The Sound of the “L”
The series is a love letter to Chicago’s elevated train system. The series of paintings capture historic “L” stations, neighborhood landmarks that live in the shadow of the “L” and views from “L” stations. The paintings will show Firecat Projects in November 2024. Opening Reception on November 15th (see details below)!
The Sound of the “L” is a series of 20 watercolor paintings. The collection includes paintings of stations from all eight of the “L” lines, which were made “en plein air” or painted outdoors, allowing the artist to experience the neighborhoods in which the stations are located.
The paintings provide glimpses of the neighborhoods through which the “L” lines cross, illustrate places which evoke nostalgia, and reveal portions of the city which may be unknown to Chicagoans who live at far extremes of the “L” system. The collection is both personal, representing the artist’s experience and memory as a Chicago resident, as well as representing that which is interesting and special about Chicago’s elevated train system, including the oldest “L” station, two stations that have been relocated from their original locations, and distinctive neighborhood features like the Chinatown Gateway and the workers’ cottages of McKinley Park.
For additional details about individual paintings, see gallery below.
opening reception
YOU ARE INVITED TO AN
OPENING RECEPTION FOR
THE SOUND OF THE “L”
A LOVE LETTER TO CHICAGO’S ELEVATED TRAIN SYSTEM
TWENTY WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS BY
JANE SLOSS
ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024
7 - 10 PM
FIRECAT PROJECTS
2019 N. DAMEN AVENUE
CHICAGO, IL 60647
TUESDAY-FRIDAY 10AM-6PM, SATURDAY 10AM-5PM
GARFIELD | GREEN LINE - This painting captures the historic Garfield station house, in the Washington Park neighborhood, which opened in 1892. The station house features beautiful diamond-pattern brickwork and terra cotta egg-and-dart molding. In 2001, when the new station came into service, the historic station house was closed. In 2017, the CTA announced that the historic Garfield station house would be transformed into a small business incubator. The space now serves as the retail space for the L1 Creative Business Accelerator program to support South Side entrepreneurs with a 20-month fellowship and shared brick-and-mortar retail space for three fellows.
WESTERN | BLUE LINE - This painting draws my personal nostalgia. It features the Western Blue Line station, whose art deco facade I’ve always found particularly elegant. This station was featured in my first series of Chicago paintings, “At the Heart of the Chicago,” in which I made one painting for every mile of Chicago’s longest street (Western Avenue). I couldn’t resist revisiting it for this series. These paintings will be made on location, so today I enjoyed an afternoon with a perfect view of the station and the atmospheric rumble of the “L” passing overhead.
DAMEN | PINK LINE - This painting captures the a view of the “L” crossing over Damen at the Damen Pink Line stop. I painted from a bench in front of the adorable 'L' Cafecito Jumping Bean with a view Taquería el Costeño.
DAMEN | BLUE LINE - In researching the “L” stations most beloved by Chicagoans, I found that many people are charmed by the Damen Blue stop and the way it is tucked under the “L” tracks. The station is original to the Metropolitan “L”’s Northwest branch and was renovated in 2014. It was a pleasant to sit across the street from the bustling station, sip an iced latte from the nearby La Columbe and make this painting, on hot June day!
DEMPSTER - SKOKIE | YELLOW LINE - This painting is a view of the historic Dempster Street station located adjacent to the Dempster-Skokie Yellow Line. The historic station opened in 1925, but as the result of redevelopment, its demolition was threatened in the 1990s. Luckily a development team eventually purchased the historic station, moved it 130 feet east, and restored it to its original design. It now houses a coffee shop and other retail spaces.
CERMAK - CHINATOWN | RED LINE - This painting captures a portion of Chinatown on S. Wentworth Ave. with a glimpse of the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line stop through the Chinatown Gateway. It was pleasant day on a very lively stretch, painting, taking a break for bubble tea, and listening to the gentle patter of the street vendors speaking a Chinese dialect.
MAIN STREET | PURPLE LINE - This painting features the Main Street Purple Line station, completed in 1910, with a view north to the delightful Chicago-Main Newstand. The trees surrounding the platforms are sometimes overgrown, extending over the platforms and growing down onto and through the railings. The lush foliage growing on and around the early 20th century platforms gives the station a charmingly rural feel. This station and the nearby stretch of Main Street are sentimental for me, just down the street from the Brothers K Coffeehouse, where my husband and I had our first date and near where he lived when we met.
WILSON | RED LINE - This painting features the historic Uptown Station, at the Wilson Avenue Red Line stop, which was completed in 1923 to serve the Uptown district, the largest and most popular commercial and entertainment area on the North side. The original station interior featured terrazzo flooring, art marble wainscoting, and a grand staircase with ornate brass handrails! I enjoy seeing the station, when I volunteer at Inspiration Corporation (across the street), each Wednesday.
LAWRENCE | RED LINE - This painting captures the elevated train platform at the Lawrence Avenue Red Line station which lives in the shadow of the majestic Aragon Ballroom sign and building. The Lawrence Avenue Station opened in 1923 after the Riviera Theatre had opened in 1917, but before the Uptown Theatre would open in 1925 and the Aragon Ballroom in 1926. The station is currently closed for construction, but el train still glides across the Avenue on regular journeys north and south bound. I would love to hear your Aragon Ballroom memories and stories!
