Gallery Opens Fall Season with Outsider and Graffiti Show featuring Local Artist Steve Pollack and Photographer Cindy Kurman Barrie

The "ORNOT" Gallery (located within READY Coffee, 1562 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622, 773-360-7041) opens the fall gallery season with its second show, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, October 4, showcasing the works of two promising local artists, painter Steve Pollack and photographer Cindy Kurman Barrie. The show runs through October 31 and is being curated by Cody Davis, a READY Coffee barista, photographer and manager of the ORNOT Gallery.

Steve Pollack has been an art collector most of his life. It wasn't until he retired from his successful scrap metal business that he found the time to pursue a new passion, painting. Having free time, he finds himself literally drawn to the human form. He has studied at numerous Chicago-area painting studios and is proud to showcase his work at Ornot Gallery this fall, his first public show.

Cindy Kurman Barrie, who joins Steve Oct. 4, also is showing her art photography for the first time. An accomplished business photographer, the photo collection on display at the Ornot gallery showcases a more gritty side of her photographic work. For this showing, she will present various graffiti works and street scenes she captured during a recent trip to France, Italy and Belgium. Cindy studied photography and journalism at Kent State University and has been capturing life ever since.

Cindy calls herself "fortunate" as she has a career doing something that she loves while bringing enjoyment to others. When not taking pictures, Cindy also paints, makes jewelry, manufactures art purses and runs a successful integrated marketing and public relations firm, Kurman Communications, Inc.

 

Ornot Gallery Opening October 4
Features Contemporary Jazz Guitarist
by Lee Alec Barrie

 

Lee Alec Barrie is a contemporary jazz guitarist whose style has been compared to Larry Carlton, Chuck Loeb and other popular contemporary jazz guitarists. Barrie was professional by age 14, starting out with a teenage rock band, playing Beatles, Beach Boys and Chuck Berry tunes plus some classic R&B.

These early musical relationships lasted well into his twenties and he had the privilege of recording with Lipps Inc., a Minneapolis-based band best known most for its number one hit "Funkytown" in the late 70's. Barrie's evolution as a guitarist was accelerated when he began to experiment with a Roland guitar synthesizer, which allows his electric guitar to take on the sound of a wide range of instruments. He now has the opportunity to solo as a saxophonist, flutist, organist, violinist and many others, all while playing on the guitar. He chooses the instrument based on the style and mood of the song.
Barrie's idea for a "virtual band project"-whereby he plays solo over his pre-recorded jazz backing tracks-evolved naturally. Having taken a break from professional performances for a number of years, he became a self-taught jazz pianist, which gave him the technical and musical skills to arrange and record his own instrumental backing tracks at his home recording studio.