Buzz Cafe

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Right-Brained Studio

By Alexandra Pochron

Though Right-Brained Studio, located at 140 Harrison Street, is just shy of its first anniversary, it has been developing in the mind of artist Kelly Pelka since the day she began teaching ten years ago. Her philosophies on art and on teaching art are reflected in her studio, which she created specifically for kids and honors the creative process not just the created product.

One of the first questions people often ask is how she came up with the name Right-Brained Studio. Kelly says, “It is a non-traditional name for an art studio. The right side of the brain holds our emotions and creativity, and I have really strong feelings about how science and art connect.” Kelly’s aim is not just to help kids create pieces of art, but rather impresses upon her students the creative thinking involved in the process of making, thinking about, and looking at art. “Exploring art will help them with other choices in life,” Kelly tells me

An important aspect of Kelly’s teaching philosophy, and one of the reasons she came to open Right-Brained Studio is that she doesn’t believe in assigning grades for making art. “I’m against art assessment, because how can you give grades on an emotional experience?” She started her teaching career at a Montessori School, and began learning their philosophies while incorporating her own ideas. Then she met the director of the Oak Park Art League, who suggested she start teaching classes. She began teaching while simultaneously studying art education at University of Illinois at Chicago. She taught at the OPAL for ten years, as well as seven to ten classes throughout the Chicagoland area including after-school programs.

“I always envisioned I would open a studio exclusively for kids, where they wouldn’t have to be so careful, and where they wouldn’t have to share the space with adults. I wanted a space that was cheerful and inspiring and all for them. Then one day you just wake up and say today is the day.”

She looked at spaces in other areas as well as on Harrison Street but since she had been teaching in Oak Park for so long it seemed to make sense to stay in the area. When she walked into the space at 140 Harrison she knew that she had found a home for her brainchild. She says, “The way I felt when I walked in the door was the way I thought it would feel for the kids.” Her students however come from all over the city and suburbs, and she has even taught international students who are in town visiting family for the summer.

Kelly offers classes for a range of ages, but is flexible about student placement. The kids range in age from 3 all the way up to 17. Each class has a five-week session, and can be repeated over and over again.

Art for Us is Kelly’s youngest class and is designed for pre-kindergarten children and their parents. “It’s their first look at art materials. I try to use those materials that professionals use but are safe for them to use too.” Kelly presents ideas to her students, but they are also encouraged to explore their own creative impulses. “When I show an example a lot of students want to mimic what they see—which is a way to learn, but I really try to encourage experimentation.”

Next is the K-2nd grade Self-Gallery, which develops concepts and themes that the children are interested in. “I see what they are gravitating toward and I help them with that.” Recently she worked with the theme of jellyfish. She and her students looked at photographs of jellyfish, as well as different artistic representations of jellyfish, using different art materials.

The 2nd-5th grade class becomes little more specific. This the first class in which the students have a required supply list and begin working with materials that require a little more responsibility. Students are introduced to acrylic paints, clay, and other mixed media projects. In this class students also begin exploring questions such as, what is art? And also study the work of local and master artists.

Studio You is a class designed for 6th-8th graders, which meets for an hour and a half and the emphasis is on creating a series of art. Kelly says, “In this class we work on relating a theme, using artists’ materials.” Studio You takes place over the course of two sessions. Session one emphasizes collage and mixed media work and session two has a focus on drawing from the self, “both physically and metaphorically to create works of art”.

Formerly, high school classes were on a private lesson basis only, but Kelly is excited to say that she has enough students interested in committing to the same time in the studio every week. Just as in Studio You, the emphasis will be on creating a series of artwork.

In addition to being a teacher, Kelly is also a working artist. Currently she has pieces showing at The Nerve Gallery, and Montana Shop and Gallery on Harrison Street. She also has an upcoming show at Ipsento Café in Chicago that runs August 15th thru October 18th, and has work showing at The Light Gallery in Costa Mesa, California. She says, “Being a working artist myself, and in working with other artists, I think its important for your artists to know that this is serious. That you can make can make a living out of this if you are serious, just like any other profession, and its important to show them artists who are working hard to make a living at it.”

