Exquisite Canvas: Mural Takeover by Andy Bellomo, Stephanie ‘Stef Skills’ Garland, and Gabriel Villa
May 12—July 27, 2025
Chicago Cultural Center, Michigan Avenue Galleries, 1st Floor East
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Exquisite Canvas is a living exhibition of public art presented at the Chicago Cultural Center. The Michigan Avenue Gallery walls will become an expansive and awe-inspiring canvas for ten weeks, meticulously painted with narratives of hope, resilience, and the brilliant spirit that defines Chicago. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in a dynamic display of the creativity that covers buildings and viaducts throughout the city. This exhibition offers a window into the creative process of public art by inviting visitors to watch three Chicago artists, Andy Bellomo, Stephanie ‘Stef Skills’ Garland, and Gabriel Villa, develop original murals throughout the exhibition. By witnessing the creative processes in action, visitors can appreciate the creativity, dedication, and work that goes into each mural and public artwork. Through observation of and engagement with the artists as they paint, visitors are active participants in the creation of the artistic work.
The murals developed for Exquisite Canvas are a testament to the interplay between tradition and innovation of modern-day muralists and showcase the dynamic creative legacy of Chicago street artists. These vibrant compositions celebrate the diverse voices and narratives that shape our urban landscape, forging a meaningful connection between art and the residents of Chicago.
Gabriel Villa has been focused on painting, drawing, ceramics, and public art for over three decades. He earned his BFA at Corpus Christi State University and his MFA at the University of Delaware. Born and raised in the border region of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, he’s been living in Chicago since 1997. Villa’s work fuses his Mexican American experience and observations from Chicago’s Southside.
His work has been featured extensively in group and solo exhibitions, including the National Museum of Mexican Art, Sullivan Galleries at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Centro De Artes Museum in San Antonio, Texas, and School of Architecture, Art, and Design at American University, Dubai.
Villa has been the recipient of the Elena Diaz-Verson Amos Eminent Scholar in Latin American Studies at Columbus State University and the Artist Response Program, and Individual Artist Grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in Chicago. He has completed residencies with Jackman Goldwasser Artist in Residency at Hyde Park Art Center, Ox Bow School of Art, among others nationally and internationally.
Gabriel Villa is a core member of Pilsen Housing Cooperative (PIHCO), an anti-displacement effort started by Latino artists and longtime community residents in response to gentrification.
Admission is FREE
Open Daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Exhibitions close 15 minutes before the building closes
(Closed Holidays)
Find us:
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
Chicago, IL 60602
Take CTA to Chicago Cultural Center
- From the elevated lines: exit at Washington/Wabash and walk east.
- From the subway: exit at Lake (Red Line) or Washington (Blue Line) and walk east.
- Served by Michigan Avenue buses 3, 4, 19, 20, 26, 60, 66, 124, 143, 147, 151, 157 and Washington St. buses 4, J14, 20, 56, 66, 147
Stephanie Garland (‘Stef Skills’): Stef Skills is a Chicago artist, educator and activist with a passion public art. In her nearly 30-year career she has established herself as a prominent female voice and leader in the local and international graffiti arts community. Stef’s public art and commissioned works can be found throughout the city as well as in New York, Pittsburgh, London, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Miami, Visalia (CA), Barcelona, Mexico City, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, where she has also held residencies and been a featured artist in gallery shows, panels, exhibitions and festivals. Stef’s artwork and impact have been featured Graffiti Women (Abrams 2006), Heart & Soul (Younity 2008) and the History of American Graffiti (Harper Collins 2011) and as part of The Chicago Reader’s 2014 People Issue. She continues to develop work that combines street art elements with botanical illustration typical of her Costa Rican heritage.
Andy Bellomo creates art that pulses with meaning—for herself, her community, and anyone who encounters it. Her work is a dynamic fusion of design, color, and the boundless spirit of queer culture, manifesting in vibrant murals, intricate fiber works, and intimate studio pieces. Each creation is a journey that engages both mind and heart, capturing the waves of change, resilience, and pride radiating from queer communities. Bellomo transforms spaces into bold declarations of visibility, celebration, and identity.
Over the years, she has honed a distinctive visual language, developing symbolic elements that resonate deeply within queer spaces while remaining accessible to the broader public. These symbols are not simply aesthetic choices—they are expressions of strength, solidarity, and lived experience. Bellomo’s work exists at the intersection of the personal and political, offering viewers a space where stories converge and the queer experience is both honored and made visible.
At the core of Bellomo’s practice is collaboration. She thrives in creative partnerships, drawing energy and inspiration from the collective process. Whether co-creating with fellow artists or engaging community voices, she embraces collaboration as a means of building shared vision and amplifying impact. By intentionally decentering herself in the art-making process, Bellomo fosters inclusive, powerful work that resonates beyond the individual—sparking dialogue, inspiring action, and weaving a vibrant narrative of collective transformation.
