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

Julie Kasniunas - Nowhere but here.. through the eyes of an artist
Exhibit Opening Reception:
Sunday, October 5, 2025, 2 PM
October 5, 2025 - December 3, 2025

The Village Gallery is pleased to present Nowhere But Here… through the eyes of an artist, featuring the vibrant paintings of Julie Kasniunas. The exhibit will be on display from October 5 to December 3, 2025.

Kasniunas’ work overflows with color and energy, reflecting her love of the dunes, beaches, gardens, and countryside that surround us. Each painting invites viewers to share in the vitality and beauty of nature.

Join us for the opening reception on Sunday, October 5, at 2:00 pm at The Village Gallery at Pines Village. Julie will share her inspiration and answer questions about her work.

Upcoming Exhibit

Stu Walesh - Drawing on the past
Exhibit Opening Reception:
Sunday, December 7, 2025, 2 PM
December 7, 2025 - January 28, 2025

A beloved resident of Pines Village, Stu Walesh passed away peacefully on September 28, 2025. While Stu won’t be able to present his work himself, his daughters will take on that honor. The opening reception will also serve as a celebration of Stu’s life, with friends and family welcome to attend.

The exhibit will be on display from December 7, 2025, through January 28, 2026.

Walesh’s drawings reflect the moments, people, and places that shaped his life. Each piece begins with a memory—whether of a beloved pet, a trip, or a treasured experience—and transforms into art that celebrates those blessings. His work was never about producing “pretty pictures,” but about honoring the joy of the past.

ARTIST STATEMENT
Every one of my drawings has some special meaning for me. Selecting a subject and beginning to create a drawing helps me recall a person, place, pet, trip, event, etc. that brought joy to me and others. Rather than trying to produce a pretty picture, I try to capture and celebrate past blessings and pleasures. My drawings draw on the past.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY
I was born and raised in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, a small town on Lake Michigan about 80 miles north of Milwaukee—a great place to grow up. My friends and I enjoyed the lake, beaches, wooded areas, boats of all kinds and sizes, ball fields, beer, and bratwurst.

I first noticed my wife-to-be when we were sophomores in high school. My interest in her was not reciprocated. However, I was persistent—Jerrie and I have been married for 63 years.

Then off to college, at Valparaiso University, the first in my family to experience higher education. Therefore, I had to do well—my family was counting on me. I majored in civil engineering and then went on to graduate school, also in civil engineering, at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Wisconsin.

I worked professionally as a civil engineer in the consulting business, government, and academia for several decades and then concluded my career serving as an independent consultant.

So, where did art come into my life? Like Grandma Moses, I was a late bloomer—me near age 70 and her at 82. In 2008, Jerrie and I were enjoying ourselves in Florida. We stumbled upon a community art center, stopped in, and viewed many paintings and drawings. On a whim, I signed up for a graphite pencil drawing class.

This would be the first drawing instruction I had taken since Ms. Zuehl’s third-grade class. She and my classmates drew with crayons. I soon learned that our teacher loved red–orange, which I used frequently in pursuit of getting a good grade.

Back to the Florida class. I was intrigued by graphite drawing and eventually moved on to colored pencils, supplemented with acrylic paint. Now, almost two decades after signing up on a whim for that graphite pencil class, I’ve learned how to draw, enjoy it, and am grateful for two wonderful teachers—Don Melander in Florida and Fred Holly in Indiana.