Perhaps the best evidence of Kelly’s impact comes from her students themselves. Isabelia has been taking classes from Kelly for eight years, since she was six years old and now works as Kelly’s assistant. She says, “I think Miss Pelka has influenced me by inspiring me to incorporate a lot more creativity and originality to my work, whether it is through the subject matter or through unusual materials. She also helped me gain more confidence in my work, and I see that she encourages all of her students like this.”

For more information about Right-Brained Studio visit www.right-brianedstudio.com

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Nutrition Letter

Driving a Hybrid Car While Eating Junk Food?

By Nancy Morgridge, R.D.

A recent study in Science Daily states that eating less meat and junk food could cut fossil energy fuel use almost in half. Are you driving a hybrid or gas efficient car? Are you against off shore drilling for oil here in the United States? Do you recycle or use a push or electric mower? Do you walk to the train or other locations like The Buzz to save on gasoline? If you do any one of these, that is fantastic. If you want to do something that will have an immediate impact on you and your family, think about implementing strategies that a study from Cornell University suggests would cut fossil fuel use in the food system by as much as 50%. (1). Eat less. The average American consumes 3,747 calories per day – that’s 1200 – 1500 calories over recommendations (I believe its 1200 – 2000 over recommendations). Traditional American diets are high in animal products, junk and processed foods which by nature use more energy to produce than staples such as potatoes, rice, fruits and vegetables. So, by reducing the amount of meat, junk and processed foods you eat you will not only help the environment but also your health. (2) Change the food production industry to more traditional, organic farming methods because conventional meat and dairy production is very energy intensive. (3) Change food processing, packaging and distribution to reduce fuel consumption. The average number of miles a US food travels before it is consumed is 1,500. 1500 miles, can you believe it? Which of those three strategies can you work on today in your own home? Your body will thank you if you choose to eat less, eat less conventionally produced meat and dairy products and less junk and processed foods - the planet will too. Go to http://sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/080723094838.htm for more information!

Please call if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Nancy 708-445-0598.

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Letter from the Editor

Laura Maychruk

Dear Loyal Readers, We would never be here without YOU! We officially opened our doors on August 31st, 1998 and after 10 years we are still here! In celebration and appreciation of all of your loyalty and dedication, we will be giving away FREE BREWED COFFEE all day on the 31st! I hope you will all join us.

In 1998 I could not imagine what the Buzz would be like in 2008 or if we would even still be in business, but here we are. Not a day goes by that I don’t recognize that you, the customer, made it possible. I am personally thankful everyday that people walk through our doors. To us, Buzz Café is not just a business but a way of life for our family. We care about our community and the people in it that make it special. Customer service is, of course, at the heart of our operation. We try hard to instill into our employees, the importance of the relationship between customers and employees. We want you to walk in and be recognized, we want you to feel special.

Many of my fondest memories of running the café have to do with memorable customers. Customers with unusual food or drink requests, customers that have made suggestions that we have taken and been successful with, customers who were children or babies when we first opened and are now ordering their own drinks at the counter or better yet, working for us!

And speaking of employees, they are the other half of the customer service equation. It is my humble opinion that we have the very best employees. I have always been impressed by the folks we hire. Many of them are home grown in Oak Park. I hope that those of you reading this have encountered some of our most well-loved personalities over the years! I can personally say that I have loved having a special relationship with many employees that goes beyond the employer-employee relationship. Many of these “kids” have become family to us.

From the very start, Andrew and I set out to open a place that would be a true reflection of Oak Park and more specifically the people of Oak Park that chose to be customers of Buzz Café. We have worked hard over these years to make sure that is true. I hope you agree.

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