. If you have the patience and passion for the hunt, this is the place for you! I optimistically brought a bag for fabrics, but I unfortunately couldn't find anything quite to my taste. However, they did a great job colorcoding all of the different fabrics. The store is fairly organized considering how many donations come through. I really appreciate how they even use different drawer systems and cabinets for different subcategories of items. I do think most of the supplies would be great for educators or children: lots of odds and ends that would be put to excellent use given the right creative minds. I walked away emptyhanded, but I imagine someone would love the vintage postcards, various stamps, or Nat Geo magazines I flipped through. There's some street parking nearby, and they have a small private lot. Be sure to check their hours and any updates due to weather on their Instagram!

The Wasteshed is a cool place to browse for inspiration! Lots of random things, but there is always…read morea treasure to be found!

It's not a 9-5 gallery. Open only during special events, which you can find on their Facebook page…read moreor dnainfo. Love the shows which feature local artists, local foods, and local drinks. There are political statements in more contemporary mediums as well as pieces in classical fine art styles and techniques. Very well curated and the music is great.

Co-Pro is the artist space owned by Ed Marszewski, who also owns Maria's down the street. I went…read morethere for Over the Influence, which was a beer-art show. I honestly had a great time there and I think the space really gave an opportunity for all the art to be displayed, especially the sketches for local beer labels. There was even a weird, alien beer bong which attracted a lot of attention and a keg bottle opener thingy. The space seemed small with a lot of the tables next to each other but it was easy to try everything and talk to the brewers to. The only downside was the line for the bathrooms-which was probably the longest line there.