The Village Gallery at Pines Village Retirement Communities is a nonprofit art gallery dedicated to showcasing the works of regional artists and fostering artistic appreciation within the community. Established in 2009, the gallery provides 575 square feet of exhibition space designed to highlight the talents of artists from Chicagoland and beyond.

Exhibitions rotate every eight weeks and are open to the public free of charge. Each new exhibition begins with a “Meet the Artist” reception, allowing visitors to engage with the creators behind the art. Artists can exhibit and sell their work with no commission fees, ensuring they receive full recognition and support for their talent.

The Village Gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information or to connect with The Village Gallery, email thevillagegallery@pinesvillage.org.

Featured exhibit

Laurel izard
Exhibit Opening Reception:
Sunday, February 1, 2026, 2 PM
February 1, 2026 - March 28, 2025

The Village Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of work by artist Laurel Izard, with an opening reception on Sunday, February 1, at 2 pm in the Celebration Center. Izard is an award-winning artist whose embroidered quilting and mixed media work has been exhibited across the United States in juried and invitational shows. Her art quilts transform vintage, unfinished quilt tops into powerful visual statements that explore environmental concerns and social issues, while honoring the history and care embedded in the original materials.

Izard’s practice is deeply rooted in both craftsmanship and storytelling. By repurposing abandoned quilts, she preserves the labor and intention of earlier makers and gives these textiles a new life on the wall rather than the bed. Symbolically, her work draws on the associations quilts hold with home, family, and protection, extending those ideas outward as a quiet gesture of care for animals, people, and the planet.

The exhibition will be on view from Sunday, February 1, through Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Visitors are invited to attend the reception, meet the artist, and spend time with a body of work that blends tradition, personal history, and contemporary reflection.

Upcoming Exhibits

NORMA TYLER
Exhibit Opening Reception:
Sunday, MARCH 29, 2026, 2 PM
MARCH 29, 2026 - MAY 21, 2025

Born in Bluffton, Indiana, and raised in a family of educators, Norma Armstrong spent much of her life teaching before fully embracing her lifelong love of art. After earning her teaching degree from Ball State Teachers’ College and a master’s in education, she taught in Michigan and later in northwest Indiana, where she spent the majority of her career at Liberty Middle School in the Duneland School System.

When Norma retired in 1992, her husband encouraged her to explore a new hobby. A visit to a local art studio led to lessons, supplies, and the beginning of a dedicated artistic journey that continues more than three decades later. What started as a post-retirement pursuit quickly became a meaningful and lasting passion.

Norma works primarily in oils, though she has also explored watercolor, colored pencil, acrylic, and other media through classes at local art centers and national workshops. A lifelong maker, she has created quilts, crafts for church bazaars, and even woven rag rugs on a century-old loom. Now in her 90s, she continues to take art classes through the Pines Village community, a reflection of her belief in lifelong learning.

Inspired by nature, gardening, rural landscapes, and travel, Norma’s work often evokes a sense of nostalgia. While she values developing technical skills, she believes creativity begins with learning to truly see. Noticing shapes, light, and color has enriched both her art and her experiences, with travel and painting continually inspiring one another.

The Village Gallery is honored to showcase a collection of Norma’s work that reflects decades of curiosity, dedication, and joy in the creative process.

EMILY BLOSSOM
Exhibit Opening Reception:
Sunday, MAY 24, 2026, 2 PM
MAY 24, 2026 - July 16, 2025