Paul Elledge ♥’s You

Having worked with some of Chicago’s finest chefs, Team Elledge has been exposed to great food and great experiences.  Two of Team Elledge’s favorite ‘foodies’ have been nominated for great opportunities and they need our help! These people have contributed so much to our world and now we’re asking our friends to help contribute to their world on our behalf.

If you haven’t treated yourself in awhile, check out Topolobampo and indulge in the fantastic creations by pastry chef, Jennifer Jones.  This week be sure to cast your vote for Jennifer as the best new pastry chef in the nation by Food and Wine Magazine!

Rochelle Trotter is another familiar face who has Team Elledge’s support.  Running to be the next host of ‘Check, Please!‘, Rochelle has a one of a kind personality and vast knowledge of food that will not disappoint future viewers.  Please cast your vote through wttw to help Rochelle.

And don’t be shy–spread the word!

©Claire Ashley

If you find yourself ‘Under the Picasso’ later this week, you’ll find more than just the famous sculpture.  Chicago-based artist, Claire Ashley, will be adding some color to Daley Plaza with her inflatable sculpture making a performance larger than life. Team Elledge often looks toward other mediums besides photography for inspiration. We are so lucky to be exposed to such a large variety of art and venues right here in our own backyard.

©1999 Paul Elledge

Growing up, LIFE magazine was an inspiration to Paul’s photographic point of view.  The featured images always had the magical connection that arrives when great content and visuals come together.

From the Vault #10 hails back to 1999.  That year Paul had a wonderful assignment from LIFE.  He created images for a story on the Ohio Village Muffins.  The Muffins were a team that played mid-19^th century style baseball with an audience of vintage fans.

©1999 Paul Elledge

In keeping with the historical nature of the story as well as Paul’s love of antique images, Paul photographed the team with a 4 X 5 Deardorff.   He also chose an older Kodak Portrait lens shot wide open to greater illustrate the “old school” nature of the experience.  The results have a timeless painterly feeling.   The creative process on this project brought Paul’s childhood inspiration of looking at LIFE full circle to creating for LIFE.

©2012 Paul Elledge

Happy 50th to the Society for Photography Education!  What better place to celebrate than right here in Chicago?  If you haven’t gotten your tickets for the party, the SPE National Conference is right around the corner.  Next weekend, join photographers from all over the world to discuss photographic expression and practice, and of course to celebrate our common love for photography.

Glass Coach Louisville, Larry Poons ©2007

Team Elledge has seen what Larry Poons is capable of on the race track, and last week in New York we had the chance to see in person what he can do with a canvas.   Loretta Howard Gallery is showing “New Paintings”.  In addition to that body of work, we had the good fortune to be taken behind the scenes to view his early dot and texture paintings.  Talk about living the dream… At 75 years old, Larry is still producing world class art work and racing motorcycles.

Next up and in the same neighborhood is another great show-  Ezra Stoller’s ‘Beyond Architecture’.  His beautifully crafted images give you an inside look of a modernist period in America.  We also appreciate that this work illustrates how commercial commissions can cross the line into the fine art world.