At yet another free evening event presented by the Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation, members and guests viewed a preview in the form of excerpts from a dance suite to be given by a new company being formed by Dimitri Peskov. A dancer who has appeared with the Lyric Opera and a recipient of several choreographic awards, his intent is to have his Dimitri Peskov Dance Theatre offer theatrical movement inspired by literature, music, visual arts, and philosophy. This new dance suite, Of Fleeting Things, which explores life's ephemeral nature, is scheduled to have its world premiere during June at Link's Hall, a venue in Chicago’s north side that provides space for emerging artists. (Photography by George Gabauer)

The sounds of a chamber music ensemble in the Kiva helped the audience block out thoughts of the winter cold outside. Six members of the string section of the New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago played the Brahms Sextet No. 1, Op. 18 in a concert presented by the Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation. It was the first in a projected series of programs that the Foundation intends to offer featuring grant recipients. (Photography by George Gabauer)

Members of the club filled the Kiva to celebrate the 103rd annual meeting of The Cliff Dwellers. Prior to the traditional steak dinner prepared by Chef Victor, club President Larry Lund, assisted by Secretary Brian Bernardoni and several committee heads, provided a review of 2009. This was part of a presentation also covering the status of the negotiations to renew the lease for the clubhouse along with options involving other locations. Election of three selected members to the Board of Directors then followed. A special tribute was paid to Dieter Kober, CD ‘59, the founder and director of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, in celebration of his 90th birthday. In return, Maestro Kober assumed the duties of chorus master in directing the assembly in singing a forceful version of "Zivio," the club’s anthem. (Photography by George Gabauer)

The depressed economy didn’t prevent Cliff Dwellers and guests from filling the Kiva for the annual Holiday Luncheon. The decorations and bowls of egg nog easily brought back personal recollections of past gatherings, but the table conversations were muted and this year lacked a Zivio toast to the traditional celebration. While the sound of carols accompanied the oversized buffets, this season it was via piano (courtesy of member Arnie Lanza) rather than the assembled voices of diners. (Photography by George Gabauer)

The final presentation in the year-long celebration of the 1909 Burnham-Bennett Plan of Chicago was an illustrated lecture jointly offered by The Cliff Dwellers and Alliance Francaise. The French connection was made evident in Tim Brown’s discussion of the city planning involved in Georges-Eugene Haussmann’s remaking of Paris during the 1860s. Brown is a professor at Illinois Institute of Technology, a Chicago-based architect who worked in Paris for many years as Director of IIT’s European Studies Program. (Photography by George Gabauer)

Classical vocal music revisited the club as two sopranos, joined by a pianist, made their Chicago premiere in a recital of operatic arias and art songs. Hailing from Russia, Galina Ostalskyas and her daughter Anna have performed extensively in their home country and throughout Eastern Europe. Their appearance here is the result of a cultural exchange involving performers and artists from Moscow, a program sponsored by both the Moscow and Chicago chapters of Friendship Force International. (Photo by George Gabauer)

Noted writer and speaker on the subjects of training, education, and global labor market issues for the past three decades, Ed Gordon (CD '00) gave a post-luncheon presentation in the Sullivan Room on the future of jobs and careers. The lecture was based on his latest book, Winning the Global Talent Showdown---How Businesses and Communities Are Partnering to Rebuild the Jobs Pipeline. Gordon has written several other books on working as well as literacy and for some 20 years he taught at DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern Universities. (Photo by George Gabauer)

October 8, 2009

A rare opportunity became available to Cliff Dwellers and their guests in attending a preview of the upcoming Chicago performances of a chamber opera. Based on Jean-Paul Sartre's existential play "No Exit," it is being produced later this month by Chicago Opera Vanguard. This program resulted in part from a grant made by The Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation. The 45-minute preview in the Kiva included commentary about the opera itself as well as slides showing of the costumes and set. The operatic setting of Sartre's dark comedy has music by Andy Vores, some of which was heard at this event performed by one of the cast members. (Photo by Richard Eastline))

More than 60 Cliff Dwellers and guests took a trip back in time as the words of architect Daniel Burnham were brought to life by actor R. J. Lindsey accompanied by a slide show. The program, "Make No Little Plans," spanned the years from the 1871 Chicago fire through the successful 1893 Columbian Exposition and up to the historic presentation of the Plan of Chicago in 1909. (Photograph by George Gabauer)

The end-of-summer exhibition on the walls of the Kiva features new works by Robert Johnson, CD ‘87, an educator and artist who utilizes both traditional and present-day media techniques. Members and guests attending the reception viewed a collection that featured three-dimensional pieces created from his own flat art, also on display. (Photograph by the artist. See additional images on the current Gallery page.)

May 14,  2009

Club members and guests attended another program in the Club's celebration of the Centennial of the Burnham Plan. Larry Okrent, CD '93, was the speaker-presenter of "The Evolution of Grant Park, from 1837 to the Present Day (with a nod to Daniel Burnham)" which included numerous rarely seen maps, plans and photographs, plus aerial views from his own archive. (Photograph by George Gabauer.)

April 24, 2009

Artwork from distant Africa now occupies the Gallery walls for an exhibition featuring works from the collection of member Ernest Slotar, CD ‘86. In addition, paintings by Cape Town artist Roy Bermeister and selected artwork in various media from Dumela Contemporary African Art, a Chicago gallery, comprised the showing, “Low Veld Paintings,” a cross-section of landscapes and contemporary graphics. At the opening reception, artist Bermeister and gallery co-owner Leila Green mingled with Cliff Dwellers and guests. The exhibit is on display until May 20. (Photography by George Gabauer.)

April 17, 2009

Cliff Dwellers and guests were treated to an afternoon interlude of contemporary dance in the Kiva. Eddy Ocampo, a former Artist-in-Residence and now the Resident Choreographer for Inaside Chicago Dance, presented members of the company in two of his latest works, "The Alarm Will Sound" and "Beckoned," as a preview of performances to be given at the Ruth Page Foundation. Ocampo is a two-time recipient of the Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation Award for Outstanding Choreography in Dance Chicago. (Photos by George Gabauer)

January 12, 2009

An ample number of Cliff Dwellers braved the Arctic-like Chicago weather to attend the 102nd annual meeting of the club. Beginning with a welcome cocktail hour, their conversation was accompanied by piano music of the era offered by Arnie Lanza, CD ‘08. Highlight of the long evening was a visual presentation by Jan Stilson, author of Art and Beauty in the Heartland: The Story of the Eagle’s Nest Art Camp at Oregon, Illinois, 1898-1942.(Eagle’s Nest was the “summer home” of the principal founders of The Cliff Dwellers.) Our speaker was introduced by President Larry Lund, CD ‘02, who had arranged for her appearance at the club. There were, of course, the year-end reports of various committees along with the election of three new Directors to the Board. To top off the festive activities, that night’s entire staff was introduced and thereupon received the greatest applause of the evening. (Photos by George Gabauer.)

To view William Bowe's Album of the Annual Meeting please click on his name and use the return arrow on the Google page to return to the Cliff Dwellers site.