Global Soul: Paintings & Prints by John Hillmer

GLOBAL SOUL

Paintings and Prints by John Hillmer

“Your soul is the whole world.” —Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha)

John Hillmer pops up again at the Bordello Galeria with original paintings and fine art prints loaded with “Music, Mexico, and (sublime) Madness”. These energies, he believes, may act as antidotes for a world loaded with Gallo y Toro (Cock & Bull). This also happens to be the title of one of the paintings.

Yes, many people know that art is the center of eARTh. It is also the center of pARTy. The art in this show honors both.

The soul symbols moving through Hillmer’s paintings are many. Songbirds and seabirds who enjoy flight over fight. Fish who keep their eyes wide open. Musicians who share colorful stories about enduring global peace. Roosters on wake-up duty. Vases and faces that hold beauty, mystery, paradox. Indeed, the swirl of the global soul flows playfully through these works.

Hillmer’s colorful art has been soul-centered for a long time. His large, painted stage backdrops have appeared behind many artists including Ray Charles, Keb’ Mo’, and Taj Mahal. His design and illustration work has been used to celebrate more than 50 music, literary, and community events throughout North America. These days he operates on both sides of the border, partly in Chicago, a city of broad shoulders and true diversity, not far from where Hillmer grew up in the rolling hills of Wisconsin. He’s also worked as a teacher and publications director at the American School Foundation of Guadalajara, a place that taught him a thing or two about the merits of international education.

Speaking of international education, let’s all gather on the weekend of the 23rd in the lovely Bordello Galeria courtyard on Organos. See you there!

Bordello Galeria / Organos #19 / Centro SMA

Sat., Nov. 23 and Sun., Nov. 24, 11AM—6 PM