Teens, visit Chicago Public Library this summer and express yourself in DIY workshops with IntuiTeen mentor-artists and educators from Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. In these workshops, you'll learn about outsider art while you create your own one-of-a-kind art piece using found and repurposed materials (example pictured):
- Lozano Branch on July 19
- Kelly Branch on July 21
- West Englewood Branch on July 26
- West Town Branch on August 2
- Richard M. Daley Branch (West Humboldt) on August 4
- Edgewater Branch on August 9
What is outsider art? Intuit defines the term as the "work of artists who demonstrate little influence from the mainstream art world and who instead are motivated by their unique personal visions. This includes what is known as art brut, non-traditional folk art, self-taught art, and visionary art."
One of the most famous outsider artists is Henry Darger, a Chicago native who worked as a hospital custodian. He kept his artwork a secret and his major work, "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion," wasn't discovered until after his death.
The beauty of outsider art is that anyone can do it—you don't need previous art or crafts experience, only your creative vision. Be sure to post your outsider art creations on social media with #cplteens or share your experience in our Teen Chicago Travel Guide! Your workshop creations will also be digitally captured and featured on Intuit's teen-curated online gallery.
