Mesplé's art part of Chicago exhibit

Chicago artist James Mesplé, a 1966 graduate of Nevada High School, has had a busy season, having works in several exhibits during the past several months.

Mesplé exhibited his paintings in a one-man exhibition at the Shingoethe Museum at Aurora University in Aurora, Ill., in November and December and gave a talk March 18 at the Illinois Museum

Mesplé also was represented in an exhibit, Pathways and Portals -- Art, Nature and Science, which presented the work of 14 artists who use mythology, religion, and science as portals to other realms at the Lockport Illinois Museum following its appearance at the Illinois State Museum in Chicago, which ended May 7.

Although the exhibit at ISM has closed, information on the works still can be viewed at www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/chicago/exhibitions.html?ExhibitID=202

Mesplé has two works, Flora, goddess of spring, and Hermes in Elixir of Love in the exhibit. According to a catalog from the exhibit Flora depicts the goddess of flowers bringing new life to the world each spring, after being buried throughout the winter's cold. Elixir of Love draws on Mesplé's Nevada childhood and the stories about moonshine and stills told him as a boy.

Mesplé attended the University of Missouri in Columbia and studied painting for two years with Fred Shane. Through Shane he met Thomas Hart Benton, who introduced him to the mixed technique -- a painting technique that combines egg tempera and oil paint. Mesplé moved to Chicago in 1968 and graduated with honors from Northeastern Illinois University in 1970.

Mesplé has taught at Chicago's Francis W. Parker school, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and held workshops at several colleges and universities. Since 1988 Mesplé has devoted himself full-time to his paintings which have been showcased in numerous installations both locally in the Chicago area and nationally.