Green Gypsy Brings More Art, More Beats, More Live Graffiti in Round Two of Keeping It Local

CHICAGO - Sept. 25, 2013 - PRLog -- While playing in her in-home studio this past July, Green Gypsy Gallery Director, Alexandra Wright, had discovered a new way to use chemical reactions in her art, which heavily focuses on various painting styles, covered in resin. She used social media to show off her new work, and received positive feedback form her followers, but still felt the need to show the public. Unfortunately, no feasible outlet seemed possible.

Alexandra then decided to put on an art event showcasing the array talents of her friends in the art scene. Few of them had ever been in a show, or had the money to pay the high costs of application and tent rental fees for Chicago’s neighborhood art festivals, but were bursting with talent and ambition.  To pay homage to the local art scene and Dreams for Kids, the Chicago-based beneficiary of the event, she named it Keeping It Local Fest.

By accumulating a donated, outdoor gallery space in Old Town, a free bartending service from private event company, Bartend Chicago, the well-known funky DJ group, Dharma Monkey, and a strategically concocted line-up of artists, stylists, designers, photographers, and a live graffiti artist, she pulled off an event that was to be raved about for the following few months.

Due to the amount of recognition the 150-person event received, Alexandra took her friends’ suggestion and has been working since to recreate the event, to be held Saturday, September 28, 2013 from 7pm-2am.

“Keeping It Local Fest II will be nearly double the size of the first one, with our new venue space, the Garage, just off Randolph in Near West [Side]. Half Acre Brewing Co. is sponsoring it, we will have two food trucks, multiple DJ sets, different artists, and the live graffiti artist will have more space for a bigger piece. I didn’t realize how big it was going to get the first time around, so this has been much more thought out, and with our new venue, I can’t wait to see how it all turns out, “ said Alexandra.

The $35 ticket includes two drink tickets, $1 food items from Haute & Ready and the Salsa Truck, $3 hand-crafted, mixology cocktails, artist meet-n-greet from 10p-12a, and an after-party from 12a-2a, with the final DJ closing it out with some heavy beats. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Dreams for Kids, to help fund an art program for the youth associated with the charity. Ticket sales are limited, and may sell out before the event. Purchase tickets online at www.keepingitlocalfest.eventbrite.com. Visit Keeping It Local Fest on Facebook for available discount codes.