What this site is about:

This site is about Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery showing works of Artist Stephen F. Condren noted Illinois Landscape Painter. Paintings for sale include miniature oils to mural size canvases. Located in the historic Fine Arts Building downtown Chicago. Landscape oil paintings for sale on Michigan Avenue Downtown Chicago just south of The Magnificent Mile, art on exhibit in Chicago.

The following is what is offered to you:

Oil paintings for sale

I am an artist selling oil paintings at my gallery. My subject has been landscapes of Lake County, Illinois. I am very interested in light and how it affects the surrounding countryside at sunset. In many of my oils I try and capture the feel and mood of the setting sun. At this time of day there is a rich asortment of colors that can be captured to bring the viewer into the scene.

Architectural Renderings and Illustrations

As an educator and expert in architectural drafting and illustration I provide building contractors and architects the necessary drawings and illustraions that are needed for their contracts. I am an authority on AutoCAD and work extensively with this platform. I have been teaching AutoCAD and complimenting software since 1985 at the College of Lake County, Illinois and continue to do so with the Chicago Public Schools.

Interior Design

As an artist and architectural designer working with professional interior designers is sensible and an enriching aspect of my work.  It gives me pleasure to work with designers to provide them with works of art that integrate well into their design plans.

Drawing of your home

I provide drawings of your home. Realtors, architects, building contractors, and many other have commissioned me to do drawings of homes for their clients closing gifts. This has been very well received and leaves a powerful point of impact sales tool for the agent. Who can ever forget such a gift as it hangs on their wall? The drawing becomes your perperual business card.

Miniature oil paintings

A very popular give. I have miniature landscape oils for sale as a perfect gift item. The oils are original and signed by me. The are approximately 2" x 3" in size and they come framed!

Articles

On this site is a link to my Articles Homepage which contains articles that I have written on various topics ranging from How to make money and live well to How to win at chess. Pick here to be linked to my Articles Homepage. I have been classified as an Expert article writer with ezinearticles. Their site can be linked to by picking here.

EDUCATION:

As a public school teacher it is an honor to work with the finest young people of today.  I currently work for the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), one of the most innovative and farsighted school systems in the country.  Under the guidance of Mayor Richard M. Daley and Arnie Duncan the Chicago Public Schools have become a model for education of young people across the country.  Not only is CPS a leader in the implementation of education, it is also a leader in teacher development programs and technology.

I have made it my life’s aim to work with the students to help give them tools to work with in making their dreams come true.  In addition to teaching them the skills they need to make a living I would like to instill in their minds a vision of a better tomorrow and a goal of peace and understanding for all people everywhere.  I believe that Art is the road to that vision.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO:

It is my conviction that the City of Chicago is the finest city in the United States of America and one of the finest cities in the world.  Not only are we blessed to live and work in such a wonderful city the real beauty of The City of Chicago lies in its people and government.  Touring Downtown Chicago along Lake Shore Drive is one of the most spectacular vistas anywhere. No other city can boast of such splendors as we in Chicago can. 

We are blessed with the Art Institute of Chicago, The Field Museum, The John G. Shedd Aquarium, The Adler Planetarium, The Chicago Historical Museum, The Museum of Science and Industry, The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, The University of Chicago, Northwestern University, The Univerity of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.  In sports could I forget The Chicago Bears, The Chicago White Sox (World Series Champions), The Chicago Bulls, and The Chicago Cubs? The list could go on but space will not permit.  What has made these would class institutions is the vision of the men and women of Chicago that stood before us.  In their hearts and minds they had a vision of what could be done and took to the task.  Today we are the heirs of their great vision and it is our responsibility to carry this vision forward.

ART, PHILOSOPHY, AND HISTORY:
As an artist I can express best my thoughts in terms of my work, which is drawing, and painting.  I have always had a predilection for drawing even as a small child.  To my great joy my father owned an art supply company called Favor Ruhl & Watson.  I was fortunate to have all the tools that a young artist needed to work with.  Further I was sent to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the American Academy of Art for training while in elementary school.  Fine Art has always been a part of my life and will always be.

Coupled with Art is my love of reading.  My greatest interests in reading are Philosophy and History.  I have been so committed to Philosophy that I have taught myself German (I have never stepped into a German language classroom) so that I could read Nietzsche, Kant, and Albert Schweitzer in German!  I believe that Philosophy is a wonder for the mind and makes us richer as individuals.  

History is the key to understanding who we are and where we come from.  What could be more pivotal in human assessment?  This great tool gives us the background that we need to get a closer look at who we are and where we came from.  I pause in wonderment at the Ancient Egyptians and marvel at all the wonders that they have left behind for the world to see.  In the recent past we Chicagoans had the World Columbian Exhibition of 1893, located in Hyde Park, The Century of Progress, and the tragic Leopold and Loeb murder of 1924 where the famous defense attorney Clarence Darrow took the case for the two young men. We are the heirs of many great treasures and have to much to learn and to teach.

INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND WELL-BEING:

As a member of the President’s Circle at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs peace and understanding between nations is of great importance for me.  This is stemmed for my deep rooted need for peace and understanding between people.  Further, I have learned from my father as a boy what it is to know and work with people that are different from you.  With that knowledge I have sought all my life to seek out other people from other walks of life and countries and build a bridge of peace and understanding. 

ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING AND TECHNICAL ILLUSTRATIONS:

As a student at Naperville Central High School I took a course in my Junior years in Mr. Pierce’s Drafting class.  I found that being an artist I took to the curriculum quickly and easily.  Many students had difficulty in seeing the views of what where to be drawn, whereas as an artist it all came naturally to me.

Since that time I have successfully worked with architects and contractors on design projects, providing them with needed working drawings and technical illustrations.  Now with the advent of the computer age the field of architectural drafting has taken a radical turn.  Now we draw and design on the computer using AutoCAD and other similar software.