The Leigh Gallery, 3306 N. Halsted, will display the works of out actor-turned-artist Thom Bierdz from Sept. 22-Oct. 15. Bierdz himself will appear for the opening-night reception, which will take place at 6-9 p.m. (At that time, he will paint live.)
The paintings of Bierdz, a former star of the daytime serial The Young & the Restless star, focus on the forgiveness and resilience of the human spirit. Bierdz, a 2005 emerging VOX/OUT Style & Design of the Year Award has been embraced by Hollywood, with many stars purchasing his works.
Bierdz turned to art in order to deal with a pair of almost unimaginable tragedies. First, his younger brother Troy, later diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic, murdered his mother. A few years later, his other brother succumbed to paranoid depression and committed suicide. Now, he creates works that are oftentimes inspired, as he once told Windy City Times, by items ‘that just involve the release of my feelings.’
For more info, call 773-472-1865, e-mail theleighgallery@comcast.net or visit www.theleighgallery.com.