Roman Susan Art Foundation has been in the Rogers Park neighborhood for six years, and this year they are expanding their commitment to art to the former Rogers Park Women’s Group building.
Although the organization is run by Nathan and Kristin Abhalter Smith and it’s named after Roman and Susan Lewandowski.
The organization started as a “platform for artists in Chicago,” according to Nathan Abhalter Smith.
They facilitate a different art project every month by opening the space for local artists to do four to five week-long projects.
“We like projects that are experimental in nature and take advantage of the unique aspects of our physical location and space,” Nathan Abhalter Smith said.
The one they are working on right now is run by Extended Group and the project’s goal is “organize and network among young mothers and how they can foster their art practices and have their identity as new mothers,” according to Kristin Abhalter Smith.
While facilitating the Extended Group project, Nathan and Kristin Abhalter Smith, along with the Rogers Park Arts Alliance and The Cuckoo’s Theater Project will be holding the Woman’s Club A Solstice Celebration & Procession to the Lake on June 21.
The celebration invites artists who have some personal connection to Rogers Park to make their own flag, according to Kristin Abhalter Smith. The flags will change every season.
“The individual artist can sort of take on any of the historical stuff if they want but they can also just make a flag for summer,” he said. “It seemed like a good way to engage the community.”
The celebration will take place Thursday, June 21 at 7 p.m. at 7077 North Ashland Ave
The celebration will consist of a “flag-raising celebration at the corner of Ashland and Estes, as well as tours of the former Rogers Park Woman’s Club, a procession from Ashland and Estes to the Lake, and a celebration of the Solstice at Loyola Park,” according to the press release of the event.
