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Looking at bare walls can be boring when you cut and trim more than 60 male heads per day. But Mary Ferazza, hairstylist and owner of the Chicago Buzz, 124 S. Franklin, breaks up the visual monotony by adorning the walls with works by aspiring artists. "When a guy is getting his haircut, he can experience the world of art," she says about her gallery barber shop. As for her staff, she says, they receive stimulating vibes from watching their environment change every few months. Since opening more than four years ago, Ferazza, a photographer, wanted to invigorate her barber salon with local original art. She started combing Web sites as well as gathering recommendations from her clients to get artists for her ochre colored walls. The result: an eclectic mix of works to satisfy various tastes. The current exhibit showcases Walker Thisted, an 18-year-old senior at the University of Chicago High School. "The pieces displayed follow an evolution in my work," he says. "They explore the space that people occupy and how they use [it]. I am interested in architecture and I am looking to explore a career in the field. Because of this, a lot of the work I do reflects my interest in space and the environment." His paintings of a corner in a stairwell or the staircase speak to the spatial theme. Other works just allow him to explore his full range as an artist, whether it's painting a small self- portrait in oil or constructing a large-scale mixed media work with chalk, graph paper, acrylic paint and film strips. But he finds great satisfaction in two works, "Tasha and Myself" and "Mac and Cheese." In "Tasha and Myself," he paints his friend with clarity and distorts his face with heavy strokes. "I wanted to juxtapose the clarity of her with the unclassified, categorical features in my face." This depiction showed her certainty and his uncertainty, he says. His whimsical "Mac and Cheese" appeals to his lighter side. "This is one of my favorites," he says. "It ties into the theme of [painting] things around me. It was on a table and I thought it would be cool. It journeys into the realm of pop culture." Seeing works by Thisted and others inspires Ferazza to support fledgling talent. "I don't take commission on these works. It's a win-win situation for everyone. It's nice for a young artist to have their stuff shown." See Thisted's work through May 11 and get a trim while you're at it. |
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