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Professionally, I am a licensed clinical social worker, but I am also a hobby artist and writer. I started participating in public art installations in 2006 with Oak Park’s Parade of Horses, followed by the painted Benches in south Oak Park, then the Rain Barrels. I participated in both of Forest Park’s Bridge painting ventures, most recently executing the “Look for the Glimmers!” with the Forest Park Board of Health, of which I am also a member. I would describe my artistic style as Folk Art, often with the goal of representation and/or inclusion. Folk art is accessible to the average person or child. This year, my design takes Forest Park’s logo of a park bench, buildings and paths and brings them to life, adding garden gnomes, one happy cloud  and our omnipresent jumping bunnies. Above it a beautiful rainbow presides, illustrating the Village as a safe and welcoming place for its LGBTQIA members. Susanbuss.com 

Location: Constitution Court

  My art career actually began many, many years ago as a young child at a Catholic grade school in a small town in rural Indiana, producing religious images for the Franciscan nuns who taught there. It continued into young adulthood as a self-taught artist, winning several local competitions followed by a 29 year career in public education. With retirement from public education in 2007 came a resurgence in personal artistic pursuit including solo exhibitions and group competitions winning a number of awards (including several “Best of Shows’, some commissions and inclusion in several permanent and private collections including the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. After moving to the Chicago area more than ten years ago, I have received grants for and have created a number of murals in Oak Park, Forest Park and Chicago, and I continue to pursue many of the previously mentioned artistic activities. 

Location: Constitution Court

 Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an eye for drawing and exploring different art mediums. For a decades I let that stay behind the scenes. After I was diagnosed with cancer in 2021 I began to create artwork as therapy. I haven’t put the brush down since and it has created a new joy in my life. It has helped me become more in tune with myself while also giving me an outlet during difficult times. Within the past year, I’ve started to show my work off to the public and it has given me a new purpose. I have learned to see the beauty during even the darkest of times. My hope is to be able to share this beauty with all who want to see it! 

Location: Jimmy's Place

I discovered my love for art at a young age. I was always drawn to the beauty around me; fashion, architecture, paintings, and drawings would easily catch my eye. For the most part, I am self-taught, and I’ve used my creativity over the years to design clothing, draw, crochet, and paint. As time went on, I placed art on the back burner, though I never lost my passion for it. I focused on raising my family, nurturing my loved ones, completing my education, and working hard. Then in 2021, after the heartbreaking loss of my mother and two siblings, I needed an outlet, something to help me heal. That’s when I returned to the arts. Allowing the brush to free my mind from the emptiness of loss.. Thank you, Forest Park, for giving me the opportunity to create a memorable experience; one I can share with my family and my friends.

Location: Constitution Court

 I am a self-taught artist from the Chicago area with a professional background in health and anthropology. I began painting in earnest after taking a beginner oil painting class at the Oak Park Art League in the fall of 2021. My anthropological roots fuel my belief that every human being is inherently driven to create — whether it’s family and household, relationships, business ventures, the built environment, tools, inventions, scientific research, or traditional arts like music, drawing, painting, writing, storytelling, and poetry. This ever-growing fascination with the creative drive propels me to craft thought-provoking, nostalgic, and enriching artwork. I also suffer from a sometimes debilitating illness that, on the bright side, drives me to express my thoughts and emotions through paint.  

Location: U3 Coffee

 I have a deep connection to nature. It shows in the way I spend my time, whether it's out back in my garden, talking about plants at Garden Club, painting plants for Garage Galleries, or in my graduate program learning about herbal medicine. What I choose to paint shows balance, connection, and one of my favorite medicinal herbs. The dandelion is "Not a Weed." Not only can it fix the soil, it can also help detox the human body. There is a great balance in the universe and a connectedness between us and nature which I hope is reflected in my painting.

Location: Twisted Cookie

 Zahaira  McRae  , a 14-year-old artist from Forest Park, Illinois, is set to attend the Chicago Academy for the Arts this fall after graduating from Forest Park Middle School. Her artistic journey began young, with drawing serving as a peaceful outlet for self-expression. Zahaira has enhanced her technical art skills by attending institutions like the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her leadership was recognized at Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she served as a camp ambassador. This summer, she was accepted into the University of Michigan STAMPS Pre-College Art Portfolio Program, a significant step toward her dream of becoming a 2D animator and voice actor. Zahaira aspires to create inspiring content for organizations like Sesame Street, empowering young children to embrace their talents. Zahaira is a member of the Forest Park Art Alliance and Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.

Location: Constitution Court

  Marion Sirefman has created artwork all her life. She went to a specialized art and music high school in NYC and then received a BFA degree from the U. of Chicago. She worked as an artifact illustrator for archaeologists before transitioning to non-art jobs, until retiring in 2011. She has lived in Oak Park with her family since 1984 and has been a long-time member of the Oak Park Art League. Throughout her working life and since retiring, she has continued to create colorful, engaging abstract and realistic artwork in a variety of media. Her public art includes eight 6’ x 8’ Minimurals completed from 2012 and 2024 along South Blvd in Oak Park. She is pleased to have been chosen to paint a bistro table for ‘Sit and Savor.’ Please see her website: www.SirefmanArt.com 

Location: Madison Park Kitchen

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Susan Volk is a Chicago-based artist who works in oil paint, ceramic sculpture, and mixed media. Her current work explores the themes of human nature, archetypes, and the sacred feminine.  She works on both private and public commissions, including public murals for Oak Park, Evanston, and Chicago’s Italian Village Restaurant, as well as sculptural work for the corporate headquarters of Turtle Wax Company.  Her work has been featured in the 35th Annual Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society Designer Showcase House, the celebration of Women’s History Month in the Chicago Public Library System, displayed on a billboard for Expose NOLA French Quarter/Jazz Festival in New Orleans, and at the 6th Annual Central Time Juried Ceramics Exhibition.  She is currently represented by Edward Montgomery Fine Art Gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA, Blue Sky Art Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, and Inner Haven Gallery in Grayslake, IL..

Location: Elements Massage

  I am a self-taught artist who spent many years painting commissioned furniture with unique and vibrant designs for people everywhere. I mostly paint on canvas or board but always welcome an occasional opportunity to design and give new life to an old piece of furniture. Participating in the past two AAFP Makers Markets was both inspirational and enjoyable for me, and I look forward to having my work displayed for sale at Garage Galleries in August. It’s a fantastic community event and I hope to see you there. As one of the pioneers of AAFP at its inception in 2017, I participated in both Circle Bridge projects as a facilitator and as an artist. I also helped paint the interactive mural on the storage container at the Park District on Harrison St. I believe that public art is key to a vibrant community, and I hope you are able to enjoy the bistro tables. 

Location: Constitution Court