SOUTH BOULEVARD | PURPLE LINE - This painting captures the South Boulevard Purple Line station. I was stuck by the view of the station through the staggered track supports, which have an elegance that reminds me of Roman aqueducts. The station at South Boulevard was built in 1930-31, replacing the Calvary Cemetery station one block south. The facade and interior are very similar to the Central Purple Line station and the Sheridan Red Line, featuring Doric columns and the words “Rapid Transit” above the door in terra cotta.
LAKE | RED LINE - This painting actually captures two “L” stations (the State Red Line subway station and the State & Lake Orange | Green | Pink | Brown | Purple Line elevated station) as well as the Chicago Theater sign. I was torn between painting this station and another one, but decided on this one because I thought it would be fun to end the series with an iconic image of Chicago and one that you see, down State Street, every time you ride the elevated trains, in the Loop. Making this painting was a two-day adventure, I made the sketch late one afternoon, but ran out of light. I returned early the next morning and sheltered under a building canopy for protection from the rain. I enjoyed watching a parade of tourists snapping pictures of the Chicago Theater sign, School of the Art Institute of Chicago students coming & going from their nearby building, and talking to an assortment of passersby.
35TH/ARCHER | ORANGE LINE - This painting captures a row of absolutely delectable workers cottages, which live in the shadow of the Orange line, near the 35th/Archer Orange line, in McKinley Park. These cottages likely appear sunken because in the 1850s, many Chicago streets were raised by five to eight feet to install a sewer system.
FRANCISCO | BROWN - This painting captures one of only a few at-grade train stations, which essentially run through people’s back yards. I had never seen the Francisco station (featured here) until I started this project. I am so charmed by this restored 1907 station house tucked in a quiet portion of Ravenswood Manor.
QUINCY | PINK, PURPLE, ORANGE & BROWN LINE - This painting is a view of the Quincy Station which is a part of the Loop and is a station for Pink, Purple, Orange and Brown line trains. The Quincy station was completed in 1897 and opened along with the Wells leg of the Loop for business on October 3 of that year. The station was restored, in 2004 and the station interior retains its pressed tin walls and ceiling and tongue-in-groove chair-rail wood paneling.
CONSERVATORY - CENTRAL PARK DRIVE | GREEN LINE - This painting captures Green line station at Garfield Park Conservatory. When people ask for recommendations about where to visit, in Chicago, I always recommend the Garfield Park Conservatory - it is such a gem! And, the nearby "L" station has a very unusual history. It was rebuilt in its current location, in 2001, after the architectural components of historic Homan station (originally opened 1893) were deconstructed and relocated here. It is a very unique station and a the park is a delightfully lush place to paint with music from the park picnickers and folks out for a Sunday driving, as a soundtrack.
ASHLAND | ORANGE LINE - The painting features the a view of the “L” crossing over Bubbly Creek at the Ashland Orange line stop. This is probably my favorite painting in the series so far because it gave me to opportunity to discover something previously unknown to me. It was fun to discover this spot, which feels like a bit of a hidden gem even to those who live in the neighborhood. Exiting the “L” station I was greeted by a busy stretch of four lane Ashland traffic, strip malls, and hot sun. The walking path overlooking Bubbly Creek, tucked just north of the station, with a view of a historic train bridge and the eastern end of the Orange Line platform, was an oasis, quiet with a lovely view.
ROCKWELL | BROWN LINE - This painting features the view the at grade Rockwell Brown line station. When I first moved to Chicago this was the station closest to my apartment.
18TH | PINK LINE - This painting is a view of the “L” tracks crossing 18th Place, at the end of a residential block, just south of the 18th Street Pink Line stop. The afternoon turned rainy so I had to take cover under a nearby awning during a series of downpours…eventually I was able to resume painting from the original location, finishing just as the sun was setting!
ARGYLE | RED LINE - This painting captures the view down Argyle Street to the Argyle Red Line stop. I made this painting on location, but modified the current view, adding the “Asia on Argyle” signage and a a Chinese pagoda on the platform canopy, which were both removed as part of the renovation to this station. This street and station are sentimental to me because soon after moving to Chicago I lived in an apartment that was nearby and I frequently walked to Argyle and the Argyle “L” station. And, now I am once again a proud Uptown resident and happy to be able to enjoy frequent visits to Argyle. I was delighted to do some of my sketching while chatting with my sister in the window of Fat Milk and some of my painting from the patio at Ba Le while enjoying a banh mi (love the veggie avocado) — a tour of culinary delights!
Jimmy Wong and later Charlie Soo, championed this area, in the 60s and 70s, as an enclave of Chinese, Vietnamese, Lao, Cambodian, and Japanese businesses. As a result, the neighborhood has been nicknamed New Chinatown, Little Saigon, or Little Vietnam. More recently, Hac Tran and Jennifer Pham have founded Haibayo, a community focused nonprofit looking to enhance Uptown’s Asian business and culture, which includes a community space, a business incubator and programs for the public. I love Argyle and hope that it will remain a vital corridor for culture and community for many years to come.
CHICAGO | BROWN & PURPLE LINE - This painting captures the historic station house, at the Chicago Brown | Purple line stop. I am quite familiar with this stop because I’ve been working near to this stop for 10 years. This station house opened in 1900, with an interior that featured wood detailing in the door and window frames, ceiling moldings, and tongue-in groove chair rail paneling. Nearly all of this detail remained until the station house closed for renovation in 2007, including the original 1900-built ticket agent’s booth until around 1999.