Fulfillment of Lifelong Dream to Pursue Fine Arts Brings Artist Jim Schnaitman "Home" to West Chicago's Gallery 200

West Chicago, Illinois: September 16, 2009 - A life-long dream to pursue fine arts and a fifty-year history with West Chicago brought artist Jim Schnaitman full-circle to Gallery 200 in downtown West Chicago where he arrives as October’s Featured Artist.

Born in Chicago, the second eldest of seven children, Schnaitman was raised on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin before entering the United States Air Force. He served four years as an aircraft mechanic before starting a career with General Mills in West Chicago, and in 1968 married his wife Nancy at St. Mary’s Church. Putting down roots in a newly purchased home on Coolidge Avenue, the Schnaitman’s began raising a family and after the arrival of their third child, moved to a larger home in the Elburn area.

Following a thirty-five year career, Schnaitman retired from General Mills, and at last had time to pursue his lifelong passion for fine arts. “After my retirement, I realized my wife’s ‘honey do’ list was a never ending string of projects and decided to begin attending art classes at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove,” he said, adding that prior to those classes, his “stick figures would be lucky to have elbows.”

Since that time, Schnaitman has enjoyed several fine arts scholarships obtained through his efforts to master the art of drawing and painting and increasingly realizes that the more he learns, the more he hopes to continue learning. “I enjoy taking studio art, as it forces me to put aside the distractions of everyday living and concentrate on improving my skills in oil, pastels, charcoal, frottage, collage and photography,” he said.

A quick study, Schnaitman’s work attracted the attention of Waubonsee College, which purchased several of his paintings for their collection. He became a member of West Chicago’s Gallery 200 in 2006, soon after its opening, and was selected by the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission Banner Committee to participate this past summer in the community banner project.

The public is invited to the free Opening Reception of Jim Schnaitman's work at Gallery 200, on Friday, October 9, 2009 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres will be served, and the artist is offering a special opening night discount of 20% off the list price for any of his work. Schnaitman's work will remain at the Gallery through October.

Fast becoming a haven for art lovers as a quality destination for buying and browsing great local art, Gallery 200 is a cultural initiative supported by the City of West Chicago and the Cultural Arts Commission. Regular Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, from 12:00 - 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 12:00 -4:00 p.m. Open studio hours hosted by the Underground Art group are Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit the website or call (630) 293-9550.



Photos courtesy of Jim Schnaitman.

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West Chicago is the one of the fastest-growing cities in DuPage County in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. With a current population of more than 25,000, West Chicago is a diverse, family-oriented community with a rich cultural mix and a proud heritage. West Chicago is the first Illinois community established by the railroads and continues to be a convenient transportation hub served by three major rail lines, Illinois' third-busiest airport and three state highways. West Chicago offers award-winning schools, a growing industrial park and convenient access to parks, shopping and restaurants. Additional information can be found on the city's website at www.westchicago.org or by calling Rosemary Mackey directly at (630) 293-2200 x 139.

CITY OF WEST CHICAGO 475 Main Street, West Chicago, Illinois 60185 T - (630) 293-2200 www.westchicago.org